“Kill, you arenevergoing to believe what’s just happened.”
20
The steel bars confining me are cold against my skin as I lean against them, my arms dangling on the other side through the narrow gaps.
I’ve been here for what feels like hours. What with my phone being confiscated there’s no sense of time in here, every second feels like a minute and every hour feels like a year. I’m certain that by now Sheriff Collins has told my father about my arrest and how I well and truly fucked over his plans to set up the club. I also know he’s not going to rush over here to rescue me. He’ll do what he usually does when he’s mad at me. He’ll let me stew in here for a while, slowlydriving myself insane to wear me down just enough for him to come in here and crush whatever is left.
I rest my head against the cool bars and breathe out a sigh. It’s a small sacrifice to save the club from the wrath of my father. There’s no way he’ll risk the news of his daughter getting arrested going public, but this won’t be the end and the question is, what else does he have planned?
The sound of voices down the corridor catch my attention, followed by a single set of familiar footsteps growing louder as they get nearer, the sound echoing down the narrow corridor.
My father comes to a stop opposite my cell, leaning up against the off-white wall, sliding his hands into the pockets of his tailored pants. The set of his jaw tells me he’s livid, but his eyes remain fixed to the floor like he can’t bear to look at me.
“Care to explain to me what all this is about?” he asks, gesturing to the cell I’m currently locked up in.
“Your lapdog was going to arrest Jett and Cruiser, that’s what all this is about.”
“With good reason.”
“What reason would that be? To have drugs that weren’t even theirs planted in their clubhouse just to give you and Collins an excuse to arrest them?”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” he says dismissively.
“I think I have a pretty good idea, actually. The walls aren’t as thick in our house as you think they are.”
His gaze lifts and I see the flash in his eyes when he realises I heard every word of his private chat with the sheriff onthanksgiving.
“What were you doing there in the first place?”
“Jett and Cruiser are my bosses. I work at The Ape Hanger now.”
“Hm… I have to congratulate you, taking the job to piss me off… it worked.”
“You’ll be surprised to know the world doesn’t revolve around you. It’s a decent job and they were the only ones in town who were hiring.”
“Hmph.” His usual sound of disapproval makes me want to scream.
“I thought you’d be pleased. I mean, at least I’m earning my own money to support myself and not sponging off you and mom, right?” I ask, quoting his own words back to him.
“What on earth possessed you to say those drugs were yours to protect those criminals?”
“Because they’re innocent and they don’t deserve what you tried to do,” I tell him.
He shakes his head slowly. “How naive you are, Kaia…” he says on an exhale. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? What would happen if this got out? That you admitted to possessing drugs?”
“Yes, that’s why I did it.”
“Explain.”
“Because I don’t think you want this going public, because it’s not onlymyreputation it would tarnish, it’s yours. Let’s face it, that’s the only reason you’re here. You’re not worried about me, you’re worried about your precious fucking reputation.”
“Watch your language,” he scolds. “And don’t be so ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous? You know as well as I do it’s true.”
His eyes narrow. He’s not used to me standing up for myself and it feels pretty fucking good.
Our silent standoff lasts only a few seconds before he shifts, producing a key from his pocket and steps forward to unlock my cell. The door squeaks open and I step out.
