A kid?
“Nothing is going to come of it.First of all, my father would never allow it to happen unless it benefited him or The Fellowship.And secondly, I’m not going to be here long enough to have a real relationship,” I admit.
“Why is that?”Ivy asks as she turns her head to the side to look over at me.
“As soon as I can save up enough money, I’m getting out of here and away from my father.And I need to find my mom.”
“If you need some money, I can help with that,” Raegan kindly offers.
“Thank you, but I can do this.There are going to be some steps I have to take before I can set this in motion.”
Raegan snaps her fingers and says, “Oh!”She jumps up from her seat and rushes out of the room.She comes back a few moments later.“Here, I thought you could use this.”She hands me a black phone and then some cards.“It’s an extra I don’t need, and the cards will expire if they don’t get used.”She shrugs.It’s a prepaid phone and minutes to use that are untraceable.I feel the sting in the back of my eyes at the kindness she’s shown me after only knowing me for a day.
“Thank you, Raegan.”I grip the phone to my chest.“I’ll find a way to pay you back.”
“It’s what friends do,” she states.
For almost two weeks I’ve been able to leave the farm and head to town all day without any push back from Papa or anyone else.Of course, I’m not exactly truthful about where I’m going.I work for Jenny in the mornings for several hours then head over to help Raegan with a charity carnival that will benefit the school.That’s where Papa thinks I am every day, and I don’t correct him.So far he’s given me over three hundred dollars to spend if I need it when I’m out with Raegan, but I haven’t touched but a few dollars.I’m squirreling away the rest and will add it to my first paycheck in a few days.
Tonight Raegan and Ivy said we’re going to a party.A friend or brother is coming home, so they want to celebrate.Ivy made me change from my long skirt and shirt to a short black dress with mesh where my midriff is.I’ve never worn something so revealing, and I find that I’m constantly pulling at the hem.
“You sure this is a good idea?”I ask looking around nervously.The last thing I need is for this to get back to someone at The Fellowship.I’d never be allowed to leave the farm, and that’d ruin my plans of getting out of there and away from under my papa’s thumb and craziness.
“These guys aren’t going to know what hit them,” Ivy dances in the passenger seat as I pull my car into a parking spot.We can hear the music; people are roaming around outside drinking and smoking.“It’ll be fine, and if at any point you want to leave, you just say the wordbutterfly.”
“Butterfly?”
“Yes.That’s our code word that will let us know that you’ve had enough so we can get out of here or any situation,” Ivy says.“Raegan and I have been using it for years.So if your fine piece of man meat gets too handsy then saybutterfly,and we’ll shut this shit down.”
“Havoc will be here?”My eyes widen at the thought.The plan was to never see that person again.To have one special night that was all mine and something I could cherish in my heart forever.Now it seems as though he’ll be making another appearance, and I’m not sure how to handle that.
“When you see him remember to act as though it’s the first time you’ve met,” Ivy advises.
“Okay,” I nod looking around, trying to take it all in.
Raegan reaches over and grabs my hand giving it a squeeze.
“It’ll be okay, Sutton.Just be yourself.They don’t bite,” she says to me as we approach the main doors.
“Weeell, unless that’s your thing,” Ivy wiggles her eyebrows making us laugh and easing the tension I’m holding onto.
I follow behind as the girls walk through the door of the building.There are men everywhere in leather.A light haze of smoke hovers in the large open room and nearly naked women are everywhere.Some are dancing on poles on the far side of the room, some are straddling men on couches, others are bent over pool tables, or are hidden in dark corners.Looking over at the bar, I see a group of men sitting around a table drinking beers, and that’s where I see him.Beckett.He’s at a table, drinks in front of him with a naked woman on top of the table letting the men lick drinks off her body.
I can’t help but gasp when I watch him bend over and slide his tongue across her body.I vaguely hear Ivy encouraging Raegan to fight some girl and panic starts to set in.These men are huge, and they are everywhere.No way we’re getting out of this without someone getting hurt.I’m not given a chance to take a step back because Ivy loops her arm in mine and pulls us over to the table.
The music is pulsating.My head starts to thump with the beat as Raegan and this naked woman start to exchange words.My eyes connect with Beckett’s, and his hand freezes midair stopping him from drinking his beer.I watch frozen in place as his eyes take me in from top to bottom.A random purse hits my chest breaking our contact, and I watch as the man next to him stands to his full height and starts to make his way around the table.He’s probably a good foot taller than me and has a massive build.
Before I know what’s happening, the man I assume is Stone has Raegan over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and is marching down a dark hallway out of sight.
“I think that went well,” Ivy states then nudges me with her elbow, making me laugh nervously.
I feel a warm hand on my arm and look over.Beckett is crowding me, and I have to crane my neck to look up to his face.
“Angel?”he murmurs as if he might not know for sure.
My heart starts to race.“I’m?—”
“You’ve got the wrong lady,” Ivy pipes up, pulling me into her side as another large man comes over to us.
