Page 6 of The Claiming

“Agreed.”

I regard her with curiosity.

“Tell me your story and I’ll tell you mine.”

If anything, she appears evasive and is obviously considering her response carefully.

Her bright blue eyes fix on mine and she shakes her head.

“My family is unconventional and not everyone’s cup of tea, as my mom says. They are well, um, forcefully challenged, shall we say?”

I wonder if she is referring to an MC club and ask, “As in a club?”

“Sort of. I have four unofficial uncles who are tighter than family. We live apart but meet up often at a place we all share. In fact, they all met at this place many years ago, which is why we now go here. My cousin even stays in the same house they did—tradition, if you like.”

She is obviously uncomfortable stating the exact nature of her family, which I’m guessing means it’s not entirely legit, but who am I to judge? Neither is mine.

Her gaze falls on me and she enquires, “What’s your story, Cassie?”

“Much the same, really. I live with close to fifty bikers and their old ladies. It’s a motorcycle club and we all live together.”

“Seriously?” Her eyes widen. “Fuck, can I come and stay for the holidays?”

We burst out laughing and just like that, a friendship is forged and any doubts left in torn pieces on the wooden floorboards. We are friends and it surprises me how comfortable I already am around her.

My thoughts turn to my best friend from home. Aside from Jack, there is Imogen and I wonder what she would think of Siri. They are much the same in looks, but Siri has a personality to match mine, whereas Imogen is softer, more introverted and studious. She elected to study nearer to home because she prefers to return home every night. It tugged on my heartstrings to leave her because we have shared so much together growing up. I begged and pleaded with her to join me here, but she resisted all of my attempts.

However, this is all about broadening my horizons and finding myself and Siri is the best possible person I could room with outside of Imogen, so I’m happy about that.

As we settle in, a shiver of excitement passes through me when I consider life at Rockwell Academy. New horizons indeed and with Siri beside me, I’m convinced this will be the beginning of the most exciting chapter of my life—so far, anyway.

FOUR

FRANKIE

The best way to vent my frustration is in the gym and I spend the entire afternoon using the state-of-the-art one at the academy. We have our own in the house, but there is way more equipment here and I can take a dip in the pool afterwards.

Jesse is lifting weights beside me and as the music blares from the speakers, I relax my mind.

I’m not certain why I’m so restless.

As I said to the guys, life here is getting old already. Pussy is on tap and not desirable anymore and I never thought I’d see the day when I wasn’t interested in acquiring any of it.

The trouble is, I love a challenge. It calls to the depravity in my soul that is fed when I head home. My nights are spent very differently there as I prowl the bars, searching for the innocent.

Girls who would be horrified by my standards and unaccustomed to my world. Not ones who have been around the block several times already and consider they hold all the answers.

“Hey man, I’m beat. Fancy a dip?”

Jesse heaves a breath and wipes the sweat from his body with a towel and I nod, replacing the weights and chugging down the bottle of water by my side.

“Sure.”

“What’s up, Frankie? You’re brooding again, which isn’t a good sign.”

Jesse is the only guy who calls me out on my moods—the others are too afraid to challenge me and I shrug.

“I’m unsettled. Perhaps it’s this place.”

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