Page 25 of Reaper's Claim

“Abby seems to be getting bullied.”

I choked on the carrot in my mouth. Gitz came to my rescue by giving me a firm hard pat on the back.

“Here ya go.” He handed me his beer, and I was quick to take a gulp of it.

“What? No, she isn’t,” Kim piped in. Seems like passing the buck to her was the best idea I had. I sucked at lying.

“Maybe you could explain, Kim, what the fuck you are doing. Why this is happening?” Dad’s voice got that angry tone to it, and he seemed to be in full parent mode now.

“She isn’t being bullied!” Kim explained.

“Yeah, Dad, she’s right. I’m not really.” I lied, and my face didn’t even give me away because it was already flushed by my near choking experience. “Principal Frigg is just making you worried over nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me.” Dad slammed his fist down. “Kimberly, apparently you are the leading lady when it comes to bullying your sister at school!”

Kim looked at me blankly. Dad was past angry and entering a full-on rage. He never really was good at having a conversation without reeling in his temper.

“Abby, you should have told me.” Dad’s eyes were scorching on mine. “Now start fucking explaining why you have been giving the school a wrong number.”

“Because it’s not worth disturbing you about it. Seriously, they are blowing it out of proportion.” I kept my eyes locked on his. I was dying of embarrassment right then. Kade was sitting there, quietly, staring down at his plate. He hadn’t touched his food, and I wondered if he could tell how awkward this was for me right now.

“You and your sister always come first,” Dad spoke with such firmness.

“Oh please, Dad, really? You are going to spin that one?” Kim got guts from somewhere and actually rose to her feet, pointing a finger at him. “The club comes first, and stop trying to act like it doesn’t.”

And just like that, shit got messy.

“Better reel in that tone, young lady.” Dad rose to his own feet, and it seemed like the Harrison family was going to go for gold.

Looked like the boys were in for dinneranda show.

“Dad, Kim, calm the fuck down,” I piped up in between their glare off.

“What? Dad wants to sit there and pretend that he cares more about us than this club. Well fuck me, I’m not playing along with that anymore.”

“KIM!” I snapped at her. Dad was already angry; you don’t go fucking poking a bear.

“So Dad, if we come first, where were you last week? When I had my finals? Where were you when Abby got awarded outstanding for exams last month? Hell, where were YOU when we both got in trouble last month?”

“KIM!” I roared at her this time and rose to my own feet, tipping Gitz’s beer over in my rush. “WE both fucking promised not to mention that!”

Just drop us in more shit, why don’t you, Kim?

“What?” She snapped at me, her eyes firing with rage. “I’m sick of pretending like Dad gives two shits about us. Sure, you love us, but the club comes first, Dad, and you really need to wake up to that.”

If a man could burst from rage, Dad was going to. Even a few of the boys were watching him closely, ready to jump up in case he charged at her.

“Kim, you need to calm down and stop saying shit you don’t mean.”

“NO! I’m sick of it! I’m sick of this club! I’m sick of living in this fucking messed up lie that Dad gives two shits about what happens to us. Hell, Dad, you might want to think you’re not the ride-in-and-out dad, but you are!”

Kim was digging our graves one mouthful at a time.

“Kim, this has nothing to do with Dad’s parenting skills.” My voice was firm; it even sounded strong. I couldn’t believe she was giving him a mouthful after she made me feel bad for even thinking about talking to Dad about what Noel had done.

“You’re right, Abby, because he is no fucking parent.” Kim threw her fork on the table and glared at him with a look of disgust.

“Ok. Clearly, I have missed something because only a few hours ago you were all concerned about his health and that I wasn’t to upset him, and here you are yelling at him!”

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