Page 6 of Ride Long
Dad grunted, his lip curling. “Will you sit the fuckdown?”
Tensing, I rounded the back of the sofa and perched on the edge. My thighs burned, and my back thanked me for it, but it was a bed I longed for the most. A bed, sleep, and knowing Chaser was going to be all right. Maybe I should’ve been thinking about my own fate, but I was running onfumes.
“You will be given a room in the compound,” Dad declared. “You’re free to come and go as you please, but you are not to leave under anycircumstances.”
“That’s the direct opposite meaning of ‘free to come and go as I please,’” I pointedout.
“If you need something, ask. Don’t bother Chaser with your inane requests. I know he saved your life, but that does not make him your errand boy. We have new recruits that specialize in shit kicking. Ask them for yourtampons.”
I snorted and rolled my eyes.Just like old times, Daddy. Just like oldtimes.
“When does the bidding start?” Idrawled.
He stared at me and didn’t bother replying. His fingers stroked his beard while his eyes retained their icyluster.
“Them attacking you is a slight on me,” he began, lowering his chin. The light bounced off his face in a demonic way, making my spine tingle. “It makes me look weak. You know I’m not weak, Betty. They’ve declared war on Fortitude by putting a hit out onyou.”
I snorted. Manipulative bastard. He really thought I would buy that? Fortitude was going to war over me?Fat fuckingchance.
“Betty died,” I said, lowering my voice to match the tone of his. “Seven yearsago.”
“Ah, you call yourself Sloane now.” He smiled. He actually fucking smiled at me like I was a cute little child playing at grown-upgames.
“So, what’s it to be, Daddy? Lay itout.”
“That all depends on yourattitude.”
“You could’ve had something good,” I murmured. “It could’ve been great, you know, but you screwed it all up. You raised your hand to my mother. You raised your hand to me. To you, a woman is something to be bought and sold. You tried to sell me into sexual slavery. Your own daughter.” I reached out and picked up the revolver, knowing full well it wasn’t loaded. I stroked the mother-of-pearl, watching the colors shimmer. “I’m half her, but I’m also half you.” I glanced at him, a smirk playing on my lips. “There’s power inthat.”
“Is that what you want?” The undertone of his smile changed, and he leaned back in the armchair, the leathercreaking.
Setting down the revolver, I rose to my feet, trying not to puke on the way up. “It all depends on yourattitude.”
He nodded, the ice in his eyes beginning to thaw. His gaze never left mine as he took a cell phone out of his pocket and brought it tolife.
“You must be tired,” he said before pressing the screen. Lifting the phone to his ear, he added, “Rick. My daughter is here. Get the fuck in here, and show her to her room. Get her whatever she wants.” He looked at me. “Withinreason.”
He put the phone away, and I wrinkled mynose.
“That gun is pretty,” I said. “Is that withinreason?”
“I won that off a Mexican,” he replied. “Cartel, he was. Outside of reason. You don’t need weapons in thecompound.”
The door opened, cutting off any chance I had of making a witty comeback. The entire MC was packing heat, yet I was unarmed…like all the other Old Ladies in the joint. Being Marini’s daughter wasn’t a fast track to notoriety, not after the stunt I pulled getting out of the place the first time around. I would have to earn that pretty sidearm, but it was worth atry.
A man strode into the room, dressed in beat-up jeans, boots, and a faded Harley Davidson T-shirt. He had a shaved head, stubbled jaw, and soft eyes to match his baby face. A new recruit. I made a mental note to ask him fortampons.
“Rick, this is my daughterSloane.”
I stepped around the sofa, glad to get away from the dangerous tug of war that’d begun with myfather.
The newbie recruit nodded, eager to serve his master like the desperate dog he was. “Room’s thisway.”
I took two steps before Istopped.
“Dad?” I turned, leaving Rick out in thehallway.
My father lifted his head and waited for my pearl ofwisdom.
“If you ever try to sell me again, the last thing you’ll see is my face as I put a bullet into yourhead.”
“Of course.” He smirked, lips curving lopsidedly. “You are halfme.”
