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Chapter 12
Oriana
My eyes are wide as I take in the large compound. More than a dozen buildings are scattered over the sweeping property dotted with bushes and large oaks. The scent of jasmine carries over to me on the early evening air.
“Most of the buildings are just regular houses where some of our members live. But that,” Flint says, pointing to a building on my right, “is my auto shop.” Pride shines in his eyes. “And this,” he continues, pointing to the largest building on the property, located right in its center, “is the clubhouse. It’s where we have our meetings or just hang out.”
“It looks wonderful,” I say, and I mean it. I don’t know what exactly I expected this place to look like, but it wasn’t this. Well, apart from the many motorbikes scattered all over the compound. Outside one house I see two little girls running around, their shrieks of laughter filling the air, and a gruff looking, bearded man who I assume is their father chasing after them, unable to keep the smile from his face.
I chuckle, the sight warming my heart, and a tinkling female laugh joins mine, coming from behind us. The sound makes my chest tighten. I turn to look at my mother. Her amusement fades as our eyes lock. I wonder when I heard her laugh the last time before she left. I never realized how much I missed the bell-like brightness of her laughter until now.
My mom takes in a shuddering breath. “Oriana, I’m so sorry, and I—”
I throw myself into her arms and hold her tight, breathing in her familiar scent of soap and lavender. It brings back faint memories of my childhood, more feelings of love and safety than clear mental images. No matter what she did, my mom loves me. I never should have doubted it.
“I’m so sorry that I left you all alone with that monster,” my mom breathes, her voice thick. “I thought I could come back and get you much sooner.”
“What happened, mom? Why did you leave me?”
My mom holds onto my tighter. “Your father and I were having a fight one night, and he hit me. Well, actually he beat me up pretty badly,” she says quietly.
I stiffen in her arms, rage making my pulse thrum erratically. The bastard beat her? Tears fill my eyes and I let them drip onto my mom’s T-shirt.
“And then he kicked me out.”
My mind goes blank for a moment. Then I step out of my mom’s embrace. “What?”
“He kicked me out,” she says, smiling sadly. “I mean, I’d been thinking about leaving for a while. But I never would have left without you. Ever.”
I take in an uneven breath. “He said you left us for another man,” I say, voice hoarse. Flint puts a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently, and I take a step back until my back brushes against his chest, needing his warmth despite the balmy evening.
Mom sighs. “I figured he’d make up something to make me look like the bad guy,” she says, sounding more tired than angry.
“But how did you end up here?” I ask.
“I have Flint to thank for that,” she says, smiling at him over my shoulder.
I spin to face him. “What? How?”
He opens his mouth to answer, but my stomach lets out a loud rumble. Both Flint and my mom snort with laughter.
“Sorry,” I say, putting a hand on my stomach. “I’ve barely eaten since—well, you know.”
Mom pats my hand. “How about I make both of you some dinner and then we’ll tell you all about how I ended up here?”
“I’d like that very much,” I say, my voice constricted by emotion. And I smile, first at my mom, then at Flint, basking in the feeling of being able to do such a normal thing as having dinner with the people I love most in this world.
Flint
“I didn’t know where to go when your dad kicked me out,” Sarah says, putting a large pot of spaghetti bolognese on the table. She grabs a serving spoon out of a drawer and slams it shut with her hips.
“How much do you want?” she asks Oriana.
“I can serve myself, mom.”
“Just say when,” Sarah says and piles pasta into a bowl.
Oriana rolls her eyes, but I can tell she enjoys her mom fussing over her. Her plump lips curve into a smile and there’s a light in her eyes that tugs at my heart. I squeeze her fingers under the table.
