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Susie gives me a hug and points to my backpack. “I jotted down my number in your notebook. Give me a call and maybe we can get together sometime while we’re still in town?”
I blush and nod. Other than Peggy and Glen, I’ve never really had friends. Those that I thought were my friends, ended up backstabbing me. “I will. Thank you and hopefully I’ll see you again soon.”
Jordan gives me a hug and then runs off toward an older man and woman. With a wave, I turn toward where my map had pointed me to go.
A little over an hour later, I’m getting even more nervous by how much cinderblock wall I’ve already passed. It’s even topped with barbwire. Is all of this land part of their club? Why do they need such a big place? Why do they need such protective measures?
Up ahead, I spot a gate and my nerves skyrocket even more. Looking through the gate, there’s an enormous three-story building that must be their clubhouse. Off to the left of it, I can see some houses in the distance. It almost looks like a small community.
Please don’t let them be like a cult.
“Can I help you?” a voice calls from my right, and I jump, startled. Stepping out of a booth is a guy that looks a few years older than me, and his vest says he’s a Prospect.
“I-I’m looking for Smoke. Is he here?”
“Not right now. Is there something I can help you with?”
My cheeks flame as he looks me over closer. He’s a good-looking guy, but nope, not going down that road.
“Please, I just need to talk to Smoke. Can I come inside until he comes back?”
“I’m sorry, but my orders are to not let anyone in right now that doesn’t live here.”
I groan and rub my temples.
“Why are you so hung up on Smoke? If you’re looking to score, he won’t touch you. Not that I’m saying you aren’t good looking, it’s just that he doesn’t hook up with anyone.”
Groaning again, I slip my bag off my shoulder but freeze when the man pulls a gun.
“I was going to get some papers and a notebook out of my bag. I don’t have a weapon. Not even a knife.”
Please don’t shoot me.That’s all I need, bleeding out before I can even meet my dad.
“With what’s been going on, I’d rather be on the safe side. I’ll lower it once you have your stuff out of your bag and it’s back on your shoulders.”
Rolling my eyes, I pull out the folder, but as I’m digging for the right notebook, my bag slips and the guy steps forward a bit more. Immediately, I drop the folder and backpack, putting my hands back up in the air.
“It slipped while I was trying to get the right notebook. I’ll open the bag up further so you can see I have a lot of them in here. Give me a break. I’ve been on the road all day and it was a little over an hour’s trek from the bus station in town.”
He lifts his chin at me, but still steps even closer as he watches me closely. Picking up my bag and the spilled contents, I set it on the ground and fully open it so he can see what I’m doing. Flipping through them, I find the one I want before finding the entry that I was looking for. Opening the folder, I grab a couple of pictures and hesitate for a moment, but then decide against grabbing both of my birth certificates and death certificate.
Jeez, that’s weird to say.
If things don’t go well, I don’t want to risk those documents being ruined even though I know I could request a new birth certificate. However, there’s no way they’d give me replacements of my certificates with my dad’s name on them since I ‘died’. Dusting off the folder, I put it back in my bag before zipping it up and slowly standing up. I don’t want to startle the Prospect and end up with a hole in me.
“Here. It’s from one of my mom’s journals. Smoke is my dad, but because of her stupid actions, he thought I died.”
I hand him the notebook and pictures through the metal bars of the gate. He holsters his gun and I feel my shoulders sag in relief. He must not consider me a threat anymore.
His gaze lingers on my face a little more before he looks down at what I gave him. Seconds later, shock registers on his face. He scoffs before he shakes his head and looks back up at me.
“Damn. No offense, but your mom sounds like a fucking bitch to pull a stunt like this.”
I can’t help but snort at that and raise my hands to lift my long hair off my neck as the breeze picks up again. Instantly, my flushed skin starts to cool. I knew I should have bought another water bottle at the bus station instead of just filling up my thermos at the bubbler. It was a long walk to the clubhouse and I’m not even sure if they’ll let me in. The trip may end up being a bust and I’ll have walked here for nothing. If that happens, I wonder if they’d let me refill my thermos with water before leaving?
“Yeah, she is, and my stepdad’s even worse.”
He hands me back everything just as I hear the rumble of motorcycles coming down the road. Half of them are leading the group, and the other half are at the tail end with an SUV and a car in the middle. Almost like the men on the bikes are escorting whoever’s in the SUV and car.
