Two days later Chloe woke up to drawers slamming closed. Climbing out of her bed, she walked across the small corridor to her parents’ room. The door was already wide open, and Lily stood, suitcase ready, as she threw in clothes.

All of them Kurt’s.

“Hey, Mom,” she said.

“Hey, sweetie. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I’m making such a racket.” Lily shook her head, tucking her long blonde hair behind her ears. She’d inherited her mother’s blonde hair, only hers didn’t have that sheen that her mother’s did.

“It’s okay. Do you want some help?”

Lily laughed. “Moving your father out of the house? No, this is something I need to do myself.”

She stepped over the mess and pulled her into a hug. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Mom. Do you think you’re making the right decision?”

“I can’t help but think I’m screwing up something.” Lily sniffled. “I’ve been with him for nearly twenty years. I’ve loved that man for what felt like a lifetime.”

“Then don’t kick him out.”

“The thing is, baby girl, he loves that club more than he ever loved me. When they needed him, he ran away. He came home and curled up in my lap, telling me how sorry he was with how pathetic he was.”

Her mother’s tears broke Chloe’s heart. “I never wanted to divorce him. I didn’t fall in love with him because of a leather cut. I loved him long before he thought he wanted to be a biker.” “But you still love him.”

“And I’m tired of the love not being returned. There’s only so much empty I can take.” Her mother tucked Chloe’s hair behind her ear. “You’re so beautiful.” “I’m not.”

Lily sighed. “I hate the way you feel about yourself.”

“I’m fat. You don’t have to pretend I’m not.”

“You’re a beautiful woman deep where it counts. So you have a few extra pounds, but that doesn’t make you who you are. Anyone who only sees the weight, they don’t know the real you.” Her mother held her close. “Don’t ever let a man think you’re any less than who you are. You’re perfect

just the way you are.”

She held her mother a little tighter. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too.”

“I’ll go and make you a hot chocolate.”

“I’d love that.”

Chloe stepped out of the room and looked back to watch her mother sit on the edge of the bed, one of her wedding photos in her hand.

This wasn’t supposed to happen, but she knew things hadn’t been going well between her parents for a long time.

The club was always getting in the way.

Giving her mother some privacy, she took a few steps, hearing the painful cry as Lily released it. She stopped in her footsteps and turned to go back, but paused. If her mother wanted to have someone to hold her, she would have cried while she was still there.

Chloe hated walking downstairs, but she did it. Going to the stove, she grabbed the milk out of the fridge, pouring a mugful into the saucepan.

Putting it on the heat, she grabbed her mother’s favorite chocolate. She looked up and saw her reflection in the toaster.

Lifting her hair off her shoulders, she pouted her lips, turning left then right, before shaking her head.

When the water was hot, she added the chocolate, a splash of vanilla, and a spoonful of sugar. She stirred it all together, and the bruise on her wrist caught her eye. Putting the spoon down, she wrapped her fingers around the marks, covering them.

She hadn’t thought Alfie was that strong, and yet, he’d left his mark.

If her mother hadn’t turned up, what would he have done? She tried not to think of what ifs, but like now, she couldn’t help but wonder. Would he have touched her?

Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts out of her mind, and served up the hot chocolate. To garnish, because her mother loved it, she placed a single cinnamon stick in the hot chocolate and carried it upstairs.

When she returned, the suitcase was packed, and in the trash bin she saw the shattered glass of the wedding photo.

She couldn’t help but think her mother was acting too hastily. If she wasn’t careful, she could live to regret what she’d done. “That looks lovely,” Lily said.

Handing the chocolate over, Chloe looked back at the trash bin. “Why did you throw your photo away?”

Lily loved to look at it, and had spent hours doing it in the past eighteen years.

“I don’t need a reminder of my failure.” Lily lowered herself down onto the edge of the bed, pushing some hair off her shoulder before cradling the cup. “I thought we were it, you know? He told me I was his life. Then you came into the world, and we were complete.” She sniffled. “They’re all lies.”

“I think Dad still loves you.”

“Oh, I have no doubt. Just not as much as he loves the club. I’m not going to do it anymore, sweetie. I’m not going to let him constantly let us down.” The doorbell went, and her mother sighed.

“Who’s that?” Chloe asked.

“Your father, if he’s not too much of a coward to come and collect his stuff.” Lily handed her the hot chocolate.

Chloe followed behind, sitting on the edge of the stairs, seeing the doorway. Lily dragged the suitcase down the stairs.

Each slap as it landed on each stair, she knew this wasn’t going to change. Kurt Decker wasn’t coming back into their lives.

Her mother wouldn’t have him back.

The boots, it was the last straw for her mother.

Tears filled Chloe’s eyes as she watched Lily take a deep breath, gathering herself together, trying to look strong, before opening the door.

Kurt was on the doorstep, but Eagle stood beside her father as well.

“Eagle, what’s going on?” Lily asked.

“I came to make sure this guy didn’t give you any trouble. You want him out of your life, don’t you?”

“Yes, but I can handle him. He’s never going to hurt me or cause me any problems. Are you, Kurt?”

“I want us to give this another try, baby. Please, for you and for Chloe.”

Chloe held the cup a little tighter. She did love her father, but this was one step too far. “It’s too late. How many times are we going to go through this before one of us realizes this relationship is way too toxic? I’ve got to set a good example to my daughter, and waiting at home for a man who doesn’t show up when he says he’s going to, and is always fighting for something else, I

can’t go through with this, not anymore. It sucks. All of this sucks. You think I want this? You think I enjoy having you on my doorstep, your belongings packed, ready to send you away?” “Then don’t. Let me prove to you I can do this. You know I love you more than anything. You and Chloe.”

“And what happens when you get a call from Eagle, or any other brother from the club? I’ve been through this so many times. I’ve believed you and you’ve gone running back to them. No more. I

don’t want to do this with you anymore. I’ve already booked an appointment with a divorce lawyer.

I’ve got to do this. For myself and for Chloe.” She pulled the suitcase across the threshold.

When Kurt went to touch Lily, Eagle held him back. “What about Chloe?”

“You can see your daughter any time you want, Kurt. I’m not going to keep her away from you. I’m hoping we can be friends. This doesn’t have to end badly. I just don’t want to be in a relationship with you anymore.”

“Come on, Kurt, grab your bag and let’s go,” Eagle said.

Lily didn’t close the door straight away. Chloe stayed on the stairs waiting. Kurt actually argued with one of the men who grabbed him, helping him move along. She didn’t see who it was, but

it surprised her all the same. It was the first time she’d seen her father fight a member of the club.

“I’m so sorry, Lily,” Eagle said.

“It’s not your fault. Not really. You’ve got a better hold of my husband than I do. I should have known years ago I’d never be good enough. Especially not compared to the club.” “Kurt’s an idiot.”

“He just wants to earn his patch.”

“You know it’ll never happen. I’ve told him repeatedly he won’t. The brothers don’t trust him.”

Homeroom never lasted so long, and she kept glancing at the clock, hoping it would tell her she could move on and be out of this nightmare.

It was nice, Alfie being this way, but it wasn’t real. She knew it wasn’t. Tapping her fingers on the desk, Miss Hops took attendance, and then started to talk about personal space. Each homeroom class was the same with Miss Hops. She believed she was preparing them for the outside world, for what to expect when they got a job, and had to start paying bills and taxes. “Do you think she even realizes people don’t give a shit about all of this?” Alfie asked, leaning forward.

“I don’t know, but she’s trying, and the least we can do is pay attention.”

“True, but come on, no one cares. I think they’re all interested in why I’m sitting right beside you.”

“Then they need to get a life, because this is nothing. This is you doing whatever it is you’re doing to prove a point. I don’t buy it either. No one else should.”

“Come on, you’re telling me you’re not loving me sitting beside you? There’s a hundred girls right now who’d love for me to be sitting in this very spot with them.”

“Then go and find them. Sit with them. Hang out with them. I don’t care. I don’t want you to sit next to me.” She wasn’t stupid. Something was going on, and she’d figure it out soon.

Alfie sighed. “You know, you’re a hard person to win over.”

“I don’t want to be won over.” The bell rang, signaling the end of class.

She picked up her books, wanting to go, but Alfie threw his chair back, standing up. He stopped her from escaping.

“Will you cut this out?” she asked.

“No. You’re going to have to learn to trust me.”

“And you think stopping me from getting to my class is magically going to do that.”

“It’s going to do something.”

“Alife, move please.”

“What do I get out of it?”

“The pleasure of knowing you did an amazing deed with getting nothing in return?” she asked. “Nah, you see, I don’t do anything for nothing. You want me to move aside, you’ve got to do something for me. In fact, you’ve got to do two somethings for me.”

“Why two?”

“I helped clean your locker.”

“You didn’t give me a choice. I didn’t ask for help. That one doesn’t count. Neither does this one. I don’t have to pay or owe you anything. Being a gentleman and common courtesy, you should just move.”

“Kiss me here,” he said, pointing to his cheek.

“Not a chance.”

“I’m not moving.”

Miss Hops was still in the room.

“Miss Hops, Alfie won’t move to let me pass.” She knew it was a bitchy move, but there was no way she’d kiss him.

Not his cheek, or lips, or any part of him.

“Alife, do I need to escort you to the principal’s office?” “No, you don’t. Well played, Decker,” he said.

Chloe walked right on past him, and left the room. Just as she crossed the threshold, someone put their foot out. She didn’t see it until the last possible moment, and she went flying. Her books were flung from her arms as she cried to catch herself.

The corridor erupted in laughter as she landed. She winced as pain shot through her hands. She’d landed a little funny, but nothing could ever save her from the embarrassment of Alfie witnessing it.

Scrambling to her feet, she grabbed her book and kept on walking. Her face was on fire.

“She did a floor flop!” someone yelled.

Gritting her teeth, she rushed to the bathroom, and luckily no one was inside.

Putting her book behind the taps on the sink, she grabbed the edge of it and took several deep breaths.

“It’s fine. It’s fine. It’s fine.” She closed her eyes and tried to get a hold of her emotions. It didn’t matter about the laughter. She was used to being the butt of everyone’s jokes.

This time, it felt a little different. She didn’t see who had tripped her.

Whenever she went down like that, with a loud slap on the tile, it was always her mission to get the hell out of there. She hadn’t been prepared for the fall. Sometimes she was and was able to catch herself. This time, she didn’t.

She’d actually been enjoying Alfie’s company.

Her first biggest mistake.

Running fingers through her hair, she looked up and finally stared at her reflection. “It doesn’t matter. You’re a good person. Hold your head high. The countdown to leaving is already happening.”

She took deep breaths. The tears didn’t come, nor did the sadness. She could get through this. It wasn’t the first fall she’d taken, and it wouldn’t be the last.