Page 109 of Praying for Thunder

We kissed. “Rya.”

“Whateva’ it takes, Thunder.”

We kissed.

For five more months, Rya and I got to hold each other, kiss, and love one another, on a level many young adults don’t experience. But those young adults have most likely never witnessed their mothers die, right in front of them. Rya and I had, forcing us to mature rapidly just to survive the horrid circumstances that followed.

Like I had once believed Onus loved me, I still believed Rya’s daddy loved her. That’s why, when coming to watch her ride, I made a grave decision, ultimately placing her in his hands.

For me, things at home were becoming more unstable by the day. I had stirred up the lion’s den by getting my restricted driver’s license.

“How the fuck did you do that?” grumbled Onus, not appreciating me doing it without his consent.

“I managed.” I had to pay off someone at the DMV, since I didn’t have a legal guardian with me, but I managed. “Cash is king.”

“No.” He got up from the couch, his prowl making my skin rise in warning. “You don’t have paperwork for a little bit of ‘cash’ to get you an ID.”

It took fighting all my survival instincts to not back away and run… “I do, though.”

His large hands curled into fists, sending ice rushing down my spine. “Since when?”

I knew all along this would come, but I needed identification to jump on a plane if trying to outrun the club. Diesel had explained how fast he could buy me a ticket from Georgia, where his club was. He had said… “One of the first thing clubs do in a new town is buy the police, so don’t run there in an emergency. Race to an airport. We prefer to avoid all the security cameras and headaches places like that offer. I’ll get a digital ticket to your cell…”

To Onus, I lifted the chin that would soon feel a horrid blow. “The rally.”

Bam! I was on the ground before I could even realize I’d been hit.

On my hands and knees, Piercer’s leather boots were in my sight. His voice was in my ears. “With our address on his ID, your fucking prick ‘son’ now has a map leading to our location! That Bastard is behind this!”

Toe for toe, Onus’ boots met his. “I fucking know what this means! That’s why he’s on the fucking floor! That whore Bastard had more than one parting gift!”

The back of my cut was suddenly in his grasp, yanking me from the floor. Not releasing me, I was crudely heaved off the Mess Hall wall, all the way to my bedroom door.

Wham! Wham!...

I was as tall as him now, but not of substantial weight, and easily tossed inside my room by an enraged Onus.

Picking myself off the floor, I begged, “Dad, hear me out! I did it for the club! When I’m patched in, if we get in any sort of trouble, at least I’m not some kid with no identification!”

In my face, he roared, “It was my fucking job to get you an ID!”

“Okay.” I raised my hands in mercy. “You’re right. I fucked up. I’m sorry.”

He turned away, yanking on his hair. “Hellion, you make me crazy!”

“I’m sorry. I fucked up.”

Facing me again, he growled, “Show me your docs.”

I quickly pulled my birth certificate from my cut’s inside pocket. Handing it to him, I repeated, “I meant well, for the club.”

Studying it, he cringed. “It doesn’t have my last name.”

Baffled, I shrugged. “Dad… I don’t even know what your last name is. I’m sorry.”

Not liking that Onus was calming down, Piercer entered and snatched the paper. After reading it, “Thunder DiAni Semloh,” his face went crimson as he scowled at me.

“What?” asked Onus.