Always (Next Generation The Skulls 1)

“How are you feeling?” Daisy asked.

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? It looked to me when you were beating the crap out of that girl that you were having a few more issues than you were letting on.”

“Are you analyzing me now?” Tabitha asked, but she smiled so her friend knew she wasn’t pissed off.

“A little.” Daisy held her thumb and finger apart in front of her face.

Everyone joined them in the lake, including Anthony. She could only imagine why he needed to cool off.

“I guess she pissed me off.” The girl had reminded her of Amber. Even though Amber hadn’t been part of an MC, the two girls had that air of authority around them that they were going to get what they wanted. Daisy already knew she’d broken Amber’s nose.

“You know there’s going to be retaliation, right? They’re not going to have a choice?” Miles said.

“Like I care,” Tabitha said. “I can handle them.”

“Not if they jump you. We’re going to have to make sure Tabs is never alone,” Miles said.

“Agreed.”

“Are you all freaking kidding me right now? I mean, seriously?”

“It’s important you don’t let your guard down,” Anthony said. “You know this.”

“I’ve got your back,” Daisy said.

“I know.” She kissed her friend’s cheek. “Love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Out of the lake, now!”

Tabitha gasped as she looked toward the edge and saw pretty much all of their parents. Holy shit. Lash stood, glaring. “Out now!” He snapped each word.

Tabitha looked toward Anthony.

Lash looked at them all as they didn’t move. It was a standoff. Lash didn’t look away, he glanced at each of them in turn. For the first time for her, he actually looked freaking scary.

“One more chance!” His voice seemed to echo around the lake.

No one moved.

“Right, we figured this was how it was going to go.” Lash bent down and retrieved her phone. Tabitha frowned as he also got Anthony’s, then Daisy’s.

“No!” She screamed out the word as he put them on the ground and stomped on each of the three phones.

“I’m not joking around. Out now, all of you.” He snapped his fingers, searching for other phones.

Tiny was there with his arms folded, Nash, Killer, holy shit, even Whizz.

She scrambled out of the lake, quickly rushing to get her clothes.

“No, get in the fucking car,” Lash said, retrieving their clothes.

Whizz had Daisy’s car keys in her hand and there was already a tow truck.

“What’s going on?” Daisy asked.

“Your friends are being taken back home and I’ve got Sandy talking to them. You’re all coming back to the clubhouse right the fuck now!” He snapped his fingers.

Tabitha walked past in her underwear and climbed into her father’s car. She folded her arms, pissed off as Lash picked up the necessary clothes and had Anthony in his car.

“Are we going home?” she asked as they pulled away from the lake and headed back to town.

“You heard Lash.”

“You’re going to follow his orders?”

“Yep. Don’t even start with me.”

“You don’t want to hear my side of things?”

“I’m pretty sure I know your side of things.”

“You don’t, but like always, you’re just going to assume.” She slammed her back against the seat and stomped her foot. She was cold and this was humiliating as they had to wait at a traffic light and she sat in her father’s car, in her underwear. Lash knew how to punish them, there was no doubt about that. She was so fucking angry at him, at all of them.

Actually, anger didn’t even begin to cover what she felt. She was so pissed off.

They arrived at the clubhouse. There were some of the prospects outside, smoking and chatting with some of the club girls. The club didn’t have a lot of free pussy, but there were occasionally women who liked to hang around for whatever they could get.

After she slammed the car door closed, Lash arrived seconds later, and with her friends, they were marched into the room where the club always had church.

“Take a fucking seat. You all might as well get used to it because clearly you all don’t seem to understand what hard work means.”

“That’s out of line,” Miles said.

“Don’t start with me,” Lash said. “You think I don’t know a fucking punk-ass when I see one? I was one many years ago. You don’t fucking scare me. None of you do.”

Folding her arms, Tabitha stared down at the table. She hated this.

“So you all think it’s funny to be suspended?” Lash asked. “You think it’s good to break noses?”

His fists went to the table and he leaned on them.

“I don’t think it’s fun or good.” She glared at him. “You’re all accusing us and you don’t even know the facts.”

“Let’s see, she had it coming to her!”

“Yes, she did. She got in my face.”

“She did,” Daisy said.

“Since when did The Skulls want us to start taking shit?” Miles asked. “You think we don’t get enough crap from the Dogs as it is? They’re breathing down our neck all the fucking time. None of us can breathe because of it. We’re watching our backs and now you’re telling us to what, not fight at all? We’ll be the laughing stock of the entire school.”