North (Hell's Legacy MC Book 1)

by J. S. Andersson

  It took us a couple of hours to paint the walls and trims. That was just the first coat of paint. It still needed a few more coats of paint, and the en suite still needed to be done.

  Chapter Eight.

  Willow.

  17-10-2017

  Dear Mum.

  I live with my father. Funny how I can’t actually bring myself to call him Dad yet, I call him Aiden.

  I also live with my gran.

  She moved in two months after I moved in with Aiden. I love her. She makes everything easier. Aiden’s never home anyway. So, Gran and I eat together, watch movies together. She helps me with my homework. She’s always cooking and reading.

  She reminds me a bit of you.

  We live in a two-story house. There are five bedrooms in total, four upstairs and one downstairs, plus an office.

  Downstairs is a massive kitchen, and dining room with a massive table that seats twelve people.

  Why they need such a large table I don’t know?

  There’s a large lounge room with a huge tv and sound system, and these really comfy lounges. It makes movie night even better.

  There are family photos in the lounge room, one of me you and Aiden when I was a baby, and there is one when I was little of me and Aiden sitting on a bike together. There are a couple of me and a young boy, and of Aiden and a young boy.

  There is also a games room with a pool table, dart board and a bar with a shit load of alcohol.

  Gran’s bedroom is downstairs, and Aiden’s is down the other end of the house from mine. Next to mine there’s another room that stays locked that I haven’t been able to look at. The bathroom is huge, with a massive tub.

  Aiden’s home office is not very interesting though. I’ve only glanced in there, as it doesn’t interest me.

  Upstairs there are four large bedrooms, they all have their own walk-in robes and en suites, and two rooms connect to a bathroom.

  We have a spa, and a pool out the back.

  Aiden has this huge shed out there, with all these cars and bikes in it. We aren’t allowed to go in there, but Gran has shown me all his toys as she calls them.

  There’s also a garage that joins onto the house for Gran’s car.

  Gran’s been teaching me to cook. We bake goodies every Sunday. She calls it a bonding day. She always laughs and tells me “that’s the way to a man’s heart, some good old-fashioned baked goods and a hearty meal after a long day.”

  I see a counsellor now, her name is Barbara. I don’t mind her, I guess. She has some good suggestions. She has glasses, and short brown hair. She wears red lipstick and black business suits. Gran thinks she is too young to be a counsellor.

  My counsellor suggested that I write to you. I’ve been putting it off for months, but I guess now I’m ready to, I don’t exactly know what. I guess to tell you how I feel. Tell you what’s on my mind.

  I don’t know how to do that yet. But I’m willing to try.

  This is my first letter.

  My counsellor also suggested that I write a list of things I want to do before I turn 18. She said to write to you about them when I’ve done them, and to tell you all about them. I wrote 15 items on my list.

  I managed to do 7 of them in one day thanks to Gran. The rest I don’t think she can help me with.

  A couple months ago, I gave myself a makeover.

  I dyed my hair, cut it short, and got it styled. It’s now short, punk style, black and I have bleached streaks that we put purple and blue thru, but I can change it when the purple fades, to any colour I want.

  I bought new clothes. I even got my nose pierced. I have makeup, and I’m using the internet to watch makeup tutorials to put together my new look. I’ve stuffed up a few times, but I’m getting there

  We spent weeks revamping my bedroom. Purple, black and white décor. Painting the walls white. I had a blast painting, laughing, and singing at the top of our voices.

  Aiden even helped when he was at home.

  New furniture, new bedding, this gorgeous big silver framed mirror.

  I got photos of us and placed them around my new room. I have a few of all our old friends from home, Gran and Aiden.

  I’ve been in my new room for a couple weeks now. And I love it. You would love it Mum.

  Next month is my birthday. My seventeenth birthday.

  I wanted to miss my sixteenth birthday. I was too grief-stricken to even realise it was my birthday until Claire, Sam, Tommy and Sandra turned up on the door with movies and cake. It ended up being a good night. We watched movies all night and fell asleep on the floor in the lounge room. It felt like old times when we used to do that stuff all the time. It made me forget for just a minute that you were gone.

  Sam tried to kiss me that night and honestly, it just felt really weird. Before everything happened, I wouldn’t have said no but now... I dunno.

  I don’t think Dad even knew when my birthday was, or maybe he just didn’t want to make me feel worse, I don’t know.

  I’m turning seventeen, and I don’t want anyone to make a fuss. I just want the day to quickly pass. When you died so did my birthday celebrations. I’d be happy with sleeping in.

  I want to see your face, I want to hug you, and I want to see you smile. I miss you more and more every day.

  I’ll write again soon. Or at least I’ll try too.

  Night Mum I love you!!

  Love Forever & Always

  Your Daughter.

  Willow.

  xoxo

  Closing the journal, I placed it back in the top drawer, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

  It didn’t make me feel any better. It didn’t fix anything.

  Writing in this stupid journal wouldn’t bring her back. It just made me miss her more.

  Climbing into bed I pulled the covers up, picking up the picture of Mum from the bedside table I kissed it, and placed it back.

  “Goodnight Mum,” I whisper.

  Chapter Nine.

  North.

  I had been tailing Slammer’s daughter, Willow, for a year now.

  I learnt that Willow was Slammer’s daughter, a couple months after I started following her. Pyro had let it slip by mistake when he asked if I was looking after his sister. I was shocked to say the least.

  At the moment Willow is still in the dark about the club, and the club is just as much in the dark about her.

  I follow her to school. I follow her home from school.

  She never went anywhere else other than that. Home, school, home, school every day. Weekends she hung out at home with Molly.

  I waited outside her house every morning.

  I waited outside the school every afternoon.

  I could track her phone, so I knew where in the school she was at all times while I was at the club.

  Slammer thought she was in danger after what had happened to her mother. He suspected that it was more than a simple car accident.

  I honestly didn’t see how she was in any danger, nothing pointed to that being the case. It was ruled an accident, but Slammer is the President and you don’t question the President.

  I was a biker on babysitting duty, following a sixteen-year-old girl around everywhere she went.

  I couldn’t wait for the babysitting days to be over. I wouldn’t have to get up and wait outside her house every morning rain or shine. I could stay in bed, or someone else's bed, I wasn’t too fussed.

  It was just light when I pulled up in front of Slammer’s house. There was a chill in the air this morning.

  A black car parked down the road. Strange, I hadn’t seen it around here before.

  The front door to Slammer’s house opened, and out walked Willow dressed in her typical school uniform. Blue tartan school skirt, shorter than normal. White button up shirt with a blue tie that matches the skirt and a dark blue blazer. Backpack slung over her shoulder.

  She had dark hair with bright purple through it.

  A couple months back Willow made a few dramatic changes
. Her hair and clothes were just some examples. She stopped dressing like the preacher’s daughter and started dressing a bit more like a rock chick.

  Gone was the girl next door. She dressed differently and wore her hair in an array of different colours.

  Aiden said she had a new attitude to match the new look.

  I have never officially met the girl, so I couldn’t say if that statement was true or not.

  The doors of the black car opened, and two guys stepped out. They began walking in Willows direction.

  I didn't wait to see who they were, or what they wanted.

  I was off my bike and walking towards Willow.

  She had her head down, going through her bag as we all approached. She was oblivious to everything else around her.

  One of the guys rushes towards her and that was all it took, I raced over to her grabbing her arm. She squealed as I pull her behind me before the guy even has a chance to get close.

  He pulled up quickly, shock written all over his face.

  “Hold it right there, I wouldn’t come any closer if I were you,” I said holding one hand up.

  The other guy stops just behind the first, and it was only then that I realised the guys in front of me were just teenagers, not much older than Willow.

  I noticed a blonde girl slowly approaching from behind the boys. She stopped and looked between me and the two guys.

  Willow was behind me. I feel her stiffen and I realise that my arm is wrapped around her, pressing her right up against my back. Her breasts were pressed right against me.

  “Willow, what’s going on?” The blonde asked sounding pissed off.

  She didn’t look too happy, standing there with her hands on her hips. The two guys were standing beside her.

  I felt Willow move behind me, her hand resting on my arm as she looks around me.

  “Claire?” she whispered sounding surprised.

  Finally getting a good look at her, the photo didn’t do her justice. Her eyes were crystal blue, painted in heavy dark make-up, lips a dark plum colour. She looks older than sixteen.

  Breathtakingly beautiful, even more so up close, she was stunning. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

  One minute she was standing behind me with my arm holding her in place, the next she was rushing towards the blonde in front of me. Wrapping their arms around each other, they squealed, and jump around hugging.

  “I can’t believe you’re here,” Willow said while hugging the blonde.

  “It’s your birthday chickee. Of course, I’d be here for it.” Claire smiles looking towards the boys behind her “we wouldn’t miss this Willow, not your birthday, we’ve celebrated our birthdays together since we were little. Mum and Allie would...”

  She trailed off, looking at her feet.

  Willow’s smile dropped as she look towards the black car.

  “I see you got your dream car, Tommy.” Willow said with a hitch in her voice.

  “Ah, yeah. I worked and saved every cent for it over the last year,” the boy with the short dark hair said. Tommy, I’m guessing.

  “Willow, I’m sorry,” Claire said, looking like she swallowed a lemon with each word that exits her mouth.

  “No, Claire.” Willow looked at the black car again, then glanced across at me as if she only just realised I was standing there, not breaking eye contact with me she said “It’s ok, it’s been over a year, you can bring her up, you can talk about what’s been happening, I won’t break.” Looking away from me she looked at Claire, “Promise!” She sounded like she was trying to convince herself just as much as she was trying to convince her friend.

  “You wanna ditch school today?” Claire asks chirpily, “For your birthday?”

  “Claire, I don’t think sss....” I cut Willow off, grabbing her hand and spinning her around to face me.

  “It’s your birthday?” I ask.

  “Come on, Willow let’s go enjoy your birthday, school can wait!” Claire says grabbing Willows arm, beginning to pull her away.

  She looks up at me, with a hint of a smile. Looking down she takes in my appearance, her eyes lingering on my cut and its patches. She doesn’t look away or try to pull out of my grasp. Her eyes roam back up.

  Smiling, she whispered, “I don’t know you,” as we stood there staring into each other’s eyes.

  Chapter Ten.

  Willow.

  I was still holding his hand as we stared into each other’s eyes. Neither one of us looking away. He was young, ruggedly handsome, with a head full of dark hair, slightly on the long side. He had the start of a beard. A silver stud in his left ear.

  He was tall, built like a solid wall of muscle. He was wearing dark denim jeans, a white t-shirt, with a leather vest with patches on it.

  One stood out above the rest, Hell’s Legacy MC.

  “Earth to Willow.” Claire stood next to me, waving a hand in front of my face, “Hello,” she snaps, clicking her fingers in front of my face.

  “Sorry. What?” I mumble, shaking my head as I look towards her.

  I dropped the guy’s hand, turning to face Claire, Sam and Tommy.

  Claire used to be dark blonde almost brown, with short, straight hair. Now she was a platinum blonde, with long curly hair. The girl I used to know wore minimal make-up, lip gloss and a touch of mascara, now she wore over the top make-up. Bright red lips, black on black cat eyes, with a heavy foundation. Mum would have laughed and called her a cake face.

  She was dressed in a short denim mini skirt with a white tank top, midriff showing, belly button piercing and hot pink bra straps on display.

  She had gotten her nose pierced, and her lip pierced on both sides.

  Sam and Tommy hadn’t changed much at all.

  Sam had shaggy dark blonde hair, surfer style. He was wearing faded denim jean shorts, a dark blue Billabong t-shirt, and a pair of thongs. He was cute, but then he always had been.

  Tommy had black hair, shaved on both sides and a mo-hawk with blue tips. He was wearing dark denim jeans, a tight black singlet and a pair of black converse shoes.

  “I asked what you wanted to do for your birthday?” Claire said, sounding annoyed.

  “I should probably go to school Claire, the last thing I need is for Aiden to get all pissed that I’ve skipped out on school.” I don’t want to go to school, but I don’t want to skip either.

  “You call your Dad Aiden,” asked the guy behind me, dressed in leather. He sounded surprised.

  “Ah, yeah. That’s his name”

  Who was this guy? Why was this guy out in front of my house? Why did he seem to know me when I had no idea who he was?

  “I know his name love. I just figured you’d call him Dad,” he says with a half-smile tugging at his lips.

  “Who are you and how do you know my father?” I was a little confused.

  The front door opened, and I look up to see Aiden standing there with a seriously pissed off look on his face.

  He looked at each of us, in turn, stopping on the guy in front of me.

  “North, mind telling me why you’re standing outside my front door with my daughter, and some other people?” He was looking directly at the guy in leather.

  So, that’s his name, North.

  “Sorry Slammer, I didn’t know they were her friends when I first saw them. I thought she may have been in danger,” North explained to Aiden.

  “Right,” he said looking at the rest of us, “maybe you should all come inside, and explain why it is that you are all on my front lawn when you should all be at school.” He turned and walked back into the house, stopping to hold the door open for the rest of us.

  Walking into the lounge room we all sit down, except for North. He was standing in the hallway, having a hushed conversation with Aiden.

  Neither of them were looking very happy.

  Aiden walked in, followed by North who stands next to Aiden in front of us.

  “Ok kids want to explain why you’re all here?” Aiden directs this at Cl
aire, Sam and Tommy. Claire was the first one to speak.

  “We came to spend the day with Willow, since it’s her birthday today, we wanted to surprise her,” Claire said sounding very chipper.

  “Is that right?” Aiden asked looking at me now. He looked torn, “I’m sorry, Willow.”

  I looked at my hands in my lap, the ring I wore on my left-hand middle finger was my mothers. She had worn it every day, and now so did I.

  I could feel the tears start to run down my cheeks, standing up I looked at Aiden, taking a deep breath, “It’s fine!” I said.

  “Willow it’s not fine” he says.

  “Why should I expect the guy who was never around to remember my birthday!” I didn’t raise my voice, I remained very calm.

  “Willow,” he said as I walk past him

  “No Aiden, I didn’t wake up with high expectations. I figured you would forget. Some things just aren’t that important,” I said with a shaky voice.

  “Willow, that’s not fair.” Aiden said, his anger rising.

  I stood stock still breathing slowly, and then I snapped, spinning around and pinning Aiden with my eyes.

  “Not fair? Not fair is never getting to spend my birthday with my mum again. Not fair is having your mother ripped away from you. Not fair is growing up and every year wondering where your father is on your birthday. What’s not fair Aiden is having a father who didn’t even remember it was my birthday seventeen years in a row.”

  Tears running down my face, I look at everyone else in the room, my eyes lingering on North. I can’t handle this.

  Storming out of the room, I took the stairs two at a time. Reaching my bedroom, I slam the door, locking it behind me.

  Taking deep breaths in and out, I try to calm myself down.

  I hadn’t lost it like that in a very long time. Never had I lost it at Aiden either.

  I want my mum.

  ****

  15-11-2017

  Dear Mum...

  Today is my birthday. Happy Birthday to me. Happy 17th Birthday to me...

  Guess who forgot my Birthday again?