Claimed By My Biker Stepbrother

LAILA “What?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper, as I stare at my father in utter disbelief. I don’t want to believe he just said what I thought he said. “What did you say, father?” He sighs and looks up from his newspaper like I’m being a nuisance. “Your new mother and brother will be moving in tomorrow. Do well to be on your best behavior, will you?” “M…my…my what?” I ask again. My father doesn’t bother with a response, just continues reading his paper like he can’t be bothered with me. “Father, I do not need a mother. I’m doing just fine raising myself.” “What was your grade in Maths this time around?” He asks, still absent minded. I swallow and he chuckles. “Go make the preparations to welcome our new family, Laila.” “Father you can’t do this,” I plead, my voice coming out in a broken whisper. “I’ll change, I swear. Just give me another chance.” “To do what exactly?” He snaps, slamming the paper on the table and rising to his feet. “To completely ruin your life? You moved from a perfect student to the bottom of your class like a f*****g light switch and you want me to give you another chance? To get yourself thrown out of school this time? Ever since your mother passed away, you spend your time doing reckless clubbing with that nuisance Gerard keeps in his home in the name of a child! When last did you take your meds? I won’t stand by and watch you ruin your life! It’s a mercy that you haven’t joined the hooligans of Blood City to do God knows what!” “Whose fault is that?” I yell, not really meaning to, but no longer able to rein in my anger. “Whose fault is it that mother is dead? If you had chosen to be a decent human being and a good husband she would still be here! You ruined my life!” He shrugs, his anger replaced by his signature cold look. “And I’m making up for that. Caroline and her son will be here tomorrow. Be on your best behavior!” He drops back in his seat and picks up his paper. A silent indication that he is done with the discussion. I storm upstairs to my bedroom, banging the door so hard that the frames rattle. Needing an outlet for the anger rising in me, I move to my vanity and sweep everything off it to the floor, letting out a frustrated scream. How dare he? How dare he ruin my life and act like it’s my fault? How dare he take away the only person that kept me grounded and then proceed to act like it’s my fault for spiraling? How f*****g dare he! My train of thoughts is interrupted by the ringing of my phone. I pick it from the bed and check the caller ID, answering the call when I see it’s Kat. “Hey there, b***h ! What’s up?” She greets in her usual cheerful voice. “Guess what? I finally got my allowance!” “Yay,” I drawl out, my voice lacking every bit of the enthusiasm it should be carrying. Kat instantly picks up on it. “Something happened? You sound weird.” I sigh. “I’m fine, Kat. Nothing to worry about.” “That has to be the worst lie I have heard throughout this year,” she says. “You know how long I’ve been waiting for my allowance. After being grounded four times and almost put on house arrest, I finally got it and all you can say is ‘Yay?’ Something is definitely wrong.” I sigh, knowing I could never completely deceive her. “Long story. Want to meet up?” “How about later? I’m heading to this sick new club that just opened in Blood City. I need to get f****d, good.” Typical Katniss to go blowing up her entire allowance after just receiving it. Just as I’m about to agree on meeting later, an idea pops up in my head. “I wanna come with you,” I say and she makes a choking sound. “Say what? b***h, your dad is gonna have my kidney if he finds out!” Exactly my plan. Not him taking Kat’s Kidneys though. But him being as mad as he makes me. It sounds childish – especially since it’s going to be another reason to prove that I need a mother figure– but I’m not exactly feeling matured at the moment. “Relax,” I tell Kat, already rummaging through my closet. “I’ll take care of it. How about you pick me up a few blocks from our house?” She’s silent for so long that I think she’ll actually refuse until she sighs. “Fine. See you in ten. Thirty minutes later, Kat and I are standing by the bar in “RED FLAG”, the club Kat mentioned earlier. It’s like any other club in Serenville and at the same time, nothing like it. The music is deafeningly loud, the drinks are raw and harsh and everywhere you turn, you can spot a couple making out or even f*****g. Kat is staring at me speechless after I just finished telling her what happened with my father. “I’m so sorry girl,” she says softly, but I hear her voice over the music. “That’s all I can say.” “It’s fine, Kat.” I down the contents of my glass and show the empty glass to the bartender and he refills it. I down it all in one go wince as the taste of raw whiskey fills my throat. My head spins and my vision blurs. I’ll probably feel like s**t tomo, but I can’t bring myself to care much. “But hey, you can always try to work it out with your new stepmother, right? She might not be all bad.” Kat suggests with a wistful look in her eyes. I shrug and don’t say anything. I don’t want another mother, period! “I’m gonna go get some air,” I tell her, needing to get a moment to myself. “Will you be alright?” She asks and I nod with a smile. I don’t wait for her response, just turn around and head towards the exit. The packed situation of the club and the fact that my head is spinning has me bumping into several people on my way out. It’s not until I’m finally outside that I finally take in a deep breath. Needing some peace and quiet, I head towards the alley. I’m barely there when I hear screams of discomfort. My footsteps hasten and in no time I approach the scene. No s**t! A gang of three men have a woman cornered, while the fourth leans against the wall, smoking. “Where is it?” The bald head man asks , his hands squeezing tighter around the woman’s neck. “Where the f**k is it?” “I don’t have it, believe me!” She lets out a choked cry. I don’t know what comes over me. It should be the alcohol– it has to– because instead of minding my f*****g business, I march towards the scene. “Let her go!” I say, my voice surprisingly brave. Bald head lets go of the woman and steps back, his expression mirroring that of his friends – shocked. In that single moment of distraction, the woman ducks under their arms and runs out into the dark. The guy smoking by the wall stops and suddenly all four sets of eyes are on me. “Nero, she let the slut get away!” The one with the eye patch hisses, taking a step towards me. I turn around to run, but he catches my wrist and slaps me across the face. “How dare you!” My ears ring from the force of the slap and I swear there are handprints on my skin. The smoking guy –Nero – throws his cigarette to the ground, stumps on it with his heels and slides his hands into his pocket, before slowly making his way towards us. The alley is dark and I can’t really see much, but I can tell Nero is pissed. I don’t think about my next actions–like a spirit suddenly takes possession of me – I quickly grab the gun hanging from one eyed’s waist and shoot without aiming.