Savage by Caitlyn Dare
Sadie
“I’m in here, girls,” Aunt Dee calls, and the three of us head to the kitchen.
“Something smells good,” Quinn says, making a beeline for the counter where her mom is plating up a batch of freshly baked cookies.
“Hands off the goods.” She shoos Quinn away. “How was the first day of school?”
“It was… the usual,” I say, hopping up onto a stool. River lingers by the doorway.
“Don’t just stand there, sweetie, grab a seat and tell me all about today.”
A smile spreads across River’s face, and she comes over to the breakfast counter.
When I was younger, Aunt Dee spent a lot of time at my house, but since ninth grade—when I became capable of looking after myself—she hasn’t stopped by as much. But, at least a couple of times a week, I come to her house with Quinn and we all hang out.
I never anticipated we’d be adding another person to the mix.
“So,” Aunt Dee looks at River, “how was your first day at Savage Falls High?”
“It was… okay, I guess.”
“Did you make any friends?”
“I spoke to some girls in a couple of my classes.”
“Well, that’s a start.” Aunt Dee throws me a strange look. “And I hope Quinn and Sadie showed you the ropes.”
“Oh, they did. They were very kind.”
Very kind… Jesus. I barely refrain from rolling my eyes.
“SFH is no Colton Prep, but I’m sure it’ll feel like home soon enough. Quinn Marie Renshaw,” Aunt Dee grabs my cousin’s wrist, “I thought I told you not yet.”
“Geez, Mom, what’s a girl gotta do to get a cookie around here?”
“Oh, fine. Go on, burn your tongue for all I care.”
“Bitch,” Quinn murmurs.
“Brat,” her mom quips back.
River stares at the two of them with a look of disbelief. “You’ll get used to them,” I say, helping myself to a cookie.
“So, funny story,” Quinn lets out a little sigh of appreciation as she nibbles the edge of her cookie, “Dane was at school today.”
“Stray?” Aunt Dee frowns. “What the hell was he doing there?”
“Our thoughts exactly,” I grumble.
“He said he and Rhett have enrolled to keep an eye on River.”
“He said that?” She balks.
“Yup.” Quinn slides her eyes to me, and I fight a groan. That’s what Dane had said, but I don’t for one second believe him.
“Micky never breathed a word about it to me, or Ray.”
“Strange.” I take a big bite of cookie, hoping the sugar rush might abate the anger rising inside me.
“You think there’s more to it?” Aunt Dee asks, and I nod.
“Isn’t there always?”
“I’m sure if it was something to worry about, he would have told you.”
“Hmm.”
“Something to worry about?” River says. “Like what?”
“You do know what your brother does, right?” Quinn arches a brow, and River shrinks into herself.
“He’s in the MC… The Savage Falls Sinners. He works for Ray at Dalton’s Auto and rides with the other bikers.”
Quinn glances at me, and I glance at Aunt Dee.
“What?” River’s brow furrow. “They are in the MC, right?”
“Ever seen Sons of Anarchy, Riv?” Quinn asks.
“Duh, I’m a huge Charlie Hunnam fan.” She beams, and I find myself wanting to roll my eyes again. “But I know it’s not like that in real life.”
“Right,” I murmur.
Jesus, has she been living under a rock?
“You might want to talk to your brother, sweetheart. Or Ray.”
“What are—” The blare of her cell phone startles River, and she hops off the stool to grab her bag and sift it out. “Hello… Yeah, I’m at Deeana’s with Quinn and Sadie Ray.”
“I guess that’s big brother checking in.” Quinn throws me another look.
“She’s very… green.” Concern flashes over Aunt Dee’s face. “You two are going to need to stick by her side, you know that, right?”
“Come on, Mom, she’s… too pure for this life.”
“Maybe so, but she’s in it now, whether she likes it or not…” She shuts up as River ends her call. “Everything okay, sweetie?”
“It was Rhett. He stopped by the house and got worried when I wasn’t there. I’m going to go meet him.” Her eyes land on me. “Do you want to—”
“You go. I’m going to hang here for a bit.” The last thing I want is to watch the two of them in my house.
“Okay, I’ll see you later. And thanks for the cookie, Mrs. Renshaw.”
“Anytime, River. And please, call me Aunt Dee like everyone else around here.” A smile tips her mouth as her amused gaze slides to mine.
I love my Aunt Deeana something fierce, but there’s nothing she loves more than stirring the pot.
River grabs her bag and leaves, the gentle slam of the front door alerting us to her exit.
“Before you say anything,” Aunt Dee levels me with a hard look, “I know your dad did you wrong not telling you about Julia before it was too late, but everything he does, he does to protect you, Sadie. You know that. And this, River moving in, it’s going to be a hella lot harder on her than it is you. She lost everything, sweetie. Her mom, her home, her school and friends… so before you start—”
“I wasn’t—”
Her brows practically hit her hairline. “I know you, Sadie, girl, and I know exactly what’s going through that head of yours. Give it a chance, give her a chance… something tells me she’s going to need it.”
Even though I know River is gone, I glance to the hall. Is Aunt Dee right? Should I give River a chance? It’s obvious she has no idea about her brother and the club. When she does find out the truth, her world is going to implode again. I’m not a bitch enough to wish that on her, or anyone really. But I can’t just forget what my dad did.
I won’t.
“I’ll try,” I grumble, snagging another cookie.
“Pig,” Quinn says, and I stick my tongue out at her.
“If I’m going to give River a chance, then I want cookies. Lots and lots of cookies.”
“Be the bigger person here, Sadie.” Aunt Dee’s expression softens. “Your dad might not always get it right, but he’s trying his best.”
“Mom has a point, Sadie. River has no one. She’s here, in a new town, with no friends except me and you.”
“We’re her friends now?” I gawk at my cousin, hardly able to believe my ears. But then, Quinn always has been the peacekeeper.
She brushes me off. “You know what I mean. She needs us.”
“Fine,” I say, curling my fist against the marble countertop. “But if we’re going to befriend her, she’s going to need to toughen up.”
“I’m not sure that’s what Quinn meant, sweetie.” Concern glitters in Aunt Dee’s eyes, but I pay it no attention.
They want me to play big sister to River? Fine. But it’ll be my way, on my terms. And Aunt Dee is right; River is too green.
It’s time to dirty up little River Savage, and I know just the thing.
* * *
“I’m not sure about this.” River pokes her head around the door, her face drained of blood. “I look…”
“Get in here,” Quinn encourages.
After spending a couple of hours over at Aunt Dee’s, I’d left Quinn to get ready while I returned home. Thankfully, Rhett was long gone, because there was no way he would go for this. But this isn’t about him, it’s about River. And Aunt Dee and Quinn have a point—she needs someone to steer her right in Savage Falls.
“Holy shit, you look… wow.” Quinn leaps up and grabs River’s hands, pulling her into the room. Gone is her floral dress, replaced with skin-tight black jeans, ripped at the knee, and a black and white paisley handkerchief tank top. It highlights her curves and looks killer against her golden blonde hair.
“I’ll braid your hair.” Quinn guides her over to the chair and gets to work.
“I feel naked.” River folds her arms around her chest.
“Quinn’s right, you look great. Besides, that tank top is no different to your dresses, really.”
“It’s virtually backless,” she protests.
“Relax, you look gorgeous.” The word slips from my lips before I can stop it.
“Gorgeous…” Awe coats her words. “I don’t think anyone’s ever called me that before.”
Needing to break the weird tension between us, I go over to the mirror and apply another layer of gloss to my lips.
“So, where are we going again?” River asks.
“The Arches. It’s right on the edge of the town, but it’s popular with the kids from school.”
“So, it’s like a bar or something?”
Quinn catches my eye and smothers a laugh. “Something like that.”
“Trust us,” I add. “It’ll be fine.”
River nods, but I notice the way she drums her fingers against her thigh. She’s nervous, and I don’t blame her. But the Arches is just a place the kids of Savage Falls go to hang out and let loose. It could be worse—we could be taking her to a party at the clubhouse.
“Okay, all done.” Quinn spins the chair so River can see herself in the mirror.
“Wow, I love it.” She runs a hand over the loose braid hanging over her shoulder. “Thank you.”
“All set?”
She nods, and we file out of my bedroom. “Will you drive us there?”
“No, a friend is going to give us a ride.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Don’t worry,” Quinn says, lacing her arm through River’s. “Kellan is good people.”
“Kellan? Your friend is… a guy?”
“Yup.” I grin, grabbing my keys off the sideboard. “And he drives a wicked hot car.”
* * *
River barely speaks on the ride over to the Arches. Not that I blame her. Kellan is kind of scary to look at with his blue-tipped mohawk, tats, and numerous piercings, but underneath all that ink and steel, he’s a good guy.
“So River,” he says, “what do you make of Savage Falls so far?”
“It’s… very nice.”
“Nice, right.” He throws me an amused look.
“Where did you say we’re going again?” River asks as Kellan takes the road out of town, turning down the dirt track that leads to the viaduct. “I don’t see any building,” she adds.
“You’ll see,” is all I reply.
The Arches is actually the huge expanse of cement and stone underneath the viaduct running along the edge of Savage Falls. It’s been out of service for years but has yet to be pulled down, which makes it the perfect place for kids to congregate.
“What is this place?” I know from the panic in River’s voice that she’s already caught sight of the crowd of kids and cars gathered.
“Anarchy, baby.” Kellan twists back to look at her and sticks out his pierced tongue.
“Ignore Kel.” Quinn offers her a smile. “It’s just somewhere we hang out sometimes. Nobody bothers us out here.”
“But what do you do here?”
Kellan practically chokes on his breath, and I lean over and punch his arm. The last thing we need is River freaking out.
“It’s safe, I promise,” I say, meeting her wild gaze as I glance over my shoulder. “Things can get wilder on a weekend, but it’s pretty chill during the week.”
“O-okay.” She nods, but I see the fear in her eyes.
“Just stay close, and you’ll be fine.” Quinn’s hand shoots out, steadying her as Kellan flies over a hump in the track. “Jesus, Kel.”
“My bad,” he grunts, skidding to a stop beside another car. Kids tend to park in a semicircle, marking out their territory.
“Fucking moron,” Quinn grumbles, climbing out of the car. River follows, but I linger.
“She seems… too fucking good for a place like this.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” I feign hurt, but he sees straight through it.
“You know exactly what it means.” His dark eyes glint with suggestion. “Later… you and me…”
“Never going to happen, Kel. I told you, it was a one-time thing.”
“You said that after the second and third time, too.” He grins, rubbing the pad of his thumb over his bottom lip while his hungry gaze sweeps down my body.
“Eyes up here, big guy,” I sass. “It was fun while it lasted, but I’m not looking for a repeat.” The words sour on my tongue, but I force it down.
We fooled around at the beginning of the summer. Kellan is a good guy, funny and laid back… and when I gave him my v-card, we had a lot of fun together. But neither of us wanted more, so we took sex out of the equation and stayed friends.
“Fucking damn shame, Sadie Ray,” he muses. “I woulda gone up against the MC to claim their princess.”
I bark out a laugh. “Seriously?”
He shrugs. “Sounded good though, didn’t it?” Amusement sparkles in his eyes. “Come on, I need a smoke, and your new friend looks like she’s two seconds away from bolting.”
Kellan unfolds his big, lean body out of the car, but I still linger. Maybe it was a mistake bringing River here. But unless I want to call Rhett or my dad to come and get her, it’s too late to worry now.
