Choosing Love

Chapter Thirty Five

Claudine made her way back to the Haven, frowning slightly as she brushed a bit of hair out of her eyes. It had been many days since the madness at the delivery barge and she hadn't seen hide nor hair of her brother.

At first, Claudine hadn't minded. It was less pressure to get Henry to commit to a fling when Fred wasn't glaring at her whenever she came back with bad news. But they were going on day ten and no sight of Fred...

If it was anyone else, Claudine would think he was simply trying to avoid being caught by the Rats. After all, the whole Isle knew by now that Ryan's sister had been caught in that mess. Not to mention the fact that Fred's disappearance was casting a negative light on the Angels as a whole.

Some of the gang less girls were even accusing the Angels of leading the poor girl to her death! Which...wasn't exactly something that was new for their gang. There was a reason why they were only the second ranked gang on the Isle, no matter how hard they tried to take the number one spot from the Rats. Not only did the Rats have more people on their side but since they also put the younger VKs under their protection when they could, they garnered good will from even the kids who didn't have gangs.

Ginny Gothel had taken to glaring at the Angel girls whenever they saw each other. Rather brave considering Ginny had no gang and was reliant on the practice of flings for food to survive. Though, if Fred cut her off, Zevon was always an option...or she could go just go to the Rats. Even in mourning, the Rats would have just handed her the food.

But Fred would be basking in the chaos he created not hiding from it, Claudine thought as she entered the Haven. After all, with Henry distracted and concerned for Ryan, this would be the ultimate opportunity for us to move in on their territory. God I hate the fact that I'm thinking even remotely like him.

"Shayla, have you seen Fred?" Claudine asked one of the other girls as she walked into the main area of the Haven.

"I haven't seen his Holiness for a few days," Shayla told her and Claudine resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She'd forgotten about the title Fred was trying to get the other Angels to use. Thankfully, being second in command, Claudine was exempt from such things. Or rather, she made herself exempt.

What was Fred going to do? Kick his own sister out of the gang?

"Locklyn? Strat? Morgan? What about you?"

"Claudine, you're his sister," Strat stated, rolling his eyes slightly. "If you haven't seen him, chances are we haven't seen him either. He's probably with whoever's his next fling of the month, celebrating the fact that the Rats are a mad house right now."

"I know! Did you hear how Ryan screamed? God, how weak is he?" Locklyn cackled as Shayla whacked Strat over the head. Everyone knew that Fred had finally picked her to go a second month for a fling and it was the only thing Shayla had bothered talking about. Thankfully, Claudine noticed that Morgan at least looked uncomfortable with the topic.

At least one of them remembers their roots, she thought with an inward sigh. To this day, Claudine had no idea how her brother had been able to persuade the former Rats to leave their crew and their food security for him. Well...she had one idea but it wasn't exactly something she liked to think about.

"Oh yes, let's celebrate the fact that a fourteen year old boy found his sister's body and had a negative reaction to that," Claudine said, rolling her eyes. "If that'd been you with Lacey, Locklyn?"

"Please, Lacey's Gia's shadow," Locklyn shook her head. "Besides, my sisters are all weak. They're trying to get Gaston to acknowledge them. The Angels are the only acknowledgment I need."