Rogue (Riders of Apollo #6)

Chapter Fifteen: Leo Chance

The school day goes a lot slower when Nova isn't around. Even Mark and Louis are dialled down and boring when she isn't there to make them laugh or ask questions about things most teenage girls know.

I have had a lot of questions from students about the fight yesterday. Mainly questions about Nova and how she's able to fight that well, I keep my mouth shut and basically tell the lot of them to fuck off.

I know Bear has scheduled a meeting tomorrow morning with the principal for him, Lexie, Saviour and Reign. Nova and I are expected to be there as well which is great. Better than it being just Nova and I because I wouldn't have a clue what to say.

Thank God, the day is over at just gone two because the fire alarm went off making the sprinklers flood the place and ending the day rather abruptly by soaking the entire student body. I drop the boys off on the way to the club as I usually do. Thankfully, I'm on bar duty instead of in the garage today which is a good thing but I have an hour or so off before I'm expected there.

I need to change my clothes since I'm sopping wet and I'll probably have a quick shower too because I am cold. I drop my bag on the floor of my room and shower quickly before throwing on some jeans, a black v-neck, my cut and some boots. Nothing extravagant. I tousle my hair with the towel to try and get rid of the extra moisture before putting on some cologne.

I hardly get the chance to react before a pink haired girl throws open my door and tackles me on to the bed with a happy squeal. "Leo! Guess what!" I manoeuvre her so she's straddling my abdomen and keep my hands on her hips as she smacks my chest excitedly.

"What, Flossy?"

"Lexie and Bear are taking me in! Which means no more group home and I get to see you more!" I just hug her tightly in response, thanking the fucking stars that she's no longer alone in a room the size of a cupboard. I sit up and she slides down to my lap with her arms still around my neck. "Thank you." She whispers with a big smile.

"For what?" I ask, brushing her hair off of her shoulder to fall down her back.

"For bringing me here, for being there for me always, for giving me a family."

"Always, Nova. Always." She hugs me tighter this time, basically suffocating me and I enjoy every second of it. "Come on, your parents will have my head if they find you in my room."

"Woah, that sounds so cool. My parents! I have parents and I have you." She kisses my cheek before walking out of the door, she waits for me with her hand outstretched and I take it without hesitating.

"Right!" Bear declares as soon as we get to the lounge, "Razor and his idiots are going to be here in less than half an hour. He's bringing more than last time and I'm supposed to encourage peace but if they piss you off, lay them out."

Ugh, I hate working at the bar when those dicks are here. They're horrible and just keep clicking their fingers like it's gonna make me able to make four drinks at once. They're also disrespectful as shit to Bear and the women of the club since they don't really believe in the concept of an Old Lady.

I head over to the bar and Nova hops up on the counter close to me but out of the way so I don't accidently spill anything on her or hurt her. Razor and thirteen of his Riders, turn up late as per the usual and they completely disregard Bear and make their way to me.

I can see Reign and Saviour moving in from the side, Bear too, as they all surround Nova and I. Good thing is most of them just want a beer so three quarters of them leave once the glass bottle touches their palms.

Nova moves to go into the lounge after Bear gestures for her to follow him but as she rounds the bar one of the big guys, like as big as Breaker, grabs her ass.

I can see her tense. Before Bear even has the chance to move, I've smashed an empty beer bottle and driven the jagged edges into the hand he left on the bar top.

He screams so high pitched that I almost laugh, he turns to glare at me so I twist the bottle viciously. "Touch her again and you'll lose a lot more than a little blood."

When he nods, I yank the bottle out, making him yelp again. I don't even think much of it as I toss the bottle away and wipe the blood down. I look up after a few beats and notice that everyone is staring at me in surprise.

"You won't get away with that, kid." The big guy grumbles, holding pressure on his hand. "She's a club bitch and you're just a prospect, she ain't claimed."

"She is my sixteen year old daughter, Frypan. She's claimed by me." Bear growls, his eyes flaming as he moves to grab the guy. Razor rockets out of his seat and gets in the way.

"She's wearing a very short dress, what did you expect? We don't have children or women hanging around our bar except when they're up for grabs." I reach out for Nova, who slips behind my back and presses against me.

I figure this is not going to end well and I want her out of the way. "No matter what she's wearing, your men have no right to fucking touch her. I see you even breathing in her direction and I will do worse than he did." Bear threatens. Despite his amazing diplomacy, Bear is extremely intimidating when he tries, he is a leader after all.

Razor just scoffs and moves away, "Thank you for the amazing welcome, we're just gonna head to the club and come see you when you're in a better mood." Razor walks out with his idiots on his tail and I manage to take a deep breath, I've never been so furious in my life.

Once again, all the attention - and I mean all the attention - turns back to me. I just stare back completely confused, I didn't do anything too bad and I'd 100% do it again. "Hey Mac, could you grab that parcel for me?"

Mac grins and does as Bear orders, grabbing a package wrapped in brown paper from his office and bringing it over. I'm still confused as to what's going on. Nova has moved from behind me to my side and is watching in curiosity.

"Open it." Bear tells me after setting it on the bar. I give him a confused look before unwrapping the paper and opening the box. I end up dropping the lid in surprise.

"You're swearing me in?" I take the new leather in my hands and I still can't believe this is happening. I've been prospecting for over a year now and I've finally earned my cut. My road name is Rogue, which I'm not even partly surprised by considering my past, and the rest is free for patches I earn over my time here.

"If you could see what you just did from our point of view, trust me you'd only see a Rider." Gears explains before Nova gently takes the cut from me and gestures for me to take off my Prospect one.

She holds out my new one and slips it onto my shoulders for me with a proud smile.

"Welcome to the club, Rogue."