Sweet as Venom

Chapter 1

I was minding my own darn business when all hell broke loose. The yelling was followed by the slamming of the door. I was laying on the bench seat of the F 100, legs up on the window and reading a book. When the door swung open and I nearly tumbled out.

"Heck Gabriella what are doing in my truck?" Leigh caught me just in time before I tumbled out on my head.

"I was reading." I scattered to a seating position, then took in the duffle bag on his shoulder.

"You had a fight with dad again?" I asked.

"Move Gabriella, get out of my truck." He adverted his eyes- something he would always do when he didn't want me to see the truth. "Now."

"No." I crossed my arms, putting my book down. "If you're going so am I."

"I'm going home Gabriella."

"You are home!" I wanted to slap him with my book.

"If that is how you feel girly then you can fuck off as well." Dad's booming voice spoke from behind Leigh.

Leigh spun around, "Don't talk to her like that."

"I already told you to get the fuck off my property! Now take the brat with you." Dad's voice lingered with liquor.

But I didn't care. I was taking my opportunity.

"Let me pack a bag." I jumped out of the truck.

"For fucksake Gabriella!" Leigh yelled at my back as I bolted towards the house.

I hated living here. Sure living on the farm wasn't ever that thrilling but when mum passed away three years ago dad took to the drink and he was never sober.

When he was sober, he was even worse to deal with.

I packed as much as I could in my pink duffle bag and gave the small room one more glance before leaving it and hopefully never coming back to it.

"I don't care what you fucking do with the brat. Leave her in town for all I care, just fuck off the two of you!" Dad threw an empty bottle at Leigh' truck- missing it just.

Leigh's furious eyes locked with mine and I was quick to duck them and climb back into the truck.

It was only a matter of time till I became dad's punching bag and I wasn't waiting for his abuse to develop to that level.

This was my get out of prison card and I was taking it.

Leigh dumped the truck into reverse and dirt spun off in different directions.

"Fuck Gabriella- what were you thinking?" Leigh snapped beside me on the bench seat.

"I was thinking I wasn't living there without you."

"I'm rarely there."

"I've noticed." I gave him a judging look. "What were you thinking you could leave me there?"

Leigh and I had always been close. He was five years older than me, at the age of twenty three. When mum died he didn't handle it will. Well who really knows how to handle such a lost? I sure as hell didn't.

But Leigh's way of coping was joining the local motorcycle crew. Everyone knew they were more criminals then motorcycle lovers. Still Leigh, who at no stage earlier in his life had shown love for a motorcycle, joined.

And I lost him.

He came home- sometimes.

Dad got angrier cause it meant he had to do more around the farm with no help. Till it reached the point Dad just gave up, trying to keep up with it all.