“You’re a mystery, Hunter Kane.” I reached up to touch his cheek. As my fingers met his skin I felt a warmth come over me. Every time I touched him, a shock, sort of like a lightning strike, ran through my body. It was strange. Never did a person make me feel that way.
Running my fingers slowly through his thick dark locks, I felt his arms tightening around me. A small smile touched my lips and I let him hold me, closing my eyes, wondering what he was dreaming about.
I couldn’t sleep, and the moment the front door opened, my eyes did too. Jagger was home. I was still in Hunter’s arms, even closer than an hour ago. I knew it was still the middle of the night, and I had to make sure Jagger was okay.
I tried to turn in his arms, loosening his embrace and trying to sit up. “Stay,” he mumbled into the pillow. I turned to look at him again, smiling at the sight of him half asleep.
I bent down, kissed his cheek and whispered, “I’ll be right back. Jagger’s home.” With that, I got up. Walking down the narrow hall, I saw Jagger standing at the door with a small duffel bag on his shoulder. He looked at me and gave me a tired smile.
“Hey, sweet girl.”
I walked toward him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’ve missed you,” I told him, knowing he was only gone for an evening. He chuckled, holding me close with one arm around my back.
“Missed you too.”
I wasn’t sure if telling him Hunter was lying in my bed was the best idea. I also wasn’t sure how he would react to that. He could get mad. Not sure what the positive outturn to that would be. Besides, Hunter’s shoes were right there next to the small shoe rack. He would notice them.
I took a step back again, taking a glance at his bag. I knew asking him what’s in there would only cause him to shake his head and lift one eyebrow as if to say “none of your business”.
I looked back up to his eyes, biting my bottom lip and preparing myself mentally to tell him. “Hunter is here. In my bed. He’s sleeping.” I stopped, waiting for Jagger’s reaction. He didn’t answer me. Didn’t change his expression. I sighed, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t include alcohol. Telling him Hunter was drunk wasn’t a good idea.
“He was already asleep in my bed when I came back from work.” Lying to my brother was never my intention. But in this situation, I didn’t see any other choice. I also didn’t want to give him any more explanations. Maybe that would be enough.
Jagger watched me for a second. He was deciding if I was telling the truth or not, but I could tell he didn’t believe me. Yet, he was too tired to discuss any of this with me.
“Send him home in the morning. I’ll be asleep.” He passed me, carrying his bag with him into his bedroom. As he closed the door, I took a deep breath and walked back to my bedroom. Closing the door behind me, I looked over to the bed. The moonlight was gently shining on his face and I could tell he hadn’t moved.
The idea of getting back into bed with him, into his warm embrace, was one I liked. Something about having someone close to me, protecting me, made me want more of it.
I got back into bed, lifting the covers and pulling them up to my chin the second I felt his arms come back around me. I turned to him, looking him in his now open eyes. He was awake.
I smiled, reaching up to grab a fistful of his hair and keeping it there, not pulling, just holding on to it gently.
“I’ll remember this night forever.”
Our eyes never left each other. I knew he had too much to drink the night before. I knew he said things to me that made me cry, feel hurt. Most of the times I wasn’t sure he was taking anything seriously that I said to him. Multiple times I wasn’t sure I could trust his words.
But at that moment, the thing he said, I did believe him.
Chapter Seventeen
Harlow
I woke up alone in my bed the next morning. Hunter was gone but his scent lingered. Strange how one person’s presence could light up a whole room. I immediately felt lonely without his arms wrapped around me, cuddled up together in my blanket. Hunter was gone and the familiar thought of not knowing when I would see him again was back.
He sobered up and woke with me in his arms, and I wondered if he still remembered any of what happened last night. I did, of course. His hands touching my breasts and his lips kissing every inch of them made me feel things I’d never felt. I wasn’t really new to boys in general, but I never allowed or even wanted any guy as close as Hunter has been last night.
Leaving my eyes closed for a moment longer, I remembered every second of what he did to me while I sat on the kitchen counter. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see Jagger prepare food on that counter ever again, but I knew I wanted to do just what Hunter and I did last night over and over again.
I sighed, pushing the blanket off and sitting up. Stretching and yawning felt so good. As much as I loved being almost crushed by Hunter’s strong arms around me at night, I appreciated the space I got right now.
I walked toward the door as I heard Jagger’s voice, first from further away and then coming closer.
I opened the door, and just as I was about to step out to the hallway, Jagger came around the corner, passing me but then stopping in his tracks when he realized I was standing there. He turned to look at me, still holding his phone up to his ear.
“Get dressed,” he said, then continued down the hall, listening to what the person on the other end of the phone was saying.
I never questioned Jagger or his words. Whatever he did or wanted me to do, I went with it without hesitation.
I showered and got clothed, put my hair in a bun, and left my room to find Jagger sitting on the couch, typing something on his phone. “Where are we going?” I asked, walking to the fridge and taking out a banana.
“If I tell you now, you wouldn’t come with me.” He got up and pushed his phone into his front pocket and looked at me.
“I think it’s clear that we won’t talk about Hunter staying in your room last night, right?”
He wasn’t mad. But happy wasn’t the right word, either. I guess he was confused. I was too, to be honest. I just nodded, peeling the banana, throwing the peel away, and taking a bite.
“Good girl. Come on.” He took his keys and walked out the door. I followed him, closing the door behind me and then getting in his car the second he unlocked it.
“You will probably hate me after today, but this has to be done and I need you with me on this.” We started driving and I turned to look at him.
“You’re scaring me now, Jag. Where are we going?”
“You’ll see when we get there. It won’t take long, I promise.”
I was starting to get nervous and annoyed. “Jagger,” I sighed. “Just tell me, please? I hate not knowing what’s coming next.”
He laughed, leaning back and relaxing in his seat. “Trust me, sweet girl, I know. And no, that I have no fucking clue what’s coming next, either, so you’re not alone on that one. I knew this day would come eventually.” He puckered his lips, looking straight ahead. “Didn’t think it would come so soon though,” he almost whispered.
Great. Now he’s gone all mysterious on me. Hunter being so secretive was enough, I thought. But I guess my brother decided to torture me too.
“Can you give me a little hint?” I asked, taking the last bite of the banana. Jagger shrugged.
“I don’t really want you to jump out of the car if I tell you.”
I rolled my eyes at him and shook my head. “I think I would jump out of the car from not handling all this waiting and questioning. Just a hint, Jagger. I already know it’s nothing I can be excited about, so why don’t you darken my mood a bit more right now and let me prepare myself for whatever is coming?”
He chuckled and kept his eyes on the road. “I’d love to calm you, but I really think you will take some hits at me if you know.”
“Jagger,” I pleaded, hoping he would stop me from suffering because of his stupid secret. We were on the highway now an
d it was too late to turn around anyway.
“Please…” I begged, looking over at him. His jaw clenched and his lips were pressed into a thin line.
“All right, all right,” he sighed, running one hand through his hair. “Don’t hate me for this, okay? We have to do it.”
“Just tell me.” I was getting impatient now. Did he do something illegal? No. If he did, he wouldn’t take me with him, right? God.
“You gotta promise me not to get angry with me. Just stay calm and let me handle the talking when we’re there, okay?”
“Jagger, tell me where we’re going!” I was demanding now, but I didn’t have another choice. I needed to know.
Pressing his lips together once more, his grip tightened on the steering wheel. “We’re driving up to Grand Island.” He paused for a moment, took a deep breath and then said. “They arrested Dad. Gotta bail him out.”
Now, this was far from what I was thinking we were doing today.
There were two things I wasn’t sure of. One, what did he get arrested for, and two, how on earth was he in Nebraska and only thirty minutes away from our home?
Chapter Eighteen
Harlow
I was furious. But I didn’t need to start a fight with Jagger because I knew it was gonna be hopeless, and me screaming at him wouldn’t get me anywhere.
“Bail him out with what money?” I asked, trying to stay as calm as possible. I felt my face heat up and tears stung my eyes.
Stay strong, Harlow. Don’t let that bastard tear you down.
“Don’t worry about tha—”
“And why do I need to come with you? It’s not like I want to see him,” I said, interrupting him. My nerves were starting to shake more and more. I needed to scream at something. Punch something. Maybe I could just go for a punch right in my father’s face when I see him.
“You think I wanna see him?” He chuckled, but it wasn’t a real one. I thought he was about to say more but he stayed quiet after that. Perfect, what now?
I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back against the seat. Looking straight ahead, I wondered what my father looked like now.
I remember him with a beard and dark hair just like Jagger’s. He mostly wore washed-out jeans and a plaid shirt with a white undershirt. He wasn’t taking care of himself much. His beard needed trimming and his clothes mostly smelled like alcohol and cigarettes. Not really surprising for a man who spent days after days at bars and strip clubs, leaving his two young children behind at home, taking care of themselves.
I couldn’t remember the last time I called him dad. Calling him by his name wasn’t an option either. So I referred to him simply as him or my father. But even that didn’t feel right. A father was supposed to care. A father was supposed to protect their children from evil, not be evil to them himself.
Understanding that just alcohol made him do what he did was not easy. Alcohol’s a drug that takes control over your brain and you don’t even realize it. It was normal for some to get angry while drunk. It’s a side effect. It could also make people emotional…Hunter, for example.
But this wasn’t about the guy who messed with my head and feelings. This was about the guy who ruined my childhood, who messed up any idea of a family I ever had, but who thankfully made me realize that I had at least one person who loved me.
I looked over at Jagger, reaching out to touch his shoulder. “I love you,” I said. He looked over at me, the same fear and sadness lingering in his eyes.
“I love you too.” He put his left hand on mine, squeezing it and looking back to the road. “I’m sorry I’m dragging you into this, but I need you with me.”
I slowly nodded. “Okay.”
We arrived in Grand Island and I was amazed how much of a difference thirty minutes made for the weather. The sun was shining and everything looked dried up. This town was the opposite of Hastings and I had to admit that I missed the rain already.
Jagger parked outside the police department. He turned to me and studied my face before he started talking. “Let me do the talking. I know this sounds stupid and not necessary…” He stopped, looking down at his hands. “But I really just want to tell him how much better we’re doing without him.”
I was surprised to hear that. “So you wanted to come here to make him feel bad about himself?”
“I know it’s stupid, but—”
“Stupid? God, Jagger. Why didn’t you tell me before?” I laughed and shook my head. “But I guess bailing him out is the bad thing about all this.”
Jagger smiled and nodded. “See it as a way of saying goodbye to him forever. Paying our last respects to him. Then we’ll go home and we’ll never talk about him again.”
I knew what Jagger meant by that. He wanted to close this chapter in his life and move on. But I guess he didn’t think it through.
“He came to Grand Island and got arrested. His home is in Nevada, Jagger. We’re in Nebraska. That’s a long way. Don’t you think he came here for a reason?”
Jagger shrugged. “I don’t care what he wants. I’ll tell him to fuck off.”
He was so sure that would be enough to keep him away. I was hoping it would be enough. But I had a bad feeling about it all.
“Come on. It’ll be fine, Low.”
I had to step back now and let Jagger handle it all. Maybe if he saw what Jagger was like now he’d get scared and never come close to us ever again. I was positive that our father wasn’t going to recognize us. Jagger changed a lot. He worked out and his face grew just as much as his adultness.
I wasn’t going to ruin this day, because my father would do that for me anyway. But I had to let Jagger go through with his plan.
The outcome of this being positive or not, he needed this.
Chapter Nineteen
Harlow
I walked into the police department holding Jagger’s hand tightly. He squeezed mine gently, silently telling me that it would be okay. That he was here with me and that nothing could ever harm me.
Jagger was determined to speak his mind as soon as he was standing in front of our father. He knew exactly what he wanted to say to him and I wasn’t going to stop him. The closer we got to him, the more my stomach twisted into knots.
“We’re here to see Dean Curtis,” Jagger said to the officer standing behind the front desk. He looked up at us, giving us an all-over look and nodding.
He pointed to a glass door. “Walk through there. Security will do a body check, then you’ll get some paperwork to fill out.”
Jagger nodded once, looking at me and taking a deep breath. “Come on.” He pulled me toward the door to a sitting area and a body check station, sort of like the ones you’d find at an airport.
Another officer walked over to us, nodding toward our jackets and indicating to take them off. We quickly did, putting them on the small table next to us. “Go through one by one. My colleague will do a quick body check after.”
Jagger went first, letting the officer on the other side check his body for guns. That’s when I held my breath. Jagger has had guns on him most of his life. At least since we moved to Hastings. I knew about the guns he carried with him. For protection, of course.
I watched him closely, but he just grinned at me like a little mischievous boy. He knew exactly what I was thinking and I just shook my head, sighing in relief.
“Next,” the officer said, and I quickly walked through the body scanner. I was checked too, but not as thoroughly as Jagger. I guess I look innocent enough.
“Fill this out. Don’t leave out anything, and sign on every page. When you’re finished, you will bring it over to my other colleague and he’ll look it over.” The officer gave us a clipboard with some documents on it.
“Yes, sir,” Jagger answered politely, and we took a seat in the sitting area.
“Let’s see…” He studied the first paper, clicking the end of the pen multiple times before he started writing our names and address.
“Dean won’t see th
is, right? I don’t want him to know where we live.”
He chuckled, looking at me with an amused grin. “Dean?”
I shrugged. “After this, he will be a stranger to us.”
“Yeah, I guess. Just sounds weird hearing you say his name.” He continued writing all the information and I leaned back, crossing my arms over my chest. I suddenly had chills running over my body.
I reminded myself not to freak out. It wouldn’t help if I wanted Dean to know that he’s no longer part of my life. I needed him to know that I was nonchalant to this situation. That I came for Jagger. Not for his sake. I needed him to see what we grew up to be. Jagger and I. We made it this far without him and he was the big bump in the road at the beginning of our lives.
He didn’t do any good in his time as a father. He just left us with unforgivable memories and scars. For Jagger even literal scars.
I looked over at him. He was concentrated on writing. I let my eyes wander down to his jaw until I saw the white line starting just below his ear and ending in the middle of the side of his neck. Dean thought it was a good idea to attack his nine-year-old son with a kitchen knife. Luckily, he was sane enough to call the ambulance before Jagger bled out. He ran after calling help, of course. What a hero. A role model even.
I rolled my eyes at my sarcasm and sighed, touching my hand to his left forearm. “I’ll be done in just a minute, sweet girl,” he assured me. He felt my nervousness and I felt his determination.
“Want me to get some water?” I asked, thinking it would be a great idea to get some cold liquid into our bodies before getting all heated up in front of Dean.
“Yeah.” I got up and walked over to the water dispenser and got two cups of ice water. As I turned to walk back to Jagger, the glass doors opened and a man in black jeans and a black tight turtleneck sweater, about Jagger’s age, walked into the room, going straight to one of the officers.
The Hastings Series Page 6
