by J. M. Dabney
“He even cut her flowers.” Twitch nodded toward the flowers in question.
“Aw, that's so sweet.” Kyle grinned.
“Shut up.”
“So when's the first date?”
Twitched answered before she had a chance, “She hasn't accepted, even though he's made her dinner at least twice, cuddled once.”
Kyle surged to a sitting position and spun around to stare at her. She fidgeted as he watched her.
“You've cuddled with someone of the male persuasion…actually touching. Tell me there were no clothes involved.”
“Yes,” she squeaked, “There were clothes.”
“I’ve heard the ginger farmer is pretty hot,” Kyle waggled his brows.
“What would you know about—”
“I am secure enough in my sexuality to admit when a man is hot or not, my wife, and you, my friend, have had me surrounded by ladies my entire life.”
“You have guy friends.”
“What did I do on my last Saturday night off?”
She snorted. “Mud mask, mani and pedi, and your first Brazilian.”
“The last I will not be repeating, no matter how much my gorgeous wife enjoyed the smooth landscape that is my nether region. Without the cushion of my mainly bush, wearing my boxer briefs was a rather odd experience.”
“Kyle, what have we talked about?”
“Um, I don’t remember.”
“TMI, Kyle, I have no need to know about your manly bush or lack thereof.”
“We’re best friends, I tell you everything!”
“I’d appreciate it if you told me less.”
“You’re no fun.”
She caught Kyle winking at a giggling Twitch.
She loved Kyle to death, even had a crush on him when they were kids, and she’d been terrified to tell him about her—that she was a girl. He hadn’t even acted surprised just asked what she wanted to be called. She liked her name. They’d named her after her grandmother, the woman had loved her even after she’d confessed who she really was. Her grandmother died her senior year of high school, and Harper decided her given name was perfect as is.
“I need to be invited next time, Crave hasn’t done my toes in forever.” Twitched pouted. “He sucks at the whole mani thing, but at least he used to try. We’ve reached old married couple status.”
“I’m sure it’s not that bad. That man touches you every time he’s near you.”
Again, jealousy made her focus everywhere but on Twitch or Kyle. She had always been the outsider. Envy was a petty emotion.
She’d never had anyone feel anything for her but condemnation—disgust. A year ago, she decided she didn’t want to be Bill’s secret—his punching bag—any longer. But he wouldn’t leave her alone, and she didn’t have anywhere to run. Joker would go to jail if he ever learned the truth. She knew most of them assumed and they were probably right, although as far as anyone knew she was merely Bill’s favorite target.
“Y’all have to come out to Brawlers the next time The Executioners play. I swear you haven’t seen anything as mesmerizing as Ghost playing his guitar or keyboard.”
She’d noticed a piano in his living room, but hadn’t asked. Music had been one of her favorite classes in school. She’d learned to play. Not great, but it let her spend time alone in the music room. The most peace she’d experienced was when she played. She wondered if Ghost would let her play sometime.
“Don’t say no, Harper. We’ll get everyone together, including Peaches, Lily, and Bernie and Stacey, even Lou.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Kyle, you come and drag her with you.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Okay, I gotta get home, I have to get dinner started, or the guys will revolt and claim they’re starving to death.”
The Brawlers Crew were notorious for being useless at feeding themselves. She let Twitch kiss her cheek and watched as Kyle offered his own. Her best friend was amazing. Twitch left with a wave over his shoulder.
“So, why haven’t you accepted? And no bullshit answer.”
She sighed as she reclined and turned to study Kyle.
“He’s—”
“From what I’ve heard around town, the man is nice. Genuine. Maybe a bit reclusive. You don’t date, Harper. I know your secret.”
“I don’t have secrets.”
“Harper.”
All Kyle needed to do was say her name in that disapproving tone when he knew she lied about something.
“You don’t deserve it. I can bitch all I want, me and Marla love you. Just because we aren’t blood, you’re the sister I had always wanted. Take a chance, honey. A man makes you dinner. Cuts flowers and takes the time to do that…” Kyle pointed at the bundle of flowers. “He’s gotta have more in mind than just getting under your dress.”
She was about to come up with another excuse, but grabbed Kyle’s hand when Bill walked by the window. His dark eyes were filled with rage. He strode slowly by never taking his gaze away from her. Her eyes burned as tears streamed down her cheeks and her heartbeat kicked up steadily into a painful rhythm. A band circled her chest and her vision narrowed into a tunnel as she fought to breathe.
Kyle’s voice warbled as she heard him calling her name.
“Breathe, in and out, easy,” Kyle cooed. “Tell me something good.”
“I don’t—”
“Tell me something good.”
“Gideon.”
“I thought it was Ghost.”
“I like Gideon better.”
“Okay, what about Gideon?”
“Everything.”
“Then what’s the damn problem, Harper?”
“I’m scared.”
“Of course you are, a nice guy is interested in you, and you’re unable to process it. Take a chance on something good for a change, for me, please?”
“What if I’m wrong?”
“Honey, our friends are friends with him, do you actually think Twitch would be so excited about a man interested in you if he was an asshole?”
“Gideon is Gregory’s cousin.”
“Bull would kill someone who was a bastard who got near his husband, family or not.”
That was definitely true.
“Gideon wants to take me on a date.”
“A date, a real date, out among the Powers natives?”
She nodded. “He said he wanted to be able to hold my hand.”
“Are you fucking insane, Harper,” Kyle yelled, “Go now.”
“Where,” she asked.
“The farm, now, I’ll work for you, Clora loves me, I’ll even shake my ass for her.”
Clora did love when a man danced for her. “You don’t have an ass.”
“She never minded before, go, do you need condoms?”
“No,” she squealed. “I’m not…no…I—”
“You’re so easy, now, go get your man. Maybe stop at the grocery store, get something to make dinner, some candles, make it all romancy and shit.”
Kyle didn’t give her a chance to refuse as he jumped from the couch, grabbed her hands, and dragged her to the counter. He shoved her purse in her hands, then led her to the door shoving her out onto the sidewalk.
“I want details, don’t disappoint me!”
The door closed in her face, and she stared at it for a few minutes before her brain started formulating all the cons and none of the positives. She wanted more than to be afraid of everything. This required a leap of faith, but did she still have any left? Only one way to find out, she’d survived as much physical pain as a human could take, and she’d survived. She’d survive a rejection too.
She walked back to her apartment to get her car and go to the store, she wasn’t the greatest cook, but she could come up with something edible—hopefully.
She adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder as she walked into the alley. She reached into her bag and dug out her keys as she began to ascend the steps. Fire burned along
her scalp as brutal hands fisted in her hair. Her scream ceased as her face smashed into the wooden wall of the stairwell.
“No,” she whimpered as the too familiar body pressed full-length to her back.
“No, you want to tell me no, freak. When the fuck have you told me no?”
The cool steel tip of a knife skimmed her leg from knee to hip. She sunk her teeth into her lower lip to keep from screaming. She wanted to yell for help—to fight. The stench of whiskey and body odor assaulted her nose.
She cried silently as she listened to the fabric of her dress split under the pressure of his knife. Her flesh gave as wet warmth of blood cascaded down her leg.
“You think you’re so beautiful, don’t you, you’re nothing, and I’ll make you even fucking uglier before I’m done.”
She once again closed her eyes, and as always, she prayed to whatever deity she no longer believed in that this would be the last time. She couldn’t suppress the next scream as her cheek earned the same fate as her thigh. As her vision faded, she tasted blood and lost herself to the pain.
Eight
Harper Wasn’t Going Anywhere, but Home with Him
Sheriff Camden Pelter was about to lose teeth, Gideon didn’t have a temper, but the Sheriff was pissing him off. Two hours ago, a phone call woke him from sleep. The only two words he remembered were Harper and hospital, he had made it to town in record time. They’d sedated Harper when she’d arrived.
He held her hand gently and stroked her soft, warm skin. Every inch of her porcelain skin was covered with bruises or bandages.
“Mr. Jane, your fiancée—”
He glanced at Cam to find the light skinned black man shaking his head, but thankfully Cam stayed silent. It was the only way they’d allowed him to stay in her room.
“We’ll be reducing her meds in order to let her wake up.”
“What are her injuries?”
“Multiple lacerations. We have a plastic surgeon who took care of the wound on her cheek. He assures us he minimized the chances of scarring—”
“I don’t care about scarring, I just want her to be okay.” He didn’t mean for it to come out as harshly as it did, but he was pissed, Bill shouldn’t have gotten anywhere near Harper.
“Yes, sir, sorry. She should be coming around soon. Just keep her calm. The attack was savage, but she didn’t sustain significant damage. I’ll leave you to spend time with her. She’ll spend the night here for observation, but she should be released in the morning, barring any complications.”
He nodded and turned back to Harper, he raised his hand and stroked her soft hair.
“You’re not going to go all Alpha like the rest of the Crews and not let me get a statement, right?”
“That’s up to her whether she wants to talk to you or not. She’ll be going home with me when she’s released, you can find her at the farm.”
“Shouldn't you ask her first?”
“You can find her at the farm.”
He was done talking.
“Call me when she wakes up.”
Thankfully Cam left without busting his balls further.
He still remembered the panic in Twitch’s voice when he’d answered the phone. Crave’s muffled voice as the big man tried to calm his husband. He hadn’t been able to think passed the point of getting to her. He hadn’t known Harper long, but he couldn’t imagine not having a chance at earning her trust—to just have a chance of making her his. It was quick, probably insanely so, but he wanted to get to know her and needed her happy.
She’d probably fight him on it, but he knew a stay at the farm would be good for her.
A knock on the door caused him to turn, and a tall, slender man stepped inside.
“You must be Gideon, I’m Kyle, Harper’s best friend.”
“Yeah, everyone calls me—”
“Ghost, Harper said she prefers Gideon, though.”
She tended to call him Ghost when they were together.
“I waited for the Sheriff to leave before I came in.”
He turned back to Harper, and Kyle stopped on the other side of the bed.
“I shouldn’t have sent her home.”
“What do you mean?”
“I gave her this whole speech about taking a chance on you. Told her to head out to your place, maybe make you dinner. If—”
“I think the bastard would’ve gotten her one way or another.”
“She’s in denial, we all knew about him. A year ago, I made her promise not to harm herself after her last suicide attempt. It just made her find someone who could hurt her.”
“What?”
“To punish herself for what she couldn’t change. I think it’s been going on a lot longer than a year, but I have a feeling it just got worse since I made her make that promise to me.”
He studied the man as he spoke; watched the misery twist Kyle’s handsome features.
“I always knew Harper was different, so did my parents, it’s why we kept her so close over the years. My parents said she needed a loving home. Her parents were indifferent, then cruel when Harper finally figured out who she was. I just wanted her happy and the way she looked when she talked about you, I just got excited about her finding someone.
“I’ve tried to set her up on dates. For a while, I thought her and Joker had a thing going, but quickly decided that wouldn’t be a good match.”
He had to agree, Joker was abrasive and leaned toward violence. He knew Joker would never put his hands on Harper, but they…no, Harper was his, he just had to prove it.
“Then she told me she took a nap with you, I might have lost my head a bit. She said she slept and that rarely happens. I’ve lost count of the times she’d sit at the kitchen table, and we’d talk until it was time for us to go to work.”
The afternoon she’d tucked herself against him, he hadn’t slept, but he’d watched her. The way her long, light lashes fanned her cheeks, the way her makeup barely covered the dark circles under her eyes. His body had reacted to her closeness—the first time in years he’d wanted anyone. She seemed so delicate compared to him. He’d never analyzed what attracted him to someone before. Joe had been tall and broad, some would say the man was physically perfect.
He’d looked at women before, tall, short, thin and full-figured, dark and light, and he’d never questioned it. Okay, maybe in his teens when we’d figured out he was bisexual and knew how his parents felt about it, seeing their response to Gregory coming out. He’d wished they’d been more like his aunt and uncle, who hadn’t thought twice about accepting Gregory or him later when he’d told them he was bi. Maybe he’d wished to be so-called normal, but it hadn’t lasted long.
“She’ll be fine, Harper will come stay out at the farm for a while, just until she gets better.”
“I think she’ll like that. She always,” Kyle paused as a barely concealed sob caught in his throat.
“She always what?”
“Oh, when we were kids, I think she was eleven at the time, she told me her dream. Man, I gave her shit about it growing up.”
He didn’t want to pry, but he was curious as to what Harper wanted. “What was her dream?”
“Oh, she’ll kill me for this, but…” Kyle grinned and pulled up a chair. “Prince Charming, a house in the middle of nowhere, maybe a pet or two running around, and she wanted to have kids.”
“Kids?”
“Yeah, kind of surprised me, with the way she grew up, the whole happily ever after didn’t seem like something she knew much about. Well, except for my parents.”
“It’s a good dream.”
“I hope she gets it one day. After all the shit she’s been through, she deserves it.”
“She does.”
“I shouldn’t—”
“Don’t blame yourself.”
“I do, though. Harper has always been stubborn.”
“Not a bad quality.”
“Not always. I talked to Clora, and she told me to assure Harper that t
he store is covered and to take all the time she needs.”
He’d reached his limit of interaction, and thankfully Kyle didn’t seem to mind his lapse into silence. He absently traced the pale pink scars on the inside of her wrist, horizontal and vertical. He glanced at the opposite one and found corresponding marks. The scars made him curious about what other marks her body bore. How else she may have punished herself for something she couldn’t change.
Harper began to whimper, and he raised his hand to tenderly soothe her, he watched the rapid movements of her eyes beneath her closed lids. She instantly calmed and whispered his name, he smiled as he lifted her hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles.
“Shh, just sleep, everything is okay.”
She relaxed and drifted back into a restful sleep.
“I was right.”
“Right,” he asked.
“You’re perfect for her.”
He wasn’t so sure about that, he’d try to be what she needed. Only time would tell, but if he was anything, he was patient.
Nine
Harper Couldn’t Just Lie Here
The scent of some rich soup drifted up from the kitchen, and she’d stopped pretending an hour ago that she was interested in the book she’d been reading for the last two hours. Gideon hadn’t let her out of bed since he’d brought her home five days before. But she couldn’t just lie there anymore. She wasn’t used to sitting around and doing nothing.
Gideon had other ideas though. It was becoming routine because the man loved to argue with her. At first, she’d shied away from conflict, yet she strangely enjoyed arguing with Gideon. The distraction was also needed. Bill’s latest attack, the things he’d said—she relived them in her nightmares.
She had to go through every detail with Camden. It was the first time she had ever filed a report. Unfortunately, Bill was nowhere to be found. That didn’t mean he didn’t lurk and wait for the next opportunity.
She grabbed the heavy quilt and threw it off her legs, then she eased from the bed. The healing wound on her thigh pulled uncomfortably, but she stepped gingerly. It was guaranteed Gideon would fuss about her being up. She’d take it to be out of bed for a bit.
