I don’t argue, because I know he’s right. I also don’t say a word as I walk past him. It is a fucked-up situation, which I’ll handle my way.
I meet up with Ivy and the guys. She’s finishing her cigarette as I walk over. “Finally,” she says.
“What? Riley and Finn are great company,” I joke.
Riley wraps his arm around me and smiles at Ivy. “See, Harper likes me.”
I do like Riley, always have. He’s definitely one of the funniest guys I know. He has the ability to get a laugh out of anyone, which isn’t easy with these guys sometimes. He keeps things light and relaxed. Definitely a guy that is always looking for a good time. His light brown hair is always a tousled mess, like he just woke up and ran his hands through it. He’s got an athletic body. Not as muscular as Zane, but well defined. I’m not entirely sure where his tattoos end and begin, but his arms are brightly covered. They aren’t dark like Zane’s or Kace’s, they are full of life, just like him.
“At least one girl does,” she says. I’m not sure if she is trying to be funny or mean.
He doesn’t seem fazed by it though. He laughs, stepping away from me. “Oh, there is one girl who really likes all I have to offer,” he says, thrusting his hips at her.
I can’t help but laugh with him. Ivy tries not to smile, but I see it breaking through. Finn shakes his head. “Come on, let’s go.”
We all pile in the stupid van, even though I thought we should take my car. Of course, they told me it’s too dangerous, and I’m sure they are right. I just hate being in this van, but I focus on the bright side. We’re on our way to what will be my new job. I’m so fucking excited. This is exactly what I needed to feel whole again. I will prove to all of them that it was the best decision. Hell, if I can impress my father, I can surely impress them. No one is as critical and harsh as him.
Thinking back to what Riley said, I wonder if he’s serious. Curiosity gets the best of me and I lean my arms on both the front seats. “Hey, Riley,” I say. He turns his head, lifting an eyebrow. “Are you really seeing someone?”
He winks and turns back around. “Yep.”
“No shit, who?” I ask.
He laughs but keeps looking forward. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard yet.”
I look at Finn, but he keeps his eyes on the road. I glance at Ivy, but she lifts her shoulders. “Well, I haven’t heard shit. You gonna tell me or do I have to ask Zane?” I ask, nudging his shoulder.
“You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?” he jokes. He glances back and grins. “Gillian Holt.”
“What the fuck, seriously?” I blurt out.
I look at Ivy who is clueless. If this girl wants to be with Kace, she’s got to be prepared. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy road. Makes me wonder how long Kace has known this. Maybe this is why he’s not talking to Ivy, or maybe I should just mind my business.
“Who’s that?” Ivy asks, breaking my thoughts.
“Kace’s ex’s sister,” I explain.
Ivy drops her head back and sighs. “Of course, it is,” she mumbles.
“Riley, isn’t she like ten years younger than you?” I ask.
“Age is a number, sweetheart. I need someone younger who can keep up with me,” he says with a wink. “Hey Ivy.” She lifts her head, looking at him. “This has nothing to do with Kace. He’s into you. That ex of his is long gone, nothing to worry yourself about.”
“Rachel’s gone?” I ask.
“Damn, you really are a gossip,” he says, laughing.
Even Ivy laughs that time. “Shut the fuck up. I’m not a gossip, I’m just making conversation. Plus, you brought it up, not me.”
“This is why I’ve always loved you, Harper. Come on, dump Z, I’ll dump Gillian, we’d be a power couple,” he says, leaning back to kiss me.
I push his face away. “You wish.”
He laughs again and slaps Finn’s arm. “Come on, Finn, tell us something. You banging anyone?”
“Oh my God, seriously?” Ivy yells.
“What?” Riley questions.
I love this. It’s like a family car ride. Everyone is laughing and teasing each other. It feels almost normal. “Oh, come on, I’ll tell you who I’m banging,” I say.
“Besides me and Z, who else?” Riley asks.
We’re all laughing, even Finn. “Let’s go Finn, tell us,” I push.
He shakes his head, but he’s grinning. “There’s no one special or anything. Just a few Soul chicks.”
“Bullshit,” Riley says.
“There’s someone special! You wouldn’t have said there wasn’t if you weren’t trying to hide it. Come on spill, we won’t say anything,” I say, hitting his seat.
“Leave the poor guy alone,” Ivy says. “Maybe he’s private about things.”
Riley spins around in the seat, a huge grin on his face. “Is that what you and Kace got going on? Something private?” He wiggles his eyebrows, laughing.
“Nope, you see what you get with me,” she says.
“Oh damn,” he yells. “Kace needs to get his dick in gear.”
That’s an understatement, but I won’t add to it. Ivy is finally having fun and I’m not going to ruin it. “Maybe you should tell him that,” she says, with a grin.
“Careful, he’ll do it,” I warn.
“Oh, fuck yeah, I’ll talk to him later,” he says smiling. He turns back to Finn. “Tell us now or I’ll shoot you in the toe.” He pulls out his gun and Ivy screams.
“Riley don’t scare her,” I plead.
“Hey, Finn just needs to talk, and I’ll put it away,” he says, unapologetically.
Ivy slides behind me and peeks over my shoulder. “Fuck, Finn. Tell him,” she shouts.
Riley and I are hysterically laughing at the both of them. Finn turns into the parking lot of what will be Souls Two and parks. He turns to us and gives a shy smile. “Josie.”
“Oh shit,” both Riley and I say.
“Who’s that? Another Kace ex?” Ivy asks.
Riley puts his gun back in his waistband and opens the door. “Nope. That’s the girl that Harper was dry humping on the dance floor.”
Finn looks at me and I swear I think I see him blush a little. I wink and shrug. “You liked that, huh?”
He grins and climbs out of the van. “Damn Harper, do they all want to fuck you?”
I laugh as I’m climbing out. “No, I’m just the kind of girl they are all into.”
“What does that mean?” she asks, following me.
I’m looking around outside as she asks. The building is big, the parking lot is a great size, and the location is amazing. It’s going to need paint for sure and I can see some broken windows, but that’s not bad. As I walk to the entrance, I look up, noting how perfect a Souls Two sign will look hanging above it.
“Harper?” Ivy asks.
I turn to her while Riley is unlocking the door. “It means, I get this life. I like this life. I can hang with them without judgement. I can take it as good as I give it. They all want someone who loves the club as much as them.” I wink before turning around. “Something to think about.”
We walk inside and I spin in a circle. It’s going to be amazing. I can see so much potential. I walk around the entire warehouse, taking notes while they just talk. It’s crazy how my mind works. I can picture it all. I can see the colors, the design, and the exact layout. I know where the stage will go, where the tables will sit, where the bar is best placed. I’m going to turn this place into something amazing.
“Ivy, do you think you’d want to help me?” I call out from across the room.
“Sure, with what?”
I turn around, holding the pad against my chest. “If I hire you to work here. Not stripping or waiting tables but helping me behind the scenes. Would you be interested?”
I know I have to run it by Zane and the club, but she needs this. She needs a job where she is valued. She told me that things never change, but I’m going to show her the
y do.
“I’d love that,” she says, smiling.
I nod and get back to writing everything down. First thing we need is to get this place cleaned out. Once that’s done, we can assess how much we need to repair. It doesn’t look like much, which makes me happy.
“Let’s go see what’s in the back,” I say.
Finn and Riley go first, and we follow. This is going to take a lot of work. If they want to turn this into rooms like Souls, we’ve got a lot to do. There isn’t much here, just two big rooms. I’ll have to talk to them and see what they had in mind. I know they like to have rooms for extras. We’ll have to put up some walls if that’s what they want to do.
Satisfied with what I have written down, we walk back into the main area. “This is gonna be great.”
“Hey, Harper.” I turn to Riley and he’s got that devil grin on his face. “Gillian is great with computers, ya know if you’re hiring people.”
It’s a dig, I know. I shouldn’t have offered Ivy a job without talking to them first. But, I’m sure Zane and Kace will make sure the club goes along with it. I’ll just humor him for now. “You never know, Riley. I might need a computer genius.”
He laughs and wraps his arm around me. “I’m fucking with you but be careful tossing out jobs without talking to Brooks. We all want this to work out.”
I kiss his cheek and rest my head on his shoulder. “I appreciate it, Riley. I appreciate everything you are all doing for me. I never expected it.”
“I watched you and Zane when you were younger, and I knew you weren’t a Vegas King. You always had that Shattered Souls attitude and spirit. We couldn’t stop you, but damn it wasn’t easy watching you on the opposite side. We’ve all always loved you, even when we had to hate you, sweetheart.”
I blink back my tears and peek up at him. “You should show this sweet side a little more.”
He laughs, kissing the top of my head, before gently shoving me away from him. “It’s reserved to only come out once or twice a year. You have an entire year of my kickass personality now.”
“So, you hung out with all of them when you were younger?” Ivy asks.
Riley crosses his arms, lifting an eyebrow. “Them? We’re Shattered Souls, sweetheart.”
Her face reddens as she looks down. “Sorry.”
“Hey, I’m fucking kidding. Damn, you’re gonna need to lighten up if you are gonna be sticking around,” he says.
I try to distract from that and answer her, “Yes. I was always around when I was younger. My father didn’t really keep tabs on me until, well, he needed me.” I shrug when Riley’s eyes shoot to me. “Zane and I tried making it work when we got older, but there was just too much bad blood.”
“But you decided eventually it was worth it,” Ivy says. Although, it feels like more of a question.
“Zane has been the only person in my life that never left me, hurt me, or took advantage of me. It wasn’t an easy decision because I knew someone was going to die, but I figured it would be me and I’d have at least had a small amount of happiness before then.” I step closer to her and smile. “When you have someone, who loves you as hard as Zane does, you figure the rest out.”
“Is this some kind of relationship lesson? Should I be taking notes?” Riley jokes.
Ivy laughs as I throw my pen at him. “If anyone needs notes, it’s you.”
“That’s the fucking truth,” he says.
“Hey Riley,” Finn calls from the door. I didn’t even notice he walked outside. We all turn to him as Riley lifts his chin. “We need to get back to Souls. Harper and Ivy, I’m gonna take you over to Gloria’s. They are having some kind of lunch thing.”
Sure, they are. Shit is happening and we shouldn’t be around. I get it, I’m just not really looking forward to spending the afternoon with Gloria. I’m still pissed at her for what she said about Zane’s father. I’m in no position to argue, so I don’t say a word.
The ride there is not fun and relaxed. You can feel the tension and I fucking hate it. I should have known that the laughs and joking were only temporary. It always is.
Ivy keeps peeking at me, but there’s nothing I can say. I mean, if I had to guess, I’d say they need the van to get Dom’s body out of there. They are probably going to sit at the table and discuss whatever he said or didn’t say. They’ll decide what the next move is. That move being get my father.
They drop us off, waiting while we walk to the door. “What’s going on?” Ivy whispers.
“They’ve got business to handle and we shouldn’t be around for it. Don’t ask what it is because I have no idea. I just know they think we’re safer here, so let’s make the best of it,” I say, opening the door. “Hello?”
“In the kitchen,” Nora yells.
We walk in and it’s just her and Adalyn. They give us a quick hug and I sit down. “I’m starving,” I say.
Adalyn laughs, reaching over to squeeze my hand. “We are having sandwiches and salad. Gloria should be back in a minute.”
“Where is she?” I ask.
“She was at the store when we got here. I called her to let her know we were all coming, so she should be back soon,” Nora says.
It shouldn’t make me happy that she’s gone, but it does. If Adalyn wasn’t here, I’d ask Nora why Gloria said those things last time. But I won’t do that to Adalyn. She still grieves his death, which I can’t blame her. I’d never get over losing Zane.
“So, what’s been going on?” Nora asks.
“Not much. We’re staying at Souls, so that’s always relaxing,” I say.
She laughs, but Adalyn looks at me with wide eyes. “You both need to be careful, Harper. I don’t know what’s going on and I don’t want to know, but if you’re there it can’t be good.”
“I promised you I’d protect Zane and I will,” I say, smiling. “Don’t worry.”
“Such a sweet girl. You always were, but I’ll never stop worrying.”
What can I say? She’s right. There’s always the chance something horrible can happen. I can’t imagine being a mother and worrying about that. I think briefly of my mother and how much she sacrificed to protect me. She died doing it. I’m sure Adalyn would do the same for Zane, just like I would if I ever decided to bring a child into this world.
“Ivy, you are always so quiet,” Nora says, breaking my thoughts.
Ivy smiles, sitting down next to me. “I just listen, don’t have much to add to the conversation.”
“It’s not always easy,” Adalyn agrees.
Nora rolls her eyes. “Well, how about you tell us what’s going on with you and Kace? That boy has never had someone around like this before.”
“I’m not here because of Kace, I’m here because of Harper,” she says.
Before she can be questioned anymore, Gloria rushes into the kitchen. “Fuck, if I knew you were all coming over, I’d have had lunch ready. Give me a minute to clean up and I’ll get it all ready.”
“Relax, I brought cold cuts and salads,” Nora calls after her. “She just got home from her parents’ vacation house. You’d think she’d be more relaxed.”
Her parents' vacation house. Christ, I could only dream of having something like that. I don’t know much about her side of the family, but I believe she comes from money.
“Do you think they are all alright?” Ivy whispers. Nora and Adalyn are talking about someone they grew up with, so they pay no attention to Ivy.
I squeeze her knee under the table. “I know they are. We’ll be back with them soon.”
She nods but stares off into the distance. Yep, that girl has got it bad.
18
Harper
It’s been a long fucking day. Listening to Gloria, Nora, and Adalyn talk and talk and talk. I just want to get the hell out of here already. We’ve eaten lunch and dinner at this point. When Ivy wants a cigarette, she excuses herself and I go with her every time. Gloria keeps telling her it’s fine to smoke inside, but Ivy says she likes being o
utside. So here we are again, sitting on the steps, the cool night air surrounding us.
“How much fucking longer?” she asks, leaning back on her hands.
“Zane said they’d be here soon. Not soon enough if you ask me,” I whine.
She blows smoke up and I watch it disappear into the night sky. It reminds me of how my father just vanished. They all keep looking but it’s futile. This nightmare feels like it’ll never end. I long for the day I can just focus on Souls Two, go out alone, and start my future with Zane. I have no idea what that future looks like, but I do know it’ll be better than living in constant fear.
“How come Adalyn is always around if she’s not part of the club anymore?” Ivy asks.
I peek at her and grin. “This is still her family, no matter how badly she wishes it were different. Gloria is her sister-in-law and Nora is her childhood friend. She was the president’s wife at one time. She’s respected and loved. They’ll always protect her and treat her like she deserves. She isn’t involved in club business, just the family side of things.”
“You make it sound so romanticized,” she says.
I tilt my head looking at her. “Because it is.”
“I guess I just haven’t seen it that way,” she mumbles.
“No, you are fighting what you feel for Kace, so you wouldn’t know it like that. It’s that way for me because of Zane.”
Headlights flash across us and my stomach drops. Not because I’m nervous, but because I’m excited. I miss Zane and I just saw him this morning.
“Look at these two,” Kace says, walking up.
“I think they're ready to go,” Zane says, laughing. I can’t help myself; I jump into his arms. He catches me easily, wrapping his solid arms around me. “Hey, you alright?”
I tighten my hold on him, nodding against his neck. “I just missed you,” I admit.
“Damn babe, trying to make my heart bleed?”
I lift my head, looking into his clear blue eyes. “Never, but I’m really missing time with just us. It’s been so fucking long. Can we take a ride to our spot?”
Redemption (Shattered Souls MC Book 2) Page 15
