We stare at each other and he finally looks away. “Yeah, alright. I just really need you, Z. You’ve got to get Harper talking.”
I sit down and shake my head. “I’m doing what I can. She’s not some Soul chick. She’s smart and knows this life. I can’t just start asking her shit. I’ll call her on the prepaid and see if she’ll meet me tonight. Maybe I can get something.”
“Good,” he says as I stand up. Just as I go to open the door, he calls my name. “Your aunt wants you and your mom over for dinner. Set it up.”
I agree and walk out the door. Not a night I’m looking forward to, but it’s all part of the life. Family.
I call Harper’s house from the prepaid phone when I see she’s home. It rings a few times before she answers. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me,” I say.
“Fuck, are you insane?”
I laugh and move closer to her backdoor. “Absolutely. Now, open your backdoor.” With that I hang up.
It takes her a few minutes, but she finally opens the door. I smile and step inside. As I take in the place, she quickly locks the door and pulls the blinds shut. It’s a nice place. It’s all open. The kitchen, dining area, and living room are all gray and white. Makes me smile because they are her favorite colors. I wonder briefly how many people know that little bit of information.
“Zane, what the fuck are you doing? Are you trying to get us both killed?” she yells, pacing.
I turn to face her and my goddamn heart stops. She looks beautiful. Her long hair pulled up, no makeup, and a T-shirt just long enough to cover her round ass. I look at her and all reasonable thought is lost. It takes me back in time. Back when we wanted to leave and start our own club. I’d be the king and she’d be my queen. Childish shit, but it’s memories I only share with her. When I look at her now, surrounded by her gray and white, it makes me smile.
“I’m definitely not trying to get you killed, babe,” I say, sitting down on her black leather couch. “Looks like mine.”
She blows out a frustrated breath and sits next to me. “I know.”
“You remember, huh?”
“Z, I remember everything. But, we don’t have time for a trip down memory lane.”
I rest my arm behind her on the couch and grin. “It’s such a sweet trip.”
“What the hell do you want?” she asks again. She’s got heat in her eyes, anger in her voice.
I chuckle and squeeze her shoulder. “First of all, I’m not a fucking idiot. I know how to get somewhere unseen. Stop worrying. I promise you, no one saw me. But, I’m here because I need your help.”
She shifts on the couch uncomfortably. “What the hell could I help with?”
“I need you to come to dinner with me,” I say with a smile.
“Sure, let me go get dressed. Should I just put a fucking black dress on so I’m already dressed for the funeral or what?” she asks, pushing my arm away.
“Stop acting like I’m going to put you in the firing line.” I move closer and grab her face in my hands to make her look at me. “I’d take the bullet.”
Her eyes fill up with tears and I press my lips to hers. Our tongues connect and she moans in my mouth. I hold tightly onto her hair as her fingers hold onto the bottom of mine. I kiss her, hard, letting her know how I feel. At least trying to let her know. I need her to trust me, to realize I’m not putting her in harm's way.
When we break the kiss, I rest my forehead on hers. “It’s just with my mom. I told her you were back. She misses you, Harp. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”
“What is this, Z? You just wanna pick up where we left off? Family dinner with your mom, that’s relationship shit,” she says, searching my eyes.
“Is that such a bad thing?”
She smiles and kisses the corner of my mouth. “No, baby, it’s a deadly thing.”
I lean back and stare up at the ceiling. “Harper, do you trust me at all?”
“Yes,” she breathes out.
I think everything through. I’m going to show my hand here and if she freaks out, I’m done. It’s a risk, but I think it’s one I need to take. Brooks wants me to hurry shit along, it can’t be done like this. We can’t move forward sneaking around like this. We need to be able to be somewhere other than the woods.
“My club knows,” I say, daring a peek at her.
It’s completely unnecessary though. She jumps off the couch like it’s on fire and I slowly sit up. Her hands are over her mouth and her eyes are huge. Just as I’m about to speak, she rushes down the hall and I hear a door slam shut. Shit. I go after her and realize she’s in the bathroom. The door across from it is her bedroom, so I sit on her bed and wait. I have to clean this up and fast. I’ll lose her before I even get her.
When the door opens, she walks into the bedroom. “Get the fuck out.”
“Babe, just listen,” I start.
“No, you listen. I came back for my club. You want to keep living in the past. I’m moving forward and that doesn’t include you.” She sits on the bed, all the anger gone. She places her hand over my heart as a tear runs down her cheek. “I love you, Zane. I will always love you. Please know I’m not doing this to hurt you. It’s to protect you.”
“I don’t need you to protect me, babe. I’m done letting everyone tell me how to
