Holy shit.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard Tracker speak to Victoria that way.
Needing to address this right now so it can be done with, I clear my throat. “I know you all were scared and worried about me; however, I didn’t let anyone in on this besides Trevor because Victoria has a little boy who needs his mom, Raven had her own family to take care of. I refused to put anyone in jeopardy.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lynch asks, interrupting me.
“I didn’t tell you because you wouldn’t have agreed with the plays I was making. Before that night some of you saw me in the club, I was making headway in infiltrating Ezra’s organization. I needed to get in the good graces of his sister Lavina, the crazy bitch was in town and I’d been prepared to meet with her. It was all set up then everything happened. Three weeks later, I was nabbed, taken to Ezra. Medical personnel did a checkup, Ezra liked what he found out, I became his personal pet. He kept me chained, barely fed me, I never had more than a child’s size cup of water to drink, those two things were only when they remember to feed me. They wanted me weak. Ezra wanted me to beg him, give him whatever he wanted without a fight. I refused. I didn’t back down. Finally, he’d had enough and decided to use a date rape drug he had created called Heavenly Rose on me. The first two times, I was able to fight, the third time, I don’t remember much but I know I was ready to give up.”
“I know you probably think it was a stupid move, but all I could think about while sitting in the darkened basement is you were all happy, not sitting there with me.” I hold my hand up when Raven opens her mouth to say something. “Let me finish this ‘cause I don’t want to ever speak of it again. You all would have jumped at the chance to help me, I get this, but I’ve never brought you in on a job I’ve worked. They called me Harpy for a reason, I’m a rogue, I don’t work with others. However, I’ve remembered something very important, something Aunt Ela said to me when she and Uncle Fury let me come up here to get away from the girls who started me on this journey. I’d shut everyone out, not wanting anyone to get close to me by shutting my emotions down.” Finishing I glance down at the table unable to meet anyone’s gaze. I don’t need to see their faces to know what they’re probably thinking.
“Harlow, look at me,” Fury orders and my heart races in my chest, not wanting to see the disappointment in his gaze. The fact I allowed myself to be captured is bad enough it pains me to have him acknowledge I’m not as strong as I should be.
Sucking in a deep breath, I lift my gaze to meet my uncle’s. Instead of the disappointment I thought I’d find, there’s nothing but what I would like to think of as pride.
“Your father would have been fuckin’ proud of who you’ve become. I love my sister, was pissed with her for leaving you and Lynch the way she did after your dad died but grateful to her all the same because that meant I got to raise you. Now that said don’t ever think you can pull something like this again. You do and I’ll be sure to keep your Christmas and birthday cookies.” Speechless at my uncle’s words, I glance from him to my aunt to find her smiling up at Fury.
Of course, he’d threaten to take my cookies away. They’re the one thing I look forward to getting every year.
“Yes, sir,” I nod.
“Good, now family meeting over, eat. sweetheart. You’ve lost to much weight,” Fury announces, slapping a hand on the table.
Fits of laughter surround me as several of Ranger’s brothers chuckle. Leaning forward, I begin to slowly drink the broth Tinsley put on the table for me. Closing my eyes, I moan at how good it is to not only have something so good but the fact it’s hot.
The only thing I’ve eaten in all this time is cold scraps.
“Fuckin’ hell, baby,” Ranger mutters into my ear.
“What?” I ask twisting on his lap to look at him, his fingers dig into my waist causing my body to react. I could feel the heat of his fingertips through the material of his tee shirt I was wearing. The sweatpants covering the lower half of me seems to feel as if it weren’t enough of a barrier between the two of us.
Damn, I need him.
He must see it in my gaze because one minute he’s sitting with me in his lap, the next Ranger stands, turns from the group we’d been sitting with and carries me straight to his room. “We’ll talk to you all later. When Harlow’s not as exhausted,” he calls out over his shoulder.
“Ranger,” I murmur for only him to hear.
“Gotta take care of you,” he declares, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.
The moment we enter his room, Ranger does just that. He ended up taking care of me more than once. I ended up passing out with him still seated deep inside of me while I laid on his chest.
Chapter Twelve
Ranger
For the past two months things have been quiet. This did not make me happy as that meant we couldn’t find Ezra or his sister. They had gone to ground somewhere without a trail to be followed.
At least not yet. Tracker is doing what he does best alongside several of our brothers from the different
