by Allie York
“Harriet?” Briggs touched my arm, making me jump. “What’s wrong?” I met his eyes, the earthy eyes I loved getting lost in, and tears stung the corners of mine. The fear, hurt and anger became too much. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t set out to lie to you about any of this, I swear. None of this happened like it was supposed to.” I shook my head, falling into his chest. It was the first and last place I wanted to be.
“You used me. You had something to prove and used me to do it. It was nothing more than you finally getting one over on your brother. How stupid am I right now?” The stuff in his arms hit the ground, sending flower petals scattering.
“No, no, no.” His arms swallowed me, crushing me against him. “An asshole, or a liar, or whatever else you want to call me, but I’m not using you. I never used you,” he said it quietly but insistently, petting my hair and kissing my head. “Harriet, please. Listen, please.”
“No, I can’t even remember what I’m supposed to do right now because of you and your notebooks and pissing contest with Beck, I didn’t make my list, I can’t even think straight, and you have me completely pissed off.” I sobbed into his chest, not knowing why I was letting him comfort me considering he was the one making me cry. I didn’t cry when Mom died, I didn’t cry when I got the eviction notice, and I didn’t cry when I caught Blake. Harriet Wolfe wasn’t a crier. Briggs had grabbed my heart from day one and I hadn’t even realized it. He shushed me, keeping his lips on my hair.
“Hey …” He tipped my chin up. “I meant what I said. I’ve been enthralled by you from the moment I saw you. It was just a lot longer than our lunch, but I swear to you, Beck had nothing to do with any of that. Maybe we are competitive, but I never used you to get to him. That’s not what this is. Yeah, it strokes my ego a little knowing I got something Beck won’t, but this isn’t about him.” His lips landed on my forehead. I pushed away from him, walking to the back of the shop, turning the computer on as I went. I cleared my mind, focusing on anything but Briggs, and slowly things came back to me the more steadying breaths I took. I let out a few of the dogs before I started the dishes. The same routine I had gone through for weeks was coming back. Maybe.
I felt him watching me when I walked past him from the back to start on the dishes. “What list, Harriet?” His arms came around my waist and I shoved them off. Maybe if he hadn’t been the one upsetting me, making me feel more broken than I was, I would have talked to him.
“Please leave, Briggs. Please. Just go. I can’t deal with this right now and you need to go.” I watched the sink fill with suds and felt him move away from me.
“Harriet. I’m not leaving.” His tone almost convinced me, but they all leave, and his lies gave me the perfect opportunity to push him out before he left.
“Get out!” The rest of my calm unraveled, and I shouted, probably for the first time in my entire life. Then I heard his steps retreating down the hall and the doorbell as he left. The sounds made my heart break a little more with each second that he didn’t come storming back. I had told him to leave, I needed to push him out, but I wanted him to at least try a little harder, prove that he wanted me. Maybe I needed him to prove he thought I was worth it. But the longer I waited, the more I knew my decision was the right one. The right person would fight. I turned the water off and braced on the sink to cry harder. It felt so silly to let him get to me that way, to let his deceit upset me the way it had. When the front bell rang again, I figured he had come back so I straightened my shoulders, wiping my face. A new hope stirred in my gut, making me smile. Then I heard the voice and chills went down my back.
“Hello?” It was an innocent enough question, but my inner voice told me to run. Every fiber in my body was screaming for me to run and hide. I did the opposite though. My voice was wrong about Briggs, so I pushed my irrational fear down and went toward the front, expecting to see a client who didn’t realize we weren’t open yet. I had zero confidence in my own ability to judge character, so I walked right up to the front.
“Sorry, we don’t open until eight,” My forced smile faded when I saw the man coming behind the counter. The intruder was in black boots, a black shirt, and black jeans. With four homeless shelters in the area, people bumming for money wasn’t unheard of, but the man coming toward me was smiling and clean shaven. “I’m sorry, we can’t let anyone back here.” I tried to sound like I meant business, but my voice shook. My hands broke out in a sweat and my lungs turned sluggish. The red flags in my brain were waving like crazy. Tattoo on left hand.
“You Harriet Wolfe?” He towered over me, rounding the corner and stalking me like prey. I backed slowly as he approached and reached for his pants to adjust his fly over his crotch. The guy was turned on by my fear, and the thought of what was coming had me trying not to throw up. “I came to do a job, beat the shit outta you, and move on, but you look pretty enough to make a man happy. Little slip of a thing I can do whatever I want with. Maybe I’ll take you home and ask for a ransom.” My back hit the wall that led down the hall. My brain told me to scream, to find a weapon, to run, but my body froze. I couldn’t even breathe, much less run. The smell of overpowering cologne hit me when the man got close enough. My pulse pounded in my ears and my hands were sweating uncontrollably, my whole body shook as my brain tried to force my frozen body to move. No matter what I needed to do, the signal wasn’t reaching my brain. I opened my mouth to scream, but in one swift motion, a fist hit my temple and I felt myself fall.
Chapter Eighteen
Briggs
I made it the half a block to The Brew before I stopped to turn back. Harriet could tell me to leave, tell me to jump off a fucking bridge, but I was not about to give up. Hell, the woman could be angry for the rest of her life, but not fighting for her wasn’t an option. I started back, stopping to think through my apology a few times. There was no way she didn’t feel everything I felt for her. No fucking way. Liar or not, I was hers and I was going to fix what I had done. If it took me an eternity, I would make her trust me, make her love me. I would spend the rest of my life worshiping the ground that Harriet walked on to win her forgiveness.
I scooped the flowers off the floor, leaving the notebooks, and went around the counter. The sight in the hall made me pause, but only for a fraction of a second. A man was looming over where Harriet was in a heap in the floor. The fucker was so engrossed in jerking off that he didn’t hear me come in. The flowers hit the floor again and I slammed into him, stopping him mid-jerk, and sending him bouncing off the wall and to the ground with a grunt. I wanted to check on her, I wanted to wrap myself around her and protect her, but I had to take care of the bastard defiling her first. The guy was bigger than me, by a lot, but I had taken him by surprise. He tried to stand under my weight, shoving me off him, and we struggled for a few seconds. I had him pinned to the floor but was getting one hell of a ride while he tried to get me off him. The guy got a hit in to the side of my head and my vision flashed black before returning. I finally got free of his grasp and my fist slammed into his nose, making it crunch and spew blood. My next blow hit his temple and it was hard enough to knock him out cold. I dragged him to a room full of dog crates, found a leash and wrapped it around his ankles, then another around his wrists. I stood and brought my shoe down on his bloody face, then one to the junk, just out of spite. Even if he woke up, that pain would keep him down. Teach the fucker to touch what’s mine.
I rushed to Harriet, after locking the guy in the room, and slid down the wall, pulling her into my lap. “Harriet?” I slid my phone out and dialed 911 while I checked her pulse and breathing. “Harriet, honey, wake up. Please.” I shook her lightly, making her head fall onto my chest. I gave the operator the address and heard sirens a moment later. Thank fuck we’re downtown, close to everything. “Harriet, please,” I brushed her hair back, tipping her head up and checking her pulse again. It was strong and her breathing was steady, but I kept checking every few seconds. The knot on her forehead was an ugly purple and there was a sm
all cut on her temple. The door opened and Jovie’s voice rang out for Harriet. The woman in my arms stirred against me, whispering my name. Jovie was on her knees next to me, then scrambled back when I told her about the man tied up in her room.
“What the fuck happened?” Jovie screeched.
I missed the sound of the door when the paramedics and police rushed in, but the fucker who attacked her was cuffed in a matter of seconds and people moved around me. Jovie watched the scene at my side, talking to Harriet, and barking orders at the police to get the bastard out of her shop. An EMT dropped next to Harriet, putting a mask on her and trying to take her from my arms. I informed him, forcefully, that she was staying with me and the EMT relented to sitting on the floor with us while he checked her pulse, and shone a light into her eyes. An officer asked what happened, and I started my story, telling them what I walked into. Another paramedic suggested she lie on a stretcher, but I shut him down too.
“Briggs?” her breathy voice distracted me from my story yet again.
“I’m here.” Harriet blinked awake, pushing the oxygen mask off her face. “Leave it. I’ve got you. You’re fine.” Her arms went around my neck and I held her tighter. I whispered to her, trying to keep her calm, assuring my girl that I wasn’t going anywhere. I finished my statement to the police as they hauled the lowlife pervert off in cuffs. The paramedic insisted Harriet needed to go to the hospital to ensure there wasn’t a concussion. I wanted to argue, but the huge knot forming on her head told me to let her go. So did Jovie, very loudly, and with threats of bodily harm if I didn’t let Harriet get in the ambulance, I helped them get Harriet on a stretcher and held the door. I ran to her side when I heard my name, panicking when her fear hit my ears.
“Go with me?” Harriet blinked up at me, pleading, and the guy started with the light in her eyes again. The confusion on her face was heart breaking.
“Always.” I climbed in the back with her, meeting no resistance from the EMT and rode down the street.
“What happened?” Harriet groped for my hand. Before I could answer, my phone rang. Nick. Once I answered, I realized it was actually Rae frantically screaming from the other end. She insisted on meeting us at the hospital and hung up quickly. Jovie must have called them.
“A man came in on you. Do you remember that?” Harriet blinked a few times and shook her head. “Do you remember anything from this morning?” Her eyebrows crinkled and she nodded. “What do you remember?” The blow to her head must have been harder than just the bump. What the fuck had happened? The paramedic looked from Harriet back to me, waiting for her to answer. He needed an answer, too.
“Beck was in my apartment, then I met you on the bus. I was really mad at you—” She was cut off by the ambulance coming to a stop and the doors opening. I kept myself in check, fighting the urge to literally growl at anyone who touched her, and let the nurses work. They rushed her to a room, leaving me in the hallway to wait and pace. Everything happened so fast and I didn’t even have the chance to find out what the hell had caused her to end up on the floor at The Dog House.
Anytime I tried to go in her room, I was met by big scary nurse named Mildred who threatened to dismember me then have the pieces thrown out with the medical waste. The look in the nurse’s eyes told me she was very serious. Time dragged and Rae finally came in, red hair flying behind her and an expression of pure rage on her face.
“What the fuck did you do?” Rae backed me into the wall like I had done something wrong and fully planned on making me pay. Her fists were at her side and I was kind of worried she might really hit me. My hands went up and my back hit the wall. I went through the story, starting with our argument and me leaving her alone. Her eyes widened when I told her what I walked back into and she took a step back. “She’s not going to remember, but it’s probably for the best.”
“What are you talking about? She was confused, but who wouldn’t be? The fucker knocked her out cold.”
Rae shook her head. “She has memory issues. Have you not seen her notes? Harri forgets to eat if it’s not written down. Part of it is her general disregard for important things, but most of it was the accident. Some days it’s fine, but when things are shitty, she can’t remember anything.” When Rae realized that I had no idea what she was talking about, she huffed, “Her mom was strung out one night when Harri was like fourteen. Kathryn drove home and hit a tree. Harri had some serious brain damage. I’m talking, weeks in the hospital and never fully recovered.” That was why she was so upset. I was obviously to blame for most of it, but that explained what Harriet was talking about when she mentioned the list and explained the pieces of paper all over her apartment. My fuck ups just kept getting better and better.
I slid down the wall and rested my head in my hands while Rae leaned next to me. Eventually, Jovie showed up and then Cori. The women chatted quietly, and Jovie told the other two what happened in more detail. I didn’t belong there. Harriet had her friends there all waiting to check on her, leaving me out of place. I thought about leaving several times, but then remembered how terrified Harriet looked when asking me to go with her. We waited for what felt like hours for the doctor or anyone to finally come out.
“Are you Briggs?” I jerked my head up to see Mildred. The nurse knew who I was. I had told her a million times, trying to plead my way into the room. I nodded from my place on the floor. “Miss Wolfe asked for you.” I started to argue that Rae should go, but the kick to my hip got me up off the floor. Between Rae, Jovie, and Cori, I knew they could take me if I didn’t comply. I followed the nurse into the room where Mildred left us alone. I was kind of hoping to be updated on Harriet’s situation, but instead, I was left alone in a hospital room with her. I sat in the blue chair next to her bed and waited. Even with her beautiful face angled away from me, I knew Harriet was awake.
“You stayed.” Harriet finally turned to look at me and my whole body slumped at her appearance. It wasn’t the knot on her head, or her placid skin, it was the look of complete helplessness on her face. Since the first time I saw her she was lively and vibrant, but in that moment my girl was broken. I had lied to her, shattered her trust, and let her get attacked by some pervert.
“Of course I stayed. I rode here with you and waited outside.” I took her hand, squeezing it between mine and resting my lips on her fingers.
“I’m still mad at you, but thank you.” A smile threatened her lips and I relaxed a little. At least Harriet remembered to be mad at me.
“I really don’t care. You could demand I leave right now and it wouldn’t matter.” I kissed her fingers one at a time. “How long are they keeping you here?” She shrugged and I realized that Mildred probably hadn’t told her anything. I snatched her chart from the end of the bed and started skimming it. “Rae, Jovie, and Cori are outside. Want me to get them?” Harriet shook her head and settled back into her pillows. “You can go when you feel ready according to this. Minor concussion and bruising. You’ll be fine, but should be monitored.” I knew damn well who would be doing the monitoring. Harriet wouldn’t be out of my sight ever again.
“They can wait. We need to talk.” Her eyes closed.
“Can I start by apologizing again?” Then she smiled. “Good. I am so sorry. I really never meant to lie to you, ever. None of this is about Beck, never was. It’s always just been about you.” I kissed her fingers again, silently begging her to forgive me.
“Okay.”
“What?” I snapped to attention.
“I said okay. But I don’t give third chances.” Harriet smiled, suddenly looking more composed and I moved to kiss her. She gasped when my tongue went searching for hers, but relaxed quickly and ran her hands into my hair. It was all too inappropriate for a hospital room but I didn’t give a shit. I was going to get her home, to my home, and take care of her. Then I was going to spend the rest of my time making her forgive me.
The doctor finally came in and gave us all the rundown of her diagnosis. Harriet scowled at me w
hen I pulled my notebook out to write the details down for her. I just smiled at her. I fully intended to take her home and take care of anything she needed, wait on her hand and foot. If Harriet couldn’t remember what the doctor was saying, I would take notes for her. Jovie called the mortuary to let Jim know that Harriet was taking a few days off due to an illness, Nick showed up just as Harriet fell asleep again because of some pain medicine, and Rae informed him that Harriet would need to stay with them for a few days.
“I’ll take her home with me.” I leaned back in the seat, pulling my lips from where it was resting on her hand. “We have plenty of space and unless you want me shacking up with you too, it’s for the best, because I may never let her out of my sight again.” Truth was, all the space in our house would still be wasted, Harriet would be in my bed with me, next to me at all times.
Rae looked at me for a while, obviously trying to decide if I was worthy of the demand. “Fine, but if Harri needs anything, call me.” Nick kissed his wife on the head and threw his hand up at me before leaving. Rae dropped a hand on my shoulder. “Look, Harriet has had a fucked-up life, but she still sees everything as positive, I’m talking rose-colored glasses to the extreme here. Everything is happy in Harriet’s world, and if you ruin her, death will look like a blessing. I’m a psychiatrist and know a lot of screwed up people who can make you disappear.” Rae’s hand tightened.
I wanted to laugh at Rae’s threat but thought better of it. If I ever hurt her again, my own punishment would be worse than anything Rae could do. “I know.” I let my eyes roam over Harriet’s sweet face and kissed her hand again. The attack could have been so much worse. She could have been raped or beaten. The bump on her head was from falling more than the blow, and the bruises would fade. Guilt tore through me. I had let it happen, I left knowing damn well that I should have stayed and fought her on it. Even if Harriet forgave me, I would never forgive myself.