Harlow (Society Girls #7)

by Crystal Perkins

  “Am I missing something?” I ask the group.

  “Bray sucks at video games, but Darcy excels at them. So, his best threat is to have her annihilate us. It’s an effective one, and he thankfully doesn’t use it too often, but Zack tries everyone’s patience eventually,” Blake explains to me.

  “Insulting me isn’t going to get you tickets to the game on Sunday.”

  “I can get my own tickets.” I bet he can, since he’s an actual movie star.

  “I thought I was just getting an amazing girlfriend, but I’m glad to be getting a new group of friends, too.”

  “Enough of the sap, man. Pick your game, and let’s play,” Owen tells me, tossing me a wireless controller.

  I cue up the game I designed the graphics for, pick Harlow’s character as my own, and proceed to beat his smug ass. I don’t even need to use the cheat codes I was given, because my girl’s as badass in the game as she is in real life. She’s going to be okay, and so are we.

  Harlow

  We fly to a small airstrip at the base of a mountain range, and transfer to a military chopper. The pilot is skittish, but Isa’s husband, Jake, puts him at ease. “General Mason is my mother, and if she finds out about this, I’ll say I used her name to make you fly us to the cabin. Just don’t mention Reina to her, and we’ll be fine.”

  “Roger that.”

  Besides Jake and me, Ellie, Theo, Darcy, and Nate are on the chopper with us. The plan is for me to show my face to the cameras we know X has to have set up over his cabin and land, and hope he sees me before he goes on the offensive, and blows us up. He’s not a violent man by nature, due in large part to our childhood, but he’ll do anything to protect Micah. I’m our only hope for us walking away from this chopper alive.

  “We’re in range,” Theo tells me, and I nod.

  I make my way to the open doorway, and look out. “X, it’s me, the giraffe.”

  I was made fun of in school for being so tall, and thin, so that’s the code word we came up with. Saying it lets him know I’m safe, and that this isn’t a trap. “Wow,” Ainsley says through my ear implant. “I couldn’t see his security while it was up, but I just watched it all go down, and then back up again once you were past the perimeter. We could’ve never gotten past it.”

  I hear the awe in her voice, and I smile. “I told you he was safe.”

  “But you aren’t, and that’s my concern right now,” Reina tells me.

  “I know.”

  I stay in the doorway as the chopper lands. X steps outside, and I run to him. “I’m sorry, but I had to come. If it was just me, I’d have accepted my fate, but someone I care about has been targeted, too.”

  “Who’s with you?”

  “The Society,” I tell him, knowing that with all his hacking, he’ll have heard at least whispers of them.

  “No shit?”

  “None at all.”

  “You’re one of them?” he asks, and I swear I see a look of pride in his eyes.

  “I’m trying to be. I still have some things to work on, but it’s looking good.”

  “Let me guess—computer problems?”

  “Yeah, well, we can’t all be geniuses.”

  He raises an eyebrow. “Don’t ever sell yourself short around me, cuz. I know you better than anyone, and not many people would’ve found the will to not only survive, but thrive, like you have.”

  “Not to cut this reunion short, but we should be going as soon as possible,” Ellie says from behind me. “But for the record, I agree with everything you just said to my girl here.”

  “Your girl?”

  “Ellie’s my mentor.”

  “Ahh. I thought maybe you switched teams. Totally cool if you have, but I was just surprised.”

  “Oh, I really like you now, Xavier. I’m happily married to a man, but Harlow could tempt anyone to become a switch hitter, so I get where you’re coming from.”

  “Call me X, and too bad about the marriage thing, because I could like you a lot, Mrs....?”

  “Ford. Ellie Ford. And there’s nothing bad about my marriage, X. Friends?” she asks, holding out her hand.

  “Friends,” he agrees, shaking it.

  “This is Darcy, Theo, and Nate,” I tell him, introducing him to my other friends who are here.

  “Let me grab Micah, and our bags.”

  “We’ll help,” Nate tells him.

  “Don’t trust me?”

  “Nothing personal.”

  “Everything’s personal, Nate, but I know of the Society, and I know my cousin wouldn’t be here if things weren’t bad, so I’ll play nicely in this sandbox. For now, at least.”

  “Appreciate that, because while we can do hard, easy is better for everyone.”

  We walk inside, and I marvel at the modern cabin, which looks more like a lodge than a single family residence. Micah’s still sleeping in his crib, and a sob catches in my throat at how big he’s gotten since I last saw him. I pick him up, and some part of him must remember me, because instead of crying, he cuddles into me.

  X smiles when he sees us, and kisses the top of my head. “Missed you, Har.”

  “Missed you guys more.”

  “I’ve made sure to show him pictures, because I wanted him to remember you. I knew we’d be together again when it was safe.”

  “It’s not.”

  “I know, but if you trust these people, then so do I.”

  “They’re family now, too.”

  “Do they have good computer people?”

  “Not as good as you, but yes.”

  “Well, obviously. Who is it?”

  “Ainsley Taylor, and Scott Griffin.”

  He lets out a laugh that has everyone turning our way, and causes Micah to squirm in my arms. “After me, they’re the best, and they’ve both been trying to contact me for years.”

  “Now you know why.”

  “I guess I do. This is going to be very interesting.”

  “You hate being bored.”

  “That I do, cuz, that I do.”

  We climb back onto the chopper, and X uses his watch to let down the defenses so we can get through. After, he presses a bunch of buttons, and I know his place is hidden from the world again. I have absolutely no clue how he did it, but I know Ainsley will, and I want to make sure he tells her.

  “Ainsley’s going to go crazy when you tell her how you did that.”

  “Who says I’m going to tell her?”

  “Me.”

  He shakes his head, but he’s smiling while he does it. “For you, I’ll probably tell her.”

  “Thanks.”

  The rest of the ride is uneventful, and we make it back to the C&C building before the sun rises. Stella and Tegan meet us on the roof as our helicopter from the airfield lands, and show us where X and Micah will be staying. They leave us alone to get settled and reconnect, and also because Stella’s got a mission to get ready for.

  X needs to be here with Ainsley and Scott, helping to take down the arms dealer he’s already pretty much ruined. They’ll be staying onsite, instead of the apartments, because it’s too dangerous to take him back and forth every day. I wish they were closer, but I know they’ll be safe here, and Reina told me they have a plan for getting me back and forth, so I’ll see them every day.

  “This is nice,” X says, taking in the open floorplan.

  There’s a bedroom for him, and a nursery next door for Micah. As with everything else having to do with the Society, this floor is hidden from the regular employees working for C&C, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be suffering. Alex will make sure they have everything they need, and more.

  “It’s a whole lot better than where we grew up.”

  “We’re a long way from there, Har. I wish you’d accept that.”

  “I’m trying.”

  “Try harder. You deserve all of this.”

  “I know that.”

  “Do you?”

  “Yes.”

  That doesn’t m
ean I don’t remember hiding in my room when someone my parents stole from found out where we lived. I’ll never forget the banging on the door, or the fear that they’d somehow get in and find just me there. We moved when that happened, but it always happened again. Another new school, no friends, and not enough food, because my parents preferred to spend their money on themselves instead of worrying about whether I was hungry. I was always clothed well, because appearance was everything when you were running pyramid schemes, but food for me was somehow never a necessity.

  I had one constant through everything, and that was X. I guess I can be thankful that his parents were part of the family business, because when one of us moved, we all did. If I hadn’t somehow gotten a full scholarship across the country from them, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me. And when I say “somehow” I mean that X hacked me into that scholarship.

  “Do you ever feel bad about giving me a scholarship that should’ve gone to someone else?”

  “Never.”

  “But what if they couldn’t go to college because of it?” I’ve never asked him these questions before, but I’ve always wanted to know.

  “I made sure they got something else.”

  “You did?” Of course, he did.

  “Yes. I was wondering if you were ever going to ask. Feel better?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good. I know it’s been bothering you all these years.”

  “Maybe a little.”

  “Or a lot.”

  “Or that.”

  “Love you, Har.”

  “Love you too, X.”

  “You going back to your place to get some sleep?”

  “Something like that.”

  “Something, or someone?” he asks, pulling the color of my black sweater down and lifting an eyebrow at one of my hickeys.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know,” I say, swatting his hand away.

  “I’m going to know, even if I have to use other methods to find out.”

  “Focus on the problem at hand, and after, I’ll fill you in, and you can meet him.”

  “Count on it.”

  “Go to sleep, X. You’re going to need it.”

  “See you in a few hours?”

  “Count on it,” I say, repeating his words back to him before leaving to catch my ride back to my apartment—and Bodhi.

  9

  Bodhi

  When my door opens again, I’m on my feet and practically running across the room. Harlow looks dead on her feet, and I don’t hesitate to pick her up, and carry her to the couch. She snuggles into my neck with a laugh. “I love it too much when you carry me around.”

  “You look tired, but happy.”

  “I am. I feel like I can’t keep my eyes open, but I’m so happy everything went okay.”

  “Me too. Do you want to stay here tonight, or go back to your apartment?”

  “Are you going to carry me there?”

  “Yep.”

  She leans up to look at me. “You mean it.”

  It’s not a question, but I answer her anyway. “Yeah I do.”

  “We’ll stay here, my romantic man,” she says before her lips descend on mine.

  We kiss for long, sexy minutes, but we’re both exhausted, so I do the right thing, and pull back. Her lips follow mine, and I give in again for more minutes, until my brain reminds me to take care of her. I cup her face in my hands, and hold her away from me this time when I move away.

  “You need to sleep, Low.”

  “You don’t want me?”

  She looks so vulnerable, and scared, and it nearly kills me. “I doubt there will ever be a second in a day when I don’t want you, but I want all of you, and not just your body. That means I’m going to put taking care of you over taking you sometimes. It’s going to be damn hard, but I want to be the guy you deserve.”

  “That’s…I…thank you, Bodhi. I want to deserve you, too.”

  “No worries there.” I hold back a snort, but just barely.

  She’s the one holding my face in her hands now. “Why would you say that so flippantly?”

  “Come on, Harlow, you know you’re way out of my league.”

  “No. I don’t actually know that,” she replies, looking a little angry now.

  “Your gorgeous, smart, sexy, and training to be a freaking spy. I’m just a nerdy artist.”

  “Is that really how you see us?”

  I close my eyes, because I can’t look at her when I answer. “I’m pretty sure it’s how everyone sees us.”

  “I’m not asking about everyone, Bodhi. I’m asking about you.”

  “How do you see us?” I ask, suddenly needing to know the answer to that question more than anything else.

  “I see my future,” she says, and then ducks her head like she’s said too much.

  It takes me a moment to compose words, and she starts to pull out of my arms. I tighten them around her, and tip her chin back to look at me again. “I’m humbled by you. Every damn day, you make me feel like so much more than I think I am. Do you even know how amazing you are?”

  “Sometimes,” she tells me with a smile, but turns serious. “I freaked you out.”

  “Just because I couldn’t believe how lucky I am. I’ve dreamed of a future with you for so long, and you’re telling me I can have one, and yeah, I freaked out a little, but in a good way.”

  “I’m not asking for a ring, although I might be a little clingy.”

  “You can have a ring whenever you want one, and I like it when you cling to me.”

  “Seriously, Bo, I haven’t done this before. Committed to someone like this. I want it, but I’m sure how to do it right.”

  “I wish I could say the same, but I’ve had a somewhat serious girlfriend before. And, I probably did nothing right.”

  “That bad?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s all you’re going to give me? You can’t keep me hanging!”

  “We both need sleep, but I promise to tell you one day.”

  Her face changes, and she searches my eyes. “You didn’t sleep, did you?”

  “I couldn’t sleep while you were out there, in danger.”

  “Let’s go sleep, but just know I can’t promise to behave when I wake up in your sexy arms.”

  “You think my arms are sexy?”

  “All of you is sexy, but yes, I kind of have a thing for your arms.”

  “They have a thing for you, too,” I tell her as I stand with her in my arms again.

  “Put me down! You’re tired!”

  “Never too tired to carry you around.”

  I kiss her before she can protest again, and carry her to my bed. Kneeling in front of her, I start taking off her clothes. I want to show her I’m serious about taking care of her in a non-sexual way.

  “You’re spoiling me, Bo.”

  “Good,” I tell her, my resolve wavering a little when I see the marks I left all over her. “God, I love seeing you all marked up by me.”

  “I love it, too.”

  “I missed some spots, but I’m going to be good and tuck you in right now.”

  “Good sucks sometimes.”

  “Patience, my love. I’ll suck you good after we get some sleep.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  I can’t, either. I’m still trying to get used to the fact that I’m allowed to kiss her, and touch her. I won’t count on the future, because she hasn’t met my family yet, and I haven’t met hers. There’s so much we don’t know about each other, yet I feel like it doesn’t matter. Nothing matters except the two of us. It’s naive, and probably more than a little stupid, but right now it’s the truth.

  Harlow

  Waking up in Bodhi’s arms should be listed in the dictionary under the word “perfect”. I wasn’t kidding when I said I loved his arms. The muscles that come from painting and carrying canvases as much as working out in a gym a few days a week. His muscles are lean, and don’t bulge like the ones on the bouncer
s who protected me in my past, but I feel safer with him than I’ve ever felt with anyone else.

  I give in to my urges, and places my lips on his forearm, sucking lightly on the skin. He shifts a little as I move my mouth up past his elbow, and over his biceps. When I graze my teeth over his shoulder, he presses a kiss to the back of my neck.

  “Good morning, Low.”

  “I think it’s afternoon,” I tell him, not hiding the guilt I feel very well. I shouldn’t keep everyone waiting.

  “You have to leave, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, and I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”

  “Even if I could leave, I’d be waiting for you when you got back.”

  “When you say things like that, I really don’t want to leave this bed.”

  “I thought it was my sexy arms keeping you here.”

  I groan, because although I want to see my boys, and get things started so Bodhi and I can have our lives back, I also want to stay her and play with his arms some more. “Don’t remind me.”

  “I’ll walk you over to your place if you’d like.”

  Oh, I’d like. “Will you come in and wash my back for me, too?”

  “You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?”

  “You said you’d die happy if I did.”

  “You’re right, I did. Let’s go get wet.”

  “I’m already wet.”

  “Harlow,” he growls, flipping me over onto my back, and pinning me to the bed.

  In the end, I shower alone, because after the time he took to thoroughly make love to me in his bed, I didn’t have the luxury of shower sex, too. That’s okay, because we’ll just do that later. For right now, I run my hands over the new marks from his mouth on my thighs, and smile at the soreness I feel between my legs. I’ve never felt so utterly worshipped, and desired, and I can’t help but smile when I think about the man who’s left me feeling this way.

  I’m still smiling when I meet Aiden in the lobby, and he smirks at me, letting me know he’s well aware of where I stayed last night. There are cameras everywhere except the bathrooms, although Ainsley’s team monitors the feeds, and tries to stop the tapes before our sexcapades are captured on film. I’ve heard they’re pretty good at it, but I’ve never had to rely on them before now to keep my secrets.