Harlow (Society Girls #7)

by Crystal Perkins

  “Not being able to protect myself scares the living fuck out of me, but only when I allow myself to think about it.”

  “Sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

  “As your mentor, and also your friend, I don’t want you to hold anything back from me. I need to know where your head’s at, and how I can help you.”

  “In case I haven’t said it enough, you’re a great mentor.”

  “I shouldn’t need to hear that, but I’ll admit it feels good anyway.”

  We lapse into silence again, slipping back into the shadows where we’re hidden more completely. This area of town isn’t exactly hopping at night, so it’s harder to blend in. Good training for me and my friends who are on these teams, but hard nonetheless.

  Time drags on and on, but when the message comes through our implants that the compound is blown, I’m instantly alert. Ellie nods, and we move in closer to the warehouse. When the first gunshots ring out, I swear I can see her fighting the urge to run towards the battle, but she holds position until we get the call for help.

  We run at full speed, not looking to see who else is with us. I hear other feet pounding around me, but all I can think about is helping the agents who are injured or fighting for their lives. Our guns come out of our jackets, the safeties come off, and we’re taking down the bad guys before they even see us coming.

  It’s over in minutes, and I mirror Ellie as she spins around, looking for threats, and making sure everyone is accounted for. Jade has a flesh wound on her forearm, but she seems okay. Matisse and Waverly are taking care of a couple of injured ATF guys, and I’m thinking we’re all clear when Ellie’s eyes land on me, and widen.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “You don’t feel it?”

  “Feel what?” I ask, looking down, and then I see what she’s talking about. My thigh is bleeding.

  I don’t know if adrenaline was masking the pain, but now that I see the wound, I feel it. It hits me so hard that I stumble, relying on Ellie to catch me, which she does. “Easy, Har. I’m going to help you lie down, and then I need to look at your wound.”

  “Okay,” I say, because what else can I say?

  When I’m on my back, she tears open my pants, and I hold back a scream as she puts pressure on the place that already feels like it’s burning my skin right off. I watch her tear the rest of my pant leg off, and tie it around my thigh. I know she’s stopping the bleeding, and I also know that since she’s not calling for help, I’m going to be okay. I know it, but the knowledge seems like it’s far away.

  “It’s a through and through.”

  “Okay.”

  “Harlow, honey, do you remember what that means?”

  “Yes. No.” I know it’s one of those answers, but I don’t know which one it is at this precise moment.

  “Shit! You’re going into shock. Stay with me, okay? Just focus on my voice, and stay here in the moment with me.”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Good girl,” she tells me, and then turns to yell over her shoulder. “Waverly, I need you!”

  “No, she’s helping someone.”

  “Someone else will take over for her, but right now I need her here, helping us. You and me, Harlow.”

  “Are you hurt, too?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “What’s wrong?” my friend asks, coming to kneel on my other side.

  “Hi Wave, I got shot.”

  “I can see that.”

  “She’s a little loopy, and I think she might be in shock,” Ellie tells her.

  “Got it,” Waverly says, and looks down at me with a smile. “You’re going to go to sleep for a little bit, okay?”

  “Will Bodhi be there when I wake up?”

  “We’ll see.”

  I start to drift off, trying to listen to what Ellie’s saying to her. Something about knowing what to do, but feeling better if someone with a medical background did it instead. Their voices get farther, and farther away, and then there’s nothing.

  Bodhi

  I don’t expect to see Matt on the other side of the door when I open it. There was a knock, but I thought it was the dinner I ordered, or maybe Owen, even though he usually just walks right in. “Hey Matt, what’s up?”

  “I need you to come with me,” he says, and his tone scares me.

  I ask the question, even though I’m pretty sure I know the answer. “Harlow?”

  “Yes. She’s going to be okay, but she was shot.”

  “What?” I ask, sliding on my shoes, and following him out.

  “She was shot. It’s not a bad wound, but she was freaking out, so Waverly knocked her out. Kenny’s fixing her up right now, but they said she asked if you’d be there when she woke up, and Reina wants to make sure that happens.”

  I do, too. “Thanks for getting me. I need to be there.”

  “I know.”

  He leads me to the roof instead of the garage, and I see the chopper waiting for us. “I’m kind of in love with both you and Reina right now.”

  “Understandable,” he tells me with a smile.

  The ride is quick, and I run to the waiting elevator with Matt on my heels. We descend faster than I ever have on an elevator, and I hold onto the wall bar to keep myself upright. Matt seems to be doing okay, but he’s probably used to it, even though the ride wasn’t this fast when I was last in the building.

  When the doors open, I start running again. It’s a medical wing, and I have no clue where I’m going, but someone’s bound to show me. That someone is Reina, who grabs my arm, turns me around, and pushes me through an open door.

  I don’t stop until I’m at Harlow’s side. She’s still asleep, even with the machines all around her bed beeping, and whirring. Her skin looks a little pale, and her left thigh is bandaged, but other than that, she looks okay.

  “She’s going to be fine,” Kendrick says, smiling at me. “The bullet went right through her thigh, so all I had to do was clean the wound. It won’t even scar.”

  A bullet wound won’t leave a scar? How is that even possible? I refrain from asking because I’m sure he won’t answer me if I do. “When will she wake up?”

  “Should be any minute now. I have to stay until she does, but I’ll leave the two of you alone as soon as I can.”

  “Thank you.”

  I sit down in the chair she’s facing, and take her hand in mine. Kendrick’s right, and her eyes flutter open about a minute later. She smiles when she sees me, and I lean over to kiss her forehead.

  “You’re here.”

  “They said you wanted me to be, so Reina made it happen.”

  “I’m okay.”

  “I know.”

  “You look scared.”

  “I don’t like knowing you got hurt.”

  “It’s probably going to happen again.”

  “I know that, too, and I can handle it.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to ask you some questions, Harlow.”

  She looks at Kendrick, and nods. “Go ahead.”

  He goes through a series of questions ranging from what day it is, and who the President is, to what she remembers from before she was put to sleep. He seems satisfied with her answers, and tells me I can stay a little longer, but I need to let her get her rest so she can heal.

  I hold her hand, and kiss her cheeks and forehead every few seconds after he leaves. I know she’s okay, and I will force myself to handle things like this whenever they happen, but I can’t pretend to be unaffected by my girlfriend getting shot. She starts to doze off, so I give her one last kiss, and tell her I’ll see her tomorrow. She squeezes my hand, and lets it go, silently giving me permission to leave her side.

  Reina’s right outside the door with most of the other women and men. “She’s sleeping.”

  “I’m glad we got you here in time.”

  “Me, too. Was anyone else hurt?”

  “I got grazed by a bu
llet,” Jade says, holding out her arm.

  “You’re not in a hospital bed.”

  “This isn’t my first gunshot wound,” she tells me with a laugh.

  I try to hide my grimace, but I don’t do a very good job. Reina motions for me to follow her and Kendrick down the hall in a different direction from the way we came. Once we’re inside what I realize is his office, she has him help her explain their medical advances to me. I hear about wounds healing themselves, broken bones growing back in hours, and all kinds of other things I thought I would never see in my lifetime.

  “Wow.”

  “That’s an understatement, but yes,” Kendrick tells me.

  “I can’t believe you told me.”

  “You already know about us, Bodhi, and Harlow has told me she’s committed to your relationship, so there may be more times like tonight, or times when she’s home and healing from something. I didn’t want you to freak out when she’s suddenly healed with no scar.”

  “I won’t tell anyone.”

  “I know you won’t, but I’m going to warn you if I ever think you might, we’ll erase your memory of us.”

  “You can do that?” I don’t even know why I’m asking, because what’s a little mind wipe when you’ve figured out how to regrow bones?

  “I don’t think you need me to answer that, but yes.”

  “You probably can’t give me details, but are we safe now? Can I go home?”

  “You can, or you can stay where you are. I’m not going to kick you out.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but I should probably start putting my life back together before I consider moving.”

  “I understand, but just know you’re welcome back anytime as long as you’re with Harlow.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  We walk back out to the group, and I say my goodbyes. Instead of the chopper, I walk out of the building with Kalila, and Theo, who offered me a ride home. It’s an interesting car ride, because I can feel something between them, even though they don’t speak to each other. I’m beginning to realize how intriguing everyone in the group is, and I can’t wait to get to know them all better.

  17

  Harlow

  When I wake up the next morning, I’m embarrassed to remember freaking out so badly that I had to be sedated. Kendrick tells me it’s a totally normal response, and I make myself believe him, because I don’t want to think about not belonging here. My wound is gone, and I’m only feeling a little pain, which means I can go home in a few hours.

  “Your cousin would like to see you. Reina kept him away, because she thought you should be the one to introduce Bodhi to him, and also because she thought he would get in my way, but he’s outside right now.”

  “Oh! Please let him in.”

  Ken opens the door, and X practically knocks him over as he barrels into the room. “If you injure the doctor, no one gets fixed, and you probably disappear without a trace, and not by your own doing this time.”

  “Sorry,” X tells him sheepishly. He nods, and closes the door behind him.

  “You and Micah are safe.”

  “I know.”

  “You’re angry.”

  “Only you would notice, but yes.”

  “Is it about last night?”

  “They wouldn’t let me see you.”

  “I asked for Bodhi before I passed out.”

  “I heard, and I’m glad they got him here, but I don’t see why I couldn’t be here, too.”

  “You’re here now, and that’s what’s important, so please let it go.”

  “Only because it’s you asking me to.”

  “Have you decided what you’re going to do now?”

  “I’ve been offered a job here. I don’t need it, but it might be cool to work with you.”

  “You know I’d love that.”

  “Micah loves all the women, and the guys seem cool, too.”

  “So you’re going to say yes?”

  “I haven’t told Matt and Reina yet, but yeah, it’s a yes.”

  “Yay!” I yell, throwing myself into his arms. “Are you going to live at the complex, too?”

  “For now, but Matt said he’s building another set of apartments for friends and family who are in town, plus a few of his C&C employees. It sounds like it will be similar to your place, just with different kinds of security, because not everyone who lives there will know about the Society.”

  “Why do I get the feeling you’re going to be involved with helping him as well as Reina.”

  “They might be fighting over me,” he admits with a shrug and a smile.

  “This is going to be very interesting.”

  “I hope so, because I would suck at boring.”

  “That you would. But what about your other stuff?”

  “My businesses are pretty much running themselves at this point. I have some technology people want right now, but I’m still deciding who I want to have it.”

  “Most people would just sell the technology to the highest bidder.”

  “We’ve never been like ‘most people’ and you know it.”

  “No, we haven’t,” I agree.

  “I think I’m going to offer it for free to some small businesses, and sell it to a select few.”

  “C&C?”

  “And Griffin, too, I think. I’ve followed that family over the years because of Scott, and they seem like people I’d want to be associated with.”

  “They definitely are.”

  “I should go accept my job offer, but I’ll see you tomorrow when we move in.”

  “Can we postpone it one more day? I’m hoping to have plans after my classes tomorrow.”

  “Plans? Never mind. Forget I asked, because I want no details of what you’re getting up to with the artist.”

  “Thanks, and I wouldn’t tell you anyway, because that’s just gross.”

  “Agreed. I do want to meet him, though, so how about dinner the night after tomorrow?”

  “I’ll double-check with him, but that should work.”

  “I’m glad we’re back together. I just wanted to make sure you know that.”

  “Me, too.”

  Everything is starting to come together for me, although I still haven’t quite mastered my programming class. Just another reason to be thankful X is hanging around. Two tutors are better than one, especially when they’re both men I love.

  I get released a short time later, and Aiden insists on giving me one last ride home. I hurry to see Bodhi, but he’s not in the pool house. That wouldn’t alarm me so much if his suitcases weren’t sitting next to the door. I walk into his studio, and see that packed up as well.

  When I hear the front door open, I walk back out, forcing a smile on my face. “Hi.”

  “Low! I didn’t know you were coming back so soon. How are you feeling?”

  “You were just going to sneak out.”

  “What? No. I was planning to stop by C&C to see you.”

  “Why are you leaving?”

  “Reina said it’s safe, and I have a life to put back together. My full studio is at my place, and I’m comfortable there.”

  “I thought you were comfortable here.”

  “I was. I am.”

  “Is it me?”

  “God, no. Nothing has changed where you’re concerned, and I’m hoping you’ll stay over with me sometimes. I’ll come stay here with you, too, if you want.”

  “I want.”

  “I’d also like to take you on a date tomorrow night, if you’re free.”

  “I have classes until seven, but I was going to ask you on a date after, too.”

  “Do you want me to pick you up at C&C?” he asks, and I see the hopeful expression in his eyes.

  “You just want tacos.”

  “Okay, yeah. You can’t blame a guy for trying.”

  “I’ll come to your place, and bring you some tacos.”

  “I can’t believe Matt lets those wonders
of man and meat leave the building.”

  “You’re ridiculous. You know that, right?”

  “Yep.”

  “As for Matt, he understands that even though he pays well, people may be in situations where they’re embarrassed to ask for help, precisely because they’re paid well. Anyone can take any food they want home with them, no questions asked.”

  “I like him more and more every day.”

  “He’s pretty great, but as far as I’m concerned, no one compares to you.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “Mmhmm.”

  “I think I might need one more night here, purely for research purposes, of course.”

  “What are you researching?”

  “How many orgasms it will take to make you pass out.”

  “I think I could get on board with that kind of research,” I tell him as he picks me up, and carries me to his bed.

  He does manage to make my pass out, but I blame that on my recovery as much as the orgasms. I can’t let him get too cocky, especially since Aiden told me they’ve officially accepted him as a Studkateer. I can only imagine the initiation process they’re going to make him go through. I should probably warn him, but what would be the fun in that?

  Bodhi

  It’s nice to be back in my own apartment, even though I already miss Harlow. She’ll be by later, but it’s not the same as practically living with her this last week. If she stays tonight, I’ll still be able to wake up with her in my arms, but I don’t like that “if”.

  I know she’s not happy with me moving back here, and maybe she’s right. I want to know she’ll be with me every night when she’s not cramming with her friends for one of her exams, or when she’s on a mission once she passes everything. She may worry about passing, but I can see how brilliant she is, even if she doesn’t always see it herself.

  She said she wanted me to meet her cousin tomorrow, but we don’t have any set plans yet. She’ll either tell me today, or we’ll plan for another night. I want to be a part of every aspect of her life, so meeting him is important, but I won’t push her. She’s recovered from her gunshot wound due to the crazy science of the Society, but I’m going to let her take everything at her own pace.

  There’s also the fact that I don’t know when I’ll be ready for her to meet my family, either. Never. The word pops into my brain, and I know it’s true. I’ll never be ready, but I also know I’m beyond serious about Harlow, and so I’ll have to introduce her to them one day.