by Lucy Smoke
“We fell in love with a beautiful, feisty, girl who was a little lost but found her way eventually.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” I replied tartly.
He chuckled, the sound a rumble against my body as his shoulders shook. “I think that response proves my point,” he said.
“Oh, does it?”
He nodded. “I love you, Harlow Hampton. You’ve captured my heart and the heart of my team. There’s a reason for that.”
“I’m just a normal girl,” I said.
He shook his head. “Normal is relative, not universal, Little Bit. There’s nothing normal about you to us. You’re one of a kind.”
I damn near melted under him as he leaned forward and delivered another mind-dizzying kiss. If that was what he thought, who was I to dissuade him, but the last thing he said was the thing that really rocked my world. “One day, Harlow…we’re going to marry the hell out of you. If that day doesn’t come soon enough, I think we might as well whisk you off to Vegas. Either way, you’re ours. I promise you that.”
It made my chest clench and my soul ache in longing, and for several moments, I was struck too stupid to respond. Then, finally, through a thick throat, I said, “Promise?”
“Cross my heart,” he said. “And hope to live…with you…forever.”
Chapter 23
She’s fucking furious.” Grayson sounded happier than I’d ever heard him. Even though I couldn’t see him, I could tell he was smiling. “She’s called her bank so many times, they’re no longer taking her phone calls.”
“So, is that where she’s at now then?” I asked. I leaned back, propping my feet up on the end of the couch as I held the phone up to my ear. Texas was on his laptop across the room. I could see the side of his arm from where he sat at the kitchen table.
“Yeah.” Grayson sighed. “She just left.”
Frowning, I switched the phone to my other ear so I could rest the side of my face against the couch cushion. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
Grayson was silent for a moment more and then with a huff, he answered. “I just don’t like being back in this house,” he admitted.
“Does she suspect something?”
“I don’t think so. She asked about my clothes and stuff, I told her I just didn’t care about them anymore. They were just things. Pretty sure she bought it, but that’s not what I’m talking about.”
I swung my legs off the couch and peeked over at Texas who had yet to look up from his computer before I got up and headed for the hallway. “What’s it about?” I asked as I went to my room and closed the door behind me, leaning back against it.
"I don't like being away from you," he finally admitted. "I hate being here because I don't like who I am when I'm around her."
"You're always you," I assured him. "You're just pretending right now."
"No, it's just..." He trailed off for a moment and I could tell that it was difficult for him to talk about. I kept my mouth shut, waiting, trying to be patient for him. I wanted to help make this as easy as possible. I just didn't know how. "You know how when you get around people that aren't good—like they're just bad people?" he asked.
I thought about Grayson's brother and Erika. "Yeah."
"Well, it's like that. I feel myself changing around her. I snap, I get angry a lot easier."
I rested the back of my head against the door. "You're not changing, Grayson," I said. "I won't let you."
"I don't want to be who I was before," he whispered harshly. "The me I was when you first met me was mean and callous and selfish."
I closed my eyes, my thoughts drifting back to our first few encounters. In the hallway at school. When he picked me up from my house. He was right. He had changed quite a lot in a short amount of time. I reopened my eyes.
"Grayson." My voice was barely above a whisper. "Do you remember when we first met?"
"Yeah? Of course I do."
"You were such an asshole," I said.
"I know," he said. "I don't want to—"
"But," I interrupted him, "I kinda knew that under the surface there was more. If there wasn't, I wouldn't have fallen in love with you. If there wasn't, you wouldn't have mended things with Marv, now would you?"
"I guess."
I smiled at the sulky tone in his voice. "You're more than your mother, Grayson. You're your own person. And if you turn into an asshole again, I'll just have the guys kick your ass. If they can't do it, you know I will. You're not going to fall backwards, Grayson. We're here to catch you. I'm here to catch you."
A deep silence echoed through the phone. It was impossible to tell if he was angry or touched or what. But after a moment, he spoke. "Thanks, Babydoll. I love you."
"I love you too, asshole. Now go ruin your mom's day."
He chuckled. "Alright. Alright. I’m going. But when I get back…”
“I’ll be waiting,” I assured him.
"She's losing her shit."
Texas giggled as he clicked something on his computer.
"Are you listening to me?" I asked.
"Yup."
I rolled my eyes and reached for the hem of my shirt. Texas’ gaze darted away from his computer screen as he focused on me. I paused and slowly let my hands fall back to my sides.
"Hey!" He stuck his lower lip out and pouted.
"Just checking," I said with a grin as I strode around the kitchen table and took a seat next to him. "What are you doing anyway? I thought you already froze her accounts."
"Oh, I did all that in a couple of hours," he said, returning his attention to the screen. “I’m working on something else now.” My eyes followed the same path as his, but I couldn't really make out what he was doing. There were columns, spreadsheets, usernames, and passwords. Dozens of numbers. I felt like my eyes were going to roll into the back of my skull. I quickly glanced away and shook my head.
"What?" Texas smirked. "Too much for ya?"
"Definitely too much," I agreed. "So..."
"So?" His fingers moved lightning fast on the keyboard in front of him, his eyes glued to the screen.
"I think we've accomplished the task of fucking with her," I said. Even though it hurt my brain, my eyes couldn't stop going back to his screen. He was so fascinated by whatever he was doing that I couldn't help it. "What are you doing?" I asked again. I noticed how he hadn’t answered me earlier, not fully anyway.
"I'm making things a smidge bit more difficult for her," he said, another laugh bubbling up from the depths of his throat. It wasn't a normal laugh. It was more of a hyper-hysterical giggle.
"Uh huh..." I looked at him, waiting for an explanation and when it was obvious he had forgotten my presence—again—I prompted him once more. "And just how are you doing that?" I asked.
He snorted. "Oh, I just stole her identity, that's all."
"Oh, I see." I nodded. "And what are you doing with it?"
He snorted again.
"Texas!"
He started, his fingers pausing over the keyboard as he turned towards me—eyes wide in confusion. "What?"
"Focus," I said sharply. "You stole Teddi’s identity?"
He nodded. "Yup." He popped the 'p' at the end of his one worded answer.
I slapped a hand to my forehead. "You realize that's illegal, right?"
"So is freezing her accounts," he pointed out.
My mouth opened, but no sound came out. He was right. He had me there. He had even said so before and we hadn't cared, but... "It's one thing to freeze her accounts, but what exactly are you doing with her identity? I don't want you to get into trouble if you get caught. One thing we can probably get away with, but multiple infractions is a little harder to hide. The more you do, the higher the risk of you getting arrested."
"Oh, don't worry," he huffed with a wave of his hand. "I don't get caught."
"That's not—" I sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of my nose in irritation. This time his laugh was lower, less mad scientist-y. I looked up
and when I caught Texas smirking at me with amusement, I couldn't let it go. "What?" I demanded.
"You look far too much like Knix when you pinch your nose like that," he said.
"I do?"
He nodded. "You do." Then he tilted his head at me. "Of course, not so much like him that I wouldn't want to do this..." Texas leaned forward and stole a kiss. His lips moved over mine—there one split-second, gone the next.
"What—you—Texas!" I groaned. "You don't play fair."
He snickered. "All's fair in love and war, Princess."
"Just..." I sighed. "Don't do anything to get yourself in too much trouble, okay?"
"Mmmhmmm," he answered absently as he turned back to his computer.
"Texas," I said meaningfully. "Swear to me. Cross your heart, hope to die, stick a needle in your eye."
He snorted. "Childish."
"Takes one to know one," I shot back.
He looked back at me and moved one finger in the motion of a cross over his heart. "Got it," he said. "Cross my heart and hope to die."
"Hey, Harlow!" Bellamy called as he came around the corner, phone in hand. "You free today?"
"Yeah, why? Something from Iris?"
Bellamy shook his head. "Alex is on the phone, said he could use a few hands at the Diner."
I sighed. "Yeah, okay. Let me go get dressed. He needs me now?"
He nodded.
"I'll be ready in a bit then."
"I'll drive you," Bellamy said as he put the phone back to his ear. "She can do it, we'll be there soon."
I headed back down the hallway towards my room. I grabbed one of my old uniforms and quickly buttoned it up before slipping into a pair of non-slip work sneakers. Outside, Bellamy waited in the idling SUV. He put the car into reverse and backed up, turning down the long driveway as I buckled in.
“How come we haven’t really been getting any Iris jobs?” I asked as he pulled out onto the road.
For the last few weeks, I had been primarily occupied with Teddi and things with Grayson, but as things felt like they were calming down—drawing to a close, hopefully—the thought had been niggling at the back of my mind. Bellamy turned and glanced over at me.
“Did you want to pick up more Iris jobs?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I mean, I joined Iris for you guys, but I’d like to contribute. A few shifts at Alex’s here and there isn’t exactly how I expected my life to go after high school.”
“What about college?” he asked. “You liked Lander.”
“Yeah, I know, but I don’t know if college is right for me. I did like it, but at the same time, I don’t really have a passion like everyone else seemed to. I don’t know where I’m going.”
Bellamy’s voice dropped. “Sweetheart,” he started. “You don’t absolutely have to know what you’re going to do. You’re not alone. Most people don’t realize what they want to do in life until much later.”
I scratched my neck as I looked away from him. “I know…”
“If you don’t want to go to college, that’s fine.”
I dropped my hand. “But I want to help you guys,” I said. “I want to contribute to our lives together. As it stands, everyone else pays for everything. You work for Knix. Marv has his...well…whatever Marv does. Stocks?” Bellamy nodded, confirming it for me. “Yes, well, Marv has that—Texas takes care of, well... stealing identities apparently."
Bellamy was halfway through a laugh when he paused. "He's doing what?"
I groaned and put a hand over my face. "He stole Teddi's identity apparently. I don't know what he's doing with it, but he swore it wouldn't be anything too terrible. I hate her, but I don't want him to go to jail."
Bellamy frowned. "He shouldn't be doing that," he agreed. "I'll talk to him when I get back."
I turned and looked at him and then reached across the console to steal one of his hands away from the steering wheel. "Thank you," I said, intertwining our fingers together with a small grateful smile.
He smiled back, the wiry twist of his lips beautiful against his dark skin. "Anything for you, Sweetheart."
I blushed, glancing away.
A few minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot of Alex's Diner and I got out, snatching up my wallet, my keys to the house, and my phone. "Thanks for driving me," I said.
"If I can't come back to get you, one of the guys will," he replied.
I nodded and waved as I backed towards the front door, turning as it opened. I held it for an elderly couple leaving and waved them goodbye as well before striding into the smell of kitchen grease and sugary sweet tea.
Justice sashayed by with an empty tray at her side as I headed towards the back of the counter and as soon as she saw me she paused and scowled. "You work here now?" she snapped the question at me like an accusation.
"Actually I've worked here for a few years now," I said. "I've just been taking some time off for a new job. I only come in if Alex needs an extra hand."
"Hmmmm." She looked me up and down, pursing her lips. A part of me didn't like her because of how we'd been introduced before—and the small snide comments she'd made about me and Grayson. Another part of me hated her for the dream that I had about her way back when. I knew that wasn't her fault. Maybe we could be friends, or at the very least civil to each other. I had the guys, so I knew I had nothing to worry about. They wouldn't leave me. They promised.
"Well," she said, moving past me as her hip banged into mine. "Just don't get in my way and we'll be just fine."
Or not...on the civil part, I thought. I rolled my eyes and then found an extra apron and some spare pens and a pad under the counter. Tying the apron around my waist and sticking my stuff into the deep pockets I headed towards the newest table of customers and fell right to work.
It took me no time at all to find Alex in the kitchen working alongside Carl, who raised a hand my way in greeting when he saw me.
"'Sup," Carl called.
"Hey, Carl. Good to see you. Did you lose some weight?" My eyes widened when he stepped out from behind the stove to give me a one-armed hug. He looked like he'd dropped at least forty pounds.
"Yeah," he said with a blush as his eyes slid to Justice refilling the tea pitchers.
I sighed. "Well, you look amazing," I said.
"Thanks, Harlow."
"Thanks for coming in," Alex said as he slid a few plates onto a tray and handed them to another waitress coming through.
"Of course," I replied. "It's no problem."
"Things with Grayson's mom going alright?"
I stiffened up—especially when Justice's ears seemed to perk up and she half turned to observe us. "What's up with Grayson's mom?" she asked. "Is she sick? Is that why he's not been in lately?"
I wanted to stomp her and tell her it was none of her fucking business. That's what I wanted to do. But, of course, that's not what I did.
"No," I said. "He's just having some family troubles. No need to worry about it."
The look she shot me was pure irritation. That makes two of us, bitch, I thought.
"Well, let me know if you need any help," Alex said meaningfully.
I lifted my eyes and blinked at him in surprise. "With Grayson's mom?" I clarified.
He nodded. "Yeah, Grayson and I have talked about it and if your team doesn't have it handled, you know Iris can do something to help out." Justice, having lost interest in the conversation, retrieved a tray of food—Carl's gaze following her out as she left. "We work with lawyers and law enforcement, Harlow. You and your team don't have to go this alone."
I always thought that we did. I mean, it wasn't Iris' intent to take care of someone like Teddi threatening us, following us—stalking me. Grayson wasn't even technically in Iris. "Thanks," I said a little belatedly, after realizing that I'd been standing there for several moments just staring at him. "That means a lot."
Alex nodded. "Grayson's a good man. I'm sure everything'll work out."
"Yeah..."
I gra
bbed a tray and filled up on drinks, heading out, feeling a little lighter. Maybe things really would work out sooner than we expected. If Iris was willing to step in, then if our plan to make Teddi back off and have Grayson talk to his dad failed, we'd still be okay. The relief flowing through my veins kept me perky and happy for the rest of the night even when I spilled tea down my uniform and had to handle a few rowdy tables. Things were finally looking up.
Chapter 24
Things were, in no way, looking up, I realized several nights later.
"Harlow! Harlow, wake up!" My eyes shot open as the door to my room swung inward. I sat up abruptly—so quickly, that a wave of dizziness assaulted me.
"Wha...What's going on?" I finally managed to get out as Marv jerked the covers off my legs and grabbed my arm, pulling me up from the bed.
"We've gotta go," he said. "Grayson's in the hospital."
"What?!" I shrieked, jerking myself away from him. "What do you mean he's in the hospital? What happened?"
"There was a car wreck, we've got to go. Get dressed," he ordered.
I didn't even see what I was throwing on. I didn't have time or the extra emotion to expend on feeling embarrassed as I ripped off my pajamas in front of Marv and grabbed a pair of pants. He yanked a shirt over my head, and I shoved my arms into the right holes before we both sprinted from the room, heading for the front door. Bellamy and Texas were already waiting, concern on their faces. Someone had grabbed me a pair of flip-flops. I shivered as we left the house, a wave of cold air blasting us in the face as we headed for the SUV that Knix pulled around in. I got in the back between Marv and Texas as Bellamy hopped in the front.
It was the longest twenty minute drive of my life. My heart pounded against my chest like a jackhammer. I could hear it in my ears—feel it in my skull. Marv and Texas both reached over and took my hands as a tear slipped and slid down my cheek.