by Levine, Nina
“Don’t push me, Harlow. I’m trying to apologise here,” he warned me in that low, gravelly voice that threatened to melt my panties. Damn.
“You say that like I should be thankful for your apology; like I should worship at your feet for it.” I knew I was perhaps being a little snarky but, bloody hell, I’d had enough of men who thought I owed them something just for them being nice to me. From now on, I would be an equal in a relationship or I wouldn’t be in the relationship at all.
He grabbed my arm and roughly pulled me to him. “I don’t apologise to people. Ever.”
“Well, bully for you,” I said and pushed against his chest to try and put some space between us but he held on to me, keeping me close.
“Fuck, woman. Are you always this much work?”
I stopped trying to get away from him and glared at him. “I may have told you that I wanted one night with you but I didn’t mean I would be an easy lay. You’d have to work for it because I have high standards these days.”
“I can deal with high standards, babe, but I need some give and take. When I’m trying to fix something I’ve said or done wrong, I need you to work with me rather than stay in your pissy mood and prolong the whole fucking thing.”
“You really have a way of making something you’ve said sound wrong when actually it was the right thing to say, don’t you?”
“I just say it like it is. People can take it or leave it; I don’t give a fuck.”
God, he was exasperating and hot all at the same time. It was seriously doing my head in. “And what would you say if I said I wanted to leave it?”
“I’d tell you to stop fucking around.”
“So, in other words, you do give a fuck where I’m concerned.” I was starting to enjoy this conversation.
He scowled. “Don’t twist my words.”
I smiled innocently at him. “I’m not really twisting them, but it is fun to point out the obvious to you.”
He blew out a breath and then muttered, “Just get in the car.” He wasn’t pointing at my car though; he was pointing at the Charger parked next to mine.
“That’s not my car.”
“I know, babe. It’s mine.”
“Why would I be getting in your car?”
“Because I’m driving you home in it.” He’d unlocked and opened my door and was gesturing for me to get in.
Oh, good Lord! “I’m quite capable of driving myself home, Scott.”
“Yeah, well I’m driving you home so just get in the damn car.” He looked shitty with me again.
My natural reaction was to continue to argue with him but I quickly assessed the situation and decided it’d just be easier if I got in the car and let him drive me home. “Fine, but what about my car? Will it be safe here?”
He nodded and put his hand out. “Give me your keys. Griff’s gonna drive your car to your house and then I’ll bring him back here.”
“You’re not kidding are you?” It seemed like a lot of effort to go to.
“I don’t kid,” he said and looked towards Griff who was walking our way.
I shook my head, reached in my bag for my keys and handed them over. Then, I got in his car and shut up. I thought it really was the only thing to do at that point.
Chapter 12
Scott
“I told you I don’t trust that motherfucker.”
Griff held up his hand to stop me. “All I told you was that they were Blade’s boys. We don’t know if he’s sent them or if they came on their own.”
“Don’t give me that shit, Griff. Of course he fuckin’ sent them. And now Harlow’s in the middle of all this.”
“We’ll keep her out of it.”
“Bullshit. You saw them watching her last night.”
“Maybe they were just checking her out rather than watching her for Blade.”
I scoffed. “No, they’d been sent to trail her. What I want to know is, why?”
J walked into the office and sat down, leaning back with his hands raised behind his head. “Heard that Harlow’s being targeted. That true?”
“Fuck,” Griff muttered. “We don’t know for sure yet but we’re taking precautions and looking into it.”
“Since when?” J asked.
“We noticed last night when she was working at Indigo that there were some guys watching her. Griff looked back over the surveillance and confirmed they’d been there watching all night. I drove her home and we kept watch on her house with Stoney taking over early this morning. We’re keeping someone on her until we figure out what’s going on,” I answered him.
“You want me to take over from Stoney for awhile?”
“Yeah, sounds good. I’ll leave that with you and then can you organise Nash to take over from you so we can do those interviews this afternoon?”
J nodded in agreement and then left.
“You got Harlow working at Indigo tonight?” Griff asked.
“Yeah, and I’ll be in to keep an eye out. Today you and I are going to try and find out what the fuck’s going on.”
“One step ahead of you. I’ve already put a tail on those two assholes who were at Indigo last night.”
“I’ve got half a mind just to pay Blade a visit.”
“Not yet, Scott. Let’s do a little quiet investigating first.” Griff was right but my natural instinct was to go in guns blazing so I had to restrain myself.
***
I was in the office when Harlow arrived for her shift that night. I knew she was here because Nash informed me after tailing her to the club; not because she came and saw me. She’d been pissy that I’d insisted on driving her home last night and I hadn’t enlightened her as to the reason why I’d wanted to do it so I presumed she was still shitty over that.
A couple of hours passed by before I left the office to go in search of her. Nash had kept watch while I finished up paperwork and other admin shit that had to be done. As I walked into the club area he nodded at me and left; apparently he had a chick waiting for him somewhere. I eyed Harlow and sucked in a breath at the sight of her. Christ, she looked fucking amazing tonight. The red dress was in place, her blonde hair was out and her face was flushed with a huge smile in place. She leant across the bar so she could hear what a customer was saying to her and when she threw her head back and laughed at whatever it was that he said, a shot of jealousy ran through me.
Fuck.
Some form of instinct took over and I stalked over to the bar. “Harlow,” I barked, and when she whipped her head around in surprise, I continued, “My office. Now.”
She raised her eyebrows but did as I said. I followed close behind, my eyes glued to her ass that was barely covered by the damn dress we made our Indigo girls wear. When we got to the office, she walked in, turned around and crossed her arms in front of her.
“What?” she snapped.
“How’s your shift going?”
“Surely you didn’t call me away from work to ask me that?”
Christ, what the hell was I doing?
I sighed and rubbed my chin. “Can we start over here? I’ve managed to piss you off without even fuckin’ meaning to.”
It took a moment but her gaze softened. “Okay.”
“Clean slate, yeah?”
Nodding, she said, “Yes, clean slate.” The tension had seeped out of her.
“Right, let’s start with the caveman allegations. Not completely true but, I’ve got reasons for everything I do. Your mother mentioned that you’d been screwed over before, and I respect you enough to not want to fuck with you. That was the only reason why I said it’d be a bad idea for us to sleep together. Not because I was taking the decision out of your hands. Fuck, trust me babe when I say that I want a taste of your pussy, but for once in my life I’m not being a selfish prick. As for driving you home, there’s some fuckers out there at that time of night and I wanted to make sure you got home okay.” I paused for a moment and moved so I was close enough to smell her scent that drove my dick wild.
My voice dropped to a low rumble. “And as for Nash wanting a piece of your nice? That motherfucker isn’t getting close enough to you ever again. You read me, babe?”
Her chest rose and fell rapidly as her breathing picked up and a smile touched her face. “I read you. On all of it. Now, do you want me to get back to work?”
“Yeah, but that dress is gonna be a problem for me.”
“Ah, I hate to break it to you big boy, but it’s the only option.” She was grinning that sexy fucking grin at me that made me want to rip that fucking dress off here and now.
“Yeah, I know. I fucking know,” I muttered.
She laughed and it was the sweetest fucking sound. Jesus. Where were these thoughts coming from? I flicked my hand towards the door. “Go. And Harlow, I’m driving you home again tonight.”
She rolled her eyes, but simply said, “Yes, Scott.” And then she was gone and I was left wondering yet again, what the fuck I was doing.
Chapter 13
Harlow
I sat at a table and laid my head down, closing my eyes for a minute. After only four hours sleep, I was exhausted. Working at Indigo at night and here during the day was going to kill me eventually. Mum had told me not to come in until later but I knew she had cakes to make for orders so I didn’t want to leave her on her own to do that and serve customers. Thank goodness I had tonight off work from Indigo; me and my bed were going to get very cozy together.
“Harlow, wake up.” Someone was gently shaking my shoulders. I cocked one eye open and peered out to see who it was.
“Go away, Madison,” I grumbled, not really meaning it, “Your brother has worn me out and I need sleep.”
She smirked. “I knew he had a thing for you. How long you two been going at it?”
I snapped my head up. “Oh no, you misunderstood. Crap, I guess I did put it kinda like that, didn’t I? No, nothing’s happening between us -”
She cut me off. “Slow down, honey. Deep breath.”
I did as she suggested and took a very long, deep breath. “I’ve been working at Indigo the last two nights and the café during the days so I’m pretty tired. That’s all I meant.”
She dumped her bag on the table and sat across from me. “Yeah, I heard you were working at Indigo. I feel so out of the loop with all your news; I haven’t had time to come in for my coffee the last few days. Why did you take a job there and how did you know that Scott was looking for staff? I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all because you and Scott didn’t really hit it off at the barbeque.”
“You want a coffee for this?”
“Girl, you know me too well. Of course I want a coffee.”
I smiled and then hopped up to go and get her coffee. “We need to hang out more often,” I said as I made it.
“Yes! How about next Friday night? I’ve become friends with my hairdresser and she and I are having a girl’s night out.”
“Count me in, so long as I’m not working at Indigo. I need a girl’s night out. Can I bring a friend?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “Hell yes, the more the merrier.”
I made us both a coffee and then settled back in across from her. “Long story as to why I’m working at Indigo, but basically just what I told you last week; I need the money to help Mum with her bills. One of her fridges died on Tuesday and we couldn’t afford to replace it so I asked Scott for the job. And, he also organised a fridge for us. Oh, and this was after I turned up at his club drunk and abused him for losing me my job at the vet’s.”
“Wait. How did you know Indigo was his club?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t. My friend and I were out drowning my sorrows about losing my job and we saw Indigo and wondered what a strip club looked like on the inside. So, we went in. The rest is history.”
She was laughing. “You’d never been inside a strip club before?”
“No! I’m a good, country girl. We don’t do strip clubs.”
“And what do you think of it now?”
“Actually, it’s kinda hot. But that could just be because of all the hot biker boys roaming around in there.” I winked at her as I said that.
“Shame on you, Miss Country.”
“Seriously though, Storm has some hot guys. Don’t you think?” I was loving this girly chat with her.
She almost spat her coffee at me. “Shit, no!” She shrugged and then added, “Okay, well Nash is pretty fucking hot and has a dirty mouth to go along with it. Don’t you ever tell J I said that or I will kill you. Right after he kills Nash. And Griff... Mmm, there’s something about him that scares the fuck out of me but at the same time, he does it for me. I don’t find any of the other Storm boys hot but remember, I grew up with them so I pretty much just look at them like brothers.”
“I met Griff the other night. I know exactly what you’re saying about him; he scared the shit out of me too. You wouldn’t want to get on his bad side, that’s for sure. Nash has hit on me a few times but I can tell that he’s the type to do that to anything in a skirt, right?”
“Yeah, Nash doesn’t discriminate. He’s all about the ladies. Told me once that he’s got no interest in ever settling down which is pretty much the same as Scott. I’m just waiting for the day these guys meet a woman who brings them to their knees. It’s going to be fun to watch.”
I processed what she’d said about Scott. He’d also told me that he didn’t do relationships and. “Have they ever been in a relationship?”
“I don’t know about Nash before he came to the club but definitely not since. And Scott hasn’t had a girlfriend since just after high school.”
“How old is Scott?”
“He’s thirty-four. Why?”
“Well, I’m just wondering how someone gets to be thirty-four and not had a relationship since high school. And let’s face it, a high school fling is hardly a real relationship.”
“Scott’s been pretty focused on Storm his whole life. And, he’s screwed some real nasty bitches. As in, bitches who tried to trap him by getting pregnant from the one time they slept together. That’s happened to him twice now, and then there’s been the stalkers who wouldn’t take no for an answer. Those club whores who are desperate to become an old lady will stop at nothing to get their claws into one of the Storm boys. So, I think Scott’s been burnt by women to tell you the truth.”
“Scott’s got kids?” I was surprised; even though I thought he’d make a good father, I had gotten the impression he didn’t have any.
“No. One of them was pregnant but miscarried; thank God. The other bitch was lying but Scott didn’t work that out for a couple of months, so she put him through it for awhile.”
We sat in silence for a moment, drinking our coffee. I was thinking about Scott; he’d been screwed over like I had. Sure, it was in a different way but still, he’d been screwed because when someone takes your trust like that and stomps all over it, it marks your soul.
“So, what’s the deal with you, Scott and Blade?”
“Oh, God! Where to start? Okay, long story short, my Dad screwed around on my Mum and had a child with another woman. That’s Blade. But we only found out a couple of months ago. Dad’s been hiding his other family all this time. I’ve gotten to know Blade and like him. I mean, it’s not his fault how he came into this world. But Scott’s got it in for him and won’t give him the time of day. I just stay out of it and have my own relationship with Blade. You’ve met him; he’s okay, right?”
“Holy crap, your family could have its own soap show. Bloody hell. How did your Mum cope when she found out about your Dad? And yes, Blade seems okay from what I’ve seen.”
“I used to think my mother was a strong woman but I’m not so sure anymore. She’s still with Dad. I couldn’t tell you why though because we’ve grown apart since all this went down. She’s kind of pulled away from me and Scott. I think it’s because we’ve made it clear we want nothing to do with Dad and that we think she should leave him.”
“Women do
strange things for their men, don’t they? My ex cheated on me with my best friend. I left him straight away; would’ve cut his balls off if I thought the jail time was worth it. But I know lots of women who have stayed under similar circumstances. I don’t get it.”
“Exactly. If J ever cheated on me, I wouldn’t hesitate to cut his balls off; the jail time would so be worth it.”
I loved Madison’s passion that was so clear in everything she said and did. So different to me; I was more of a laid back, think about it before I do it kind of woman.
She checked her watch. “Shit! I’ve got to get to work,” she exclaimed and jumped up. “Thanks for the coffee and chat; I love hanging out with you.”
I stood up too and followed her to the door. “Thanks for waking me up. Have a good day at work; I’m going to be here struggling to get through it.”
She grabbed me for a hug. “Drink lots of coffee. It’ll get you through, and I’ve got it under good authority that the chick who works here makes shit hot coffee.”
I hugged her back. “Thanks, and I’ll let you know about next Friday night as soon as I know my roster.”
“If Scott won’t give you the night off, I’ll sort him out for you,” she said with another wink.
I had that warm, squishy happy feeling in my stomach as I watched her go and sensed the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Chapter 14
Scott
J walked into the office and dumped a cat cage with Monty on the desk. I looked up at him with a quizzical look.
“I’ve had enough of the fucking cat. It’s yours now.”
I threw my pen down and leaned back in my chair, stretching my back and neck as I did it. Chuckling, I said, “Was wondering how long you’d put up with it for.”
He placed his hands on the table and leant forward. “You’re a lucky motherfucker in so much as I have a hard on for your sister. If I didn’t, that cat would’ve never made its way into my house. Never again, and I don’t even care if Madison closes up shop, I’m not fucking budging on this.”
“I hate to tell you this, J, but you are so fucking whipped where Madison is concerned that even a cat couldn’t unwhip you, brother. The day I see you say no to her is a day I don’t believe will ever come.”