Chapter 17 #2
“Things are good,” I confirm.
“Yeah? Good. You let me know what you need and when you’re ready to collect that fuckwad. We’re keeping an eye on him until you’re ready.” He lets me know and I am real fucking appreciative.
“Thank you. You’ll be hearing from me in the next couple weeks.
” We say our goodbyes as I am taking the last load for today down to the borrowed car.
I get all of her shit to my place, unpacking it into the closet, the drawers, and putting things out around the house so she can see her stuff melds perfectly with mine.
Cauldron follows me around, looking pleased as punch when I get the cushion propped for him in the window and throw his blanket out where he seems to have gravitated for on the couch.
I then sack out, getting some work done, keeping a loose eye on the time so I know when to go pick my woman back up. It is getting close to when I need to get Harry when my phone rings. Jolt.
“Hey.”
“How is Harry? Anything I need to handle?” he cautiously prods. Smart man my Prez. He is wading into dangerous territory because the idea that anyone else would handle my woman’s shit insults the fuck out of me. But I appreciate his asking because I know he is positioning himself as my backup.
“She is good. I am gonna leave in a couple minutes to get her from work.”
“Not letting her have her car yet?” He chuckles. The man knows me well.
“A little reliance right now won’t hurt,” I grit.
He barks out a laugh. “Brother, can I make a suggestion?”
“Can you?”
“Don’t be a dick. Sometimes I am helpful,” he barks, but there is no bite to it.
“Sort shit out with Hanger before Mint gets home. He asked us if we noticed anyone in the club getting close to Harry. Virus has a surprisingly good game face. You wanna know who else had some good game faces?” He chuckles.
Fuck. Jolt is letting me know everyone fucking knows. “Would it be easier to guess that the only person who doesn’t know is fucking Mint?”
“Fair assessment. Win Hanger over. We all have your back… this is life, right?” He pushes in on that.
“Decided I’m gonna do the fucking marriage thing, so I’m going with yeah,” I grumble.
“Well shit. Frankie, you just surprised me.” He laughs. When he gets himself calm again, he continues on, “Good luck with Hanger. Hit up Kev if you need any backup, I know he is on team… what the fuck did Virus call it?”
I roll my eyes and grit out the stupid fucking name, “Harbon.”
I hear Jolt snap his fingers. “That’s it! Harbon. Rootin’ for you, brother.”
He hangs up.
Heading back out to the car, I hoist myself into the driver’s seat after making that stop that didn’t end up being quick at all. Checking the clock, I’m not sure I have time to see her dad. I grumble, “Motherfucker.”
Just as I am debating calling Harry to say I will be a little late, my phone rings. Harry. I hit answer. “Hey Sexy girl.”
She gives a light snort, but it is clear she is eating it the fuck up. “Hey, I am running a little behind. Maybe like thirty?”
“Okay, I’ll plan for that,” I tell her as I shake my head knowing that the thing I didn’t want to do now officially has time for me to do it.
“Alright. Great. Okay.” She seems a little flustered and I’m not sure why.
“Love, what’s up?”
“Nothing. Nothing. I just… it’s stupid.” I can envision her little shoulders giving a shrug trying to imply it isn’t a big deal, but it clearly is.
“You’re talking to me. Do you really think anything you think, feel, or do would be stupid in my mind?” I can’t help the dry delivery, she knows me, and is fully aware of my obsession with her. Perhaps she hasn’t hit the deepest layers of it yet, but she isn’t blind to it.
“Good point. It’s still stupid but… you are just good with me being late?” She seems puzzled.
“Sexy, you fucking love your job. And most jobs at least on occasion run late. Why would I not be good with that?” I pull up out front of Hanger’s house, killing the engine.
“Just not the experience I have had in the past,” she grumbles a little.
I roll my neck. “Fuck anyone before me. You’re mine now, and we get to do this however the fuck we want.
One of those things is me acknowledging you love your fucking job.
I love your fucking job. I’m not going to get on your ass over your job.
Don’t get me wrong, sexy girl, I am absolutely going to be getting on your ass, but not about your job.
Now, anything else I need to clarify or shall I see you in about thirty? ”
“I’ll see you in thirty,” her words soft.
I grin as we say goodbye and hang up. I push the door to the car open, sliding out and taking a deep breath. Hanger’s front door opens, he stands in the doorway, here we fucking go. I start moving toward him, his eyes follow me up the path to his house. “Hanger, got a minute?”
He gives a dip of his chin, stepping back from the door, and letting me in.
We drop down in his living room, my eyes watching him closely to evaluate his mood.
He crosses his arms over his chest. “I know you are supposed to be fucking gone right now, and if you aren’t the only reason would be my kid. Just spit it the fuck out.”
“I’m going to let her handle that.” I brush my hand over my head. “I’m just here out of resp?—”
“Oh, shut the fuck up. Clearly, you are with my kid. Honestly, it is about fucking time you two stop chasing your fucking tails. Rox and I have watched you two for damn near two years now.” He shakes his head.
“‘bout fuckin’ time you step up. Her fucking around with that dumbfuck was about to make me snap.”
“So, we’re good?”
His head tilts, his eyes narrow. “Why are you still fucking nervous with me about this?”
I push my shoulders back. “I moved Harry and Ronny in.”
Hanger barks out a laugh. His head shakes.
“Of course you fucking did. You obsessive motherfucker. Well, Harry is clearly good with it, no fucking way she would do any fucking thing she didn’t want to.
” His eyes roll. “You aren’t ever having kids, so you’re not gonna learn this yourself—but here is the fucking deal, when you are a parent, you parent them where they are at in their life.
The hardest fucking transition is letting them go and parenting an adult. Eventually you get the hang of it.
“Harry is a grown ass woman. I respect her choices and how she chooses to live her life. I also respect her right to make choices I wouldn’t.
Now, to be fair, you… fuck, am I really going to say this shit?
Fuck it. You aren’t a bad choice.” He smirks.
“Not a bad choice at all. You’re so fucking hung up on her, you’ll give her any-fucking-thing she wants.
You’ll keep my girl safe. And for whatever fucking reason, she likes your brand of motherfuckin’ crazy. ”
Well… this turned out. I nod. “Alright then.”
“Not gonna make me any promises?” His brow lifts.
“Nah, I’ll just keep making them to my woman. Seem’s you actually trust me.” I wink at him as I push to my feet.
He chuckles. We walk to his door, he pulls it open, when I’m halfway down the front path he calls out. “Still gonna keep tracking her?”
I pause, looking back over my shoulder at him. He chuckles again. “Just ‘cuz my other kid is a bit preoccupied—doesn’t mean I don’t see shit.”
“Seems like Harlow and I were the worst kept secret.”
He barks out a heavy laugh, slaps his hip, shaking his head. “Think you’ll find most people pretty fucking shocked you two ended up together. You had a lotta people convinced you hated her. Her included for a bit there.”
I frown. “Biggest fuck up of my life.”
His head rocks a moment. “Good you know that. Don’t fuck up again”—his face going flat, his eyes laser into mine—"because Carbon, I’ll fucking kill you.”
I nod. “Not a doubt in my mind you would.”
He smirks, then steps back shutting his front door.
And people think I’m a crazy motherfucker.