Chapter Ten
Harley
B rielle, Atlas, Lincoln, and Ryan are planning to be here in about three days, and excitement thrums through me as I get ready.
It’s a new, almost foreign feeling to be happy so often now. More days than not, I feel really good. And even on the days when my demons surface or I am simply struggling, I don’t have to face it alone, and I think I am finally coming around to that.
Brielle and I try to talk on the phone at least a few times a week. With her new nursing job, getting time off has been hard. That, and I have been slammed with schoolwork almost nonstop for months now. Even though it’s been stressful, it’s worth it to know that I’m almost done with it all.
Gabe has been holding everyone off from doing anything involving Tammy or the trafficking ring because he wants to get everyone prepared. He never said it out loud, but I think he also was trying to give me some normalcy to finish out school.
Everything is always on the back of my mind. Some days it really bothers me to think about how many girls could be out there locked away in basements and going through worse things than I did.
I want to save them and show them that there is hope and something better out there even when it feels like you’ll never escape. Squeezing my eyes shut, I inhale, count to five, exhale. Knowing I am about to start spiraling down that rabbit hole, I quickly throw on a t-shirt over my sports bra and leggings before putting on my shoes and heading down to the gym where I am meeting the guys to do our daily workout.
I’m the first one down here, so I wrap my hands and walk over to the speed bag that hangs from a beam on the back wall next to a few other punching bags.
Taking a deep breath, I do my best to clear my mind as I raise my fists up in front of my face, lining them up with the speed bag before I start punching, rotating back and forth between my fists, slowly picking up speed. Making sure I continue to breathe and keep the proper stance, my left foot forward and right foot slightly back.
I soon get into a rhythm and keep going until my biceps start to burn and a sheen of sweat covers my skin.
Tammy’s triumphant smile pops into my mind as I think about all the things she has said and done to me and how she is condemning others to the same fate because she has no fucking soul.
I want to pummel her face in until that smile is long gone and she realizes just how badly she fucked up with me. She should’ve killed me like she originally wanted to.
I don’t want to keep waiting. I want my revenge. I want to stop other girls from having to live with the same scars inside and out as I do.
It’s not fucking fair.
“Harley!” someone yells as my arms are grabbed and ripped back from the bag. “Harley, little flame, fucking breathe and focus on me.”
I gasp and take a shuddering breath, leaning against Ryker as he holds me up. “Sorry. I’m sorry. I just—I got lost in my mind again.”
“Don’t be sorry, it’s okay. But let us help. Talk to us,” he says gently as his lips brush against my forehead.
I shake my head against his chest. “No. Not right now. I need—I need to work it out of my system. It feels like bees buzzing under my skin, like I need violence.”
The second the words are out of my mouth, I realize that I really just said that out loud. That I need violence. I pull back from Ryker, but when I try to step back, I collide with someone’s chest.
“We know the feeling, baby girl,” Cade rumbles in my ear. “After all the shit we’ve been through from such a young age, it isn’t abnormal for us to crave it.”
“It’s just how you use it that matters. We’ve both used it in negative ways before, but now we all have each other and can lean on each other. So, what do you want? Want to box? Spar? Run?” Ry asks, cocking his head.
“Box,” I sigh, already feeling lighter with just having them with me and reminding me I'm not alone. We start gloving up, and I realize Grayson isn’t down here with us like he usually is. “Where’s Gray?”
“Nerds asked him to help with tech shit, so he’s been in the tech room since early this morning,” Ry explains.
Nodding, I follow him to the mats in the center of the room, and we get into position. “Don’t go easy on me,” I demand.
Ryker smirks. “Alright, my little flame. Bring it.”
He is lean and bounces around on his toes, ready to move much faster than you would expect him too. He gets tired of waiting and comes at me with a jab, but as soon as his arm is outstretched, I jump to the side of him and hit him with a body shot right to the side.
He grunts and stumbles slightly. Spinning to face me again, he gets a gleam in his eyes and doesn’t hold anything back.
We trade blows, both giving and taking hard hits. By the time we break, we are both grinning and dripping in sweat. Placing my gloved hands on my hips, I focus on taking deep breaths to calm my heartrate down.
When I glance at Ryker, I notice him getting Cade’s attention, who had been running through his own routine while we were busy. Cade nods at him and walks over to the wall where all the equipment pieces are stored. He wraps his hands and then puts on gloves and walks to the mat where I am with Ryker.
Glancing between the two of them, I raise a brow. “What’s this?”
Ry shrugs. “You said not to take it easy on you. Let’s see how well you can hold up against the both of us.”
Fuck.
Ryker
"This really isn't fair,” Harley grumbles, but she gets into her fighting stance anyway.
Smirking, I don't bother responding. I just bend low and dive for her. Harley jerks and sends her gloved fist straight into my side, causing me to grunt.
Before she can make another move, Cade quickly kicks her legs out from under her. Harley lands flat on her back.
"Again, not fucking fair,” she groans, not even trying to get back up.
We've been going at her for almost an hour now. Based on the heaving of her chest as she lays unmoving on the mat, I think we've finally worn her out.
Cade pulls off his boxing gloves and picks her up from under her arms, helping her stand. "And if, when , shit goes down. it won't be fair then either, baby girl.”
“We just want to make sure you’re fully prepared for anything that can happen,” I tack on.
We all hope that nothing is going to happen to any of us, but with the shit we’re looking into? It’s a real possibility. Over the last several months, Nerds has been keeping track of everywhere people go. There hasn’t been a lot of overlap, but there are a few places that multiple people seem to frequent.
"We should probably get our school shit done before Bri and the guys visit so we can actually spend time with them," Harley sighs, wiping a sheen of sweat from her forehead.
Furrowing my brows, I follow her off the mats to where she puts her gloves away and unwraps her hands. “Are you not excited for them to visit?”
Harley turns around to face me, and I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her close. “No, I am. We haven’t seen Bri and the guys in a while because of her work schedule, but we have nothing new, Ry. I know Gabe is just trying to keep us all safe, but we’ve been taking things so fucking slowly that it makes me wonder if we will ever find a way to deal with Tammy or shut down the shit she’s running.”
Kissing her forehead, I pull her against me, and she rests her forehead against my chest. “I get it. I have never been one to be patient,” I murmur, and Cade snorts next to me. I lift a hand to flip him off. “But Rage has been making sure we are all prepared for anything to happen. This is drawing shit up from before he was president here, and I know none of us know much about how bad things were, but from what I can gather, this wasn’t a safe place to be.
“Rage’s dad was one of the worst and let awful things happen here. Those same people who used to come around here could be tied up in this with Tammy. Fuck, Harley, David took you way too fucking easily, and that sent Rage on a warpath. He didn’t just take out his revenge for your mom on David; part of that was for you, too.”
“He felt guilty. I think he still does,” Cade says, frowning slightly. “After you guys had your talk those few months back, they had church for hours the next day. Like I said before, Noah wouldn’t tell me much, but basically he wants this place as secure as it can be, and every single person in here needs to be able to protect themselves.”
Harley sighs. “I know. I know that it needs to be done this way.” She pulls away from me, taking a step back. “But we have nothing new to tell Bri and the guys. Nothing . It makes me feel like we’re failing.”
If there’s one thing I have learned about this woman that I am madly in love with, it’s that she will drag herself into her own mind and get stuck there. Overanalyzing everything, but mostly herself. Grayson, Cade, and I have been learning how to pull her out and keep her focused on the now and looking at the good things, but sometimes she still gets like this.
Harley is shutting down right in front of us. Feeling like the weight of the world is on her shoulders and like she is failing everyone. Failing her mom. Glancing at Cade, I see the same worry in his eyes that I know is in my own. I grab Harley’s hand and pull her with me out of the gym.
I head straight across the hall to the bathroom that is down here. Once we’re inside, I lock the door and start up the shower before facing Harley, who is staring at herself in the mirror, a tortured look on her face. Stepping up behind her, I wrap one arm around her waist while my other hand gently grips her chin.
Her eyes meet mine through the mirror as I whisper, “You are so fucking strong, little flame. I know things feel like we are just stuck in the same cycle, and maybe we are right now. But you know why I’m okay with that?”
She shakes her head as much as she can in my grip.
“That means we’re making sure that in the end, when Tammy is gone and we shut down their operations and hopefully get to save those they have taken, we will still be here. We will all get to see the outcome and keep moving forward, together. Everyone will be prepared so we don’t lose a single person. That is why being in this cycle right now is okay.
“A year from now, when we come out of all this, we will remember this time and know that the wait was worth it because we get to live together. Happily.”
Her eyes mist over, and she lets her eyes fall closed. My hand gripping her chin moves, and I run my finger gently over the scar on her face. From right below her eye, stopping at her lip.
Her eyes snap open and she meets my gaze.
“You’ll get your revenge, Harley,” I promise her. “But you won’t have to lose another person you care about to have it. Yourself included. We aren’t going to lose you.”
Spinning to face me, she gently cups my cheeks and searches my eyes. “I might be a little insane, but I love you, Ryker. You’ve shown me so much, and you’ve taught me how to be more open and accepting. You gave me your heart and the hearts of your two best friends, and now I don’t think I could ever live without you three. I–I can work on being patient and not letting it get in my head that I'm failing. But I want to do more.”
My face slowly splits into the biggest smile I think I have ever shown someone. My heart pounds against my chest like a drum.
Slamming my mouth against hers, I kiss her like it’s the last time our lips will ever touch. I give her everything I have. I hand my heart over to her on a silver platter, allowing her to do whatever she wants with it.
There is no me without my little flame. She burns through me, lighting me up like no one ever has.
“From the moment I saw you,” I murmur against her lips, “I knew you would be my everything. I now breathe for you. You have all of me, and you always will. I want you to consume me in the same way I want to consume you. I love you more than life itself, little flame. I live for you, I will fight for you. I will worship the ground you walk on until the gates of Hell open up and drag me away from you.”
She inhales sharply, and we crash together, stripping our clothes off each other in between kisses and stumbling into the shower. The hot water cascades over us as I explore her absolutely delectable body with my hands.
Pushing her back against the tiled wall, she gasps softly as I work my lips down her body until I drop to my knees before her. Glancing up, I find her watching me through her lashes, her chest rapidly rising and falling.
“You are fucking perfect, Harley,” I say, my voice thick with lust.
Leaning forward, I place a kiss on her center before running my tongue down her slit, carefully avoiding her clit.
“Ryker,” Harley groans, running her fingers through my hair and clenching them.
“Yes?” I ask without removing my mouth from her pussy.
“Please.” She tilts her head back down, meeting my eyes. The water cascades down her chest as she pants and stares at me with dilated pupils. My cock grows uncomfortably hard, but I want to give all my attention to her right now.
Smirking, I say, “Since you said please.”
I run two fingers along her slit before pulling the lips apart and groaning at the sight of her perfect pussy. God, this is heaven. I fuck her with my tongue and bring my other hand up to rub circles over her clit.
Keeping my eyes angled up, I never look away from her face, wanting to catch every reaction she has while receiving pleasure. I want it all burned permanently into my brain.
“Fuck, Ry.” Her eyes meet mine, and she yanks on my hair slightly, her hips rocking forward against my face.
When I pinch her clit and push two fingers into her along with my tongue, her mouth falls open, and her eyelashes flutter as she calls out my name and falls apart for me.
As Harley jolts against me, I pull my fingers out and then place a kiss on her clit before standing back up in front of her where she is still slumped against the shower wall. Gripping her chin between my fingers, she blinks up at me.
“Taste yourself,” I say and kiss her hard, not giving her a chance to protest.
Pushing my tongue in past her lips, I let her taste her juices on my tongue. Harley groans, and I feel her hand ghost down my chest to my abs and then lower until her fingers wrap gently around my cock.
“Harley,” I growl against her lips, feeling her mouth stretch into a smile.
She pumps her hand up and down, slowly gaining speed. Her thumb runs over the head on occasion.
“Harder,” I rasp, pulling back just enough so we can both look as I bring my hand down to wrap around hers and help her pump me tighter and faster.
It takes an embarrassingly short amount of time for my balls to draw up and I cum all over our hands and Harley’s lower stomach.
“Fuck, fuck, I love you so much,” I groan as I rest my forehead against hers.
Smiling up at me with a soft, sated look, she responds, “I love you, too.”
Reaching to the left, I grab the body wash and squeeze some in my palms, and before I can put it back, Harley takes it and does the same. We take the time to wash every inch of each other.
Harley grabs the shampoo, but I snag it from her and motion for her to turn around so she is facing the water. I slowly wash her hair, massaging her scalp with my fingers and helping her rinse it out before conditioning it.
By the time we get out, the water has gone cold, and we are both more relaxed than we have been in a long time.
After we get dressed, I lean against the counter next to Harley and watch as she uses a blow dryer that was under the sink to dry her hair. I make sure to pay attention to exactly how she does it, so I know how to do it for her later.
“Thank you,” she says after putting away the blow dryer and pulling her hair up into a ponytail.
Raising a brow, I tilt my head at her. “I’m not really sure what you’re thanking me for. You should clarify.” I chuckle awkwardly, hoping she isn’t thanking me for an orgasm or telling her I love her.
Giving me a sheepish smile, she says, “For taking care of me.”
Taking her face between my palms, she looks up at me. “I will always take care of you, and you never ever have to thank me for it. Or thank anyone else for it. It’s the least they can do. Okay?” I give her a serious look.
She nods, pecking me on the lips before we leave the bathroom together.
Heading back upstairs, Harley decides to go check on Grayson when Presley says that he never came out to eat breakfast or lunch. I head into the kitchen to find something to eat where Axe, Presley, their son Jayce, Rage, and Noah are.
“Where’s Cade?” I ask, furrowing my brows.
“Don’t know. He disappeared after he went back upstairs a while ago,” Noah says around a mouth full of lasagna.
Presley rolls her eyes at him as I walk over to where she sits on one of the stools at the island with Jayce sitting on the counter in front of her.
“RYRY!” Jayce screeches, flailing his arms excitedly.
I wince slightly but smile at him as I bop his nose. “Hey, little J man.” Then I turn to Presley. “Hi, Pres,” I murmur and give her a side hug.
Presley is one of the best things to happen to this club. She loves Axe unconditionally and accepted every single other person in the club as her family from day one. She has been there for us when we needed a big sister to listen, and she has gotten more and more comfortable scolding us for shit, which is more amusing than anything because Presley is a tiny little angel who doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.
“Hey, Ry. How are things going?” she asks, smiling up at me as she tries to settle Jayce.
I shrug. “Good.”
“They finally asked Harley to prom,” Noah tosses in.
Rage, who is leaning against the counter next to Axe, quirks a brow. “Really? How did you guys ask her?”
Rubbing the back of my neck I hesitate before answering vaguely. “We just went for a run and then asked her. Nothing special.”
Noah laughs so hard he chokes and starts coughing. Jayce glances across the island at him before turning around and crawling over to him, gazing up at Noah with his little concerned brown eyes that match Presley’s perfectly.
Noah stops coughing and swoops Jayce up, holding him against his chest. He points at me and then at Rage and says, “Want to learn something new?”
Jayce nods enthusiastically.
“Say, ‘Uh oh, Ryry’.”
Jayce repeats it with a big smile on his face as he looks at his mom across the island. He keeps repeating, “Uh oh, Ryry,” and pointing at me.
I roll my eyes but luckily before Rage can question anything else, Nerds comes walking into the kitchen, laptop in hand and a perplexed look on his face.
“Nerds?” Rage asks, standing up straighter.
He shakes his head and then blinks a few times. “I think… I think I just got kicked out of my own office. My own domain.” His brows furrow.
“By who?” Rage tilts his head.
Nerds scrunches his face up. “Your daughter. She basically booted me straight out the door.”
Noah cackles. “I think she stunned him. He doesn’t even understand what just happened.”
I smile and leave the kitchen, walking down the hall to where the tech room is. Slowly pushing the door open, I peek in and find Grayson and Harley deep in conversation while looking at a few computer screens.
Deciding to be good and give them some time together, I shut the door quietly and sigh before I plop down on the floor across the hall from the door.