Chapter Twenty-Six
“What in the fuck is this?”
I startle from a dead sleep at the sound of my very angry father’s voice echoing in the room.
Sitting up, I make sure my breasts are covered as I sit up.
“You aren’t supposed to be here until tomorrow,” falls from my lips before I can think them through.
I wince at the look on my father’s face. He looks like he could murder someone.
“Honk, let me explain,” Bullet starts, but Honk shoots him a glare.
“Baby girl, get cleaned up and wait for me here. You’re grounded. Bullet, you have ten seconds to get out of that bed and on your bike before I put a bullet between your eyes.”
Bullet growls at Honk. “Don’t do this, Honk.”
“I’ll do whatever the fuck I want. You are fucking my daughter in her bed under the roof that I pay for.”
“You mean the one I have been paying for the last two years?” Bullet spits back at my father as he stands in all his naked glory.
My heart is racing in my chest. I have no idea what to do right now. How do I make this better?
“Let’s all calm down,” I say.
“You don’t get to speak right now, young lady. You know the rules about boys in your room. You’ll be lucky if I don’t kill him. He knew the rules, baby girl, he broke them.”
The same rules that are unfair. I’m of age. I should be able to make this decision, but to the club, I am off-limits. Bullet is going to lose his life for this.
So I do the last thing I can think of.
“But Daddy, I love him.” I let the emotion seep into my words.
He looks over at me, his eyes softening. “I know you think you do, but this isn’t love. Bullet, leave before I do something we both regret.”
Bullet looks over at me, torn. He wants to stay and fight, but he hates seeing me look so vulnerable.
“I will leave, but only because I don’t want her to hurt any more than she already is. I’ll be at the clubhouse when you are ready to talk.”
Bullet grabs his jeans and cut, striding from the room.
“Get dressed. I’m going to go deal with this, then we will talk about the new rules of this house.”
“I’m not a child.”
He gives me a pained look. “You will always be my baby.”
He slams my door as he leaves the room.
I hear one motorcycle start up and tear off. Seconds later, another one does.
My heart stops at the sound. The two people I love most in this world are going to kill each other. Or at least, my dad will kill Bullet. I don’t see Bullet raising a fist against my father simply for the fact that he knows the pain it would cause me.
That has me more worried than anything else.
I don’t even pay attention to what I pull onto my body as I run out of the house. I jump into the car that I have rarely used since my mother’s accident and start it. There is no time for anxiety when life as I know it is in danger.
I don’t know how I make it to the clubhouse so quickly, but when I pull through the gate, nodding at the prospect, I find my father and Bullet fighting outside the front door. I slam the car to a stop, throwing it in park as I jump from it.
“Stop it. Stop it right now. What the fuck do you think you are doing?” I cry out.
Neither man listens to me, but the roar of motorcycles tells me backup has arrived.
I watch as Reaper grabs Honk, pulling him off of Bullet. Wrath steps up to Bullet, but he holds his hands up. I see then that my father landed a few punches on him, but it doesn’t seem Bullet hurt him at all.
It only proves his worth even more to me. That he would take a beating and do everything he can not to hurt the other person because of who he is to me.
“What is going on here?” Reaper asks, damn well knowing I have been seeing Bullet.
“He was in bed with my daughter. I will kill him for it,” Dad growls out, his eyes looking a little crazy.
“Don’t you think you should talk about this with him and Harlee? See what’s really going on?” Colt says from the side.
“Not much to talk about. Nothing to really question when they were naked together. Not much to misinterpret there. I can’t think of one damn good reason that he would be naked with her.”
“I love her,” Bullet says.
“You don’t know what love is, kid. Even if you do, I forbid it.
I warned you before I left. I saw the way you looked at her, and you looked me in the eye and promised me it wasn’t what I thought.
I would have never left if I had known, and all of you…
you let this happen. What happened to my brothers? You failed me.”
“You are being rash, brother. Sit down and talk to them. Listen to how they feel. If not Bullet, listen to your daughter. She has much to say. Look at her. You’re hurting her.
Is that what you really want? You want to break her heart more than it already is?
” Colt says, stepping closer to my father.
“She is a child. She will learn to get over it. Love isn’t worth it anyway. Nothing but heartache and pain. I’m saving her.”
I frown. “You’re a jaded old man. Not everyone wants to avoid all emotions. Some of us want to live again.”
He glowers at me. “You’re grounded. Go back home.”
“I won’t. I’m not a child anymore like you claim. I’m an adult, and I make my own decisions.”
“As long as you are under my roof, you will obey me.”
I snort “Then I don’t live under your roof anymore. I won’t even come back for my things. You are being unreasonable.”
I see a flash of pain in his eyes before they harden. He stares straight at me as he says the words that break my heart.
“I want him banished.”
“I want him banished.”
They were the words I knew were coming, but they still hurt. Especially seeing the devastation on Harlee’s face.
I want to go to her. To hold her and protect her from this, but it would only make everything worse.
Honk is fresh out of rehab. He shouldn’t be stressed. Anything that could send him back into the tailspin of alcohol and avoidance isn’t good for him.
“We won’t decide this standing outside of the clubhouse like the latest episode of Jerry Springer. Church. Now,” Reaper calls out.
I shoot Harlee a soft look.
I love you, Angel.
I hope she knows how much because I’m afraid of what might happen today. I might have to leave her even though it will kill me.
Wrath grabs my shoulder, walking inside with me.
“Keep your cool. We’ve got your back,” he whispers.
It helps ease some of my tension. At least it won’t be unanimous like it usually would be in a situation like this.
It takes everyone a moment to filter in.
The entire council is there, making me wonder if the bat signal didn’t go out when Reaper found out we were fighting at the clubhouse.
I lean against the wall, not bothering to take a seat.
There isn’t enough, and I’m the newest member.
Hawk gives up his seat for Honk, standing on the wall opposite mine.
“We are going to talk about this like adults. Honk, you have every right to feel how you do, but before any decisions are made, we will hear from all sides like we always do. Understood?” Reaper asks.
Honk nods his head.
“We already know your stance on it, but I will give you an opportunity to speak after Bullet does. Bullet, the floor is yours.”
“Honk hasn’t been here for longer than him going to rehab.
I’ve single-handedly taken care of their family since Eleanor’s death.
” I don’t miss the sound Honk makes at her name as I continue.
“I didn’t go into it thinking I was going to fall for Harlee.
She was drowning as much as Honk was. I only meant to offer a life preserver to save her.
Then I got to know her more, and she’s one hell of a woman.
I am head over heels in love with her. I would do anything for her, which means if Honk insists on my banishment, I will leave, but only because I know she needs her father and I would never want to take that from her.
I can’t guarantee what it would do for his relationship with her, though.
She was a child when he mentally checked out, but she went through trauma too.
She’s no longer the same girl he left behind.
I only urge him to get to know the woman she is now and accept her as she is because she is something special. ”
“Does anyone want to add anything on behalf of Bullet before we open up opposition?” Reaper asks.
“I haven’t seen Harlee smile the way she does with Bullet. It had been two long years of her sadness and pain. He’s brought back the light in her. It’s good to see,” Wrath says.
“Not to mention the fact that she graduated high school because Bullet drove her to school and made her do her homework. He kept her on track, and sure, she graduated a year late, but she has that diploma,” Colt adds.
“He’s always arranging someone to be with her so she is never alone. Instead of forcing her to live here where things can be chaotic, he gave her what she needed by letting her stay in the home Honk and Eleanor built for her. He also got her into therapy,” Trigger speaks up.
I listen as one by one, everyone except Honk speaks up about something I have done for Harlee. I didn’t even realize they all knew what was going on with us. Even if I end up banished, I know I will take this memory with me. The brothers who stood up for me, making me feel like I was part of them.
“Honk, would you like to say anything?” Reaper asks.
Honk grimaces. “Seems like everyone has made their decision. To hell with our rules, right? Family is never supposed to be touched without permission, but he gets a pass because, what? I was away at rehab? I was getting the help you begged me to get?”
“We haven’t voted yet, Honk. We want to hear what you have to say,” Colt says solemnly.
“I lost the love of my life. My heart feels like it has been ripped from my chest. I don’t know how to move on from that.
Now you want me to give permission to this man to take my little girl too?
I never wanted this life for her. She was on her way to better.
I made a demand when I left for rehab. No one was to touch her.
He did, and he deserves to be punished for it. I request banishment.”
“Noted. Banishment isn’t something I take lightly.
I would like to reconvene at a later date to give everyone time to consider the ramifications either way.
In the meantime, Bullet, you will steer clear of Harlee.
I know it will be hard, but we must show respect to Honk.
Honk, you will not hurt Bullet again. Understood? ”
Honk nods as I feel my heart breaking in my chest, and I give my own nod.
When he bangs the gavel, I feel the cage closing on me.
As we exit the room, Harlee passes her father’s open arms for mine. I let her hug me, holding her to me in case this is the last time I ever get to.
“Reaper,” Honk warns.
“Let them say goodbye, Honk.”
Harlee pulls back, tears in her eyes. “Goodbye? No. I’ll go with you.”
I cup her cheek. “I’m not going anywhere. We just can’t see each other for a few days until they make a decision on my fate. We can survive this. It will make us stronger.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t want to survive without you.”
“You’re never without me. I’m always right here.” I press my hand over my heart. “Take care of your dad. He’s in a bad place. Don’t hold this against him.”
She presses her lips to mine. “How can I not? He is ripping my heart out.”
“It’ll be over in a couple of days. I promise.” I kiss her deeply before I pull back. “Be a good girl, Angel.”
Then I leave her standing there crying.
It’s the hardest thing I have ever had to do.