Chapter 14
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
CARBON
The problem with hanging back so she didn’t catch me following her is that it gave her a head start—a dangerous thing with a woman like mine.
I parked a bit out from the house, and wove through the neighborhood on foot, the major issue?
When she got into Sacramento, she shut her phone off, smart move, but that created a problem for me.
Thank all that is holy that I knew where the fuck she was going.
When I got to the edge of the area, I saw her walking through the park, so I headed there thinking she was just going to take a seat there and talk herself into whatever she had planned.
She worked faster than I expected.
When the small explosion happened, I knew I had to ensure that asshole lived because fuck, she doesn’t know enough about taking someone out via fire.
How do I know? The explosion was too fucking small.
This knowledge sent a chill through me—Harry could have been hurt.
She could have gotten herself killed. Fucking hell.
How does she not get that I would go on a fucking rampage if something happened to her?
I mean, fuck me, I know I fucked this, she doesn’t trust me. FUCK. That makes me so fucking mad.
Harlow could have died because I fucked up by pushing her away and not fighting her fucking brother over what I knew in my heart—that she is fucking mine and that no one else in the world will ever own me the way this woman does.
I could have lost her tonight because I’m a dumb fuck.
Kicking in the door, smoke billowed out, but I could tell immediately that the kitchen was the culprit, I darted that way, seeing the warped material on the table.
More shit she may not understand because she hasn’t spent hours researching, testing, and learning how to fucking kill people without getting caught.
An open flame in the same room as the gas will burn the fucking gas it contacts, which makes it burn fucking hotter.
The glass melted and warped before there was enough ambient gas to explode, hence why the glass didn’t explode.
I snatch it with a dish cloth because there is no fucking way this guy had a candle sitting in this dump of a house.
I grabbed him by his leg as he rolled on the floor coughing like an idiot instead of getting the fuck out.
I dumped him on the pitiful excuse for a lawn he has and took off to collect my fucking woman.
Thankfully, I called Vanilla over at our latest chapter, Sacramento, on my way up.
He was more than willing to help me out and was prepared for anything that came his way.
He is a great guy, no nonsense, and frankly I like the guys from Sac.
We have spent some time with them because we were tasked with vetting them plus regular check-ins with us being so close.
Him having a heads-up really streamlined getting Harry hidden away.
I didn’t want to take any risks of her car, my car, or us being seen.
We wiped cameras, but who knows what people saw.
If we wait it out, keep checking the police files and all that, then we will know if it is all just going to go away.
Getting her to a private room, knowing that I was going to have her with me all night, it began to ease me a little. Don’t get me wrong, I am pissed as fuck, but knowing she was safe with me, it felt like I could at least accept air again.
Harry falling apart in my arms was something I found sickly satisfying.
Yeah, that is fucked the hell up but hear me out—Harry doesn’t do crack ups.
Harry is the type of girl who pushes through at all costs.
Harry breaking down with me… it means she felt safe.
It means she knew she could trust me. She let her guard down because she knew I would hold the line while she took a moment.
It might not be such an uphill battle after all.
Now, let’s be honest, she is going to feel some feelings about being vulnerable in front of me, so she is going to try to keep me back, but I built a back-fucking-door into her heart and I sure as shit am going to use it. Harry doesn’t get to push me out now.
I hold her all night, while she bleeds out her hurt, and I grapple with my terror over what could have happened.
The conclusion I get to? Nothing and no one will stand in my way.
Harlow Lilian Hoss owns every single bit of me not to mention that she is fucking mine and I will die on that fucking hill if that is what it takes.
Once she is awake, she is clearly uncomfortable with how shit went down.
She seems to get that she fucked up, but it doesn’t cool my anger.
I am so mad at her for playing so loose with her safety.
She is my whole fucking world, and she just treated herself so fucking flippantly.
She acted like she didn’t matter. Like her safety, her happiness, her fucking well-being wasn’t a fucking priority.
That shit ends now.
It isn’t until we roll into San Jose that my body finally feels like it calms down, taking my brain with it.
I feel like I can take a proper breath again because I have my woman back where she belongs.
Pulling into a visitor parking spot, I come around, help her down from the SUV and walk her to her apartment.
The door opens and Cauldron comes rushing forward meowing his head off.
She drops to her knees, pulling him up against her chest, she coos apologies to him and presses kisses to his head as she pets him.
I sink to my knees behind her, wrapping my arms around both of them, I look down at him over her shoulder.
“Hey bud, you ready to come home? We have big windows and tons of birds to watch. In the evenings you can even see the bats.”
He meows at me, his head push-cuddling my hand as I hold Harry. Smiling at the little scamp, I love her cat. “Go pack up, I have him, we can follow you around.”
She bobs her head, pushing to her feet, handing me her baby. “Ron Ron, be good for Bon Bon.”
I chuckle, which loosens the tension in her body, her shoulders relax down. Her head tips back as her eyes meet mine. I reach up cupping her cheek. “Go pack anything you will need for at least a week. Okay?”
Her head bobs. I keep petting Ronny-boy as I follow her about the apartment.
Occasionally, she points to something or asks me to grab something, which I do.
She leans in giving kisses and pets every time she gets a chance with Ronny in my arms. I particularly like that her hands and even her cheek brushes against me here and there.
“His carrier is in the front closet,” her voice is so soft, and I debate if I should just let this play out or if I should try to firm her back up. Part of me likes this softness to her, but the other part of me knows it is because she is feeling too many things at once.
“Harlow, love, what is eating at you?” I ask as I set the carrier down on the counter beside her.
Her eyes lift to mine, my eyes track the hard swallow moving down her throat. “What did this cost you?”
I shake my head not understanding. “Cost me?”
“Favors called in?” she clarifies.
“Ah, I understand. Nothing,” I tell her honestly.
Her brows pinch. I press my finger to the little crinkle between them as Ronny meows.
“Genuinely, nothing. That’s how the club works.
I asked for help, they helped. If they had called me, I would help them.
It’s kind of the whole point of a brotherhood. ” I wink at her. “One big family.”
It breaks my heart a little knowing that she is struggling to grasp that.
Her whole life she has never received anything for nothing.
Then Harry had Roxy and now all of us, but before—my heart hurts thinking about it—she never had support before.
She couldn’t count on others. I cup her cheek again in my hand. “They were glad to help.”
She licks at her lips. “Maybe I should send them a thank you.”
I shrug. “We can send Vanilla some good liquor.”
“Vanilla. Is that the guy you spoke with there?” she questions.
I chuckle. “Yeah, he is their Prez.”
“How does someone get the name of Vanilla? You know what, no, probably don’t really want to know the answer to that.” She gives a tiny light laugh and it warms my damned soul. “Though, I wouldn’t mind hearing how you came to be Carbon.”
Gently settling Ronny in his carrier, I look at her.
“Carbon is generally nonreactive, however when you combine it with oxygen—basic everyday shit—then add heat… you can get carbon monoxide or dioxide, aka, shit that can kill you. It was Hemmy’s idea.
He was a science major, before he changed it to business for work, but he always favored science. ”
“Sounds like I should be glad you are on my side.”
“Always your side Harry. Always,” I tell her, turning I collect her bags. “Get our boy.”
She trails after me to the car where I get her things inside. “I should drive my car.”
“You should get in the SUV Harry,” I grumble.
She doesn’t argue with me. She climbs into the passenger seat with Ronny’s carrier in her lap, unzipping it to let him poke his head out while I maneuver the car toward home. My phone rings, hitting answer, Jolt comes across the speakers in the car. “So, Vanilla called.”
“She is sitting with me in the car right now,” I warn him.
“Hi Harry, you okay sweetheart?”
“Did you tell Mint?” she questions, worry threading through her words.
“Fuck no. I file that under your fucking problem.” He barks out a heavy chuckle.
“That’s kind of dicked,” I snap.
“No, he is right. I have to be the one to tell him.” She gusts out a deep breath. “I fucked up, I have to accept the consequences of my actions.”
“It’s going to be alright Harry. Mint will just care that you are okay and be thrilled he will get a shot at whoever this asshole is,” Jolt says, chuckling a little more. “Is there a plan?”
“There is, we will talk when you are back. For now, Harry and Cauldron are moving in with me so I can keep a fucking eye on them.” Looking over at Harry in the passenger seat, I see her shoulders sag.
“Well fuck. Good thing Mint, Wally, and Meadow decided to go to Joshua for a couple days. We will beat them home. You are going to need us all there to keep—” He cuts his words off knowing that I understand what he is saying.
Mint is going to throw a fit over her being in my house and me not calling.
“Just remember, they are on vacation, use that as a tool, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I confirm. He is right, I can say that I didn’t want to bother them with shit I could control… no. Fuck that. I am just going to lay it the fuck out and deal with it. Skirting shit is how I got into this mess and I am done. “Talk soon.”
“Yup.” He ends the call.
I pull the Tahoe into my garage, then help Harry out before unloading her bags. We head into my house where she lets Cauldron down. “Don’t we need to put him in a room or something?”
“Nah, he likes to explore. Frankly, he will like this place, way more space than mine and he seems to thrive on space.” She gives a little shrug. “Not your common cat.”
“Explains why you two click so well.” Her eyes meet mine, I offer her a small smile, she closes the gap between us, wrapping her arms around my waist. Her face presses to my chest and I wrap my arms around her. “I’m done being mad.”
“I know,” her voice is muffled by my sweater.
“Come on, we can get your stuff unpacked.” I guide her on.
Her eyes get progressively wider as we move farther and farther down the hall, until there is just my bedroom door.
I bring her stuff in, leading over to my closet, I move the couple things I had on one of the sides over to the side I use most. “This should be more than enough space for you for now. If you need more in the future, we will shuffle things.”
She stands there staring at me. “This is your room.”
“Yes,” I confirm. My eyes move about the space feeling certain she likes the aesthetic. I have dark walls, with dark bedding, nice wood floors, and a lighter rug to offset the heavy amount of dark.
“I am staying in here?”
“I told you, I need to keep a fucking eye on you.” I lift my brow in challenge.
Her head nods. “I see.”
Ronny-boy heads into the room, jumping up onto the bed, he moves around sniffing and checking things out.
Harry huffs out yet another breath, then unzips her bags and begins to hang her things in the closet, stuffing things in the drawers too.
I flop down on my bed where Ronny decides my stomach is the most comfortable place.
I scratch his head. “Did you miss Mama last night? I’m sorry buddy, I got her home as soon as I could. ”
He gives a meow of agreement. I chuckle. “Don’t worry buddy, we are all home now.”
Her head pokes out of the closet, her glare is intense, but I pretend to not notice.
I know she is trying to figure out what the fuck I am on about.
I also know she isn’t sure if she should challenge me or not.
Which to me just suggests she likes how I am talking and is wondering if she doesn’t highlight it does it mean she can stay.
She can. Frankly, she lives here now. There will be no moving out.
When she is at work next, I will be heading back to her apartment to start her move out.
I watch as she shifts over to my bathroom, finding places for all of her toiletries and makeup. “You have double sinks.”
“I do,” I confirm. “When I remodeled the bathroom, I got rid of the hall closet so I could have more space. I don’t miss the closet at all.”
“This is a much better use of the space,” she agrees.
“No tub though. There is one in the hall bathroom,” I tell her, my eyes moving beyond her into the bathroom happy she likes my style.
“I don’t like baths,” she calls back. I already knew that. “Your shower looks incredible though—I am a sucker for a good shower.” I already knew that too. My eyes flick back up to the ceiling with a sense of contentment at having her here, finally.
“Me too,” I call back to her. When she finishes up, she comes to the bed, flopping down next to me and Ron Ron.
“You are more relaxed now,” she says.
“I am.”
“Is it being home?” Her head twists to look at me.
“It is all of us being home.” I turn my head to look back at her. I can see the wheels churning in her mind, she likes this, she likes this a lot, but she isn’t sure if she is supposed to fight or not. She worries that she is being a push over or maybe she worries she is being a fool to trust me.
Her head shifts back and she looks up at the ceiling. “My cat likes you.”
“Animals tend to like me.” I seem to attract animals, which I hope that means good things about me as a person. I know that I like animals a lot. “I would say I am very likable, but we both know that isn’t true.”
“I like you.” She sighs heavily. “Even when I probably shouldn’t.”
“I like you too, Harlow.”