Chapter 28
CHAPTER
TWENTY-EIGHT
CARBON
I head downstairs to meet with my brothers, primarily Mint and my father-in-law. Roxy and Hanger stayed over in the visiting council room. I fill them all in on what Harry said.
Hanger nods, his eyes dropping to the table and making their way back up to meet mine before adding, “Then we let her see him before we have at him. We let her decide how much she wants to do and say today. After that, we have our piece. Then… then we give her another opportunity to decide what she wants before we end it.”
Mint and I both nod our agreement. Every head in the room nods when they have seen this is our agreement.
When we are done meeting, and have chugged a couple cups of coffee, I make my way to the family room where all the girls are hanging out.
A little twitch of my lips is impossible to fight off.
I am just so fucking glad my wife has finally come to accept just how fucking loved she is.
My heart aches a bit because I know today will be difficult for her.
There will be no pressure, but should she choose to see him, have her piece, then she will get it.
If she changes her mind, or if today isn’t the day, then we deal with that too.
Her head turns, her eyes immediately finding me when I step in. Damn that feels good.
My wife makes her way over to me, her pretty eyes searching my face for whatever I am feeling.
I soften my features so she can see I that all I give a shit about right now is her and what she wants.
Though, she is used to that look, so perhaps for her it just reads as me.
The twitch of my lips it back, she clocks it and her lips push up just a touch on one side.
Guiding her out of the family room, I collect her hand in mine, pulling her body against mine in the clubroom.
I lean my back on the bar and rest her against my body.
My hands come up to brush her cute bangs back into place how she likes them and adjusting one of the big hoops in her ear.
Her delicious nails scratch tantalizing whirls against my sides.
“Sexy girl, tell me what you want. Tell me how you want today to go.” My fingers brush along the edges of her cheeks then down her throat where I cup her neck in my hands, my thumb brushing gently over the blank space she will be adding our tattoo.
Her eyes drop to my chest as she thinks.
When she seems to have come to a decision, her eyes meet mine.
“I want to see him. I don’t know what I want to say or do, but I want to see him.
After… uhm… well I brought my tattoo gear.
I am going to sit with the girls and work on my neck.
I probably can only get through the outline today on myself, doing my own neck is challenging.
So, maybe I can work on yours later? Are we staying here?
Ronny-boy is happy… Jolt texted to let me know he is snoozing in the office now. ”
Besides being able to hear her nervousness, I can feel it rolling off her. My head nods. “Alright, we go see him. After you start on your neck and this evening, since we are staying, you can work on mine… where should I put it?”
She beams at me her hand coming up to my forearm, her nails scrape softly down the skin, it tightens under the teasing movement. “Here.”
I grin. “Done. Can you also put F+H Forever over my heart?”
Her eyes round, clearly loving the idea. Her head nods with joyful excitement. Her hand dropping to my chest, her nails tapping on my chest. “I might do that too. I have a little room… though it will be more on my tit.”
“I want to be there when you do that one and I promise to go easy on your tit until it heals.” Chuckling, I wink at her. She laughs softly and the tension slowly ebbs from her body. Exactly what she needed, even if for just a moment.
Her head gives a firm nod within my grasp, and she gives me a solid look. “Okay, I’m ready.” She pauses, some nervousness creeping in at the corners of her eyes. “I know I don’t have to ask but—well, it’s me—you’ll stay the whole time? You won’t leave?”
“I’ll be with you the whole time. I think your dad and brother would like to be too, but I know they will leave that to you.
But I promise you, you will never be alone in there.
I won’t be letting you out of my sight. It is hard enough to do when I have meetings and we have work, but here, like this—not a fucking chance. ”
Her little shoulders relax as her head bobs. “Okay. Good. Uhm… yeah, let’s let them stay. I actually think it will make me feel better. Honestly… Virus… can he be there too?”
I smile at her liking that she clearly loves and trusts my best friend and brother. “Of course.”
“I think we should invite him around more. With our parents and family stuff.” Her eyes watch me carefully as she says it.
“I think that’s a good idea.” I cup her cheek. “I love that idea.”
She pushes to her toes, and I lean down kissing her plush pink lips.
A little gloss transfers to me and I fucking love it.
Her thumb comes up wiping at my lips and I let her because any touch from Harry is touch I want.
When she seems settled, I take her hand, looking out I see my father-in-law trying to give us privacy from the corner, even though we are out in the open.
Bumping my chin to let him know he is expected, the relief on his face that Harry wants him there is near tangible.
My eyes shift around and catch on Mint, the hope is plain on his face as he watches us, I give him a dip of my chin and he sags a little, I know this means a lot to him.
“And Wally,” Harry quickly adds, her head coming up from her phone where she was texting Jolt to ask if it was okay for Ronny to stay with him.
My chin jerks toward Wally as Mint watched and he nods his understanding.
I see as they all start making their way out back.
I spot Virus with a cup of coffee popping a couple of his favorite tropical skittles in his mouth.
I don’t know why he likes that damned combination of skittles and coffee, but the man is a bit unhinged.
His eyes widen when they catch on me and I motion for him to go outside.
He jumps off his stool and heads out as I take Harry out the other door.
“As long as you want. Say anything you want. Do anything you want,” I tell Harry as I guide her slowly toward the box, my brothers slipping inside ahead of us.
“And if you can’t do it, don’t want to do it, or want to leave…
then that’s what we do. Another day or never, it doesn’t matter.
You control this, Harlow.” I turn her to me at the door, brushing my fingers along her cheek. “You control this.”
She draws in a long slow breath, her body straightening with it, she gives a little nod then turns to the door.
I push it open and guide her in. Her dad, Mint, Wally, and Virus stand around the room, holding up the walls.
Her dad watches Harry while the rest stare down Bobby as he is strapped to the metal chair we have bolted to the floor.
Harry hasn’t yet looked his way, but she does look at her dad. He gives her a nod of encouragement.
Bobby is watching Harry, his brows pinched as he tries to place her. When she turns toward him, his brows go up, recognition filling his features. His eyes travel her body and I want to fucking rip his eyeballs out. His nose scrunches up a little as his eyes make their way back up her.
Harry sighs. “Let me guess, you don’t like the tattoos.”
His eyes dart up meeting hers. “I mean, I don’t hate tattoos, but you have a bit much. You were always beautiful. The neck? Really? You could be a model you are so fucking hot still, but the tattoos? No wonder you are hanging around fucks like this.”
It takes all of my focus to keep from interfering, but this is Harry’s time. If she wants me to step in, she will tell me. She gives a soft laugh which catches me a little off guard.
“You don’t approve of my dad, brothers, and husband?” She gives him a pitying look.
Bobby’s eyes go wide and he actually looks at each of us. They pause a real long time on Hanger before settling on me. “Husband. Huh. Interesting. She has more tatts than you do.”
“Happen to love ‘em.”
“Heard she had skin grafts. That why there are so many tatts?” He gives a smug look, and it occurs to me that this fucking moron really thinks he is going to walk out of here. I hear light chuckles around the room as my brothers all realize this too.
Harry steps in front of me, which with her small stature does nothing to actually block me, but the point is to get him to look at her.
To not dismiss her. Trust me, I’m taking fucking notes.
He will pay for each of his crimes. His eyes fall back on her—another crime in my book because I do not like him looking at my wife.
“Surgeries. Surgeries. More surgeries. You know…” she seems to search for her words. “I am pretty sure I have everything I have today because of you. I suppose in that way I am thankful. But… then again… I likely would have found it all with or without you.”
Bobby rolls his eyes. “Can we cut the lecture part of this? I’ll take my fucking beating and be on my way.”
Harry snorts a laugh. It turns hysterical. We all smirk. She turns to look up at me, pointing over her shoulder with her thumb, the joy filling her face has me smiling wider. “He thinks he is just going to take a beating!”
She swings around, her laughing cuts. I can feel the rage building up in her body from where I stand.
“You lied to me. You hurt me. You scarred my body.
I went through hell because of you. Mentally and physically.
You hurt me. You… you hurt a young boy. How many others have you hurt?
You are disgusting. You are never, ever, ever leaving this place alive.
You think the MC would let you walk out of here with a beating—lesson learned? Seriously?