20. Harper #2
“Oh my God! You’re fucking them, aren’t you?” Dax blurted out. “Holy shit, I didn’t think they had a chance with you!”
Ghost dove across the bed and snatched the phone off the pillow I’d set it on. “No, give me that back. I’m not done talking to her. She hasn’t said a damn thing about what’s going on.”
“Are you sure? We’ve been so busy the past few days, you haven’t gotten the attention you deserve,” Ghost countered and plucked at one of my nipples poking up under my bikini’s thin fabric.
They all knew they were my weakness and before I had the chance to stifle it, a moan burst out as Jaxson gently bit the other nipple, not wanting to be left out.
The two of them had me on the verge of coming, and they hadn’t even been trying.
Maybe they were right and I’d gone too long without a good romp.
With three men always ready and willing, it seemed my appetite had grown to match theirs.
“Hey! If you have sex while I’m still on the phone, I’m not paying for the experience, just so we’re clear,” Dax yelled into the phone.
Dax’s voice was like cold water making me realize they’d successfully distracted me from talking to her.
Fingers started to slip between my legs, but I put a stop to it.
“Goddammit, Jaxson, I’m going to talk to my best friend, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
If you don’t give me an hour, then I’m cutting you off from shaving duty,” I declared, giving him a stern look.
“You wouldn’t dare. That is our time Harper,” Jaxson shot back, narrowing his eyes at me.
“Try me, asshole,” I bit out.
“Fine, one hour, and I’m setting a timer so you can’t say shit when it’s up.
” Jaxson left only to return with a kitchen egg timer he twisted to the hour setting.
Taking the phone from Ghost, he addressed my best friend.
“Dax, we owe you a solid for helping make Harper our woman. We always knew she would be, but this time away has been invaluable.”
My brows rose at the seriousness in his voice I’d ever heard before.
“Well, that’s good because I might have a job for you guys. It’s not gonna be your typical job, but I guarantee it will be fun,” Dax shared, and I could see the excitement light up in Jaxson’s eyes.
“We’ll talk about that after Harper gets her hour with you. A deal is a deal, after all,” Jaxson reminded, pointing to the timer.
“’Til later then,” Dax agreed.
Jaxson tossed me the phone, and I darted into the bathroom and slammed the door.
Letting out a frustrated huff, I went into the tub area and sat on the stool in there.
“Dax, I really don’t know if I should kill you myself the next time I see you or hug you for what you’ve put me through these past two weeks.
I still can’t tell if they’re batshit crazy or just lacking in any kind of moral compass. ”
“Isn’t that the same thing?” she questioned.
“You know it’s not because you ride that line as well. Now tell me everything I need to know about what the hell has been going on with you since we got separated at the beach,” I demanded.
“All right, but I’ll have to talk fast if we only have an hour,” she teased before diving into the whole saga.
While I knew the guys wouldn’t have all the information, seeing as they were only talking to Wes and picking up things here and there, I was stunned at what transpired in the past two weeks. Now she was telling me an old flame had just inserted himself back into her life.
“Wait, I’m sorry, the man you were madly in love with and left without a word when you dropped out of college has been keeping tabs on you this whole time?” I blurted. “Wait, back up one second. Does this mean he knew about you being Two Tricks? Was I the only person who didn’t know?”
A heavy sigh greeted me from the other end of the phone. I knew she was frustrated that I wouldn’t just let this go, but I’d been extremely hurt she’d lied to me. We were family, and family didn’t keep shit like that from each other.
“Harper, can you honestly tell me that you don’t regret knowing now?
” Dax challenged. “I mean, look what happened to you because of me. Things could've been so much worse if you’d been involved in this part of my life from the beginning. Everything I did was to keep you safe and not taint your view of the world and the beauty you see in it.”
Damn her and the skill she had to make me see things from her perspective.
“Look, I get it, I do, but if I’d at least had a clue there was a darker side to your life, I might have been more prepared for all of this.
” My mind flitted back to meeting the drug lord and a mob boss in the short time I’ve been gone.
“Now I’m tossed into the deep end, and I don’t know who to trust or how I’ll be able to return to normal once all this is over.
Like you said, these guys have their own secrets and shadows they move in. ”
“Babe, I hate to break it to you, but if you’re sleeping with them, there is no way you will ever have a mundane life again,” she pointed out. “They don’t give up what they’ve won. Ever.”
“Just to be clear, I have not agreed to be their girl. That is not a commitment I’m ready for yet.
They are mind-blowing in bed, but there is only so much you can do when you’re trying to lie low.
Oh, their version of a good time, if I didn’t wrangle them in, would involve getting a felony or worse if we get caught,” I groaned, remembering Ghost asking me the other day if I wanted to join him on observing an arms deal for one of their contacts.
“There is no way we could make this work under normal circumstances.”
Even as I said those words, I didn’t really believe them myself. I knew I’d changed, and so had they, doing everything they could to ensure this could work.
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that. They have their ways of getting people to see reason.
” Dax chuckled. “It would be a lie if I told you they haven’t talked me into doing some stupid shit in the name of fun.
I wouldn’t be too worried about returning to normal life just yet.
There’s a lot more to deal with before I think you can come home. ”
“Wait, there’s more you haven’t told me?” I demanded, panic starting to grow as all the worst scenarios popped into my head.
“You wanted to know about the house, right?” Dax asked.
“Yes, I want to know everything.” Getting up, I peeked out the bathroom door to see the timer. “Looks like we have fifteen minutes left. Can you get it all out in that amount of time?”
“It’s pretty straightforward. I have a secret admirer that was tired of me ignoring him and decided this was the best way to make me give him my full attention.
Which, I might add, he absolutely has. Now my sole purpose in life is finding the best way to destroy him in every way possible,” Dax concluded.
“Damn, I haven’t heard you this upset since you dropped out of college after your twin Devin died,” Harper said with a whistle. “So, this mystery guy is the one who blew up your house?”
My mind went straight to what Magnus had told me about that Marco cartel guy. This had to be the person, even if she didn’t say it outright. How in the world was she going to deal with someone in another country who was sending assassins after her left and right?
“Yeah, and he did it as he was talking to me on the phone, knowing I was watching from the security cameras.”
“What an asshole,” I yelled, unable to keep my rage in check when it came to my best friend.
“Couldn’t agree with you more. He also somehow managed to break into a safe in the house and steal my parents’ wedding rings and my mom’s locket that Dad gave her when we were born. The cocksucker took the last things I have from my parents and left a note in its place,” Dax growled.
“Please, tell me there is something I can do? Or maybe the guys, I know you want me to stay hidden, but I can’t stand by while this bastard is coming after you,” I pleaded.
“Let me talk to Magnus, and I’ll explain what I need done,” Dax answered just as the timer started to chime, letting me know our girl time was up.
“I’m surprised they aren’t all in here, having had to survive a whole hour without me.
Hold on while I go get him,” I commented as I wandered out of the bedroom.
I didn’t see them in the kitchen or living room, so I headed back outside.
Jaxson and Ghost sat next to each other on the lounge chair, looking glum but perked up the second they saw me.
“Hey, Magnus, Dax wants to talk to you,” I said, offering him the phone, which he promptly took off speaker.
“Hello,” Magnus greeted as he walked out further into the backyard, so I couldn’t hear what he was saying.
I got up to follow after him, but the other two snatched me up and snuggled me between them.
“Nope, you’re not going anywhere, missy,” Ghost scolded, booping me on the nose.
“We gave you time with Dax. Now you’re ours.
Trust me, if Mag feels like we need to know what they are talking about, he’ll tell us.
Those two have an odd understanding when it comes to business, and I can tell by his face, this is absolutely shop talk. ”