“What?” Hart roars. “You married my sister? When? What the fuck?”
“Oops,” Harper’s mom whispers.
“Hart, it was before I moved to take the teaching position,” Harper says.
“Excuse me?” Hart seethes.
Brushing fingers through her hair, Harper takes a deep breath and, standing in the parking lot, she quickly runs it down for him. Telling him what Salina and Gigi did to the both of us.
“I’m going to snap both those bitches’ necks for this shit,” Hart snarls.
“You can’t do that. I don’t want you to get into trouble. I haven’t talked to them since moving, and honestly, it’s not worth it,” Harper trembles.
“I beg to differ. You married a guy you don’t even know. Doesn’t matter to me that I know he’s a good guy or not. Or the fact that I respect him. They fuckin’ drugged you, and you don’t remember shit about what happened. It could have been a hell of a lot worse than what did happen. Those bitches need to learn how to fuckin’ act like adults instead of pulling juvenile bullshit like this.”
Damn, Hart is pissed and for good reason.
“Hart,” Harper whispers, tears starting to prick her eyes.
“Wilde, it may be a good idea for you to cool it,” I plead.
“Whip’s right, son. You need to calm down,” Harper’s dad states.
“Did you know about this?” Hart asks, his focus going to his dad.
“After Whip told me.” Harper’s eyes come to me, and I shrug.
“Meant what I said the other day and I mean it now. When it comes to you, I’ll do everything to make it right between us and to make you mine,” I say softly to her before looking to both her dad and brother. “Before any more is discussed, I would prefer we get somewhere where Harper isn’t out exposed to whoever the hell this person is.”
“Right,” Hart mutters and shakes his head. Give me the room key to your room, and Dad and Mom can get the shit from theirs. Take her to one of the hotels across the James River Bridge. It’s closer to K-9’s club. I can get my truck from Wheeler and Forest’s house.”
Nodding, I place a hand at the bottom of Harper’s back and guide her the few steps to my bike. I help her put her helmet back on while she simply stares up at me.
“You okay, Pumpkin?” I ask.
“No,” she whispers honestly.
“You will be. I promise. No one is going to hurt you. You understand?”
Because I’ll be damn sure of it. I might not have kept my sister from being hurt and I’ll always have to breathe through the ache that causes in my chest. But I damn sure can make sure my woman doesn’t come to any harm.
Chapter Fourteen
Harper
Exhausted once again, I’m thankful to finally be alone in our hotel room. God, how did I go from not wanting anything to do with him, needing to protect my heart from this man to wanting to be right there with him? Have him hold me close. Keep me feeling safe in his warmth.
Oh wait, I know, some crazy person is stalking me. The crazy part is Whip knew before I did. Well, more or less, Venom did and told Whip about it.
I want to be mad about this being kept from me, but I can’t find it in me to do so.
Falling onto the bed, I kick off my shoes and bury my face in the pillows. The bed dips next to me, and Whip rolls me to my back.
I open my eyes to look at him to find his filled with concern. “You okay, Pumpkin?”
Am I?
No. I’m definitely not okay. Someone has threatened to kill him in front of me. They heard us together this morning. I don’t know what’s going to happen and it scares the hell out of me. Yes, so no, I’m not okay, but I can’t tell Whip this because then he’ll just see me as the weakling that I am.
“I’m okay,” I whisper.
“No, you’re not. Don’t lie, Harper. We might just be starting out, but I’m still your husband, your man, and I can already tell you you’re a shit liar.” He grins.
Of course, he could tell I’m a shit liar because I don’t like lying.
I never have been a good liar.
With a heavy sigh, I meet Whip’s dark but ever so beautiful eyes. “I’m not,” I whisper softly, and the tears that I’ve been trying so hard to keep from spilling over spill down my cheeks.
“Shit, baby, don’t cry,” Whip rasps, rolls to his side, and pulls me into his arms. “It’s going to be okay. No one is going to touch you.”
Nodding, I don’t say anything. I can’t. The tears just keep coming.
Whip holds me the entire time. I bury my head into his chest. This isn’t how today was supposed to go. Not by a long shot. Hart’s homecoming was supposed to be about him, not me.
Getting control of the tears, I lift my head. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry for having emotions, baby. What’s going on right now is overwhelming, and I don’t blame you for letting those emotions out.”
How can this man be so sweet yet look the way he does?
Okay, so the sweetness doesn’t have anything to do with his looks but still. I figured most guys who look like him were only out for one thing.
“When you and I met, were you only looking for sex?” I blurt.
“What?” He blinks, his head jerks back at my question. “Where did that come from?”
“Well, you know, you’re really hot . . .”
Quirking a brow, Whip’s lips tilt into a half-grin. “What’ve my looks got to do with anything?”
“You know . . . you can get . . . anyone you want . . . as much as you want. The night we met, were you just wanting a one-night stand?”
Whip bursts out laughing and falls to his back, bringing me with him. God, his laugh does something to my belly. Almost like butterflies are fluttering inside.
“That’s fuckin’ funny as hell, Pumpkin.” He chuckles, pulling me over his body to where I straddle his thighs.
I press my hands into his chest and push myself up into a sitting position. I don’t even think about the way I’m sitting on him. “It’s not funny. It’s a serious question,” I warn and attempt to move from his lap. Whip foils this plan by gripping my hips.
“Harper, it is because now I get to explain something about me and the reason why your brother didn’t deck me when he found out about us.” Whip’s voice grows from humor to gruff, and his eyes become a liquid color that makes me want to melt into putty under his touch.
“And what would that be?” I utter before licking my suddenly dry lips.
“Short version of it is, I grew up with a mom who had a revolving door of men coming in and out. I learned quickly that I didn’t want that shit. Sure I’ve got my pick of women I could fuck, but I made a promise to myself that I’d never be like my mom. I left for the military the moment I turned eighteen. The only thing I regret at the time is leaving my sister behind. That’s my burden to bear when it comes to the shit she’s been through. But knowing she’s okay now is the only reason I’m able to live with it.”
It hurts my heart he thinks he needs to feel that way when it comes to his sister. I wonder what happened to her that he carries this guilt.