Nodding, I run my fingers through my hair and listen as he continues to tell me about his sister.
How did I forget him telling me about his sister?
I’ve fucked up.
Venom told me Hart reached out to him asking if we’d keep an eye out for his sister while he was still deployed.
Fuckin’ hell.
Hart is going to kill me.
I need to talk to him.
Talk to someone.
Shit.
Out of respect for him, I need to talk to him before I can take this further with Harper.
Hitting the throttle, I maneuver down the roads heading for nowhere in particular. My head isn’t in the right headspace. By the time I realize I’d gotten on I-95, I say fuck it to all. I keep going, deciding it’s time to check on my sister and see my niece and nephews. Mainly, I need to see her.
Being a big brother myself, I understand it’s not easy to watch out for your sister when they don’t let you. I fucked up royally when it comes to Brielle. She’s my Mini and will always be my Mini. When she got involve with Titus, and all the bullshit that she went through, she kept it hidden from me. I was blinded to all the shit she hid, because I didn’t want to see it. That’s the only thing I can think of. It’s why I’ve made sure since I found out about everything Brielle kept from me I get down to Emerald Isle more often to see her and be a part of her life. And her kids.
Crossing the city line for Emerald Isle, I let out a sigh of relief. It’s been a long ass ride. Other than stopping for gas, coffee, and a quick bite to eat, I’ve kept going. I did at least text Venom and Stoney letting them know I was taking an impromptu ride out to visit my sister.
I didn’t text Harper to tell her I’m sorry. I didn’t know what the hell to say to her. How do I explain the way I left in a way for her to understand? I haven’t seen her brother since that deployment. Now he’s my fuckin’ brother-in-law. That is if I don’t annul our marriage.
Weaving through the curves, I make my way down the road leading to the Inferno’s Clutch MC clubhouse. I stop at the gate so the prospect can see who I am. Nodding, he opens the gate and I head through, heading to the house Ryder built for my sister off to the side of the clubhouse. Several of the members have built houses on the property, including Chains and Tyres.
The door to my sister’s house opens as I park in front of it, next to Ryder’s bike. My sister’s ol’ man, Ryder, steps out onto the porch with Lucy in his arms.
“You look like shit,” he mumbles as I approach.
When I first met Ryder, I wasn’t sure about him, but after seeing the way he is with my sister, I have respect for him. He might be older than her by several years; however, the way I see it, age is only a number as long as the person is of legal age.
“Thanks,” I grumble, wiping a hand over my face. I’m far more tired than I’ve ever felt. The ride was long and one I definitely needed.
“Come on, Brielle should be back with the boys any minute. They were with Carson at Fury’s house.” I nod and follow him into the house. My sister decorated in neutral earth colors. The large sectional takes up most of the living room, but with the massive size, you don’t need anything else. There’s a large ass TV hanging on the wall with the Steelers vs. Saints game playing. From the score, looks like the Saints are winning.
Hell yeah. I might be a Cowboys fan, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a second favorite and a third. Saints and the Panthers are my other two favorites that I’ll root for.
“So, what’s up with the trip this time around? And don’t think you can lie about it. Your sister can’t lie about a damn thing, and I know you can’t either.” This is why Ryder was a damn good man. He calls it as he sees it. Plus, he doesn’t take any shit.
Taking a deep breath, I launch in, telling him about Harper and what I found out the other day. About how she and I were both drugged, ended up married, everything. Including Hart, serving with him. Ryder listens as he puts Lucy down on the floor to play with her toys before heading into the open space kitchen, where he opens the refrigerator and pulls out two beers.
“Damn, brother, your shit is fucked up right about now,” Ryder murmured, handing me one of the beers.
“You can say that again,” I mumble.
My head’s a wreck right now, and I need to get my shit together before I see Harper again. I just hope that by the time that happens, I’ll have my head clear again and I can explain to her everything she needs to know.
I’ll spend time with my family, talk to my sister, tell her about Harper. Then I’ll plan on a way to make it up to Harper and tell Hart I’d married his sister. Even if I married her when we were both drugged. I know, for a fact, I don’t want to let her go. Not even my own insecurities about marriage and women can keep me from making her mine.
Ryder
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Whip like this. Not since the day he came here to the clubhouse to see his sister after finding out she was hurt. I know both my woman and her brother have been through hell, but if my brother-in-law knew just what his sister has been through in life, heard her nightmares in the middle of the night. He’d feel like shit.
I don’t hold a grudge against him but seeing him strung up about a woman is something is what he needs to understand why I’m the way I am with his sister. I’ll do what it takes to keep her out of harms way.
Leaving Whip in the living room with my daughter, I go upstairs, pull out my phone and dial Brielle’s number. I know she should be back any minute, but she’ll still want the heads-up Whip’s here. She doesn’t do well with surprises and what he’s got to say is one hell of a shocking surprise, I don’t want her to get upset. Not when I know she’s going through her own turmoil she thinks she can keep to herself.
“Hey, we’ll be home in a minute. I just pulled onto the road leading to the clubhouse,” she says answering the phone.
“That’s good, mon bijou. I just wanted to let you know we’ve got company when you get here and you need to prepare yourself for what he’s got to say,” I state not beating around the bush with this. I’m done with keeping things gentle and easy breaking through. She needs to know what she’s coming home to, and she needs to know its not going to be fun to listen to.
And maybe just maybe she might tell her brother about her nightmares that continue to haunt her.
Chapter Nine
Harper
This past week has been one of the worst weeks of my life. Talk about miserable. All I kept wondering was what I could have done to make Whip leave the way he did.
Why do I even bother? It’s not like I didn’t know I wasn’t worth it to him. Honestly, I was naïve enough to think I could possibly, maybe, just maybe be worth it. Then again, I’m not experienced anywhere close to a level of knowing what I’m doing when it comes to sex. Whip is the only guy I’ve been with, and he doesn’t even know it. I’m sure he probably thinks I’m the worst chick he’s ever nailed.
The only bright side to my week I’m thankful to have is such wonderful students who love to learn. They make my job enjoyable every day and worthwhile. I love seeing all of their smiling faces when they walk through the doors ready to see what the day will bring in our adventures of literature, math, history, science.