Chapter 22
Harlow
I could see the shock rolling over Fox’s face. Did he not know this? I had no idea how motorcycle gangs or whatever worked, but weren’t they supposed to know this stuff? They always had connections in the movies. People feeding them information on how others saw them or whatever. But he seemed genuinely shocked, and that only confused me more.
“Yeah,” I said. “Thrown under the bus.”
“Why would your father want to pin something on us?” Fox asked.
“I don’t know. Aren’t you supposed to know that? I had lunch with him today, and that’s how this all started. My father’s always been a straightforward man. He used to use his clients to teach me lessons. He would always tell me what the person was guilty of, explain how it was different from what they were being charged with, then he would defend them with his life and get them the help they needed,” I said.
“What did he say to you at lunch? Harlow, this is important. Lives are at stake here.”
Fox reached out for my hand, and I took it as my arm started to tremble. Murder for revenge. Lives being at stake. Throwing other people under the bus for things they didn’t do. What had my father gotten himself into?
What kind of man had he become?
“Um… he, uh…”
“Harlow, look at me.”
I raised my eyes towards Fox and saw his comforting stare. His hands clasped around mine as his thumbs traced mindless pictures on the top of my skin. I felt myself relaxing as he moved from his seat, scooting me over so he could sit next to me. He threaded his arm around my body, pulling me close to him so my ear could lay right over his heart.
Right over the comforting rhythm of the life pumping through his body. I couldn’t explain it, but for some reason I trusted him.
“Take your time,” Fox said. “Take a deep breath.”
“My father said he was trying to figure out whether or not this rival gang of who he’s defending pinned something on them. But he said it was taking a bit of side-stepping in order to get it done. But he didn’t say anything other than that. That was what tipped me off to the fact that something was wrong. My father has always been straightforward with me about what his clients do, what they’ve done, what they’re being accused of, and why they’re not guilty in the eyes of the law. He couldn’t do that this time. He was being shady and dodging my questions. He was ready to shut down the conversation before it even got going. It wasn’t like my father.”
“That makes sense,” Fox said.
“What’s going on?” I asked. “What has my father gotten himself into?”
“It’s a long story, but I can try to truncate it a bit for you.”
“I don’t want truncation, I want the truth.”
“I have to leave some of the stuff out. For your protection. These are ruthless men, and if they think you’re involved and you know something, they’ll come after you without a second thought.”
“Even though my father’s working with them?” I asked.
“Especially because of that.”
I closed my eyes and sighed as Fox placed a chaste kiss on top of my head.
“The phone call I got when I was with you in the desert that night was from the President of my club. Calling a meeting because things with The Devil’s Saints were ramping up. It’s why I took you home and couldn’t stay with you,” he said.
“What was the meeting about?” I asked.
“I can’t give you specifics, but one of the topics was you. When you gave me your name and your number, I realized who you were. Put the pieces together and confirmed the information with a source we have. The club wanted me to get close to you so we could get dirt on your father.”
“You what?” I asked.
I pulled away from his grasp and backed into the window. I could feel anger start to form a knot in my stomach.
“Harlow, just keep listening. It’s not as bad as it sounds.”
“Not as bad as it sounds? You just sat here and told me you were infatuated with me or something, then you tell me you were just using me to get to my father? And I’m not supposed to be upset with all this!?”
“Harlow, please. Just let me continue.”
“Why the hell would you want dirt on my father? Why the fuck would you need that information?”
I saw Fox’s eyes widen with my outburst as I climbed up into the windowsill. I wanted as much space between the two of us as I could get. He used me. Tried to get close to me for information. Was that why he was so excited to come here? Because he was now in the home of the man he was trying to spy on?
“You better start talking before I kick you out,” I said.
“Your father doesn’t practice the type of law you think he does,” Fox said.
“Then enlighten me,” I said flatly.
“The men and women your father defend are guilty of the crimes they are committing. The drug running. The murders. The assaults. All of it. But he uses the ‘beyond a shadow of a doubt’ theory to his advantage. He plants just enough circumstantial evidence in court to get just one jury member doubting the charges, and they all fall through. And in return, those people pay your father a shit ton of money to keep him on retainer.”
“No. That’s not true,” I said. “My father is a crusader. He defends those who are indefensible and gets them what they are owed.”
“No, he doesn’t. He keeps them from getting what they’re owed. Harlow, just take a deep breath. Think about the conversation you had with your father at lunch. How he talked about side-stepping things? What kind of good and honest lawyer side-steps anything in his profession?”
“He does not!” I exclaimed. “My father is a good man. You’re the one who’s wrapped up in all this shit. For all I know, you’re the club who’s guilty, and my father’s only trying to prove that!”
“We’re guilty of many things, but not the things your father is trying to throw us under the bus for.”
“He’s not doing anything like that,” I said.
“You just said a few minutes ago that you got the feeling he was. What’s changed since then, Harlow?”
My mind was swirling. This wasn’t happening. That was not the man my father was. This asshole had wiggled his way into my world, and when he saw something that benefited him, he sought to exploit it. This was the exact reason why my father wanted me staying away from these kinds of men. Because they were only in it for themselves without giving a second thought as to the people they were railroading.
“Get out,” I said.
“Harlow, I can’t leave-”
“I said… get out!”
I stood to my feet and planted my hands on his shoulder. I pushed him out of the breakfast nook as he stumbled to his feet. I lunged at him, continuing to push him all the way to the front door before he bucked up against me. He planted his feet firmly on the ground, and no matter how hard I pushed, he wouldn’t budge.
“Get the hell out of this house,” I said.
“I’m not leaving without you,” Fox said.
“Not your fucking decision. Now get. Out.”
I beat my fist into his chest, but all he did was look down at me.
“Get out!”
I beat him over and over again, slamming my closed fists into his body. He stood there, taking my assault as tears poured down my cheeks. I thought he liked me. I thought he enjoyed me. I thought he was taken by me like I was with him. But I had allowed a traitor to wiggle his way in. To plant more doubt into my mind about my father at a time where I was weakest against him.
I hated him.
I hated all of him.
“Get out,” I said breathlessly.
“I’m not leaving with you, Harlow. I can’t,” Fox said.
“Why not?” I asked with a whimper.
I leaned my forehead into his chest as his hands wrapped around my wrists.
“Because I’m not done with my story,” he said.
“What the fuck is going on?” I asked. “Why are you really here? And don’t give me some bullshit about you caring about me. It’s obvious you don’t.”
I heard him draw in a slow breath as his hands dropped from my wrists. How could things have gone so wrong so quickly?
Why the hell was this happening?
“I have outside contacts that have gotten me into trouble. Without going into too much detail, I allowed my greed for money to rule some poor decisions, and how you’re in the crossfire.”
“Of course, I am,” I said as I pulled back. “Because men like you are nothing but trouble.”
“They threatened your life today, and that was why I was so hell-bent on getting to you. My feelings for you haven’t changed. I do actually care about you. I want to protect you. I want you around. I want to keep you safe. But I can’t make you want me. Not after what I’ve told you. But so long as your life is in danger, I can’t leave your side. If you want me to stay with you, that’s fine. I can arrange that. But I’m not leaving you. If I leave, you come with me.”
“I’m not going anywhere with a man who used me to get information on my father,” I said.
“Then I’ll stay with you,” Fox said.
“You’re not staying anywhere. I’ll tell my father who the fuck you really are. I’ll expose everything and deal with his wrath if it means getting away from you.”
“No, you won’t,” he said.
“And why the fuck not?” I asked.
“Because I know, deep down, you still think something’s wrong with your father. And I know, deep down, that you believe what I’m saying. And I know, deep down, that you don’t hate me the way your eyes are saying you do.”
“I can’t do this with you. It’s all so much. What are you doing? Running drugs? Guns? Sex trafficking?”
“Hell no,” I said. “Drugs. Just… selling drugs to make up for the fact that my club isn’t going to run them anymore.”
“So, The Road Rebels or whoever the fuck you are, decided to stop illegal activity, and you just decided you weren’t gonna have it? And now I have to pay for it!?”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I let my greed get in the way. I let things in my life cloud my judgment, and now everyone around me is paying for it. But if you let me protect you like I know I can, when this is all do, I’ll let you go. You can leave me behind, and I won’t stop you. You can report me to the police, and I won’t try to fight it. Just let me guard you for now until I can fix this.”
I turned around and looked back at him, taking in his haggard form. His shoulders were hunched, and his eyes were empty. He was no longer the strong man I’d allowed inside of me earlier. He was vulnerable. Worried. Aching deep inside and exposed like a raw nerve. I shook my head and bit the inside of my cheek as I clenched my fists at my side.
I was irate, but I was also in trouble.
I believed him when he said that.
“Where would we go?” I asked.
“What?”
“If I went with you, where would we go?”
“To the club’s lodge. We’re all holed up there right now, trying to stay safe. And you wouldn’t be the only woman there. You’d have people to talk to. People outside of the group that understands the position you’ve been put in.”
“So, your group makes a habit of this,” I said.
I heard him sigh as I shook my head. I couldn’t believe this was happening. What the hell was I supposed to do? I had a job to work. Clients that relied on me. An apartment to upkeep and pay for. Bills to take care of. I couldn’t just take Fox at his word and have him whisk me away to some super-secret lodge filled with people I didn’t know.
What kind of woman did he think I was?
“You can hate me all you want,” Fox said, “but you’ve gotta let me protect you. I’m not leaving here without you.”