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I turned my head to face Harper, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity. The only sibling I had disclosed to her was Niles, and that was only because it was necessary. I wasn’t sure why I waited to tell her about Axe; maybe I wanted to make sure our relationship was solid before introducing her to my family.
“There is someone I want you to meet, brother,” I said, keeping my gaze on Harper.
Harper’s eyes followed us as we made our way to the back of the jet. Before I could say anything, Axe spoke up. “Hi, I’m Axe Riley. River’s half-brother.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Harper replied stiffly, a hint of sarcasm coloring her tone. “I’m Harper Scott. River’s attorney.”
I knew I was the reason for her attitude. I should have told her about Axe sooner. “So why are you here, Mr. Riley?” she probed.
Axe looked at me for guidance on how much he should reveal. Not wanting to put him in an uncomfortable position, I stepped in. “Axe works for Davian. He has an office on the outskirts of Chicago. He and the two men who came with him are part of an elite operations team called The Society.”
“The Society?” Harper questioned.
“Yes,” Axe chimed in. “We are a highly trained group of ex-military special forces.”
“And your job is…?” Harper prodded some more.
“Mostly protection, but we also assist authorities in taking down dangerous individuals,” Axe answered confidently, crossing his arms over his chest like a seasoned soldier facing a superior officer. Old habits die hard.
Harper looked past Axe and me to the two men standing behind us. “And these two. Do they have names?” she asked, pointing toward Wade Clark and Zayne Kelly.
“Where are my manners?” Axe chimed in. “This is Wade Clark and Zayne Kelly.” Axe stepped in between them and placed his hands on their shoulders as he introduced them.
It was going to be a long flight to Atlanta.
~
When we landed in Atlanta, I looked out the window to see that Davian had two SUVs from his fleet waiting for us. Brian, Axe, Wade and Zayne were the first to get off the jet, while Harper and I stayed behind. I knew this was all overwhelming for her and I wanted to make sure she wasn’t met with any more surprises.
Taking her hand in mine, I lifted her chin with the other. “I promise there will be no more surprises,” I began. “This is what is going to happen once we get off the plane. I’m going to take you to my home just outside of Atlanta. From there, we are going to take my Land Rover to a wooded area where I have an underground shelter. Until I can figure out what our next move is, that is going to be the safest place for you.”
After giving me a quick nod, Harper finally made eye contact with me. “What are we up against? With all these macho ex-military men surrounding us, I need to know.”
~22~
Harper
I was a simple girl from a small town—Monticello, Illinois, to be exact—where nothing exciting ever happened. About the only excitement there was the annual Freedom Festival. Needless to say, I have had my fill of excitement to last me a lifetime. When I first met River, I never thought I would end up here—running away from danger. Who was he really? What did I get myself into?
When we stepped off the jet, I was greeted by yet another team of ex-military. There was one man in particular that caught my eye. Even though he carried the same build as the rest of the men who stood by the SUVs, he wasn’t dressed the same. Instead, he wore a designer suit, which gave me the sense that he was a man of power. The other three men standing beside him were dressed in t-shits and jeans or combat pants.
River took hold of my hand and led me to the man in the suit. “Harper, I would like you to meet Davian Cross. He is going to help us get to my home safely.”
“It’s so nice to finally meet you, Harper,” Davian said as he held out his hand for me to shake.
“The feeling is mutual,” I replied, taking hold of his hand. “River hasn’t told me much about how you two met, but I’m sure I will learn that over time.”
Davian smiled and looked at River. “I’m sure you will.”
After the short introductions were made, River led me to one of the SUVs and opened the back door for me. As I slid across the seat, Brian and Axe got in the front, with Brian taking his place behind the wheel. Not long after, River took his place beside me.
I wasn’t sure how long of a drive it was to River’s home. All I knew was once we got there, he would be taking me to his shelter in the woods. The thought of being kept inside a shelter gave me an uneasy feeling. When imagining being held in a room no bigger than a shoebox with only a cot to sleep on entered my mind, I became even more anxious.
River must have noticed my uneasiness, because he gave my hand a gentle squeeze. Looking at me with forgiving eyes, he leaned against me. “I know what you’re thinking.”
How could he possibly know what I was thinking? Was he some sort of mind reader? I pulled my hand from his and turned my head toward his. “I’m not certain I can stay in a shelter indefinitely.”
“That is because you have never seen mine,” he replied proudly. “It is nothing like your standard shelter.”
