AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What just happened?” she asks again.
Just thinking about the evil that is my brother, and the threat he made against her has me pulling her close, and kissing her. “Isaac happened,” I say, sliding her under my arm meeting Savage’s stare. “Did you read the note?”
“Barely. They ran us out of there, but yeah, I read the damn thing.”
“Isaac wrote it. His way of trying to force me to protect him and keep him alive.” But what doesn’t make sense to me is the fact thatit also forces me to protect my father. In fact, it protects my father over Isaac and I have no doubt, he needs my father’s money.
“Are you sure about that?” Savage asks. “It’s typed, not handwritten.”
“What note?” Harper asks, and I take it from Savage and hand it to her.
She scans it, her pale skin turning paler as she looks up at me. “How are you sure it’s him?”
“Because he’s stupid enough to use the words ‘your move, savant’ which he used to say to me all the time when my father pitted us against each other. The message here is clear. If he doesn’t survive, I inherit and that means more than money. I inherit his problems which includes the mob. Which also means I have to fucking fix them for him. Then I’ll deal with him once and for all.”
Harper turns to face me. “How? It’s the mob.”
“He threatened you twice, baby. He’s going to pay.”
“How?” she repeats.
“I might just feed him to the fucking mob and let them handle him.”
Isaac appears beside us and I release Harper, taking the note from her. “Go check on my father, sweetheart.”
She nods but she drags her hand down my arm in the process, lingering a moment before she turns away, as if she doesn’t want to go. I motion to Savage and he follows her, though I’m sure he’d rather watch the show.
“Your move, savant,” I say, repeating his now infamous jab. “I am a savant, Isaac, but it doesn’t take that skill to figure this out.” I hold up the note. “Did you really think I wouldn’t know you left this?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You left the note. You’re in trouble with the mob. I already knew that, but you’re on your own. The only way that note would motivate me is if there wasn’t a layer of protection between me and you, but he’s alive. There’s two of you. One or both of you can handle this on your own.”
“You don’t know who we’re dealing with,” he hisses, closing the space between us. “They’ll come for you. They already told me to go to you.”
“I know who you’re dealing with. I do my homework. You fucked with the mob. Now they’re going to fuck you up. Not my problem, but if you hurt Harper, I will personally punish you,make you suffer and then kill you. Now, I’m going to leave this godforsaken hospital, and spend time with my woman.” I start to walk away from him, but I hesitate. “If you kill Dad, you might inherit, but then you have to deal with the mob by yourself. And if you think the mob will just take what you owe them and forgive and forget, you’re wrong. You need Dad to deal with this.” I walk around him.
“He thought we needed you. That’s why he came here. I didn’t do that to him. I didn’t hurt him. They did.”
I pause and consider that possibility. Maybe they did. Maybe they didn’t. He’s still trying to get me to protect him.
I take a step and this time I don’t stop. I walk to the room, catch Harper’s hand, and set her in motion toward the elevator, with Savage quickly joining us. “What happened?” Harper asks. “What are we doing?”
“We’re going shopping,” I say. “Then we’re going to dinner. And then we’re going to fuck all night.” I glance at Savage. “You’re not invited. We’ll meet you downstairs.”
He laughs but he isn’t laughing when we arrive at the elevator and I stop him from entering. “I meant it. You’re not invited. Give us a damn minute alone, already. We’ll meet you downstairs. And you and your people need to find the guy who approached Harper the last time we were here. Now, not later.” Harper steps into the elevator and then I block the doors from closing.
“Right. Find the guy who claimed to be an FBI consultant. Beat him. Make him talk. It’s a good mission. I accept. Jesse will wait for you at the door. I’ll be there when you’re ready.”
I want to tell them all to fuck off, but I have no idea what threats or promises the mob has made. I only know what Isaac has said and his word is nothing.
I nod, then step into the car and join Harper, pushing the down button, and pulling her close. The way Isaac threatened Harper is grinding through me, and it’s all I can do not to hunt him down and beat his face in. Savage stands in the doorway watching us until we’re sealed inside. He’s on edge, worried about what I will do next, worried about my loose cannon brother, and I am too, or I wouldn’t be holding onto Harper a little too hard right now. She senses it, I know she senses it, gripping my jacket and saying nothing.
A short elevator ride later, we exit the building to an SUV waiting on us, with Jesse leaning on the door. He’s a big dude, dark hair,kind of broody and quiet which suits me right now. I actually do like Savage, but the fucker talks too much and I need him out of my head right now.
Jesse opens the door for us and Harper climbs inside. I follow. Jesse doesn’t ask a question or speak a word. He shuts us inside and leaves us in silence. The instant we’re alone, I shrug out of my coat, and turn Harper to face me and fold her close.
She presses on my chest and inches backward, her gaze probing. “Eric. This is all scaring me. Why aren’t you talking to me? What—”
