“I know.” Griffin relaxes in his chair slightly. “I know about Brett, and that she sends money to help her mom. It doesn’t involve them. But they are threatening to hurt someone she cares about.”
“Who?”
“You.”
“They can bring it the fuck on!” I bang my fist on the table, making the cutlery and glasses shake. I turn and give an apologetic nod to the table nearest to us.
I look back at Griffin and meet his cool blue gaze. “There is nothing they can do to me that can warrant Harley thinking she needs to keep away from me. She meanseverythingto me.”
“I know she does. Welcome to the club. Our balls might as well have a neon sign hung on them advertising that they now belong to Maria and Harley.”
“Not just my balls, Griff.” My lips pull into a small smile. “She owns every fucking part of me. And I would give her more if I could.”
“You’ve always been a romantic underneath, eh?” Griffin’s lips twitch.
“Takes one to know one.”
Griffin chuckles. “I suppose it does.”
“So now you need to tell me. What the fuck is this asshole holding over her? What has her thinking it’s so bad that she can’t come to me about it? What’s made her run? Tell me.”
I crack my knuckles as I wait for him to answer.
“Tell me what stupid fucker thinks they can threaten my girl and get away with it?”
Chapter thirty
Harley
Myphonevibratesinmy purse, and I reach in to pull it out, seeing ‘Reed’ flash up on the screen, but before I can answer, a small voice screeches out from behind me.
“Harleeeyyy!”
The next second, small arms are wrapping around my legs as a little warm body presses into them, and I let my phone drop back into my purse.
“Hey, Paige.” I crouch down level with her. “You look different? Have fairies been pulling on your toes at night and making you grow?” I narrow my eyes and wiggle my fingers against her belly as she laughs.
“I don’t know. Have they, Uncle Stu?” She turns to look up at Stuart, and he smiles at both of us.
“Oh, I think so. Although, how they put up with these stinky little things I don’t know.” He lifts her in the air, pretending to sniff her feet and screw his nose up before he puts her back down.
“Oh, he’s just mad because I bet his feet are all hairy like monster paws.” I grin at Paige as she giggles, her curls bouncing around her cheeks. “Oh, hey, I got you a little something. Here.” I reach into my purse and pull out the small bleating goat stuffed toy.
“He’s just like the one at my party!”
“I know. I thought you might like him.” I stand up, joy warming my heart for the first time in days as I look at her delighted face.
“Raa!”
“Hey!” Stuart laughs as Paige butts the goat into his thigh.
“It’s what Freddy did to Weed.” She butts the soft goat against Stuart’s other thigh as he laughs.
“I know, I remember. Best thing I’ve seen in ages,” Stuart says.
I fight to hold the smile on my face as Paige skips a few steps ahead of us as we walk. That day at her party was before all this began. When I was just getting to know who Reed really was. When things were simpler. God, I would love to go back. Just for the day. To remember what it was like to be together. Before anyone was trying to sabotage him. Trying to use me against him.
“I have a confession, Harley,” Stuart says, pulling my gaze from Paige, skipping and singing. “There is a reason I wanted to talk to you today. Away from Reed.”