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“I’ll handle it.”
“How?”
“Does it matter?” I can’t tell her the level of violence I feel when I see that prick, so I’ll be welcoming the day he kicks off, just so I can lay into him.
“He’ll take Harlee from me,” she mutters, her words laced with worry.
“That’s not going to happen, Siren. I won’t let it. Just say you’ll give me a chance and I will protect you from him.”
“You can’t,” she whispers.
“I can. I promise. There’ll be no more phone calls with him checking on you, no more threats to take Harlee away. Agree to be mine and that all stops.”
“Yours?” she repeats, almost looking amused. “What does that even mean?”
“It means you become my ol’ lady,” the words tumble out before I’ve thought them through, but they feel right. “And I protect you with my life, and so do my club.”
“Just a few hours ago, I found out you were using me to get to Finn. Now you’re basically telling me you want to look after me and spend forever with me?” she asks, arching a brow. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough to know we deserve a chance to explore whatever’s going on between us. You must feel it too, Neve. We’ve got something.” She bites on her lower lip and I know I’ve got her so I smile, reaching over the table to tug her lip free. “Yes?” She gives a nod, a small smile playing on her lips.
I stand, pulling her with me and wrapping my arms around her. I kiss her hard, lifting her off her feet. “Thank you,” I whisper against her lips. “You won’t regret it.”
I’d dropped Neve off at Mya’s with the promise to call by later. And now, sitting at my desk in my office, I can’t help the permanent smile on my face. I’ll give it some time before I announce to the club I’ve taken an ol’ lady. I don’t want to scare Neve off completely, but I can’t fucking wait to have her here with me.
A knock at the door breaks my daydreaming and Griff comes in looking pissed. The last few days he’s had a frown fixed on his face but we’re not the sort to talk feelings. Or at least we weren’t before I got sent down. We’ve never been like that, even though we’re close and have always been since the day he was born. I take a deep breath before asking, “You okay?”
He frowns, looking at me like I’ve lost my mind before muttering, “Yeah, you?”
“I’m good,” I say, “Me and Neve are working things out.” I’d told him about the fact she’d discovered my plan.
He looks surprised. “I didn’t see that coming, she always seems so hard faced. How did you manage to convince her you’re not a total dick head?”
I snigger. “Because I’m not.” He scoffs and I laugh. “I like her, Griff,” I say more seriously. “When I’m with her, the world makes sense. My heads been fucked for so long and she calms the crazy. I haven’t felt like that since . . .” I trail off and Griff gives a sympathetic smile.
“What about Finn?”
I smirk. “Finn is going to get what’s coming to him. Did you know he makes Neve call him every night to make sure she’s alone?”
Griff shudders, “The bloke gives me the creeps. When I first saw him with her, I didn’t like the way he was with her, like she’s his property. And the kid looks terrified of him.”
“Yeah well, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to him finding out about the two of us,” I admit. “I’ve agreed to let her do it in her own time, she’s shit scared of him. But I have a feeling he’ll know sooner rather than later. I’m not a patient man when it comes to claiming what’s mine.”
Griff laughs. “Careful Pres, that sounds a bit like you’re laying claim.” I arch a brow and he sits straighter. “You’re fucking laying claim?”
So much for me keeping it to myself. “Like I said, I’m impatient.”
Neve
Work is hell. It’s chaotic and this is the fifth complaint I’ve had to deal with in less than an hour. I wave to get the porters attention and he rushes over. “Can you go to the holding rooms and see if you can find a bag belonging to Mr Hart, it hasn’t arrived in his room yet.” He gives a nod and rushes off. I turn back to the angry customer. “I apologise again, Mr. Hart. Please go to your room and someone will bring your luggage right up.”
I’ve been working at the Hotel Le Pruzé for the last two years and I love it. I can fit my shifts around Harlee’s nursery and my boss is pretty relaxed. But as I step out into the busy London street after my busy three-hour shift, I sigh in relief. All I’ve thought about all day is getting home to snuggle with Harlee. And the fact Ryder is calling around later tonight is also putting a spring in my step.
“We need to talk.” Finn steps in my path, halting me. My heart drops like it always does when I see him. When I spoke with Ryder on the phone last night, I’d agreed to try and be stronger around Finn and not let him push me around so much, but it’s easier said than done when he just turns up like this and I’m unprepared.
“I have to get back for Harlee,” I say, coldly. “I get charged extra if I run over her time slot with the childminder.”
“Call her, I’ll pay the extra,” he says firmly.
