Page 10

“What the hell happened?”

Shaide bellows in exasperation.

I was forced to rehire Clarissa even with her lack of expertise, given the last-minute circumstance. She holds up a hand to silence us so she can listen to Harlyn with her stethoscope.

After I knocked him out using a choke hold, I brought him home with me. He’s lying on the couch, all poise gone. Dried blood caked on his pale skin and angry bruises forming.

Truthfully, I don’t know what the fuck happened. All I do know is that he was getting under my skin, making me feel things I didn’t want to feel and think things I didn’t want to think. I just wanted to get one up on him. I had no idea that would be his reaction.

After our encounter the other night, I’ve avoided him like the plague. It was a mistake. I knew it at the time, and I did it anyways because I'm a fucking idiot. I can't say I regret it though. The way he responded to me was fucking magic and I’m barely containing myself in his presence anymore.

The fact that he used to work for that monster Marcus, kept eating away at me, and I just sort of lost it on him. The result was indescribable. The whole thing was unreal. Never seen anything like it. It was like a living breathing thing and anyone within a fifty-mile radius could have felt the raw agony Harlyn released.

He wouldn’t stop hitting himself and screaming. Apparently that didn’t work because he resorted to destroying the place. His fists flew faster than I'd have imagined him being. He was a savage with no reason and my heart stopped beating in my chest, and then kind of broke for him.

I kind of hate him for it.

Here I was thinking he was a controlled asshole, but low and behold there's a sheet of glass that covers his fractured interior. He's a broken doll that puts on a show. Flawless on the outside, wrecked on the inside and I got to witness his porcelain crack.

I stare at him now. With stitches through his right eyebrow and dried blood that fell from his beaten nose and into his sassy mouth. Knuckles wrapped in gauze, light blonde hair askew and beautiful. Even when it appears that he went toe to toe with lightening and lost, he exhibits elegance. It's stupid because he's nothing of the sort. I'm still unconvinced he's innocent in his sudden appearance into our life.

“Okay. I’ve given him something that will help with the pain, but he may be unconscious for some time because of it. His face needs to be properly cleansed to avoid any infections. Other than that, he’ll be okay.”

Clarissa says.

I shoo her away with a thank you, before she can throw out any insane accusations regarding insects, and I'm forced to fire her again. Then I return to staring at his small form like that will give me all the answers. Guys like him have never been my type, and I have a lot of types. There is no use denying it anymore though. I'm begrudgingly attracted to him. Severely so.

I can feel the lingering looks from my brothers, and I sigh before facing them. Just as I'm about to explain the unknown, the elevator dings, alerting us to someone’s arrival. Which is unusual considering we are all here and we never invite people into our space.

Everything happens quickly and it's hard to keep up. Where Kai had been standing nearest the elevator a moment before, he's now laid out on the floor with a boot to his neck and a knife tipped to his dick.

My heart thrashes and we all tense.

The girl can't be more than twelve and she holds our brothers life in her hands. She looks like a wild animal, and the only familiarity is the scars around her neck.

“Where the fuck is my brother?”

Shaide steps forward, having spotted a child who is too young to of had to bare one of those evil collars. He shows her his hands as he does so, as if not to spook her, but she doesn't look like she frightens easily. In fact, much like Harlyn himself she seems to carry a certain confidence and appears as if she's ready to take us all if indicated.

“We mean him no harm; he appears to of had some sort of episode and we brought him here to be seen by a doctor. She says he will be fine.”

He points to the couch where Harlyn still sleeps. All the while Kai lays very motionless and gawks at his crotch in horror because she hasn’t removed the knife.

Her gaze doesn't leave Shaide to confirm her brothers whereabouts. A furrow pulls between her brows, and she takes on a confused look. “An episode?”

She repeats slowly, like we’re stupid, much like Harlyn did when we first met.

Great, there's two of them.

“Yes. He was yelling and obsessively hitting himself and other objects around the break room at the club.”

Shaide explains.

Her knife digs further into Kai’s jeans. He squeaks like a chew toy in fear and attempts to sink further into the floor.

We all take a step forward, but she doesn't stop glaring at Shaide intently, having decided the rest of us aren’t a threat.

Rains clenching his hands at his sides, probably trying to refrain from killing her. Even when he and Kai aren’t speaking, those two are as thick as thieves. The energy he's exuding is hazardous.

“Why?”

At this question my brothers turn to me expectantly causing her to follow suit.

“I told him that we met a man named Marcus and-”

The rest of my weak explanation dies on my tongue when she flinches back so hard she falls on her bottom. She breathes steady and deeply while staring at the floor with shifty eyes. I make note to never say that name for the remainder of my life since bad shit happens when I do.

Kai’s able to extract himself from the ground and practically sprints behind Rain. His black hair still slightly in view where he peaks over his shoulder at Harlyn’s sister.

She composes herself quickly-because of course she does-and climbs to her feet.

“He is a very, very extremely sensitive subject, and should not be brought up to Har. Ever.”

She explains.

I clearly know this already, but the curiosity is killing my inner cat. I couldn’t stop the intrusion if I tried. It's not like Harlyn will give us any information, so I may as well take it from whoever might be willing to offer it.

“So, you two worked for him?”

“Not by choice, but yes. Har’s experience was a bit one of a kind though.”

I stay perfectly still and keep my expressions under lock, so she doesn't shut down before we have even began. I need more, I need all of it. Maybe I can finally put my skepticism for the guy aside if I knew more about him.

“How so? It looks like you both received the same treatment.”

I motion to her damaged neck.

“The collar was the least of Har’s problems. He had other things held over his head when it was clear the collar was doing no good.”

No good? I got a front row seat to how that collar operated, and she thinks it did no good?

“Not to mention that he was in love with Har. Well, no that’s not the right word because that’s not love. More like obsession.”

A tightness starts in my chest at this new discovery. I don’t like Harlyn’s actions or him, but Marcus is not right for Harlyn.

“And that infatuation was not reciprocated?”

Ressyn dives into the conversation. His own curiosity piqued, having just met that psychotic Marcus.

He gets a different reaction than we were expecting when the girl freezes. Her jaw slackens and her eyes water a bit.

Res clears his throat, confused like the rest of us. He flinches back when she bolts toward him, and I prepare myself to knock her out like I did Harlyn when she shocks us once more. Her arms wrap around Res, and she hugs him tight. He blinks rapidly before awkwardly returning the gesture with a pat on the back.

The only person Ressyn openly touched was Blithe before he died. He’s always been reserved, akin to an introvert or loner otherwise. Which would explain why he looks like he’d rather be literally anywhere else at this moment.

While Harlyn didn’t jump Res with a hug, it doesn't escape my notice that he also had some sort of reaction to meeting Ressyn on that first day.

“Sunshine?”

Ressyn jerks back when Harlyn’s voice cuts through the silent room.

She lets him go easily so she can face her brother. Only at some point she's rearmed herself with that knife of hers and sends it sailing through the air in his direction.

I gasp and a sharp dose of fear slices through my chest.

What the fuck!

He stands in front of the couch all poise and refinement, like the psychotic break I witnessed earlier never happened. He doesn't so much as flinch when the knife cuts straight for his chest. Time slows down while I watch the blade and prepare to call Clarissa back then kill his sister, in that order. Except when the sharp end draws closer, his hand shoots out with lightning speed and he catches the motherfucker, gaze never leaving her. The action makes my dick jerk and I scowl.

“Where the fuck were you?”

Tears stain her cheeks instantly, and I suddenly feel out of place like I'm not supposed to witness whatever family drama is taking place in my own home. “I thought... I thought you...”

She chokes on a sob.

Harlyn has blood running down his arm from his sliced hand and makes quick work of wiping it on his pants and ridding himself of the knife.

“Hey, I'm right here Sunshine, I’d never leave you.”

His arm wraps around her shoulders and leads her toward the elevator. “Come on let’s get out of here.”

He doesn't acknowledge any of us, not even me, which kind of stings for some unknown reason.

Right before the doors slide shut she whispers, “Happy Birthday”.