Page 14 of Fractured Souls

Cade growls, his normal communication, which he seems to do way more of lately, especially when it comes to a cute little redhead.

I look at him and follow his eyes to see Harley walking away but keeping an arm around her ribs. It's not something most people would notice, but because all three of us have seen and had injuries on our ribs, we notice. She definitely has some broken ribs with the way she's been holding them all week.

It makes my skin boil, and I want to kill whoever is hurting her. No one should lay a fucking hand on her. Ever. The day that Cade pointed out the mark on her face, I was pissed. I wanted to do something right then and there but couldn’t, so I settled for sparring with Cade at home, and he and Gray talked me down.

“Give her space,” they say. Well, I fucking hate space. If I want something, I go for it. I also don't like sitting back and watching. A month. Four fucking weeks is too long.

So, we don't say anything because we have a feeling she would shut down or run, and we don't want that.

Since the day that we talked to her in the hall, we have backed off. We still try to be friendly and be around her, but we mostly just watch her from a distance. Cade never told us what he wrote on his phone and showed her before she took off like her ass was on fire. But he keeps telling me we need to just back off some. That overwhelming her will only make things worse and with how she responded to a few simple questions we asked, we don't want to push it more.

But It's driving me insane that Cade won’t say what he said to her, but he's a stubborn ass, and I won’t get the answer out of him.Doesn't mean I won't fucking try.

Something about her calls to us. She's special and not like other girls. I think she'd actually understand us. But we need her to trust us before we can try to help. Us being crazy cavemen wouldn't help her right now. That doesn't mean it doesn't piss me the fuck off to sit back and watch.

“I'm really getting sick of this shit. We need to do something. I can't stand to watch it. It's been a month, a fucking month! I'm done sitting back and watching,” I spit at my brothers, not intending for my anger to be directed at them, but they know that.

“I know, brother,” Gray says in his usual calm, soothing tone, always the voice of reason. “But we have to play it safe. We don't know what's going on, and we need to form a plan. Maybe it's time we take this to Noah? He could give us some ideas and maybe get Nerds to look into her.”

Cade growls, which means he agrees. Trust me, I understand growling now like it's his own language since the fucker barely ever talks. I nod at Gray and take a deep breath while looking into his calming eyes. He gives me a small smile, then goes back to watching Harley.

Harley starts heading back into the building, so we all follow her. I normally don't tag along for their little quiet walk to class; I don’t get how they can just walk quietly next to each other and having caveman Cade at their backs following silently. Fucking awkward.

You know, I kind of like caveman Cade. Maybe it's time for a name change in my phone.Before I get a chance to do that, we catch up to Harley when she gets to her locker. She looks back at us, and shy, cute-as-fuck smile comes over her face before she quickly looks away.

She loads up the books she needs into her backpack, and Gray takes it from her. Usually from what Gray says, she doesn't try to write anything, but apparently today, that isn't the case, as she grabs a notebook and pen from her locker before she shuts it and writes,You know you don't have to do that. I can carry my own bag.

Before Gray can do anything, Cade leans over and reads it. He growls, “No.”

Harley flinches at his tone and then drops her gaze to the ground.

I slap Cade on the back of the head. “Knock it off, caveman.” Then I step towards Harley. “It's okay. Gray likes to carry things; it makes him feel more manly.”

Gray gasps and Harley's head shoots up to look at me before she glances at Gray. When she looks at him, he blushes, and I chuckle.It’s so easy to make him blush.

Thank you, Grayson, Harley writes and passes it to him before dropping her eyes to the ground again.

Everything seems to just stop. We all don’t know what to say to make her open up to us, and she seems terrified to try to be open, or maybe she just wants to run away. Not that it would work anyways. I’d chase her. Huh, now I kind of want to try that.

Cade is just staring straight into Harley's soul. I just wish she knew he wasn’t angry. He's staring so hard because he cares and he's trying to memorize every part of her, but the poor thing won’t make eye contact with him. Gray just gets shy and doesn't know what to say. I think Harley is the first girl to ever really grab his attention. So that leaves me.

“Well…” Before I can get anything else out, Lex shows up. “Girl, where were you? You weren't waiting for me.” She glances at us and quickly discards us.

Harley looks at her, her eyes wide for a second. Then she grabs the notebook back from Gray when he hands it to her, but she stares at it. I’m assuming she’s not sure what to say, not wanting to lie to her friend, even if said friend is sketchy.

“She was with me. Sorry to hold up your girl time, Lexington. Had to chat with my girl.”

Harley makes a startled noise and looks at me with wide eyes. I just wink at her.

But Lex turns a nasty glare on me. “She isn’tyourgirl,” she sneers. “So why don't you run along and leave her the hell alone?” She makes a shooing motion with her hands.

Before I can open my big mouth to probably make things worse for Harley, Gray puts a hand on my shoulder and opens his mouth, but to everyone's surprise, it's Harley who grunts and writes fast, making her pretty handwriting look sloppy, then she shoves the notebook at Lex. I step towards Lex so I can read what it says.

Lex, please don't be mean. They haven't done anything. They just walk me to class and carry my bag.

Lex turns her glare towards Harley, and Harley drops her eyes to the ground and lets her shoulder slump as if she thinks she disappointed her friend.

Alright that's enough of that. “Lexington, knock it off.” Harley's eyes shoot up to mine, wide and fearful. “Harley can talk or walk with whoever the hell she wants. Stop trying to shove whatever problems you have with us onto her. Got a problem? Take it up with me.” I take a step towards her, and she backs away, eyes wide. “And one more thing, don't you ever, and I mean ever, turn a glare on Harley when she was nothing but polite. Now, fuck off. We are taking Harley to class.”

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