Page 58 of Fractured Souls

"They set it up because Tam still wanted Gabe and had plans to get him back even though she was banned from the club. She is also working with Killer; I don't know what they do, but it can't be good. I know Gabe was in love with her in high school. She was his first love. But he said over that weekend how he'd never look at her the same again for whatever she had done.

“I started getting all my stuff together to leave as fast as I could, but that's when Tam came in… She had the pregnancy test I took in her hand. She started screaming at me asking whose it was and calling me a whore. She said she was going to tell Dad—David—about it, so I panicked. I freaked out and hit her as hard as I could with my lamp and knocked her out.

I wanted to take Rob with me. He was only three, and he didn’t deserve any of this, but Richard had him and I couldn't get caught, so I had to leave him behind. I ran and ran. I've been on the streets for three days, but I finally tracked you down and now I'm here."

She takes a shaky breath, new tears streaming down her face.

"I tried, Bri. I tried to do everything right, but I knew without a doubt that I had to leave to protect this beautiful soul growing in me. They don't deserve to have their soul shattered like mine." She sobs hard, the weight of the world baring down on her.

I hold on to her while she sobs. "Wow, Lil, that was a lot. I still don't think Gabe is as good as you think he is, hun, but we'll talk about that later."

Lil scoots away from me with a glare. "I loved him. I know I can't be with him, and I can't tell him about his kid, but I will always love and care for him, and I hope he gets out from under his father someday."

I nod but say nothing. This is something she needs professional help for. I understand, after everything through her childhood how this could happen. The first time someone shows any kind of affection, you want to latch on and never let go of that feeling. But I just hope she doesn't ever think she can actually be with him.

ChapterTwenty-Two

Brielle

Ilook over at Harley, knowing I just threw a lot at her about her mom. She's crying, and I almost want to laugh as I watch her do the same thing her mom always did, pushing her nails into her palm, making crescent moon-shaped indents. She doesn't say anything. She's just staring off into the distance.

“Harley?” She finally looks over at me, blinking her eyes to focus on me again.

She clears her throat as best she can. I think her throat was damaged by something, but I haven't asked. Every time I do, she shuts down.

“That was a lot to take in, Bri. But thank you for telling me,” she says in a detached voice.

“Are you okay? Don't bottle that all up, Harley. Please, let me help you process it.”

She shakes her head, her brows furrowed. “I um, don't really know how to feel right now. But can we finish? There's more, right? Why did she have to leave here? Why did we end up in Auburn?”

I exhale a breath. “Sure, we can finish, just promise me you won’t shut me out.”

She nods, giving me a small tilt of her lips. “I promise, Bri.”

“Okay, good… So after that day when she told me everything, she took time to heal from her injuries. She wanted answers about everything but didn't have it in her to find them. Her main goal was protecting you. She stayed with me for seven months. We didn't think to have her use a fake name for the doctors when she would get checked for you, so someone eventually found us.

“They taunted Lil, so after a week we knew she had to run again. I helped her sneak away and get out and told her she can't tell me where she is going. If for some reason they went after me, I didn't want to have any answers so I couldn't give them anything.” Goosebumps rise on my arms remembering how scared I was back then.

“The men who showed up were from the Sons of Silence MC. They came storming in; there were four of them. They looked around but left me alone besides questioning me and said I was lucky they knew my father or I would've been screwed. I knew they meant they would have hurt me. I don't know how they knew my dad, but I didn't care. I just was glad they left and hoped your mom got away. After that, I got a letter three years later. A picture of you and a letter from your mom updating me. She told me we'd get to see each other again one day and that's when she would tell me your name. I never heard anything again until you showed up.”

“Wow that's all, um, it's a lot. I'm not shutting down, Bri, I swear, but I think I need to spar. Can we call Atlas and see if he's busy?” She is fidgeting with her fingers and her eyes are glossed over, but she isn’t fully crying now. Almost like an empty shell.

Did I just make a huge mistake?

“Honey, you already spent two hours at the gym today, and you ran for an hour when we got home. Can you wait until tomorrow?” I should've known this would be too much for her. I didn't want to overwhelm her, but there really aren't any easy ways to tell someone everything I just told her.

“I know, Bri, but I need to. It'll help. Then after we can talk, and I'll tell you how I feel. I appreciate you telling me everything.” Her voice is so detached, it scares me.

I sigh. If I don't give in, I have a feeling she'll find another way to let out whatever it is she needs to let out. I can't tell what it is; she's hiding it well. Whether it's fear, anger, sadness… I have no idea.

I send a text to Atlas asking him to come over and then let Harley know he said he's on his way. Harley excuses herself to go get ready, and I go to the kitchen to cook and keep myself busy. About ten minutes later, Atlas shows up with Linc in tow. No surprise there.

Linc comes into the kitchen and hugs me. “What's going on?”

I fill them in and then feel tears streaming down my cheeks. “Did I mess up? I didn't want her to ever have to know, but I thought it would be better coming from me instead of her finding other ways to get the information she wanted.” I sob into Linc's chest, taking comfort from my best friend.

“You didn't fuck up, babe. You did the right thing. Harley is stubborn. I'll take her back to the gym and see if I can get her to spill. We'll spar but not go hard. Ryan is there too, so he can help if needed. Linc will stay with you. Don't beat yourself up, Bri, you're doing the best you can,” Atlas assures me.

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