Page 32 of Healing Souls

Rage glances at Sugar, and then they both smile. Sugar chuckles. “That’s all you.”

Rage rolls his eyes. “You have to take some credit for it, too.”

Harley looks around at everyone. “What are they talking about?”

Noah stands up and laughs, “I believe they’re trying to figure out who you got your attitude from.”

“Probably my mom.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “Now, will you tell me what’s going on? Who is this person and why does…” She looks at Noah. “What do I call you? Blade or Noah?”

He shrugs. “Either one, sweetheart.”

She scrunches her nose up before turning back to Sugar and Rage. “Why does Noah need to deal with them?”

Rage lets out a dramatic groan that the rest of us chuckle at. Besides Cade, who is still sitting on the couch with a scowl on his face. When Rage doesn’t answer fast enough, Harley turns to me.

I raise a brow. “You think I’m going to explain?”

She raises a brow right back with a tiny smirk playing on her lips before her face transforms into a full-on pout. “Please.”

Yeah, that’s all it takes. “Daniel is a prospect for the club. He is the one who shot you, and we’re trying to figure out how to deal with him.”

Her face scrunches up as she thinks. “What do you mean how to deal with him? Didn’t he do what he was supposed to do?” she directs at Rage.

His frown deepens as he stares at Harley in shock. “He shot you.”

She tilts her head and studies him, her brows pinched in confusion. “Yes.” She slowly draws out, “He did. But I was aiming a gun at you. What else was he supposed to do?”

Rage’s chest rises and falls faster as his breathing picks up, and he clenches his fists at his sides. I watch Harley, waiting to see how she will react to his anger showing, but she merely watches him before nodding and clicking her tongue.

“Oh, you’re not mad that he shotsomeone, you’re mad that he shotme,” she says casually and then frowns, “There’s really no reason to be mad about that.”

“Why the fuck not?” Rage questions through gritted teeth.

Harley shrugs. “Well, one, I’ve had worse. This is nothing. And two, if it was anyone else he had shot who was threatening the—what are you again? The president of this place?” She waves her hand around the room. “You’d probably thank them.”

Glancing around the room I notice that everyone is looking anywhere but at Rage as they all try to contain their laughter.

That is, until Noah can’t hold it in anymore and cackles, pointing a finger at Rage. “How is it that you don’t listen to any of your fucking men, but a sixteen-year-old tiny ass girl leaves you standing there dumbfounded with just a few simple words?”

Rage huffs but slowly relaxes, the anger draining out of him as he softens his features and steps towards Harley, but he stops when she tenses. “No one should ever hurt you. Ever. I want—I wanted him punished. But if you aren’t mad, then…” He pinches his lips and doesn’t continue until Sugar nudges his shoulder. “Then I’ll let it go,” he mumbles.

“He has had more than enough of a punishment already, Rage. Harley simply just said what we’ve all been tryin’ to say this whole time. None of us blame ya for your emotions overpowerin’ you with the whole situation. I’m sure you handled it better than some would. But enough is enough. You need to go down there and talk to him and let him out,” Sugar says seriously, staring down Rage, who nods and runs a hand through his already messy hair.

“Let’s get it over with,” Rage mutters, turning on his heel to head towards the door, but Harley’s voice stops him.

“I want to come with you and see him.”

Rage spins around. “Why?” he shouts, but then takes a deep breath and tries again, “Why do you want to see him?”

“I said I understood what he did. That doesn’t mean I don’t still need to process. I just need to put a face to the name and see his personality.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal, but I think everyone in the room can read right through her nonchalant attitude. She needs to see for herself that he really is one of the good guys or she won’t be able to move on.

Rage and Sugar seem to have a silent conversation between each other before Sugar finally gives in. “She’ll see him around the club anyway.”

“She doesn’t need to go down there,” Rage grits out.

“Let’s just go and I will run down. The rest of you, head to the club, and we will come over there where we can all talk. No big deal.” Noah tries to get everyone moving.

Gray taps me on the shoulder, and I look at him. He gestures towards the couch, and when I look over, I notice Cade is now gone. I really hope he figures out whatever the fuck is going on with himself soon.

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