Page 60 of Freeing Souls

He smiles softly and then yanks me against him before pressing his lips against mine. It’s hesitant, like he is concerned, but when I clutch his sides and a small whimper escapes my lips, he finally,finallykisses me like he always has.

He takes full control and dominates my mouth, reminding me I am his, making all my worries melt away as I give him all of me.

That is, until he moves a hand down my back and gently cups my ass. I freeze, and he instantly notices, slowly pulling back to look over my face. “Harl–”

I yank away from him and pace the length of the living room. “Fuck.” I rub my hands over my face as tears gather in my eyes. I don’t want to cry. I don’t want to freeze. I don’t want my mind to immediately go to fucking Tank the second my boyfriend touches my body.

“Fuck,” I say louder.

“Hey, it’s alright,” Cade says gently.

“No, it’s not, and don’t tell me it is. This isn’t how things should be. I–we should go back over to the club.”

“Harley–” he says more forcefully, but I ignore him and run my fingers through my hair as I go to the back door and head back towards the club. I can hear him sigh as he catches up to me. As we approach the door to the club, Cade grabs the handle but doesn’t open it right away. When I won’t turn around to face him, he murmurs softly, “It’s okay if you aren’t ready. Just don’t shut us out. Let us help you.”

I nod and fight back the tears gathering in my eyes fucking again as he opens the door and we head inside. The second we step into the main room, my eyes narrow as I see Lex sitting on the couch close to Presley and Jayce.

Two people she should not fucking be near. The words from the day Tammy visited are like a slap to the face as I watch her smile and play with Jayce.

“When your little friend called me in tears to let me know you were missing, I knew it was finally time I came out of the shadows. So I guess I should thank you for having such gullible stupid friends and for giving me my life back.”

I knew the only person it could have been was Lex. It hurt to know she would go to fucking Tammy, but I had more important things to be concerned about. I had no idea she would end up being here, tricking fucking everyone while I was kidnapped and hurt and my own dad was killed right before my eyes.

No. We aren’t doing this anymore. No one gets second chances. Lex spots Cade and me, and she gets up and heads towards us, a small, sad smile on her fake fucking face. Remembering that the boys are all prospects and adults, they are always carrying, I reach behind Cade and grip his gun, yanking it out.

Within seconds, the safety is off, and I have it aimed right at Lex’s forehead.

Presley lets out a small gasp and scoops up Jayce before leaving the room. I should feel bad for doing this in front ofthem, but I’m doing thisforthem. This traitorous piece of garbage should not fucking be here. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t put a bullet between your eyes right fucking now,” I demand.

Her eyes go comically wide, as if she never expected to have been caught for this shit. “Harley–” Cade starts right as the ranking officers, Ryker, and Grayson come running into the room. “Let’s put the gun down.” He says gently.

“No. You don’t understand. This fucker betrayed me. She betrayed us. I know you were telling Tammy everything you could. Is that why you stayed here right before I was taken? Did you know everything was going to happen?” I growl, staring her down.

“What? No. Harley, please– It’s not what you’re thinking.” She holds her hands up in front of her as a few tears roll down her cheeks.

“Hey, little flame, you really should put the gun down and just hear her out, alright?” Ryker says, coming to her fucking defense.

Swinging towards him, I seethe, “Are you fucking defending her right now?”

Before I can even blink, Ryker yanks on my arm with the gun so it’s facing the ceiling and not him. He spins me away from him and shoves me against the wall while pressing himself against me so I’m pinned.

Cade takes the gun from my hand, and hot, raging tears fall down my face as I don’t even try to fight them off. Wrapping his hand around the front of my throat, Ryker says, “You need to listen. After you listen, you are allowed to make whatever decision you believe is best and we will support you because we are here for you. Not anyone else.. But not hearing her out isn’t an option. Got it?” He growls in my ear when I don’t respond.Nodding once, he spins me back around and places a quick hard kiss on my lips. “I love you.”

“I love you,” I whisper back, even if I feel like slapping him or crying or maybe both while screaming, because I do love him and I want him to always know.

“Come on, beautiful. Come sit,” Grayson says from our other side, holding out a hand for me.

Taking his hand, I let him guide me over to the couch and pull me down on his lap.

My other guys surround me while the room slowly empties, and Lex is the only one left across from us.

I glare at her while she wipes under her eyes before beginning.

Lexington

One month ago

“What do you mean you aren’t doing anything?” I cry into the phone as I pace my small bedroom.

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