Page 88 of Freeing Souls

“Were you by chance coming to try to burn down our diner? Because I hate to tell you, but it was a grave mistake.” I tsk.

Richard, who was holding a chain I am guessing he was going to use to lock us inside like they did at the nightclub, reacts too slowly, giving Hazel plenty of time to snag the chain right from his hand and whip it at his legs, knocking him down to his knees.

“Damn, that’s fun.” She giggles. “Stand up, fucker.”

Richard stands back up, and I raise a brow at Tammy. “Come on back to the office, will you?” I wave the gun in my hand, gesturing to a door next to me.

She scoffs. “No. You aren’t going to shoot us. This isn’t over. We will be back.” Spinning to leave, I take my aim and fire the gun, shooting her husband in the knee. They both scream, and he drops to the ground while she spins around wide eyed.

“I said, come to the office,” I snap.

Tammy leaves her husband behind and speed walks straight into the office while Hazel makes Richard crawl, using the chain to hit his ass, making him move faster as he cries and leaves a trail of blood behind.

Harley

“So you just tied them up with apron waist ties and shovedwhatever the fuck that is in their mouths?” Noah laughs as Hazel and Raven explain what happened.

“Grease rags. They wouldn’t shut up,” Hazel comments from where she is lounging on the couch in the corner of the office.

Stone is silently raging as he holds Raven, glaring down at her while she looks happy with herself—until she spots me. Forcing Stone to release her, she walks straight up to me and cups my cheeks. “They showed up here, ready to try and burn this place down. I know after our talk yesterday, you are probably feeling unprepared for this, but Harley, it’s time. Find that simmering rage within you and let it boil over. Fight this last demon. I promise, putting it off any longer won’t get you to where you want to be,” she tells me, mentioning what we talked about yesterday without actually spilling my secrets, which I am grateful for.

“I’m scared,” I tell her quietly.

“Trust your men, my love,” she whispers in my ear. “There’s a break room two doors down; use it. We will wait here.”

This was not how I thought today would go. My head begins to pound with tension as I glance at my three guys, who are watching with concerned gazes. When I tilt my head and start walking to the break room a few doors farther down the hallway, the guys follow close behind.

After they walk inside, I shut the door and then wring my hands, unsure of where to start.

“Harley–” Grayson starts hesitantly, but I cut him off, needing to get this out.

“Yesterday, I talked with the girls for hours. We talked about things I don’t want to talk about right now, but I also told them about the Wilsons, how I need to figure out what to do, but I kept stopping myself from thinking about it because I’m terrified.” My voice cracks when I finish speaking, and I don’t look up atany of them. My heart pounds aggressively in my chest, and I can feel my breathing becoming erratic as panic sets in.

Gentle hands cradle my face and lift it so I’m staring into the green eyes I have become obsessed with finding comfort in. They never waiver, they never judge, they never show pity.

Blue eyes, brown eyes, green eyes.

They are my anchor.

“Breathe, beautiful. It’s okay. Tell us whatever it is,” Grayson murmurs.

“We have you,” Cayden rumbles as he and Ryker stand on either side of me, surrounding me in their comfort.

Not looking away from Grayson’s soothing gaze, I explain, “I’m terrified if I let myself think about what I really want to do to them–I will become them. How am I any better than them if I want to give them the same treatment? What if I thrive in that environment and want to become that kind of person? How am I not just as bad as them if I do and think the same vile things as them?”

“Breathe, Harley,” Grayson interrupts my explosive thoughts.

“I think we all fear the dark thoughts in our heads, how controlling they could become if we let them out. I think that’s normal. I felt that way yesterday after we dealt with Tank,” Cade says. “The difference is, today, I woke up surrounded by the people who care about me. I knew I would never let myself fall into that darkness because it is bred from a place of fear and self-preservation, from what my father did to me. I don’t want to be that person, and if I had the choice back then, I never would have become that person.”

“And you are a good person, Harley,” Ryker adds. “You don’t want to lock up a little girl in your basement and hurt her because someone else hurt you. You want to show them what they did to you. You want revenge, and you fucking deserve it. None of us aregoodpeople by normal standards, but we havegood intentions, and we only want to help those who need it. Allowing yourself to feel whatever you want to feel and do about them, it makes you strong, and it allows you to take the power back that they stole from you.”

“If you just walked into the other room right now and shot them both in the head and went home, would you feel satisfied? Would you feel like you got the revenge you know you deserve?” I shake my head at Cade’s questions, and he continues. “Then tell us what you truly want to do, and we will be there every step of the way to hold you when you feel overwhelmed. We will celebrate with you when you feel good. We will do every single thing with you. You aren’t alone, remember?”

“Okay,” I say as a stray tear rolls down my cheek. “I know what I need to do. I’m terrified, but with you all, I can do this.”

“Fuck yes, you can. Now tell us what that sexy little depraved mind has been planning.” Ryker grins at me.

I chuckle while the others sigh and dive into what I have thought about. Most of the time, I shut the thoughts down when they came into my mind, but deep down, I have known for years what I want to do.

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