Page 43 of The Reluctant Siren
Jack really had saved the day.
Her dad looked like he wanted to argue, but he had a newtarget. He turned on Jack, pointing his way. “And you knew. You knew she wasinvolved and you didn’t bother to call anyone?”
Jack shrugged. “I was real busy trying to make sure shedidn’t get a look at me and give up my entire cover. They tend to knowsomething’s wrong when the new girl walks in and starts asking about my family.I wasn’t supposed to have one of those since Hamilton likes his drug mulesunattached or at least separated from family. I went in as the down-on-his-luckrecent grad who happened to know a bit about bartending and has no one in theworld to count on.”
“She would never do that.” Dad sounded offended on her part.“She would not walk up to you in an obvious undercover situation. Harlow knowswhat you do.”
She was confused, but then Chase Dawson often confused her.“Which am I, Dad? Am I an incompetent girl or a professional who should berespected?”
Her dad ignored her, sending a nasty look Jack’s way. “Youshould have called the minute you knew she was in danger. I’m talking to yourdads. I’m calling Aidan.”
Jack shrugged, looking around like someone could explain itto him. “Again, almost thirty, and my folks are well aware of what I do andwhat Harlow does. Have you considered therapy, Uncle Chase?”
“He’s on all the therapists’ no-go lists,” Papa replied.“Therapists who see him usually need therapy.”
Her mom took her hand. “Baby, are you okay? What happenedtonight?”
While Jack and Ian continued to argue with her dad, sheturned to Papa and her mom. “Everything was great until I went to pick up myclient. I failed to realize the bathroom was wired for sound because we were ina lifestyle club, so I let my guard down and nearly got my client and myselfkilled.”
She didn’t want to admit why.
She wanted to run. That was what she wanted to do. Shedidn’t want to consider those words Niall had said.
I was going to tell him that she needs us both and weshould gently maneuver her into a relationship where we share her.
That wasn’t happening.
She wasn’t thinking about how it would feel to be in betweenthem. She’d been in a family where that was the norm all of her life, but she’dnever actually thought about trying it. Probably because she had never met twoguys she wanted at the same time.
“But you’re okay?” Papa asked.
She nodded. “Because of Jack. He was willing to give up hiscover to save us, so if you could get Dad off his back, that would be great.”
“I get the feeling there’s a whole lot of story to thoseother two, though,” her mom said as Jack started to argue with her dad.
“I’m going to get some coffee.” Harlow stalked out and movedtoward the break room. She knew this building well since she’d trained here.She learned a lot here. If only she’d learned not to have feelings forassholes.
Her mom followed behind her and she heard her mom tellingher papa to give them some space.
She took a deep breath when she made it to the break roomand wondered where Charlotte kept that vodka she talked about earlier.
“Sweetie, I’m sorry, but you have to know we’re worriedabout you. I know you’re competent,” her mom began.
Harlow huffed out an unamused laugh. “Oh, I assure you Iwasn’t tonight. I was everything Dad has always been worried I would be. I wasreckless and dumb and a complete fool.”
Her mom’s eyes had gone wide. “So those men didn’t simplyget caught up in your case. They’re why you were reckless.”
She took a long breath and turned, leaning against the sink.“The case was supposed to be simple. I was contacted by Miranda’s mom, who likeJack mentioned, she was estranged from. He’s right about that. Hamilton likesto bring in people with pressure points and no one to turn to. I realized thiswas connected to what happened with Daisy O’Donnell about halfway through. Thepolice busted it up, but they only got part of the organization, the part thatwas the easiest to put a finger on and say this is criminal.”
Her mother frowned. “Hamilton is the man you wereinvestigating in LA.” Her arms crossed over her chest and Harlow was remindedthat her mom might not be an investigator by profession, but she was still asmart cookie. “So Jensen worked that case with you. You had no idea he was inDallas now. Is he a fed, too?”
At least she wouldn’t have to explain it to her dads. “No.He’s a civvie. His brother got caught up in Hamilton’s web a few years ago. Hedied. I wish I could believe Jensen is in this to pull down the wholeorganization, but I think he’s biding his time, working his way up so he cankill Hamilton himself.”
“He’s the reason you cried for a month after you came home,”her mom surmised. “Is he the reason you were in jail? I never understood that.You’re smart. You would have gotten out if you could. He blindsided you. Did heknow it was coming or did he just save himself?”
Damn. Her mom had learned a lot from her dads. She might bean artist, but she listened and knew people. “He claims he did it because itwas getting too hot. He was scared I would get hurt. We were getting to a pointin the investigation where I was going to be asked to do something that wouldgive them power over me. It was something I had been working toward since thegirl I was trying to get out was at that level, and I couldn’t get to herunless I was the same.”
Her mom paled. “I don’t know that I wanted to hear that.”
