Page 76 of The Reluctant Siren
He shook his head. “Absolutely not. You love him. You’re ina dangerous situation with two men you’re not sure of. He’s your father andhe’s been good to you. Of course you miss him.”
“You don’t talk about your parents,” Harlow said.
“I try not to think about them, but I’m more than willing totalk about how I grew up. I think Jensen and I became best friends because wewere similar. A lot like your dads, but with way less siblings to count on.”
“How did you two meet?” Harlow asked, leaning forward. “Youknow he kind of talked about you back in LA. Not much, but sometimes hementioned how he wished he could call his best friend. He called you his bestfriend and told me the two of you grew apart.”
A harsh chuckle came from his throat. Jensen was good atrewriting history. “We didn’t grow apart. I can’t tell you how hard I tried tokeep us together. I got into the Army because I wouldn’t let him go alone. Igot out because I thought he needed me. I was willing to go along with him. Herefused. He lost his damn mind when Tommy died. That’s what happened. You knowyou’re not the only one he pushed away because he couldn’t handle the idea ofhis loved one getting hurt. He carries a lot of guilt around.”
“He’s not the reason his brother died,” she said softly.
“I think he’s finally starting to realize that. The factthat he’s sleeping right now kind of proves it. I don’t think he’s slept a lotin the last couple of years,” Niall admitted. He reached out and brushed a handover her arm. “Why can’t you sleep?”
She shook her head. “Nope. This is my time. When the two ofyou are together you’re coming up with ways to torture me. Now I have thetalker all to myself. I want to know how you met.”
He thought her curiosity was a good sign. He wasn’t going toargue with her. They did spend their time trying to figure out how to get herbetween them, and he was definitely the talker between the two of them. Thoughhe had some hopes Jensen was coming around. “We met at school. I lived in townso I had seen him, but his momma didn’t bring him to Bonnet much. She wanted topretend like she didn’t have kids a lot of the time. She thought it would bebetter if the men she dated didn’t know about the two kids who came along untilthey were already in too deep. Needless to say that didn’t go well for her.”
“That must have been chaotic.”
And chaos scared her. She was right about the word, butsometimes a person didn’t mean to create it. “Mrs. Wiley wasn’t a terribleperson. She was just always hoping someone would come and save her. She neverstopped praying for the dude on the white horse to ride in and pick her up andtake her away. But you should know she also opened her home to me when I was inhigh school.”
She seemed to consider his words. “I thought your parentswere married. They live here, right?”
“I think so. I wouldn’t know. I cut ties a long time agowhen my mother chucked me out of my house at the age of fifteen because I daredto step in front of her when my dad was beating her. I threw a punch, and shechose him. She always chose him. He was my dad and he smirked when he kicked meout. He lied to her. Cheated on her. Beat her half to death sometimes, and whenhe told her to kick me out, she did it. Told me I was temporary and he was herforever. But I thought I would always be her son.”
“You were. Even if she loved him, she should have chosenyou.”
This was a pain he’d held for a long time. It wasn’t sharpanymore, but sometimes he still ached with it. “Which is why you should giveyour dad some mercy. I know he’s acting like an ass, but he loves you. I knowwhat it feels like when the two people in the world who should love you nomatter what can’t find it to even care what happens to you. When I tried tocontact her before I left for the military she wrote me back and told me shedidn’t have a son and never to contact her again.”
“Sir, I think I need a hug,” Harlow said with a sniffle.
There was his warrior princess. She was strong and tough andcared so damn much. She was a woman who would always stand up for the peopleshe loved, who would risk everything for them. He sighed in pure pleasure asshe settled herself on his lap and wrapped her arms around him. He rubbed hisforehead against hers, enjoying the sweet affection she offered him. “I’m okay,Harlow. Like I said, I had a place to go, but now that I’m talking about it, Ithink I know why we both fell so hard for you. You’re strong and capable andyou would never take shit like that. You will always want to stand on your owntwo feet, and you’ll protect the people you love.”
“You would never deal out shit like that, Niall,” shewhispered. “I’m pissed at Jensen, but neither would he. And I’m not sure hethinks I’m competent.”
“He does. I assure you. He knows how smart you are, butTommy was smart, too.”
“Tommy was a student. He did not have the training I have.”
How to explain this to her? “No, but he was incrediblysmart, and Jensen loved him and lost him. So when he got the news that Hamiltonwanted to bring you into the inner circle, he freaked out. He knew what couldhappen.”
She sighed and rested her head in the nook of his neck. “Iwish he would have talked to me.”
“I do, too, princess. I wish I would have talked to you. IfI could do it again, I would have walked up and knocked on your door and laidit all out for you.”
She chuckled. “I don’t know that would have worked. Iprobably would have told you to pound sand and kicked you out. I definitelywouldn’t have allowed you in my club. In this case, Jensen was probably rightabout how to approach me. When you first showed up, I wasn’t in a place to eventalk about Jensen. I was licking my wounds.”
He brushed back her hair and breathed in her scent. It feltso good to be sitting here with her. “And I was simply trying to get throughthe days because I think in the back of my head I’ve been waiting for the call.Waiting for someone to tell me he was dead and then I would be alone in theworld. Then I was lost in the club and all these new friends I was making. Ifelt like I belonged somewhere for the first time in a long time.”
She was quiet for a moment. “I want to stay mad.”
He felt so much for her. What he’d done wasn’t fair, but hewanted to make up for all of it. He loved her and that meant giving her spaceand time to decide what she wanted. “It’s okay. You can stay that way for awhile. You can sit and stew on all of the crap we put you through, and we’lltalk when you’re ready.”
“What if Jack can’t close this case in the next couple ofweeks? What are you going to do? Who’s even opening the gym?”
“I have employees,” he replied with a chuckle, letting hishand stroke the curve of her hip. “Before we had that long talk with Taggart, Itexted my assistant manager. He’s going to run the place for another few days.He and a couple of the trainers will keep it open.”
“And after? If this goes on for weeks or months?”
