Page 41 of Bullet
“Why are you smiling like that?” Bullet asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
Now if only I could mute him.
“Should I be worried? I don’t remember the last time I saw you smile like that,” he teases.
“Fuck you,” I say making him laugh.
“No, seriously, what are you doing?”
I bite my lip as I contemplate telling him the truth. In the past, I never would have hesitated to tell him what I was up to, but things have changed. We’ve changed.
“Come on, Harlee, you can tell me anything, you know that.”
“If you must know, I just turned on ‘do not disturb’ so everyone who’s a bad influence can’t get a hold of me, but the important people still can.”
Shock crosses his face before he can catch it.
“Wait, really?”
“Yeah, it was time,” I say as I put my phone back down and look back up at the TV.
We’re both quiet for a moment.
“I’m proud of you.”
Four words. Four words that mean more to me than he will ever know. I feel like it’s been so long since I’ve heard them from someone whose opinion means something to me.
“It was nothing.”
“No, it was definitely something. You’re turning your life around, Harlee, and it’s not going unnoticed. I see it. The guys see it. The girls see it. We all see it.”
Yeah, but will my father?I think to myself.
Just thinking about my father makes my heart ache. I still haven’t talked to him since he’s been gone. The only thing thathelps is knowing that he’s not talking to any of the brothers either. It’s not just me he’s ignoring. Then again, Tara did tell me that while he’s going through rehab, they keep contact on the outside to a minimum.
On the coffee table, Bullet’s phone starts to vibrate. Both of us stare at it, like whoever’s calling is about to change things once again between us.
Is it her? Is he going to leave me to go meet up with her? Is she going to get the good night kiss that I’ve dreamed of for years? Or worse, is she going to invite him for a booty call?
My stomach rolls, and I fight the urge to be sick just thinking about it.
Bullet reaches forward and grabs his phone. I hold my breath as I wait for him to tell me if he’s leaving or not.
He clears his throat. “That was Reaper. He needs me to come in for club business.”
“Oh…”
“His message says I should head out once the prospect gets here.”
I shake my head. “He doesn’t have to send anyone. I can stay by myself.”
His jaw clenches. “We’ve already discussed this, Harlee. You aren’t staying alone until shit with William is taken care of or your dad comes back.”
I let out a sarcastic laugh. “You’ve said a lot of things, Jacob. That doesn’t make them true.”
“Harlee…”
I shake my head. “Just go. I can be by myself for fifteen minutes until the prospect shows up.”
