Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

ASHER

1 WEEK LATER

T here’s a knock at the door and I light my phone up. It’s 4:00 a.m., what the actual fuck?

I pull my arm from under Harper, trying not to wake her as I rest her against the pillow.

I slip from the room, heading down the stairs to open the door. It’s Jax…and Nate.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“It’s important, Asher,” Jax says, pushing past me. “Nate’s got three of them.”

“What do you mean he’s got three of them?” I turn to Nate. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, the three of them were on a job with me and they started talking about Harper, about the basement at Deacon’s.”

“So, how exactly do you have them?”

Nate cocks his head. “They’re at the house at the end of this lot. I invited them back to mine for a beer, I drugged them, messaged Jax, and then drove them here.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Nate, what if someone saw you? What if it didn’t work?”

“They hurt Harper,” he says calmly but viciously. There’s darkness in Nate now, doing all this, knowing what happened to Harper, it’s changed him.

“Ash…” she calls me from upstairs.

“It’s okay, baby, I’m just downstairs. I’ll be back up in a minute,” I call up to her. I turn back to Nate. “You need to get out of here. I don’t think her seeing you is a good idea right now.”

“How is she doing?”

“She’s…”

“I heard voices… I…”

She stops in her tracks, realizing what she’s walked into, but then she sees him.

“Nate…”

“Yeah, it’s me, Harps.” He takes a step toward her, and in response, she steps back. He stops, understanding her anxiousness.

“It’s good to see you, Harps.”

She wraps her arms around herself, a shield to those around her.

“I wanted to be here for you after… I mean, I tried to get back.”

“I wouldn’t let him,” I say calmly.

“You’re okay?” she whispers, her voice shaking.

“Yeah, Harper, I’m okay,”

She takes a small step toward him, then another. Then, she does something that surprises us all. She swings for him, landing a punch square on his jaw. “You bastard, you left us, you left me, I thought you were dead.”

He rubs his jaw but doesn’t react.

“I watched them put you in the ground, I sat at your grave and cried, and you weren’t even there.”

“I did it to protect you. I’m sorry I failed to do that.”

“Everyone needs to stop fucking apologizing to me, it’s stupid, it’s fucking stupid. You say sorry for eating the last chocolate bar. You don’t walk up to people and say sorry for what I went through.”

He nods, putting his hands in his jeans pockets and looking down at the floor. “You’re right,” he says. “Sorry will never make up for what I did.”

“You left me.”

“I know.”

“Would you have left me if you knew that girl was me?”

“I couldn’t have gotten to you, Harper. I would have been shot before I even got close to that door, and you could have been lost forever to us, but I would have got the guys there or died trying.” His voice catches.

He’s right, but even as he says it, you can tell he will live with that guilt forever. For not saving her sooner.

“It’s safe for you to be here right now?”

“I wouldn’t risk it if not.”

She takes two steps toward him and flings her arms around him. He wraps his arms around her in return tightly and she tenses. As soon as he relaxes his arms she stills, settling into his embrace.

“I’m sorry for punching you. I’m not angry at you for what happened to me. I just… Losing you was the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, But I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I deserve it. I should have saved you. I should have known—I left one of my best friends with them.”

“Don’t blame yourself, Nate; don’t carry that for the rest of your life,” she whispers as he breaks down; I can hear him crying into her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, I’m so fucking sorry.” He repeats this over and over and over again and I can feel his pain, and so can Jax.

She pulls back. “I thought I was angry with you, Nate, I thought you were somehow you were to blame, but I’m not. I’m not angry. Please, Nate, don’t do this to yourself. You didn’t know and when you did, you saved me. I owe my life to you.”

“I should have got you out sooner.”

“You did the best you could, and I will always be grateful to you. Because of you, I’m here. I’m standing and I’m going to keep fighting.”

“You’re fucking braver than me, Harps.” He nudges her chin with his knuckles, smiling sadly as she lets go of him.

“Who do you think I learned it from?” She smiles, “Promise me, Nate, promise me you won’t carry that guilt the rest of your life. It’s not your fault and no one but them is to blame. I can’t have you carrying that—it’s too much for one person.”

He nods, but I know he’s lying. I’ve spent nearly twenty years carrying the guilt of my sister and he’s got one hell of an internal fight ahead of him.

She walks back to me, entwining her fingers with mine. “Why are you here?” she asks, squeezing my hand because she knows in her heart why.

“He found some of them.”

“Where?”

“They’re here, not in this house but unconscious… tied up, I’m assuming?” I look at Jax.

“They are.”

“The next bit is up to you, baby. I’m leaving this in your hands.” I run my fingers through her hair. “I’ll take your lead on this if you’re not ready…”

“I’m ready.” She nods. I’m so fucking proud of this girl. After everything she endured, she’s still here, still building her path forward. Harper has an inner strength that no one can break. Yes, she might waiver and yes, she needs support, but the fact she’s standing in front of me is no miracle because the truth is, my girl fought every second the last few weeks. She fought her pain, her urge to run, to hide. She fought to feel comfortable with my touch—with others—and I know her spirit won’t break now.