3. Bane

3

BANE

I ’m fucking furious.

One, I’m sick of being a babysitter for a grown woman. Prez needs to back off and let the girl have her own life. Two, what the hell is Harlow thinking? How can she be so irresponsible? I know I said people her age do this, but she’s better than other people her age. She’s smarter and I thought she had way more common sense.

This proves Prez is right and she isn’t ready to be on her own. She needs to be taken care of or she gets herself into trouble like she is now. Not that I want to take on that responsibility. I don’t know how to take care of people.

I don’t even like people. I only like the club. They are my brothers. Everyone else can fuck off.

I’m worried Prez is going to skin us alive if he finds out we didn’t tell him about Harlow, especially if something is wrong. Something broke on her end of the call, Alto said. What if she’s lying there in a pool of her own blood?

Blood.

The sight of it always makes me drift into my past and what happened to me as a child.

“You stupid fucking bitch!” My father backhands my mother so hard, blood flies from her lip.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” she sobs, wailing as she tries to crawl away from him.

“I told you not to go outside and talk to the neighbors. I told you that. Are you too fucking stupid to understand me?” He kicks her in the stomach next.

I’m ten years old, hiding behind the wall, peeking around the corner.

“You’re a fucking whore.” He spits on her. “I bet you fucked the neighbor, didn’t you?”

“No! No,” she denies with a shake of her head. She lifts her hand to try and stop him. “No, I’d never do that to you. I was cooking and I ran out of sugar. I swear. I swear,” she weeps.

“Sugar? Fucking sugar?” He picks her up by her throat and pins her against the cabinets.

Her lip is bleeding, her cheek is bruised, and there are black smudges around her eyes.

“Sugar?” he repeats, tossing her to the side while he opens every single cabinet, grabbing the pots and pans and throwing them onto the floor.

When he gets to the pantry, he dumps all the flour on the floor, then the rice, trying to prove that we have sugar.

The kitchen is a wreck when he’s done. His chest is heaving, and my mom is shaking. All I want to do is run to her, but I know better than to interfere or he’ll hit me too.

He’ll make her watch as he hits me. She promised me to never interrupt him when he’s in one of his moods.

But it hurts me so much to not do anything.

“It doesn’t change the fact you fucked the neighbor.”

“I didn’t,” she pleads her case again. “I swear on my life.”

“So if I go next door, will he tell the same story?” he asks.

“It isn’t a story.”

He backhands her again and she crumbles to the ground. Before she can fall, he stops her by wrapping a hand around her throat again.

Then, he uses the other one too.

Her face turns red and she claws at his hands.

She can’t breathe.

I run to grab my baseball bat from my room. When I have it in hand, I don’t think, I spring toward the kitchen and swing.

He bellows in pain when his legs buckle. My mom gasps for air and her eyes widen when she realizes what happened.

“Victor! No! Put the bat down,” she rasps.

I can’t. I hate him. I hate him so much.

When I swing again, he catches the bat in his hand and yanks it from mine, tossing it to the side.

“You little fucking brat.” He punches me in the face and the one strike sends me to the floor.

“Get off him!” My mom tries to stop him, but he pushes her so hard she falls back, smacking her head against the table.

She’s out cold.

“You always get in the way. You were a mistake. I never wanted you, you know. Your mom got pregnant, and I got stuck with her. Just like I got stuck with you.” He picks up a knife. “You want to be so fucking mouthy? Fine.” He slices from the top of my lip all the way down to my chin. “Try to open your mouth now. No one will want to listen to you.” He cuts in another line, then another.

I cry, trying to push him off me, and scream, but then the knife drops from his hand. His eyes are wide and he falls to the side.

My mom is standing there with blood dripping down her head and she’s holding a butcher knife in her hand. The silver blade is dripping with red.

“Get your fucking hands off my son,” she yells, stabbing him in the chest. Then she twists the blade before pulling it out.

She killed him.

She drops the knife and runs to me. “My baby. It’s okay. We’re going to get you help, okay? He won’t touch you again. He won’t.”

I swerve, the tires bouncing over the raised ridges of lines on the side of the road. I’m pulled from my memories and I look in my side mirror to see Alto speeding up to come up by my side.

He glances at me, giving me the universal look that asks if I’m okay.

I give a quick nod and he falls back, giving me space.

I don’t talk to the club about how the scars got on my lips. I’m a monster to a lot of people and most can’t stand to look at me because of it.

My club accepts me for me, but at night it sure does get fucking lonely. Not even the club whores will give me the time of day, not that I want them to. I don’t want them to fucking give me the time of day either, but that’s how I know Harlow’s message is a mistake. She wouldn’t be caught dead with me. I’m the worst part of the dream, the darkest part, and there isn’t one part of me that is desirable to anyone.

Even if she did want me, which she doesn’t, she is Grizzly’s daughter.

I’d never cross that line.

If Harlow does like me, of course it would be the one woman I can’t have. Just the thought has my temper rising and hitting the throttle harder, speeding down the empty road.

The sound of my engine screaming through the darkness brings me comfort, calming my rage.

The campus comes into view and I slow down to the speed limit, then stretch out my arm, signaling I’m turning right and into the parking lot of Harlow’s apartment complex.

We slow over the speed bumps and when we get outside her building, we park.

“You gave us a heart attack swerving off the road like that. What the fuck, man?” Colt rips his helmet off and slams it on his seat. “That isn’t like you. What happened?”

“None of your fucking business,” I sneer at him.

I don’t want to tell him anything. My experiences are mine and no one has the right to them but me.

“You’re a dick.” Colt lights a cigarette, but I snatch it from his mouth and toss it to the ground, smashing it with my boot for good measure.

“We aren’t going to be out here long enough for you to smoke that. Get your head out of your ass. He swerved. Get over it.” Alto slides his phone out of his pocket and calls Harlow.

I push Colt, then Colt wraps his arm around my neck, putting me in a headlock.

Alto puts the call on speaker.

“Ello?” she finally answers after too many rings.

“Where are you?” Alto growls.

My heart once again pounds in my chest when I hear how drunk she is.

“Who are you?” she mumbles.

“It’s Alto. Where are you?” he repeats.

“Not telling.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose and counts to three. “Harlow. Tell me you’re home. Now.”

“Nope.” She moans. “I don’t feel good.”

I stand in front of him and snatch the phone from his hand, taking it off speakerphone. “Harlow.” Her name is a deep rumble in my throat while I stare at her bedroom window.

I can’t see through it because the curtains are closed, but I bet that’s exactly where she is.

She inhales a sharp breath when she hears my voice. “Bane?”

“Confirm you’re home or I’m going to bust down your front door. Then, I’ll tell your dad about what you’ve been up to tonight.”

“I’m home,” she mumbles, hanging up the phone, and I hand Alto his phone back.

“She’s here.”

“She always listens to you,” he says, our boots scuffing against the ground as we practically run to the entrance.

I scoff. “She listened because I threatened her with Grizzly.” I type in Harlow’s code for the door to open and the lock clicks.

Colt swings it open, and we barrel inside.

It’s a good thing it’s so late—if anyone saw us in our MC cuts, they would be terrified.

I click the button on the panel for the elevator to take us to the third floor. The doors slide open, and when the three of us stand inside we are shoulder to shoulder.

“This fucking thing must be made for short people,” I bitch at the tight fit.

“No, you’re just gigantic,” Colt says, standing in the corner.

I slam my finger on the button that says three and we begin to ascend.

“What are we going to do with her? She can’t travel on our bikes that drunk,” Alto points out just as the doors open to reveal her floor.

It smells like college kids live here. Weed and beer fill the air and I cough, not missing this scene at all.

A door opens and a guy looking half asleep stumbles out of his apartment, shirtless but at least he’s wearing pants. “Could you guys keep it down? You walk very loud.”

I place my hand against his chest and slam him against the wall. “No,” I snarl, shoving him back into his apartment and slamming the door. “Don’t come back out.”

“You’re so nice and good with people,” Colt comments, slapping a hand on my shoulder. “Just so outgoing.”

I grunt in response, stomping my way down the hall until we get to the last door on the left.

Slipping the key into the door to unlock it, I find it already unlocked, and that only makes me angrier.

Does she not care about her safety? What the hell is she thinking?

When I enter her apartment, I step on an empty can and kick it to the side. Music is playing softly from the Bluetooth speaker sitting on the kitchen counter and I press a button to turn it off. Alto shuts the door behind us, flicking the lock in place.

I point to the living room.

Meredith is passed out on one couch while Addison is asleep on the floor with one of the decorative pillows under her cheek. The two of them are sleeping soundly.

We’ve been in this apartment more times than we could probably count. While she’s in class, we do a sweep to make sure nothing is out of order.

Prez’s orders.

I take a right, peeking into her bedroom only to hear someone in the bathroom. I gesture to the guys and push the bathroom door open, crossing my arms over my chest when I see her on the floor. I cock my head to the side as she stares up at me, glassy-eyed and flushed cheeks.

“Bane,” she slurs sweetly, and the cold part of my heart melts.

Fucking hell, I don’t need this.

She doesn’t like me. She doesn’t have a crush on me. I can’t become warm for her.

“You’re trashed, Harlow.” I squat down and push her red hair from her face.

I don’t notice if it’s soft. I really don’t.

“I’m…” She grabs the toilet seat and takes a breath, figuring out if she’s going to be sick or not. “I’m fine.”

“Uh-huh.” Colt leans against the doorway and Alto pushes by him to take the spot in front of the sink.

Her eyes bounce from me, to Alto, then Colt. She doesn’t stop watching us, her big green eyes like pinballs.

She giggles, pushing from the toilet and slumping against the wall. “This must be a dream if I get to see all three. Of. You.” She punctuates each word by pointing a finger at each of us. “Just thought you’d at least be shirtless in my dreams. Unfair,” she exhales and Colt chuckles.

I want to laugh, I do, but she’s drunk and she clearly has no idea what she’s saying. I’d understand if she wants Alto and Colt, but me?

I’m too fucked-up for anyone.

“We’re here to make sure you’re okay, Harlow. Your message concerned us,” Alto says, staring at her with too much softness in his mismatched eyes.

“Dare,” she slurs again.

“What was that?” Colt leans in to hear her better.

“We played truth or dare and my dare was to text you guys and tell you I had a crush on you.”

Ah, so she doesn’t like us. It was a lie. All part of a little game.

I’m relieved and slighted.

“Like you guys didn’t know,” she rambles, her eyes closing as her head tilts down. Her body tilts and it jolts her awake. “You knew. I’ve always found you three sexy.” She waves her finger at us and I hold my breath because she must be speaking the truth. “Always together.” She sighs, exhausted. “I got lost in soooo many fantasies with that.” She laughs and Alto clears his throat while Colt beams with a smile.

“She’s adorable when she’s drunk,” Colt says.

“She’s going to be sick,” I tell him. “Ignore what she saying. She won’t remember tomorrow. Any guy could be standing where we are and I’m sure she’d probably say the same thing.”

She scoffs, poking me in the chest. “I might be drrrruunk,” she sings, then licks her lips and I ignore how the simple touch of her finger feels against me. “But I wouldn’t sa-say this to any-anyone.” She stumbles and hiccups again. “You three…” This sigh is dreamy and a soft smile plays on her lips. “So hot. Why are you so hot? It’s hot, actually. I’m hot.” She begins to take her shirt off and all of us launch forward.

“Woah! Woah, no! No, no!” Alto shouts as we tug her shirt down.

I only get a glimpse of the flawless flesh of her stomach. Nothing more.

“Don’t get undressed, sweetheart.”

“But I’m hot. I’m sweating.” She lies down on the cool tile of the bathroom floor and sighs. “This feels good.”

Alto rubs a hand down his face, all of us a little paler than usual since we nearly saw her half naked. It wouldn’t be a big deal if it weren’t Grizzly’s daughter.

All of us blow out a breath and then her hand finds mine. Even a bit clammy, her skin is soft, and she smiles a little as she rests.

“You feel good. I feel so safe with you here.” This time when she speaks, it’s clear with no slurring or stuttering.

Fuck me.

I’m a goner.

This troublemaker is going to wrap herself around my cold, dead heart and try to bring it back to life.