Chapter Thirty

The next evening, Ryan stood outside his bedroom door, listening for sounds that Harley was moving around. After CJ’s visit four days ago, Mom had eased up on Harley. She still had chores and she was still expected to show respect and manners. It made Ryan wonder if his mom ever regretted not giving birth to a daughter.

Not that it should matter to Ryan. A little sister would’ve been as spoiled and coddled as all the women. It was so interesting how all of Bash’s information documented the lives of mostly men. Other than Meggie, the history of the women was sketchier.

Harley dropped something. More than likely a book. She loved reading.

Drawing in a breath, he started to knock on the door, then remembered that would be seen as a weak move, and only something beta boys did. Without asking permission to enter, he swung open the door.

Harley released a frightened cry and twirled to face him. A few of her long braids were undone; several more were snarled and tangled. Even though she wore a cute pair of short pajamas, and her legs were out, she was in tears. Her nose was red and runny, and her acne patches puckered. The swelling was finally starting to subside as were the bruises. She was still so fucking pretty that his heart hurt.

“Why are you crying again?” Ryan asked sharply.

Fuck, CJ was right. All Harley fucking did was cry. Ryan thought Rebel and Mattie’s spoiled bitchiness was annoying, but fuck, he preferred them any day to Harley’s whininess.

“I don’t know how to do my hair,” she sobbed, standing next to the book on the floor. The one Ryan suspected of falling. “Mommie told me to figure it out since I’m so grown. So did Lolly. Daddy and CJ won’t even answer me.”

“CJ is done with you.”

Ryan never thought he’d see that fucking day. He thought he’d feel more happiness at CJ losing his best friend. He didn’t. Not with the other half of that equation—Harley—so fucking miserable. Starting tonight, what he’d worked out with Willard and Wally would only humiliate her more. Those two dumb fuckheads were working on his last fucking nerve. They needed to leave the girls alone before the Caldwell boys fucking killed them.

Now, they were in Utah, hiding out with Bash. That meant whatever they streamed of Harley the entirety of the Scorpion clubhouse would see.

He wasn’t even sure of the point anymore. As he’d said, CJ was done with her. The entire reason for using her was to get to his cousin.

Walking to his desk, Ryan shut down her laptop and closed it, then faced her again.

“That’s the way I know what time it is,” she said, sniffling. “Your room doesn’t have a clock.”

“Use your phone,” he said with a shrug. He’d removed the clock so she’d have to rely on her laptop.

“I can’t find my charger.”

It was at the bottom of his closet. As soon as he could, he’d dig it out and return the clock.

“I want to go home.” She didn’t bother trying to stop her continued flow of tears.

“Don’t you get a fucking headache?”

“You’d cry too if you were hideous and everyone hated you,” she wailed. “But you aren’t! You’re very handsome and you hate everyone.”

Harley thought he was handsome?

The rest of her statement sank in and he gave her a half-smile. “Why do you think I hate everyone?” He pretended it didn’t matter. “They started disliking me first.”

“Because you’re a bully and you’re disrespectful. All because you have an inferiority complex compared to CJ.”

“If that observation isn’t the fucking height of hypocritical irony.”

“You have no reason to be inferior to anyone,” she yelled. “You’re one of them.”

“Them?” he echoed, clueless.

“Beautiful,” she said in a broken whisper. “No acne…” Horror dropped into her face and her eyes widened. She turned her back to him. “Get out! You can’t see me with my acne patches on.”

He grinned. “Too late, baby. I’ve already seen them.”

Her shoulders sagged and his amusement fled.

“Harley, I have acne. Rory has acne. Devon. JJ. Mark JB. Ava Baptiste. It doesn’t take away from your beauty. Stop being so fucking vain. Goddamn, it doesn’t become you. It’s as annoying as your fucking tears. No, it’s as annoying as your fucking tears and your pity-party.”

“You’re so fucking horrible.”

He flinched at her words, then allowed that to strengthen his resolve. She couldn’t be someone he liked. Not with who she was. His great-grandfather would be horrified.

“Just tell me where a scissors is and then go,” she ordered.

“What do you need a scissors for?”

“To cut my hair. I don’t know how to take the braids down. My hair is snarled and tangled. CJ would know, but—”

“You gave pussy to Nardo, then lied to CJ,” he supplied, just to be an asshole.

Spinning, she stared at him, opened her mouth to speak, then doubled over, sobbing in misery.

Disgust settled into Ryan. He backed away, intending to leave her to her tears since she was so fucking good at them, but she looked and sounded so pitiful. He went to her, drew in a breath, and tugged her into his arms.

“Stop crying, Harley. If I’m getting a fucking headache listening, you must have one.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder and shuddered, soft and delicate in his arms.

“Everybody hates me.”

“I don’t hate you.”

“You don’t like me.”

He tightened his hold on her, pretending desire wasn’t snaking through him. “You don’t like me either.”

“You’re mean.”

“And you’re nice?”

“CJ said so many mean things to me.”

“CJ said what you needed to fucking hear. You know him better than anyone. You knew sooner or later, he’d get tired of your bullshit.”

She sniffled. “I miss him,” she admitted.

“I’m sure you do.”

“I love him.”

“I’m sure you don’t.”

Her body stiffened and she jerked away from him.

Folding his arms, he smirked at her. “Don’t give a fuck how you feel, you don’t treat anybody that you love like that. Not your parents. Not your best friend. No, excuse me. Your only fucking friend.”

“Get out.”

“This is my fucking room. You’re in it by my fucking grace.”

“I have friends. Rebel and Mattie.”

“You grew up with my cousins, but they aren’t really your friends. No one is. How can they be? You aren’t anyone’s friend.”

“Neither are you!”

“I’m not the cunt in tears over CJ.”

Her eyes flashed. “No, you’re just a cunt in general.”

Cursing under his breath, Ryan turned, intending to leave, but unable to. For whatever reason, he was drawn to her. Almost as much as he had been to Molly. Except he liked Harley first and it was her who started Ryan’s hatred of CJ.

He stared at her, crying again. It seemed impossible that he was with her, alone in the house because his parents were on a date and his brother was wherever. He almost understood how Molly got so hung up on CJ. They’d spent a lot of time together, and CJ recognized her need for simple kindness long before Ryan had.

How fucking ironic that the one person his friends and his great-grandfather would see as less than human was the one who was opening his fucking eyes as much as his regret in his role in Molly’s disappearance.

Two girls and two cousins that complicated the fuck out of everything. As much as CJ claimed he was done with Harley, Ryan doubted it. No one could forget a lifetime of looking out for someone and then just stop, no matter how fucking treacherous they’d become.

Ryan nodded to the edge of the bed. “Sit.”

Surprisingly, she didn’t argue.

“Show me how to unbraid your hair.”

She picked up one of her braids, removed a rubber band from the end and began working her hair. “Mommie always uses a rattail comb,” she said hoarsely.

He had no fucking clue what that was.

“Ryan!” Rory called, sounding extraordinarily close to his door.

Letting go of Harley’s hair, Ryan backed away. “Come in,” he called, glowering when CJ followed Rory in.

An awkward silence passed before Rory spoke.

“Are we interrupting something?” he asked, glancing hesitantly at CJ.

Their cousin looked bored.

“CJ, help me with my hair,” Harley cried. “Please. I’m going to have to cut it off.”

“It’s your fucking hair, Harley. Do what you think is necessary.”

“It’s the only pretty thing about me.”

“Your hair?” Rory asked, widening his eyes.

“I’ll get down on my knees and beg if I have to, CJ.”

CJ glowered at her. “Not only have you become a selfish liar but a pathetic one, too? Have some fucking self-respect.”

“I might as well be dead if everybody hates me!”

Panic slid across Rory’s face. “Harley, no! Nothing’s that bad!”

Even Ryan felt a bit of anxiety at Harley’s words. However, they made CJ livid, and he kicked the book.

“Shut the fuck up with that manipulation. You’ve fucked over everybody and now that you can’t have your motherfucking way, you want to emotionally blackmail me? Fuck you. Don’t kill yourself, Harley. Let me stab you in the fucking back, the way you did me.”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” She tried to touch CJ, but he jumped out of her way. Relentless, she cornered him and fell against his chest.

Instead of shoving her away as Ryan would have, CJ stood rigid, growing angrier and angrier by the minute.

Rory hesitated, then swallowed and walked to her, gently pulling her from CJ. “Come on, Harley. Go sit at Ryan’s desk. I can comb the snarls out of the braids that are undone.”

“As if you know what you’re doing, beta boy,” Ryan snorted.

“Joke’s on you, motherfucker,” Rory responded. “I hung out with CJ and Harley many days and watched Aunt Bailey do her hair.” He snatched the comb that lay forgotten on the desk, picked up a piece of her tangled hair and startled working on it.

“Mommie’s hair is so pretty and silky,” Harley lamented.

Glaring at her, CJ started pacing. Rory just seemed at a loss.

“How the fuck did you cucks get in my house?” Ryan demanded.

“Through the fucking door, fuckhead,” CJ snapped. “That Devon opened for us.”

He hadn’t realized his brother had gotten home.

“I don’t look like any of you,” Harley continued tearfully, undoubtedly trying to provoke a reaction from CJ. Each time she spoke, she sidled a glance at him. “I’m just ordinary. I blend in.”

Leaning against the dresser, CJ folded his arms. “I’m not falling for your bullshit, Harley. I’m not wasting my breath complimenting you because it does no fucking good. You don’t believe me. I cannot make you feel pretty if you’re measuring yourself by standards only you give a fuck about.”

“Why’d you even want me?” she cried. “When you look like you and I look like me?”

“Thank fuck I didn’t get you! You would’ve driven me fucking crazy because you don’t have fucking self-worth.”

“You’re so cruel.”

“No, I’m done. I meant what I said. I didn’t come here to see you. Rory and I need to talk to Ryan.”

“CJ, please! I’m begging you. I don’t want to cut my hair. I’ll do anything.”

“Is that what Ember LeBan told you before she sucked your cock?” Grant Harrington asked, walking into his bedroom.

CJ and Rory snickered, ignoring Harley’s cry.

“You fucked LeBan?” Ryan asked.

“Nope, she sucked him off,” Grant said, not caring that each word seemed to hit Harley like bullets.

“She keeps texting him.” Finished with one of Harley’s braids, Rory picked up the other one.

Grant dug inside his jacket and came up with a thin comb with a skinny tail. He held it up. “Bailey sent this,” he said, setting it on the edge of the desk.

“If you help with her braids, it’ll go faster,” Rory said.

“No.”

“C’mon, C. We need to talk to Ryan about…” Rory glanced at Harley’s head. “That. I don’t want Harley to lose her hair.”

“No,” CJ gritted.

Grant gave Harley a dispassionate look. “I’ll do your hair, Harley. Get dressed while the four of us talk.”

“Can’t I know what’s going on?” she asked pitifully. She hesitated. “I’m a c-cousin.”

“Er, it’s…no girls are allowed,” Rory said.

CJ wasn’t giving an inch, not even moved by Harley’s sincere misery. She wasn’t wailing or acting out. She just looked defeated.

“C-can’t you do my hair here, Grant?”

“No, Harley. I want to go home and talk to my dad and Roxy.”

“It’s because I’m not pretty!”

“Nope, it’s because you’re mean and stupid,” Grant said flatly. “I have never wasted my time on girls like you and I never will. I’m helping you with your hair on behalf of Roxy.”

She flinched. “I-I can wash it first.”

Grant lifted a brow. “You, uh, why…?”

She lowered her lashes. “Nardo said I was pretty.”

Grant glanced at CJ, who shrugged.

“You are pretty,” Grant said carefully. “I’m sure we’ve complimented you, Mattie, Reb, and Brynn many times over the years.”

She shifted and shame pulled her features down. “He…he said you couldn’t think I was pretty because…because of who you are.”

CJ’s look darkened and she flushed. Seeing Grant’s and Rory’s confusion relieved Ryan. He didn’t understand what the fuck she meant.

“Mortician’s wealthy,” Grant said. “The Banks has money on par with the Harringtons. Fuck, all of us do.”

Ryan doubted that.

“Harley, I swear to fucking Christ, the next time I see that motherfucker, I’m beating him to the fucking ground,” CJ swore.

“He didn’t lie!” she said tearfully. “You took to Molly really quickly. And…and…what about Ember? Why couldn’t my hair be like Kaleb’s? Or I get Mommie’s skin color like he did? Why couldn’t I not have acne? Molly didn’t.”

“Would you please stop fucking comparing yourself to your mom and to Molly? You aren’t them,” CJ said. “You’re you!”

“Then why didn’t Daddy choose someone like him?”

“What?” CJ shouted, staring at her as if he’d never seen Harley.

Admittedly, Ryan was a little shocked too. And, fuck him, if he wasn’t offended, which shook him to his core. Didn’t he feel the same way about Harley and her family? After meeting Willard, Wally, and Bash, and finding out about Logan and his values, he’d certainly resented the presence of the Banks and Roxanne. He felt above them, somehow better. So why’d he feel so insulted?

“I don’t know who anyone wants me to be.”

“Let it be noted, that you’re flipping the fucking script and handing down more fucking bullshit,” CJ told her, his voice dripping with scorn.

“That isn’t true!”

“It is, Harley. If I would’ve known you were in here and not the kitchen, I would’ve asked Devon to call Ryan down and sent Rory for him. I need help with an urgent matter. Yet, here, I am dealing with your bullshit. Again. You can’t stop trying to manipulate me, can you? I told you I wasn’t touching your fucking hair and you immediately sink to being devious and whiny.”

“Nardo was right about you!” Behind the defiant words, Ryan heard Harley’s desperation. Sometimes, when he lashed out, he felt the same way. “I’m glad I gave him my virginity.”

“It was yours to do what the fuck you wanted,” CJ said flatly.

If she intended to hurt him, she’d missed her mark.

“I’m certainly glad I didn’t get it to have you smothering me with your doubts and self-pity. You need to grow the fuck up and think about what you say before you open your fucking mouth. Fucking Nardo didn’t hurt me in the least.” He headed toward the door. “I’ll wait downstairs, Ryan.”

“Just text me, cuck,” Ryan said, watching Harley, taking in her glistening eyes and fine features. She wasn’t even that dark. Not like Jaleena.

The words halted CJ and he swiped a hand over his jaw.

“That’s a negative,” Rory said, grabbing the rattail comb and starting on another of Harley’s braids. “There can be no evidence.”

That piqued Ryan’s interest. “And you came to me?”

“Why wouldn’t I? Mom let the Triplets off the hook for you.”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “Please, incel. She let them go because Rory asked. He was the one who stopped in the first place. I didn’t know those three little psychos were even punished.”

“No, jackass, Aunt Meggie let them come because of you,” Rory said. “You don’t go out with us often, so she thought it was a big deal. If you were there, they would’ve been fucked.”

Pressing down on his lips, Ryan pretended it didn’t matter that his presence mattered to anyone, but especially Aunt Meggie. It was the same type of epiphany he’d felt after hearing his mother beg for his life.

Drawing in a deep breath, he glanced between his cousins and Grant as they snickered and joked, not excluding Ryan, but actively inviting him to take part. He looked at Harley, firmly on the outside looking in because of her own behavior.

Their outcast status stemmed from different reasons. As CJ said, she was flinging more bullshit his way as she realized he wasn’t budging. She only dug a deeper hole for herself.

He wasn’t sure why he wanted to help her. Maybe, it was out of guilt. He’d almost allowed Willard to follow through on his intentions to humiliate her. One, he wanted revenge for the way she’d fought him when he attacked her. Two, she was a girl, and girls were worthless to the Barts. Even Bash liked small chicks because they were easier to hurt. Three, Willard was firmly aligned with Logan’s views about who should be where. Four, he hated CJ. Despised him. CJ didn’t flinch and he didn’t bow. Most of all, CJ hated Willard just as fiercely.

In this, Harley was innocent. Besides, Ryan wasn’t sure if Willard and Wally’s mama forcing him to fuck her and eat her pussy was just as bad as allowing Harley to be watched and terrorized over a video camera.

“I’ll be ready to leave in ten minutes, Harley,” Grant told her.

“It’s fine,” Ryan piped in. “Now that beta boy showed me what to do, I’ll help her.”

CJ’s expression didn’t change. He didn’t flinch or glower or shake his head.

Grant shrugged.

“What happens if her grandmother sees her?” Ryan pressed.

“They’re at the food-tasting for the ball,” Grant said. “I think it’s the same place your mom and dad went.”

“Let me talk to the houseguest for a minute,” Ryan said. “I’ll meet you three downstairs.”

CJ walked out, without looking back, talking to Grant and Rory.

On cue, Harley started crying again.

“Stop saying you’re sorry if you aren’t, Harley. It’s only pissing off CJ more.”

“But I am sorry when I say it.”

“Do you honestly think throwing Nardo in his face is going to help matters? You slept with another dude. We both know if the situation were reversed—”

“It is—”

“Don’t even try to fucking play me,” Ryan cut in. “Ember sucked his cock. So fucking what? Apparently, it happened weeks after you and Nardo fucked if a baby was a possibility.”

“I’m not a whore!”

“No, but you are an idiot. Overdramatic. And out-of-touch. Even more so now that the truth is out and you’re still playing fucking games with CJ.”

“I’m not.”

“Maybe not about how you see yourself, but by trying to make him jealous, yes, you are.”

“Why are you helping me?” she asked quietly. “If Molly was here, you wouldn’t give me the time of day.”

He probably would have, just not for the reasons he wanted to do so now. Especially if she and CJ were still buddy-buddy.

“Give me a few minutes. Let me see what they want, then I’ll come and help you with your hair.”

“I want to know what they said.”

“Tough shit. If they wanted you to know, they would’ve talked in front of you.”

“But—”

“I’ll bring us up some sandwiches and sodas.”

She nodded.

Downstairs, Ryan found his brother, cousins, and Grant cutting up in the living room.

He stayed in the doorway, so he’d have a clear view of the hall in case Harley decided to eavesdrop. She could always lurk in the shadows or stand on one of the stairs, but it was a chance he’d have to take.

“All right, you bozos, the life of the party is here,” he said, smirking when they abruptly quieted and turned to him.

“Ryan’s in the house. Whoop, whoop,” Devon called, then snorted. “Said nobody ever.”

“Never heard them say about you either, Dev,” Grant retorted. “Me on the other hand.” He adjusted his collar. “I’m the life of the fucking party.”

“That would be me, Harrington,” Diesel announced, sauntering in, wearing jeans, motorcycle boots, and a cut tonight.

CJ scowled. “Fuck, Diesel, go home and listen to Great Balls of Fire.”

“Watch the fucking movie, dude,” Grant added. “That’ll be better.”

Ignoring CJ and Grant, Diesel looked at Ryan. “Did you agree?”

At the sound of a text message, Ryan grabbed his phone from his pocket. As expected, it was Willard. He would’ve ignored it, if he hadn’t realized it was a multimedia message.

“I don’t even know what the fuck I’m agreeing to.”

“Rebel’s going on a date with Kaia,” CJ explained. “We need her wired up.”

“Yeah, we couldn’t ask Mattie. She’d rat us out,” Rory explained. “Uncle Stretch and Uncle Val are out of the question for obvious reasons. They might let the cat out of the bag to Aunt Fee and Aunt Zoann that we’re following Rebel and listening in on her date, then Aunt Meggie would find out.”

“And, thus, Rebel,” Diesel added. “So, you’re it, Ryan.”

A video and several photos finally downloaded.

Ryan staggered back. It was Molly, nude, beaten and tied to a bed. He couldn’t press the video because—

“Hey, are you okay, Ryan?” CJ called, his boots clipping toward him.

Help with Harley and we’ll deliver Molly to you when we’re done.

His hands shaking, Ryan shoved the phone back into his pocket.

“Ryan?” Rory called.

“Bro, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Devon said.

“Uh, no.” He laughed nervously, his heart pounding, nausea twisting in his gut. What was Molly enduring? Would she have any coherency? Would she be irreversibly traumatized? “Uh—”

Diesel pulled out a strap of one-hundred-dollar bills and held it out to Ryan. “Find a solid way for us to listen in on Rebel with Kaia. Make sure it’s undetectable.”

“Boss move,” Rory said, his eyes wide.

“Don’t take that money, Ryan,” CJ warned. “Diesel will fuck you up if you don’t deliver.”

Ryan swallowed, taking CJ’s advice. Diesel was a notorious killer. “I’ll accept it after the job’s finished.”

The cash disappeared back inside Diesel’s cut.

“This is important,” Diesel said with chilling intensity, the light of insanity flaring in his eyes. “Rebel’s important. Understand?”

Ryan shook his head vigorously.

“When you talk to Willard, make sure you remind him that when I strap him down, I’m going to slice away the tips of his fingers, toes, nose, and ears,” Diesel continued in that same tone. “Then use heat to cauterize the wounds, so he’ll survive until I’m ready for him to die.”

“He’ll go into shock, dickhead,” Rory said with a snort. “I’ve been studying methods and what use is torture if you start with such intensity? You have to build up to it so they can survive at least seventy-two hours. To me, that’s the perfect number. That second twenty-four-hour block is for turning up the intensity. You increase it until the seventy-second hour when you deliver the fatal blow, cuts, or shots.”

Diesel considered Rory. Neither CJ, Grant, nor Devon seemed horrified by the discussion. Only Ryan felt queasy.

A few minutes later, he was alone. The visitors had left and Devon went to his room.

Diesel’s words drummed through Ryan’s head.

Rebel was important. He understood why Willard wanted to humiliate Harley. It had as much to do with CJ as it did Harley. However, filming Rebel while she undressed, then using the footage to extort her into other lewd acts…

Ryan covered his face. What the fuck was he thinking? Outlaw was Rebel’s father. Diesel was her…whatever. For argument’s sake, Ryan would say Diesel was her brother, which was bad enough. If he was something else…

Fuck, maybe he was something else. Maybe Ryan could find a way to tap into Rebel and Diesel’s computers and give that win fall to Willard. If Diesel was fucking Rebel…yeah, that would definitely win Ryan points. He’d stipulate Molly had to be delivered the day that video was gotten. Alive. In one piece.

Unfortunately, Ryan knew Willard would demand access to his original target. Ryan liked Harley. More than he thought possible. But she was safe. Spoiled and whiny, but safe. Molly was at the mercy of assholes.

Back in his room, he found Harley curled up on his bed, asleep. She looked sweet and peaceful, just like the girl she’d once been, instead of the confused, miserable manipulator she’d become.

He considered her for a moment, glanced at the computer, then at her again. Sitting at his desk, he took off his boots, then opened her laptop. He’d removed all her security features. Removed it completely from the club’s network.

If Grant brought a comb over, then her family was thawing. Ryan wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be at his house. Once she left, anything was possible. Her firewalls had been down for weeks without detection.

One event with Harley wouldn’t change Willard’s mind about revealing Molly’s location. The Diesel and Rebel route might also be a bust.

But, maybe, if he hurried things along?

Climbing into the bed, he ran his hand along her hip, sliding his hands into her shorts and feeling the smoothness of her skin. As he guided her onto her back, she awakened, and he froze.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“Looking at you. Or trying to. Your shorts were in the way.”

If he got them off and got her to open…

Fuck, wouldn’t that be illegal?

Illegal? What the fuck was he thinking? Nothing they fucking did was legal. Who would care if he fucked her or showed her puss…

Heat crept up his neck. Her private area… Who would care if he got her to open her legs and exposed her private area to Willard and Bash?

She was right. She wasn’t one of them. He didn’t have to think about the rightness or wrongness. She wasn’t even a fucking virgin…

Fuck, neither was Mattie.

If he could invade the privacy of that spoiled little cunt, it would make Wally happy. Wally the bovine, not Wally the dumb fuckhead. The son, not the father.

If Wally the bovine son was happy then Willard the hog boy would be ecstatic. They’d have to release Molly.

Harley’s fingers brushed his cheek.

Leaning in, he brushed his lips over hers, wanting her to open her mouth, but afraid he’d lose himself if she did. Harley had been a life goal for ages.

She sighed and parted her lips. The moment he tasted her, he pushed his sweet Molly to the back of his mind.

Whatever Harley was willing to give, he was more than happy to take.