Chapter 96

Chapter 96
Harper

I swing back and look at my mother with anger in my eyes, I can feel it pouring out of every cell of my body right now.

“What do you think you’re doing? You can’t speak to Levy like that.” Her lips form a thin line. “And since when do you even tell us anything? Sorry, Momma but you haven’t parented in forever.” I place my hands on my hips. Right now I could punch something. Not my momma obviously, but definitely something.

“I did what needed to be done, Harper. He killed a young boy.”

“Oh, come off it. That was an accident on that road, we all know how dangerous it is. He was young and foolish. It could have happened to anyone. You have no right to speak to him that way. Don’t start trying be the parent now.” God I am spitting feathers right now.

“Stop it, stop shouting at momma,” Taylor stands up. Dylan is too shocked to speak I can see how pale his face has gone. Of course it would be. He is also trying to process what his father told us all. And what else gets to me is that Levy had to do it in front of all of us and not simply Dylan and myself. The poor man. My heart lurches for him. That awful lurching and dull ache.

“I have to go. I need to be with Levy and check he is okay.”

Dylan stands up and pushes his fingers through his hair. “Me too. He isn’t the one who killed a young man, ma’am. It was an accident and in defence of my father I think you need to think again.” My eyes bug out of my head. I’ve never heard Dylan speak this way but then he is defending his own father. Good for him, I say.

Momma bows her head. “I also want to point out, Momma that Levy is the one that paid for your private rehab, the sessions and the clothes on your back, not to mention your new hair. He also paid for all the renovations to the house to make it pretty again. You had no right.” My fists clench and unclench by my side.

Now she has the decency to actually looked shameful. Her eyes look up at me under her lashes. Fuck me, I am torn between being mad as hell at her like a tornado out of control and feeling sorry for her because of my outburst.

Taylor sits down again and places a protective arm around my momma. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have shouted at you like that. It was out of order of me. It won’t happen again. Despite everything you are my momma and you have every right to parent us. But this is not your call and you know in your heart it was an accident. Levy is good people, Momma.”

I hear the door close as Dylan exits our home. “I’m sorry, Harper it was a shock. I don’t know what to say. It, well I am just worried about you. We have all these so-called men around the property. If they are trying to get to Levy then it stands to reason they are trying to get to him via you. What if your own life is in danger?”

She appears very anxious and worried, her cheeks are flushed and she is wringing her hands together. I go over to my momma and crouch down in front of her, taking her restless hands in mine to keep them steady.

“Levy has us covered, Momma. His best friend is in the marines. It’s too late in any case; they already know from the sound of it and the guy earlier today that I am Levy’s girl. That Jake’s brother must have been following Levy around for a while. There isn’t anything we can do until Levy and his friends sort it out.”

Mom looks horrified her eyes are bulging. “What does that even mean? Sort it out? What exactly are you saying, Harper?”

I blow out. Taylor is watching me intently. “Are we in danger, Sis?” her timid voice catches at my heart.

I shake my head. “No, well maybe but I am sure that Levy and Lex will do the right thing and get the police involved now they have more information.” I hope so and not that they are going to actually take matters into their own hands. Surely not, right? I mean, Levy wouldn’t do anything bad even if his life has been threatened. Would he?

“Just stay in the house both of you. Momma we are going out tomorrow with Levy hopefully and still go shopping. For now, you both need to sit tight and I am going to catch up with Levy. He will need me now.”

Momma nods her head and thankfully Taylor does too. The last thing I need right now is for my younger sister to start kicking up a stink for having to be grounded and stay at home.

Outside I notice that it is much cooler, I pull my top around me for added warmth as I walk across the street. Levy has the garage doors open and Dylan is talking to him. It’s almost bizarre how much they look alike. The exception is that Dylan is not quite as well muscled as his father nor does he wear his hair long like Levy.

They both glance up as I walk into the garage. I go straight to Levy and wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head on his hard chest. “Sorry about, Momma. She didn’t mean it,” I tell him.

“Hey sweetheart, it’s okay. Your momma has every right to express her mind in her own home. It isn’t anything I haven’t been grappling with over the last eighteen years. I live with it everyday wondering if I hadn’t been such a jerk and challenged Jake, if he would be alive today. Bumping his tire accidentally like that, it’s what my nightmares are made of.”

That explains the way he was drenched in sweat and shaking, calling out Jake’s name. “And what are you going to do about it? Are you getting the police involved, Levy? I mean you need to, right? It’s gotten serious with the death threat.”

He bends slightly and kisses the top of my head. “I told dad he needs to call the police,” Dylan’s voice breaks in to our tender moment. The heat coming off Levy is intense. I am guessing much of it is stress heat.

“Lex and I are putting the file together of the ruling from eighteen years ago to make it easier. Naturally, I have kept the messages on my mobile. And you will be witness to the events of this morning. We will go to the police, yes. This isn’t something us guys want to have on our hands if it gets out of hand.”

I shudder at the thought of another gang or anyone person coming after Levy. It doesn’t stand for me to even think about anything happening to the man I love with my entire being.

“What is next?” I ask.

“We will go to the police later today. I am waiting for Lex to call me back. I’ll be honest with you; baby we were going to handle it ourselves. The gang is a bad gang, they do a lot of bad things and they need to be stopped. It’s the only way.” His voice sounds almost resigned.

“Thank you, Levy. I couldn’t take it if anything happened to you and your friends. I am so in love with you it hurts.”

“Er, guys I think I’ll leave you both to it. Dad, we know it wasn’t your fault. Love you.” He gives his dad a slap on the shoulder.

“Thanks, Son,” Levy says with gruff emotion in his voice.

“You want me to stay over tonight?” I ask him hopeful he will say yes. More than anything I want to be in his arms held tightly and feel his body against mine spooning me for a restful sleep.

“It might be better you’re at home for your momma’s first night back, baby. And Lex and I have to go to the station which isn’t going to be a five-minute job.”

My head turns at the sound of the roar of a bike engine. It’s so darn loud I feel like my ears are bleeding. I take in the biker wearing all black. “That’s the biker, Levy. What the hell is he doing?” The biker stops and grabs something from his leg and throws it.

The next thing I know we are being surrounded by some kind of cloud, it stinks. I begin to choke. “Harper, Harper put your hand over your nose and your mouth and get into the house immediately.” His voice is so stern I don’t even argue back or hesitate. I go straight to the fire door that leads from the garage to their utility. “Lock the fucking door,” he shouts after me.

As soon as I am inside, I hear the almighty noise of something going bang in the garage, that kind of bang from an explosion.