“Oh, she’s not alone. During the week, I stay with her, and then over the weekend I’m with her. It works.” Abel had tried to sleep without her. The first week back when she had to catch up on all of her classes, he’d stayed at his apartment. For two nights he tossed and turned. In the end, he’d gone to her place around four in the morning, and demanded that she sleep with him. A tired Abel was not a nice Abel. Several people had lost a limb due to his tiredness.
“What about the blood?”
“I get changed at the casino. I use Dad’s office.”
“That’s not going to last forever. You’re going to have to tell her. Dad’s worried. Mom’s worried.”
“I get it. I get it. Everyone is worried, and they don’t need to be.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not that important for her to know. I figure I can protect her, deal with work, and she’ll never know.” He was also hoping that the number of times they had been fucking had gotten her pregnant. She hadn’t mentioned a menstrual cycle, and it had been a month. He was counting on the Denton sperm to knock her up. Once she was pregnant, he wouldn’t have to worry about her going to school or work. He’d take care of her. The more he thought about what his mother said, the more he agreed with her. Harper was a natural at taking care of people. She would make a wonderful mother.
“You actually believe it’s possible for you to go on living like you’re a random guy.”
“It has worked this past month. I don’t see a reason why it shouldn’t.”
“We live with the threat of getting killed.”
“So? It won’t hit out at her. I promise.”
“Abel, you’ve got to tell her.”
“I don’t tell you how to deal with Lou. I never interfere. I know Harper. If for a second she knew who I was, she’d divorce me.”
Jacob sighed. “If you don’t tell her, she’ll divorce you.”
Their father had already pulled him into the office to warn him, and now his brother. In fact, everyone from his mother to his sister had warned him about telling her. He was getting tired of being ordered around. Really tired of it.
“I know what I’m doing.”
They pulled up outside of the red zone. It had been a long time since they had been here. Jacob had taken over caring for the brothel while Abel had been on his honeymoon, and that had lasted the past couple of weeks.
You’ve got to tell her.
Abel hated it. Providing he didn’t think about the dangers that his life posed, he didn’t see a problem with keeping her in the dark. He knew he had to tell her one day. Every time he went to tell her, she’d turn that beautiful smile up at him, and he lost all fucking thought.
“I will tell her, Jacob,” he said.
His brother turned toward him. “I get why you don’t want to tell her. I do understand that you want to keep this between the two of you. Once you tell her, it’s going to change everything. I know what you’re going through. So does Dad. Even I wish Lou and I had a moment of what you’re getting to share with Harper. I do. You haven’t got to explain what you do, tell her what a shitty day you have. Lou knew who I was. She knew what I did. I didn’t get the chance.”
“Thank you.”
“But, as much as I’d love to have what you and Harper had, I’m pleased I don’t have to have the conversation with Lou what you’re going to have. When I go home covered in blood, Lou stands with me in the shower washing it off. She eases the cuts on my knuckles, and she doesn’t beg me to tell her about my day. Harper, she wants to know about your day. To her, you’re just a regular guy. You’re hurting her by not telling her the truth. I feel sorry for you, because you may never know what it’s like to have a moment like Lou and I do. She understands me, and even after her brother, she loves me. I hope one day you can understand what I’m trying to tell you.”
Jacob climbed out of the car putting an end to the conversation.
Abel got out, hating that he’d been forced to see his own problem. Sure, he and Harper were having a great time. He loved her, and she was falling in love with him. It wasn’t the real him though, not all of it. She was falling for what he wanted her to believe was him.
Deirdre was waiting for them, and Abel didn’t offer her a smile or a wink.
“Hello, Deidre, any news?” Jacob asked.
“None. I didn’t kn
ow you were coming today, Jacob. I thought Abel would be taking over.”
“He is. I just want to bring him up to speed.”