Command (Storm MC 6)

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up at the way his words came out. “What?” I urged.

“Harlow asked me to look into him while you were away. She had an off feeling about him and she was right. He’s working against you, helping Julio. And on top of that, he’s wanted for multiple rapes. Seems he’s gotten himself into some shit while he’s been away from the club.”

My body stilled.

Rogue’s with Harlow at the moment.

My mind slammed into my heart and nausea coursed through me. And then the sound of gunfire rang out, and everything blurred as Griff and I battled bullets.

13

Harlow

“So, you’ve told Scott you’re pregnant?” Scarlett asked as we loaded the dishwasher in the café kitchen.

“No, not yet,” I admitted quietly.

“Shit, girl, when are you going to tell him?”

“I was going to do it last night, but then he came home from your place all stressed and it just didn’t feel like the right time to do it.”

“I don’t think there is a right time for this kind of conversation, except for as soon as fucking possible.” She stopped what she was doing and stared at me as if she was waiting for me to agree with her.

“I’m honestly going to do it. He’s just got so much going on at the moment.”

She nodded at me like she didn’t believe me, and I was about to defend my decision again, but the sound of Mum coughing from the front of the café stopped me. I he

aded out to where she stood hunched over, still coughing. She’d been getting progressively worse all day.

“Go home, Mum,” I suggested as I rubbed her back. “I’m sorry I gave you a cold, but at least I’m all better, so I can look after the café while you rest.”

She coughed one last time before straightening. Nodding, she said, “Thanks, love. Hopefully I’ll be better tomorrow.”

“Don’t come in if you’re not. I’ll take care of everything.”

She took off her apron and hung it up in the kitchen before grabbing her bag and heading out. I gave her a kiss goodbye and told her again not to come in tomorrow if she wasn’t up to it. Knowing my mother, though, she’d be in even if she was sick.

“I like your mum,” Scarlett said after she’d gone.

“She’s a good woman.”

The three of us had gotten on really well and the day had flown by with Scarlett helping us. Mum had mentioned that perhaps she might want a part-time job, but I hadn’t had time to mention it to her yet. Besides, I wanted to spend more time with her before offering her a job – I wasn’t sure whether Scarlett was someone I could spend a lot of time with.

“My mother never gives me the time of day,” she blurted while fidgeting with the tea towel. This was the first time she’d shared something personal with me.

“You’re not close?”

“No. The only person I’m close to in my family is my brother, and most of the time that’s only because I force myself into his life.” As she said this, she pulled her phone out and checked for a text from Scott. She’d been checking it religiously since he called about her brother.

“Still no news?”

She shook her head. “Nothing yet.”

“Do you want to call Scott and ask him? Maybe he got tied up and forgot to call.” I doubted it, but I figured it couldn’t hurt.

She tapped her phone against her leg in a nervous type gesture, and then said, “Yeah, I might give him a call.”

“Okay, I’ll leave you to it.”