Falling for Hadley: A Novel (Chasing the Harlyton Sisters 2)

I lean back and put myself out of arm’s reach from him. “So, what’s the bad news?”

He blinks confusedly, probably from my abrupt subject change. “Um … Oh yeah, the bad news.” He steps back from me, massaging the back of his neck. “So, I talked to my old social worker and she said that more than likely, your sisters were taken to Sunnyvale County because of the dispute with your dad. And if that’s the case, they won’t be in the same school district.”

“Fuck.” I let my head fall back and it bangs against the cupboard behind me.

“Easy with your head,” he warns. “If you did get a concussion last night, the last thing you want to do is bang your head against stuff.”

“Yeah, probably.” I rub my forehead as my temples throb. “I just really want to see my sisters. They’re my whole world, and so my world is gone right now.”

His expression softens. “I know, but we’re going to get them back. It might take some time, but I promise we will.”

I sigh. “Do you always make such big promises to girls you barely know?”

“No. The only people I usually make promises to are my brothers … and Scarlett, when she’s around.” He starts to reach for me again, I think to touch my hair, but then he pulls back and stuffs his hands into his pockets. “And I always do everything I can to follow through with my promises.”

I still don’t understand why he’s helping me. He barely knows me. We’re not even friends. From my experience, that’s not how people generally work. Like my dad. He never helped me even during the darkest times when I felt like I was going to sink underneath the murky water. Then again, he was drunk all the time and rarely home and there were times I often wondered if he forgot he had daughters he was supposed to be taking care of.

“I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but I still don’t understand,” I say quietly. “I mean, why are you even promising me anything? I’m just some girl who lives next door to you. A girl who also told you to go fuck yourself the first time you met her.”

“Are you trying to talk me out of helping you?” His lips tug up to a teasing grin.

I shake my head. “No. I’d never do that—not with this anyway. I just …” I shrug. “I don’t understand.”

“I kind of don’t either.” He offers me a confused smile. “I usually don’t get involved in other people’s problems—I have way too much of my own. But … I don’t know, I just …” He shrugs. “I understand what you’re going through.”

“And that makes you want to help me?” I question, still ever the skeptic.

Another shrug. “I guess so.”

I’m not buying into his reasoning, but I guess it doesn’t really matter. What does is getting my sisters back.

“All right, well, I guess I’ll let you help me then.”

“Let me, huh?”

I nod, totally joking, but manage to keep a straight face. “Yep. And it’s a pretty awesome privilege.”

He carries my gaze. “I guess I should consider myself lucky then.”

His gaze makes me feel all squirrelly and restless, but I refuse to look away. “You definitely should.”

He chuckles, shaking his head and I can’t help smiling too. It feels good and strange, to be laughing and smiling after the shitfest that was last night. Part of me feels guilty about it, that I’m here, living my normal life, laughing with the pretty boy neighbor while my sisters are who knows where.

Tears burn my eyes, but I rapidly suck them back and lock them away. I may have allowed myself a five-minute meltdown last night, but not today. Today I’m Hadley motherfucking Harlyton, the girl who can handle anything, the girl who has handled almost anything.

When Blaise notes my expression, his laughter fizzles. “Do you want to hear the good news now?”

I bob my head up and down. “Yes, please.”

“Well, Darla—that’s my old social worker—also said that she’s going to call up a friend of hers who still works for Social Services and see what sort of information she can get about your sisters. And she’s going to see if she can arrange for you to get a sooner visit than what’s normally allowed, maybe even by tomorrow.”

I perk up at that. “Are you serious?”

He nods. “More than likely she’ll come through too. Darla’s pretty good at making things happen.”

Holy freakin’ motherload of all reliefs.

I’m so excited that my heart starts to race inside my chest, pumping adrenaline through my veins. Before I can even fully comprehend what I’m doing, I jump off the counter and throw my arms around Blaise.

“Thank you,” I say, hugging him.

He slips an arm around my waist. “You’re welcome.”

He seems a little shaky.

I feel a little shaky.

I think my heart might be shaky. But that’s got to be from the excitement.

Yeah, that’s it. And it’s why I’m hugging him right now. Because I’m so excited, I’m not thinking clearly.

Clearing my throat, I step back, my cheeks feeling stupidly warm. “I’m going to head to school before I end up late.” I back toward the door. “But seriously, thank you again. It’s really cool you did that. And that you let me sleep in your bed.” And I’m rambling now.

Yeah, it’s definitely time to go.

But as I turn to open the door, he snags the hem of my shirt.

“Wait. There’s one more thing I need to tell you.” Worry laces his tone.

I twist around and, sure enough, the same worry has taken over his face. “What’s wrong?”

His gaze darts over my shoulder then lands back on me. “It’s about your dad and some trouble I think he might’ve gotten himself into.”

I grimace. “What’d he do now?”

He glances over my shoulder again then folds his fingers around my wrist and he steers me back toward the middle of the kitchen. “I’m not sure yet, but I think he might’ve been working for this guy named Axel who’s also my dad’s rival.”

“Okay.” My brows dip. “Is it that big of a deal that he has two jobs?”

He wavers. “It’s sort of an understood rule that if you choose to work for Axel, then you make a silent promise to never associate with my father or the men who work for him. And vice versa. And working for both is considered betrayal to both men and you’re deemed a traitor.”

My heart rate quickens. Since he’s fingers are still wrapped around my wrist, I’m sure he can feel it. “Do they know he’s a traitor?”

He hesitates. “I think they might.”

From what I read online, Blaise’s father is a very corrupt man. And I may not know anything about this Axel guy, but if he has anything to do with why my father buried a bag of drugs and money in the backyard …

“Shit,” I mumble. “I can’t believe he fucking did this.” I quickly shake my head. “No, actually I can. That’s what’s really messed up about all of this.”

“It’s going to be okay,” Blaise tries to reassure me.

“No, I don’t think it is.” I sigh heavily. “So, what’s going to happen to him?”

“I’m not sure, but I can talk to my father and see if I can find some stuff.” Tension ripples through him.

I may not know him very well, but I’ve heard enough about his past to understand he’s not a fan of his dad. And that his dad is probably a huge fucking douchebag.

“No, I don’t want to make you do that… I’ll figure something out.”

“You’re not making me do anything,” he insists. “I’m offering.”

“No, you’ve already helped me enough. I can handle this. It’s not the first time my dad’s pissed off the wrong people.” I move to leave, my mind spinning with worry.

He tightens his hold on my wrist. “I can’t let you go out there.”

I elevate my brows at him. “Didn’t we already do this whole I’m-not-going-to-let-you-go-out-there bit? And if I’m remembering correctly, all that resulted from it was your ass falling to the f

loor.”

He bites back a smile. “Yeah, because you tripped and took me down with you.”

“I did that on purpose,” I lie with a cheeky smile.

“Why? So I’d land on top of you?” he challenges with a smirk.

“No, I did it so I could …” I struggle for something good, but all I can think of is lick you. “Whatever. My point is that you can’t stop me from going outside.” I try to wiggle my wrist from his grip, but he stubbornly won’t let go.

“Look, I swear I’m not trying to make you do anything.” His fingertips rest against my pulse as he grasps my wrist. “There’s a car parked in your driveway right now. It was also parked outside on the street for quite awhile last night and I’m pretty sure it was watching your house.”

I stiffen. “Do you know who the car belongs to?”

He shakes his head, strands of hair falling into his eyes. “But I’m guessing either one of Axel’s men or my father’s. Probably the first because, if it was one of my fathers, he probably would’ve tried to use our house as his own private headquarters.”