The Bastard (Filthy Trilogy 1)
“I’d have a problem if you were staying at the hotel. That is unless I was with you.”
“Good,” I say, walking into the living room to finish dressing. “I want you to lock up.” I say when she joins me. “If Isaac comes back, call me and don’t open the door.” I pull on my leather jacket and walk to the front of the house where I check the locks. Harper’s in the foyer when I turn around.
“Do you think he plans to come back?” she worries. “What haven’t you told me?”
“He’s running scared,” I say taking her hand, “and when he’s scared, he acts erratically.” I lead her into the kitchen and to the back door. “I’ll explain my brother’s version of crazy when I get back.” I kiss her. “Flip the locks behind me.”
“Okay, but now you’ve made me nervous, so hurry back, please.”
“I will. I’ll be fast.” I exit the kitchen and wait for her to shut the door, then listen for the lock to flip into place.
I walk to the car and climb inside, dialing Grayson as I sink into the leather seat. “What’s happening?”
“Julius Monroe is trying to back out,” he says, of a major player in the NFL deal. “He won’t talk to anyone but you.”
“Fuck. What’s his problem?”
“A competing bidder made a sweeter deal for him,” Grayson says.
“Who the fuck is the competing bidder?”
“You tell me,” Grayson says. “I didn’t know we’d opened up a bidding process.”
I scrub my jaw. “I’ll call him and call you back.” I start to hang up and he stops me.
“What’s happening there?”
“I’m pretty sure my brother just threatened to kill me and Harper,” I say. “If that doesn’t tell you how well this is going, I don’t know what will.”
“Isaac talks a lot of big words,” he says, knowing him well from Harvard where he and I met. “Same ol’ Isaac, or something more this time?”
“He’s scared. Really scared. Harper was right. She’s over her head because he’s over his head, and about to take her down with him.”
“Then bring her here,” he says. “Get her out of there.”
Harper, in New York, in my bed. That works for me. Me leaving and not knowing this is over, doesn’t work for me or her either though. “I might send her to you and then join her later.”
“Send her. Sooner than later if she’s in danger.”
“I’ll let you know and I’m calling Julius now.” I disconnect and leave Julius a message.
I back out of the driveway and I’m about to pull away when I catch sight of a car parked to the far right, next to the curb with a light flickering behind the shaded window. Unease radiates through me, the kind that used to set me off while in the deep, dark bowels of enemy territory. That threat, the idea that Harper might know more than she thinks she knows, that someone might think she’ll lead me there, hits ten wrong places in my gut. I back up, place the car in park and walk back to the door where I knock.
“Harper, it’s Eric.”
She opens the door. “What are you doing?”
I pull her to me. “Come with me. I want you with me.”
“Yes,” she says softly. “I want me with you, too.”
“Good,” I say. “I want you to want to be with me.” I lead her to the car, and that feeling of uneasiness I’d felt with the idea of leaving her behind is not gone. In fact, it’s stronger. Someone is watching us.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Eric
Halfway to the car, Harper shivers, and I pull her close, under my arm and against my body. “I should grab a coat,” she murmurs.