The Trouble He Always Wanted: Devil's Reach MC. (part three)

Let her decide

(Asher)

Harlow came back into our section looking pleased with herself. That told me the conversation with Ridge had gone about as well as I'd expected. She stopped near the doorway and looked at me without saying anything. I waited for her to decide whether she wanted to tell me.

"He said no."

"Of course he did."

She folded her arms.

"That's all you have to say?"

"What did you expect him to say?"

"I don't know. Maybe that he'd think about it."

I adjusted my leg and tried not to react when pain ran through it. Harlow noticed anyway, but she didn't comment on it. That was probably the only reason I didn't tell her to mind her own business. She had enough to complain about already.

"Did you tell him you weren't asking permission?"

"Several times."

"I bet he loved that."

"He was thrilled."

I could picture the entire conversation without hearing another word. Ridge had spent years dealing with Harlow and still hadn't learned that telling her no usually made things worse. She would argue just because she could. This time, though, I knew there was more behind it.

"What are you going to do?"

"I haven't decided."

"Good."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Why is that good?"

"Because you shouldn't decide while you're pissed at Ridge."

She stared at me for a second.

"I hate when you make sense."

"You'll survive."

She came closer and stopped in front of me. I expected another argument, but she bent and kissed me instead. Her hand rested against my chest before she pulled away. Then she looked at my leg.

"How bad is it today?"

"Better."

"That's not what I asked."

"I can walk."

"You could walk yesterday too. You nearly fell trying to stop me from leaving."

I remembered that well enough. She'd stood there in that black dress and asked what I planned to do, chase her. She was lucky my leg had kept me from answering that question. She was even luckier she knew it.

"Keep enjoying yourself."

"I plan to."

A knock came before I could answer. Harlow looked toward the door and then back at me. I already had a good idea who it would be. Ridge didn't usually leave things alone when they bothered him.

"I'll get it."

"I can get the door."

"I know you can."

She walked over and opened it. Ridge stood on the other side, and the look on his face told me exactly why he was there. Harlow looked between us before grinning. Apparently, she planned to enjoy this too.

"Have fun."

"Where are you going?"

"Anywhere that isn't here."

She walked past Ridge before either of us could stop her. I heard her greet someone farther away before her voice disappeared. Ridge watched her leave and then came inside. He didn't bother pretending this was a social visit.

"You told her to go back to work?"

"No."

"That's what she said."

"Then you weren't listening."

Ridge looked annoyed already. I wasn't surprised. Harlow had probably spent most of their conversation pushing every button she knew he had. Now he'd come to me expecting an explanation.

"I told her if she decides she wants to work again, that's her decision."

"You think that's a good idea?"

"I think she's twenty nine."

"That's not what I asked."

I looked at him.

"I don't know if it's a good idea."

That seemed to catch him off guard. He probably expected me to defend the whole thing because I'd supported Harlow. Supporting her didn't mean pretending there weren't risks. I remembered those risks better than most.

"You were there when she disappeared."

"I know."

"I put you on her because I trusted you to keep her safe."

"I remember."

The words hit exactly where he intended them to. I had spent enough time blaming myself after Harlow was taken. Ridge had blamed me too, and I'd understood why. Neither of us needed to go through that again.

"Then how can you be fine with this?"

"I'm not fine with what happened."

"That's not what I'm saying."

"I know what you're saying."

I shifted forward and planted both feet on the floor. My injured leg complained immediately, so I stayed where I was. Ridge noticed but said nothing. Neither of us had room to lecture the other about injuries.

"Harlow decided she was done working after she got back."

"I know."

"She made that decision when everything was still fresh."

Ridge didn't answer.

"Maybe she still wants that. Maybe she doesn't."

"And if she gets taken again?"

"You think I haven't thought about that?"

His expression changed.

I had thought about it more than I wanted to admit. The idea of Harlow alone with strangers in empty houses didn't sit well with me. But locking her inside the compound wouldn't undo what happened before.

"I want her safe."

"So do I."

"But I don't want her waking up five years from now realizing fear made every decision for her."

Ridge looked away for a moment. I knew he understood what I meant even if he hated hearing it. Harlow had already given up her house and her career after the kidnapping. If she still wanted that life, fine, but it needed to remain her choice.

"You've become very reasonable."

"Don't insult me."

That got the smallest reaction from him.

"I expected you to be worse than me."

"I probably am."

"Then why aren't you?"

I knew the answer.

Because what I wanted from Harlow had nothing to do with taking away the parts of her life that belonged to her. I wanted control she chose to give me. There was a difference, and I wasn't going to confuse the two.

"Because she's my old lady, not my prisoner."

Ridge looked at me again.

"If she goes back, there need to be rules."

"Concerns."

"Same thing."

"Not to Harlow."

He couldn't argue with that. Calling them rules would have her fighting before anyone finished the first sentence. We could keep her safer without making her feel trapped. That was the only way she'd actually work with us.

"I still hate it."

"You can hate it."

"I'm going to."

"I figured."

Ridge headed toward the door before stopping. He looked back at me as if there was something else he wanted to say. Whatever it was, he decided against it. He opened the door instead.

"You're dealing with her when this goes wrong."

"She's my problem now, remember?"

That finally got a grin from him.

"Exactly."

He left, and I settled back where I'd been. My leg hurt more after moving, which only reminded me that Harlow's freedom to torment me had an expiration date. She knew it too.

I still didn't know whether she'd return to real estate. I didn't know whether Ridge would ever stop hating the idea either. But Harlow had spent enough time letting what happened decide what came next, and I wasn't adding myself to that list. Whatever she chose, I'd make damn sure she came home.