Ride Me | ✓ |

Part Twenty

Drew Conner x Harley Finley
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Harley Finley

I bit my tongue with the fullest force when Elijah lectured me. His rants were non stop, going on and on about my safety and who Jim had trusted and not. Drew and his father being in the latter. He didn't shut up about my 'childish idealism' on the world until Chloe was able to pull his attention away with the fake exaggeration of feeling the twins kicking her ribs.

To say I was grateful for her acting abilities would be an understatement.

There was so much I could have said back to him but I kept my lips shut. I knew better than to anger any of my family members more when they're seeing red and Elijah was seeing nothing but blood at this point. Every time he looked at me, he just got angry again.

He opened his mouth to talk once more and my glance dropped.

I couldn't take his scolding anymore and there was only so much more he could say before I broke and got just as angry as him.

"What is Colten going to do to him?" I quietly asked, feeling absolutely defeated from everything.

Elijah's eyes examined me before softening just slightly. "He isn't going to kill him, Harley but he's going to teach him a lesson on picking on my family. What do you think was going to happen? He'd choke you and god knows what else he tried and get away with it? Fucking cocksucker."

I huffed a breath and looked to Chloe who held her tummy that growled loudly.

"I know this isn't the time." Chloe hushed, "but did you cook something? It smells amazing."

"Yeah, Eli told me you were going to cook for your baby shower and I won't have that." I gave her my complete attention, ignoring Elijah as much as I could as I guided her into the kitchen.

Elijah stayed in the front room while the two of us left.

"Oh my, Harley." Chloe murmured looking to the arrangement of foods I had scattered along the counter.

"Let me know what you like and I'll make it this weekend." I gave her a soft touch to her back.

I went to turn away but she wrapped her arms around me, pushing her protruding belly into mine, in a full on bone crushing hug.

"Thank you so much." She whispered, running a hand through my hair before pulling away. I could hear the tears building in her eyes at her soft tone.

"This is nothing." I rolled my eyes.

"No, thank you for just being here. No matter what you believe Elijah has been so much more happy since you've decided to extend your stay. He's missed you. For years all he spoke about was reaching out to you but he didn't want to bother you or face the fact that maybe you didn't want anything to do with him. But now that you're here, never feel like you're intruding or overstaying just because of a little hiccup."

"Chloe, I'm not staying permanently." I reminded her as I did myself every time I said that out loud.

She shook her head softly with her hands on my arms. "If you do decide to leave, just know we're here for you, no matter where you are." She paused, looking into my eyes with a twinkle in hers, "I know Colten and Elijah are a lot to handle when they're together. They think a like, they act a like but they also both care for you in their own ways."

"I barely know Colten."

"Yeah, but he knows a lot about you. Jim, Elijah, Hudson, Rocco always talked about you. They'd share stories about you of the good times before you left. They never forgot about you even if you weren't around." Chloe sighed, "Colten has had a rough past. For him to step up and be protective over you, it just means you've grown on him. He doesn't show his feelings or talk about them, he acts on them. And I have to tell you, I've never heard him this upset about a woman before."

My heart seemed to pick up its pace at the thought of him with other woman for some reason. It didn't feel like jealousy, it was a hurt that if I did leave, he'd probably just move on. Just like I would.

"It's hard for woman like us, being on our own for so long to accept the help of others. When I first met Elijah I had been kicked out of my own house more times than I could count, I figured it out. Making my own money working two jobs, finding housing and doing shit on my own. But having him in my life has changed me. At first I wasn't ready for it, I thought I didn't need a hand or a shoulder especially a mans. It's okay to say you can't do it alone or even if you don't want to. Especially with everything going on, just reach out and trust someone, Harley. Anyone and I promise it'll make life just a bit easier."

"Thanks, Chloe." I gave a light smile, letting her words sink in.

"Anytime. Now, I can't ignore the smells any longer." She hurried over to the table with a speck of drool coming from her lips. She took bites of everything with a satisfactory 'mmmh' each time.

When Elijah reentered I excused myself and grudgingly walked out of that damn house to get some fresh air. Chloes talk had been one I needed to hear, even if I didn't know it at the time.

Trust.

I just have to trust someone.

I thought it had been Colten but his overbearing, physical way of dealing with things was proving to just get in my way. Even if it was out of feelings he wouldn't admit, I couldn't have him beating up anyone and everyone I spoke with.

With a deep sigh, I found myself in the garage again. This time I stuffed my hands in my pockets and looked over the bike with my eyes. Taking in every piece of rusted metal and bolt. Everything seemed how it should, not out of place or tampered with.

God, if only I could rewind time and Jim could just tell me in person. Maybe then everything would make sense.

My finger ran along the edges of the trim, feeling the cold metal beneath it like an ice cube. Memories flooded back all at once sending a chill down my spine.

"Look at these stupid fucking handle bars. They're practically plastic. I bet they just melted some water bottles straight to the metal and painted them black. You could rip them right off, Harley!" Jim would huff with a frown.

And at the time I frowned back to him, thinking he hadn't approved of my choice when in all reality he was looking out for me. He didn't want me to settle for the hunk of junk that I had bought.

My hand grasped the handlebar tightly, pretending to revv the motor when the handle bar loosely gave way. I kept pulling and yanking at them until the piece literally tore in my hands like the cheap plastic Jim had claimed it as.

And when it came off completely, a rolled up piece of paper drifted in the air like a feather, slowly back and forth, until it rested peacefully to the floor.

I froze for a moment before reaching down and almost pinching it between my fingers. My heart raced as I opened it, searching the small cursive writing for answers.

But all I got were names.

Men's names.

Women's names.

A whole array of mixed lettering that stretched down the length of the thick sheet. None of them seemed familiar to me at all.

Until I got to the bottom.

My stomach curled into a knot.

Because at the bottom of this rolled up yellow tinted piece of paper held the name of my ex boyfriend who just got the shit kicked out of him by my fuck buddy.

But that wasn't the worst part.

My name was next to his.

Drew Conner x Harley Finley

I rubbed my thumb against our names. My heart twisting knowing I'd have to talk to him again to figure out the meaning behind it all.