Now standing in front of Ranger seeing his expression, I know he’s beyond pissed with me at the moment for hiding from him. If he’d really looked close enough he would’ve seen me, but because he was focused more on the entire room rather than sections like for instance the corner of the floor where I’d sat with my knees up cradled to my chest while trying to figure out a way to get away from him.
I’ve done everything in my power to keep Ranger at arm’s length. I didn’t need him to be in my life wanting to know what I was up to. No one knew for sure.
Yeah, I took a hiatus from this part of my life and became a nurse working with infants. I loved it but after I received that message, the Harpy within me decided to come out of hibernation ready to unleash her fury on the world.
Everyone assumes I’m this emotionless woman who wants to do nothing more than live a reclusive life. Ranger on the other hand I sense sees me differently. At moments when we’re around each other I find him either—glaring at me as if he were annoyed by my presence, other times I notice the glimmer of desire shining through.
“You need to call Tinsley, she’s been trying to call you, and we gotta get to the hospital she’s having the baby,” Ranger announces drawing me out of my head.
“What?” I ask, furrowing my brows unsure I heard him right.
“Tinsley’s in labor. You gotta call her or Coyote. I need to get to the hospital and you’re coming with me,” he reiterates, moving around the room. My eyes follow his every movement as his words register. Shit, Tinsley’s having the baby and I promised her I’d be there for her.
Tinsley called me after getting my number from Raven and nearly begged me to be with her when she went into the hospital. So, I’d given her my word I wouldn’t let anyone else touch her besides Alverez.
Unfortunately, last night I didn’t take my phone with me to the club. She’s been so nervous about this pregnancy, especially after what happened to Raven during hers, but that’s not my story to tell, I unfortunately wasn’t able to be there because of this job I’m still working.
“Can I use your phone?” Ranger turns back to me upon my request.
“Yeah, here,” he mutters, pulling his phone out of his pocket and tosses it to me.
“Thank you,” I murmur, clicking the side button to light up the screen to find it locked. “Um, can you unlock your phone for me?” God, I hate feeling this way around him.
Why does he have to bring these feelings out in me?
I don’t like feeling vulnerable for any reason what-so-ever.
Without saying a word, Ranger stalks the short distance, stands directly in front of me my hand held up in front of my chest being the only thing keeping his front from being flush with mine. Lifting his hand, I stop breathing as he brings his fingers to graze against mine as he touches the back side of the phone where the camera is. “There it’s unlocked,” he states dropping his phone.
My brows raise in question as he does this.
“Finger scanner,” he answers my unspoken question.
“Oh,” I murmur, feeling a little bit stupid for not thinking about that.
Dropping my gaze from his, I focus on the phone’s screen and pull down the call section and find Coyote’s number at the top of recent. I press his number as I try to ignore the sight of names in the phone listened as Piece One, Piece Two, and Piece Three. I don’t want to know what those names mean even if I already know.
Putting the phone to my ear, I wait for Coyote to answer.
“Not a good time, brother,” Coyote snaps through the line when he answers and I can hear Tinsley moaning in pain in the background.
“Um, it’s me,” I murmur in response.
“Fuckin’ hell, woman, Tinsley has been calling your ass trying to get a hold of you. What the fuck? She’s scared out of her mind and you’re not fuckin’ answering,” Coyote snaps and normally I would have snapped back but right now I know not to mess with him. His woman is in labor and he’s freaked out.
“I’ll meet you at the hospital,” I murmur softly. “I just need to get Ranger to drop me off at my house so I can change. I’ll grab my other car and be up there soon as I can.”
“Not happening, baby,” Ranger grunts.
“I don’t give a flying fuck how you do it just get to the fuckin’ hospital A-fuckin’-SAP,” Coyote snarls, hanging up on me.
Pulling the phone away from my ear, I hand it back to Ranger as I glare at him. “What do you mean not happening? And don’t call me baby.”
“Means I’m not about to let you out of my sight again. As for calling you baby, I’ll call you whatever the fuck I want to. Starting right this fuckin’ minute, Harlow, you’re mine and I’m not about to let you get away from me. If you would stop running from me every chance you get, we’d already be past this part.”
What the hell?
Anger seeps deep within me as I straighten my shoulders. I open my mouth to argue my point when Ranger puts his hand up.
“Don’t even try me. I’m done with the bullshit. If I’ve got to cuff you to me, I will. I’ll do whatever the fuck I need to, to insure I know where the fuck you are at all times. Now get your ass out to my truck. We’ll go by your place in order for you to change, then we’ll get to the hospital,” Ranger declares, eyes narrowed on me as he states this.
My mind screams to the rest of my body as it heats at the sound of his gravelly tone.
I’m screwed if I don’t get a handle on myself soon.
Chapter Three
Harlow
By the time Ranger got me to the hospital, I was ready to pull my hair out and considering I’m normally the cool and collected one, this shit sucks.
When he’d taken me to my house, I shouldn’t have been, but I was surprised he knew where I lived. Well, I lived when I wasn’t working something. Right now, I lived in a little one-bedroom apartment which is more of a crash pad in another town over near the women I’d been with last night. Due to them being somewhat a part of the organization I’m trying to get into, I need them to think I’m nothing more than a party girl who works from home while spending her nights at every club possible.
It’s also a place I cringe at sleeping in. I like having nice things when I’m not having to suffer being in a rathole. It’s why my little ranch style house is kept nice when I’m not home. I have someone come in to clean it weekly to keep the dust away and another person handles my lawn as well; however, when I’m home I do all of this myself. My uncle, Trevor’s dad, he and my uncle Fury vetted each person who comes into my home when I’m not there. Trevor had even installed cameras for me. Ones that activate when I’m not home and stay on regardless of Sarah putting in a code for the security system. This helps us make sure no one fucks with my belongings.
With what I do you can never be too careful and I’m not about to put my back in a corner to be caught off guard. Learned that lesson a long time ago and I bear the scars to prove it.
Now having changed into one of my hoodies and a pair of black jeans matched with a pair of pink Converse, my ass is back in the passenger seat of Ranger’s truck. As he parks his truck, I try not to think of him as I jump out of my seat and storm off toward the main doors. When I say try not to think of him, I mean the fact he’d been in my house roaming around while I changed. I also mean the fact he’d had his hands on my body while lifting me up into his truck.