Page 7 of Rev

We sit quietly for a while, the only sound the ticking of the old clock on the wall. Hades finally breaks the silence, his tone more serious than I’ve ever heard it before. “Hadrian, you have to stay strong. This thing between you and her can’t happen. Not now, maybe not ever. You have to protect her, even if it means protecting her from yourself.”

I nod, knowing he’s right. “I know, and I don’t want Hunt killing me for even thinking about his daughter.”

“Take a step back for a couple of weeks,” Hades suggests. “Create some distance. Focus on work, on anything else. And remember, it’s for her own good as well as yours.”

His words resonate with me, and I realise I have no choice but to follow his advice. For Harley’s sake, I have to keep my distance.

As I leave our guesthouse for a breather, I feel as if my thoughts and feelings are sorted out. I know what I have to do now. Even if Harley wants more, I can only offer her friendship. I have to keep her at arm’s length for both our sakes.

The days pass in a blur of work and avoidance. I make a conscious effort to stay away from Harley and keep any interactions I have with her as short as possible. But it’s not easy. She’s always there, always watching me with those hopeful, trusting eyes.

One evening, after Hunt has gone out with some of his contacts, I’m working late in the office when Harley walks in. I look up, and my heart skips a beat at the sight of her with her dark hair cascading over her shoulders in soft waves. She’s wearing a pair of light blue jeans, trainers, and a tight-fitting concert T-shirt. I’ve never heard of the band emblazoned on the front, and I make a mental note to look it up.

“Hadrian,” she says softly, her voice filled with uncertainty. “Can we talk?”

I feel a pang of dread, but I nod, setting my pen down. “Of course.”

She sits in the chair across from me, her eyes searching mine.

“Why are you avoiding me?” There’s a tinge of sadness in her tone, and I want nothing more than to reassure her everything is fine. But it’s not. I fancy her, and I know she likes me.

I take a deep breath, trying to find the right words. “Harley, it’s not that I’m avoiding you,” I lie. “I’ve been busy. Your father is a demanding man.”

“I know,” she says softly. “Growing up around him and his men hasn’t been easy. I can’t do any of the things my mates do. Going out with them to have fun is out of the question because of the danger it poses to me.”

“I can imagine it’s difficult being watched all the time,” I say gently as I consider my own freedoms while living all those years with my father. “I didn’t grow up like that. My father didn’t give a shite about where Hades and I went. In fact, he didn’t give a shite about us at all, but he did teach us how to protect ourselves.”

“Is that why you came here to work for my da?” she asks, her eyes locked on mine, and I have to fight the urge to tell her all my darkest fucking secrets.

“We’ve been drifting ever since we left home. Your father offered us something more permanent, He’s only trying to protect you by keeping you at home. I get that sometimes it’s shite, but what matters most is that you’re safe,” I tell her, my voice firm but tender.

She looks down, her shoulders slumping. “I guess.”

The sadness in her tone makes my chest ache. This is her at her most vulnerable. She wants to be a normal teenager, but with her father’s notoriety, she can’t.

“I know it’s difficult,” I tell her as empathy takes a hold of me. It’s the gentle side of my personality that Hades always takes the piss out of, but it causes Harley to smile.

She looks up at me, her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t even have a boyfriend.”

“It won’t be forever,” I say, my voice staying firm when I realise where her talk of boyfriends is heading. “Focus on school, and when you turn eighteen, you’ll have more freedom from your father.”

“What if it’s still like this when I’m older?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Harley, things may seem overwhelming now, but it’s not going to be forever. You will have your own life to live, soon enough. Don’t wish to grow up too quickly,” I say, my heart aching for the sweetness this lass exudes. “But for now, you have to be patient. You have to do what keeps you safe.”

She nods, wiping her eyes as she puts on a fake confidence that I can see right through. “Okay. I’ll try.”

“Okay, Harley,” I say softly. “One day, you’ll find your own happiness, and when you do, I want you to tell me all about it, okay?”

She stands up, looking at me with a mixture of affection and determination. “I will, I promise. Goodnight, Hadrian.”

“Goodnight, Harley,” I reply, watching her leave.

As the door closes behind her, I feel a sense of relief mixed with a deep, aching sadness. I know I’ve done the right thing, but it doesn’t make it any easier. I bury my face in my hands, taking a deep, shuddering breath.

The next couple of weeks are a struggle. I throw myself into my work, trying to keep my mind off Harley. But she’s always there in my thoughts. A constant reminder of what I can’t have.

One afternoon, as I’m leaving the study, I run into her in the hallway. She’s carrying a stack of books, and I can see the strain on her face. Without thinking, I step forwards to help her.

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