Page 85 of Reckless

Harlow just waited. She’d already come to those conclusions too.

“If you go that way, you’ll be dealing with a relative stranger. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Or, you can continue on, at least a bit more, with Ben. Do you think he’ll tell Miles anything after you and he spoke?”

Harlow thought about it carefully. “No. I don’t think so.”

“Ben has gone through some of his own shit with a fucked up parent. And he shared that with you. That’s not necessary. He didn’t have to do that. But it makes a difference that he did. And it makes a difference that he understands what you feel like first hand.” She took Harlow’s hand a moment to squeeze. “And he’s already part of a circle you trust.” Nora shrugged. “Do what you feel is best. There are pros and cons to each decision. But in your position, given all the stuff I know, and you’ve told me, I’d at the very least try to work with Ben. At the first sign of anything you don’t like, kick him loose. He wants to help. He’s already helped, you said. The real question is, will he be professional and keep his mouth shut when it comes to his beloved nephew.”

Harlow blew out a breath. “I totally think, after this talk with Ben, that the idea of an investigation is a good one. Not that I think she’s hiding a criminal past or anything like that. But the fact is, I don’t know much about her, and no one seems to want to be up front and tell me. So this will get me some details. Maybe I’ll actually find out something to help me understand her choices better. I just want to try. It’s not ashouldI hire an investigator, butwhoshould I hire.”

She’d call Ben to talk to him. See if they could both get past this situation. See if she could truly believe his claims of keeping Miles out of things unless and until she said it was okay otherwise.

Nora agreed that was a good choice.

It was coming up on soundcheck so they paid for their drinks, grabbed one for Brian and headed out.

Naturally not even three minutes after they’d arrived and were in their green room, Miles came strolling in.

She gave him a look that dared him to talk about anything before she was ready. He grinned and plopped down on the couch next to her.

“I’ve been looking for you. I brought you an extra slice of pie.”

As apologies went, pie was a great start.

“Where is it?”

“It’s in the fridge in our room. You can eat it later tonight after the show.”

She harrumphed.

“Harlow…”

She turned her head to look into his face. Letting him see just how much she didn’t want to talk about it right then. As she’d told him already more than once. He paid that retainer without even discussing it with her first. He knew about that video and said not one damned thing andnowhe wanted to talk about it? On his schedule? Because he got caught out and she was holding him accountable toherschedule to work it through? No, sir. Not today.

You wanted me. Now you’ve got me. But only if you respect my boundaries.

“My family says they’ll see you at the Gorge,” he said at last. “They really liked you.”

“That’s nice. I liked them too,” was all she said.

“All of them?”

“Dude! What did I say? Four times. Four. Times.”

“I wasn’t trying to discuss the things you promised we could hash out later tonight. I just wanted to be sure you were okay with them.”

“Just because you like to eat my pussy doesn’t mean I’m going to give you a pass for steamrolling over my wishes,” she said in a quiet voice.

It was true. Mostly. He was really good at eating pussy! But still.

“I just want to know things are okay,” he said before kissing her forehead.

“Yeah, well you don’t get to know everything exactly when you want to. Especially when I already answered that goddamned question. I’m really pissed at you. Leave me be.”

“And you didn’t even respond to me telling you I love you.”

“You said it onvoicemailso unless you’re my nana or my dad, fuck off with that.”

He laughed then, pulling her into a hug. “Harlow?”

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