Defending Harlow (Mountain Mercenaries #4)(56)

Black knew the others had been getting equally frustrated with Rex and the way he’d seemed more and more distracted lately. But this time it was affecting a case, something that hadn’t ever happened before.

Arrow had sat the team down and told them the little he knew about Rex and his wife. It hadn’t really been a shock to discover their handler was directly affected by the human-trafficking trade, considering how passionate he was about tracking down missing women and children. But it possibly explained his recent distraction.

Black couldn’t help but wonder if half the team finding women to spend their lives with had brought back the agony of Rex losing his own wife. Arrow had gotten the idea they were deeply in love. Just as Black had already seen the differences in the way Gray, Ro, and Arrow did their jobs now that they had someone else to consider, he was starting to see a difference in Rex as well.

Considering the way Black was feeling so helpless about Harlow’s situation, hating not having all the information they needed to stop the harassment and keep her safe, he could only imagine how Rex must feel, not knowing if his wife was dead or alive.

All that aside, it didn’t excuse their handler’s lack of attention on this case. Even if it meant going rogue, Black couldn’t sit back and ignore Bear’s role in the entire situation anymore.

“I appreciate it,” Black told Meat. “And I’m sure Loretta is still awake. She said she had some paperwork to take care of. Just shoot her a text and let her know you’re on the way and that you’d like to come inside for a while. But everything looks calm for now. No sign of anyone lurking about. I’ll hang out with Harlow in the parking lot until you get here. Just to be sure all is well.”

“Right. I’ll be there in ten.” Then Meat disconnected the call.

“Lowell?” Harlow asked tentatively when he’d put his own phone away.

He didn’t answer, but pulled her gently out of the doorway and shut and locked the door behind him. When he’d started escorting Harlow to and from work and spending so much time at the shelter, she’d given him a key. Looking to his right, then left, Black saw nothing out of the ordinary. It was dark, and the streetlights made the shadows seem even darker. He turned and headed for the parking lot at a fast clip.

Harlow didn’t say a word, simply tightened her grip on his hand and followed along behind him. He pulled her to her Mustang and waited for her to open the door. He got her seated behind the wheel, then went around to the passenger side and climbed in.

“Why is this happening?” she whispered as they sat in the dark in her car.

“I don’t know,” Black said, and he hated that he had no answers for her.

“Should I call Loretta and tell her what happened? We need to get that cleaned up so the kids don’t see it. Maybe I—”

“Shhhh,” Black interrupted her. “Meat will have already called and filled her in, and I have no doubt he’ll pull strings to get someone out here tonight to take care of the wall.”

“Really?”

“Really. So . . . four thirty tomorrow?” he asked, desperate to take the worry out of her tone.

She looked at him for a long moment. It was no wonder making out in cars was popular. There was something about sitting there with Harlow that felt especially intimate.

“What is it with you and getting up butt-early in the morning?”

“So that’s a yes?” he pushed.

She huffed out a breath. “Of course it’s a yes. And you promise there won’t be any exercising involved?”

She’d already asked him that, but he’d repeat his answer as many times as she needed to hear it. “Promise.”

She turned her head, looked out the front windshield, and bit her lip.

“What is it? I swear not to play another joke on you.”

“It’s not that. I just . . .” Her voice faded.

He could see the second she decided against saying whatever it was that was on the tip of her tongue. “You can tell or ask me anything, Harl,” Black reassured her.

“Thanks for being so cool with Jasper tonight.”

Black wanted to know what it was she’d really wanted to say, but he let her change the subject. “Of course. The kid’s been dealt a shit hand. If you can’t trust your father, who can you trust?”

“You get along with your family, right?” she asked.

“Yes. My pop is awesome. He works too hard, though.”

“Kinda like someone else I know,” Harlow said with a smile.

“I don’t work too hard,” Black denied.

“Lowell, you own your own business, you go out of the country on a moment’s notice, you came to my aid when you barely knew me, and now you spend most of your days watching over me and the others at the shelter. I’m sure there’s stuff going on behind the scenes that I don’t know about in the investigation, and you’re spending time with me some mornings. You definitely work too hard.”

“You are not work,” Black said without dissembling. “If anything, you make my days go by faster, and there’s no place I’d rather be than hanging out with you.”

His words hung in the air, and the chemistry that was ever present sparked to life between them once more.

Black didn’t know if he leaned forward or if Harlow did, but the next thing he knew, they were inches from each other. He couldn’t take his eyes off her lips. She licked them and left behind a sheen of moisture that he ached to taste.