Chapter~24~The consequence of truth.

Nicholas~

Harley thought I wouldn't go with her? That was ludicrous. Even if I led the life she thinks I do, I would give it up, hell, if it took a trip to the moon to get my mark on her neck. I would strap on my damn space boots! Hadn't I made that clear? Nor do I like the idea of her keeping secrets from me.

'You're the pot calling the kettle black in the keeping secrets department; it's a two-way street, Nick. Harley needs to know who you are, and it must come from you. If she finds out any other way, you'll be lucky if she ever speaks to you again.'

'I have been thinking about that, Zeek. How would she find out? Kyle will not rat on me, and it's not like she's going back to Ian's place. Harley never has to know that Ian sent me.'

'Still, our mates deserve to know who they are. How will you explain to Harley that she is a powerful guardian without telling her you know about Ian and his part in this? You are the one who said we can't force them. If you don't tell her who she is, it's the same, and you know it.'

One thing about my wolf is that he causes me to think beyond what I don't want to admit. Since I don't know what will happen when Harley discovers the truth about herself, I haven't even tried to tell her. I'm not taking the chance of spending the rest of my life camping outside the door to an invisible lake. The quicker I can get Harley away from here, the less that becomes one of my options.

'I will find an Ian-free way to tell Harley all I know about the Guardians, which isn't much.'

My heart was thundering when I pulled back into the station parking lot and spotted Harley getting her bag out of her car. The last thing I wanted to do was return to the squad room, but I wasn't sure about the protocol. I should have done more research on how to be a cop, and chuckled at myself.

Who would have thought it? Me, a copper?! Fortunately, when I pull into the spot next to Harley's car, she opens the back passenger door, tosses her overnight bag onto the seat, and slips into the front beside me. I should probably say something, all 5-0.

What came out of my mouth instead? "I missed you, Amante." Zeek is making fun of me.

She pulls the seat belt around her. "And I missed you, too. Let's go, Wolfman."

Harley sets the GPS as we pull out of the parking lot, and when she's done, I take her hand, kiss the back, place it on my thigh, and rest my hand on top.

"Are you hungry? You haven't eaten all day."

"I suppose I am. You care for me so well. You should be careful; a girl could get used to it."

We hit the eastbound interstate and haul ass. About 30 minutes in, Harley is driving me insane with the little patterns she is drawing on my thigh, so I look over at her. She is staring out the window at the scenery flying by, and doesn't even know she has me ready to find a back road and have my way with her in the back seat.

"The answer is yes."

I know I have pulled her from her thoughts by the look on her face. "Answer to what?"

"I will go with you, Harley. Anywhere and anytime you get ready."

"Alright then, Wolfman, let's save these humans so that we can get the hell out of here."

Harley's phone rang. She took it out of her back pocket and almost immediately dropped it on the floorboard, as if it had turned into a venomous snake in her hand. Her hands were shaking, but she recovered, picked it up, and swiped the screen to reject the call. Before she could, I saw the screen, and it was Kyle. She turned it off and stuffed it into her purse.

"Who was that?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

The cat had taken her tongue, and she returned her eyes to the window. "Just a friend from work."

Though she doesn't remove her hand from my thigh, it goes still, and I don't like it. Just what I thought. Now, I suddenly have to take a piss, so I take the next exit off the interstate, and I pull into the nearest gas station.

"I'll be right back."

I go inside, head for the bathroom, pick a stall, lock the door behind me, and, pulling out my phone, I type. 'Harley is with me. I haven't told her yet, so she will not answer you.' I hit send, turned on airplane mode, grabbed some snacks, checked out, and headed back to the car.

Harley has already rerouted the GPS. "We don't have to get back on the interstate. Culver City is just a few miles away."

A smile crossed my face at the thought of the back roads as I handed her the bottle of soda and chips. She took them and then crooked her finger at me.

"Come here, Wolfman. "

I leaned into her. "Yes, Amante."

She placed the sweetest kiss on my lips. "Thank you."

"I don't know what I did, but if you tell me, I'll do it again." I went in for another.

She laughed as I brushed my lips to hers, and my heart jumped. "Just keep being the wonderful, honest, caring man that you are."

We need to go on that one; those things are far from who I am. My hand brushed a stray curl from her face. "I am glad you think so." I put on my seat belt and put the car in reverse.

It is less than 20 minutes before we pull into the combined Culver City police and courthouse building. This time, I get to open the car door for Harley, who then receives a kiss on the nose for her patience before we enter.