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Harper's POV:"So what's the update?" I said to Hailey the moment Hardin dropped me in the living room. He had carried me all the way from the garden, placing kisses from my lips to my neck. I wanted Hailey and Roman out of my house at that point, but I know they were here for me. Well, Roman more for his friend."Okay, your court case is in two days, Harper. I've been trying to speak to the judge to push it back, but he wouldn't budge. And to cap it all, he isn't agreeing to severance of charges.""What's that? Please talk in a language I understand, Hailey." I don't understand a jack of what she just said."Okay, I'm trying to make your charges separate so you don't have to be charged together with Jessica. Her lawyer can fuck up your case, you know?""Oh, fuck! That bitch. I'm sure that's what she wanted all along. But I trust you, Hailey." I said. I didn't know I could say that though. Trust Hailey? I do though. Fuck, my mind is even contradicting itself."Don't worry, Harper, but
Harper's POV:Hardin drifted off to sleep before me. I wished this moment could last forever. Just me lying on his chest while he's off in his dreamland."Hmmmph..." He was murmuring something in his sleep. I tried placing my ear close to his mouth, but I couldn't make out his words."I'm...I'm — I'm sorry... Harper." I finally made sense of what he was saying.Fuck. My heart twisted at that. Here he was apologizing even in his sleep.I wished it were that easy. I know I love him, but a part of me still wants to make sense of it all. Am I sure I'm still not just a tool to him? A tool to get back at my fucking ex-husband? That thought keeps nagging at me.He loves you. A voice spoke into my head as if responding to the question sitting in my heart."Fuck, I know." I didn't realize I'd said that out loud. Hardin shifted in his sleep. I quickly snapped my eyes shut and pretended I was asleep too. I didn't want him worried that I wasn't sleeping...I didn't even know when I finally drifted
Hardin's POV: "I just want to be happy, Hardin — I really just want to be." I heard her choke on her words and it ruined me. I had seen how devastated she was when I told her about Connor. I had been dreading the day I'd have to tell her, but I knew I couldn't keep it from her anymore. It had been eating me alive every day. I didn't know I'd fall this deeply in love with this woman. I had approached her that night, following up on Connor and his ex-wife. When my guys told me they'd seen her get on a plane to L.A, I was excited that my game plan to destroy Connor and his family was set in motion, but now I'm regretting ever thinking she was just a tool to get to Connor. "And you know I want that for you, Harper. I really want to make you happy. I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but I really do. I'm sorry, Harper." I had to say it. If it takes me an eternity to keep apologizing to her, I'd do it. She didn't move from where we were on the stairs, but she'd stopped crying now
Harper's POV:"It's not a prank, Harper, I'm being serious." I could see tears on the brim of his eyes. I was up from the bed now.I stared at him. I didn't know how or what to say to him....'gosh, this is hard.'"Say something, Harper," he almost whispered."What do you want me to say, Hardin?—you know what? Let's talk about this later. You need to rest." I said, leaving the room.I didn't know how to compose myself in front of him anymore. I literally just told him how much I love him, and that's not a lie. I still do, even with everything I just heard from him, but it's all too much."Ma'am, your friend is still here." One of my maids said to me on the stairs as I was heading to my garden. I needed that earth feeling right now. It's where I sometimes go to clear my head when everything gets too jumbled together."Oh...yes." I immediately snapped out of my reverie. 'That bitch is still in my house.'"Jessica, get out of my house. I don't have anything to say to you." I said the mome
Harper’s POV:“Hardin!” I rushed to him and wrapped my arms around him too tight, like if I held on hard enough, nothing else could take him away again.“Hey… easy,” he said, his voice rough, almost breaking.I pulled back fast, my hands still gripping his shirt. “Sorry. I’m sorry.”His breathing came out uneven, like each breath took effort, and it scared me more than anything.“I’ll get you water,” I said, already turning, already moving, because doing something felt better than standing there and watching him like this.His hand caught my wrist.“Don’t go.”“You need it.”“I’m fine.”His fingers stayed wrapped around me, firm even when the rest of him didn’t look it. His skin felt cold, and his eyes… they didn’t have that sharp edge I was used to. That scared me more.“You’re not—”He pulled me down with him, and the rest of my words disappeared when his lips met mine.For a second, I froze. Then I gave in.I kissed him back like I had been waiting for it without knowing it. His li
Harper’s POV:I didn’t know what to do. I was confused as hell. Hardin and I still spoke before I had to talk to Hailey. I had called Roman, at least he’s Hardin’s doctor.“Listen to me, Harper,” Roman had said twice. I couldn’t wait, I had rushed downstairs to speak to my workers. We needed to carry Hardin to the hospital. I was losing it. I couldn't afford to lose him. Never!“Ma’am you phone keeps buzzing, I think you need to see this.” One of my workers rushed to me with my phone.“Get out of here.” I was erratic.“Harper! You have to hear me.” I heard Roman’s voice from the phone again. “Hardin is not dead.” I paused. My gateman was already calling 911.“Wait,” I told my gateman. “Give me the phone,” I grabbed my phone from her. I was looking at Hardin lifeless on my bed. ‘You can’t leave me here,’ I thought to myself as I listened to Roman absentmindedly.“It’s just the stress blackout he gets—his vagus nerve just crashed. His body is basically in a forced reboot. Don’t try to
Hardin’s POV:I had prepared for her.Booked a private dinner just for the two of us because I'd noticed she didn't really enjoy her meal at the cafeteria earlier... not with Hailey sitting there staring daggers across the table.I could see it in the way Harper had pushed her food around on her pl
Harper's POV:"Jessica, let's go."I grabbed her hand after what felt like hours of staring at Jeremiah Robinson across the table... just staring while my brain tried to process what he'd just asked me to do.Leave Hardin. Leave Novare Group.Come work for him instead."I'm not a game to be tossed
Harper's POV:"Hailey…" Roman's voice cut through the tension the second she pulled out the chair.He was already standing... already reaching for her arm like he could physically remove her from this situation before it exploded.I watched his fingers wrap around her wrist and something in my ches
Harper's POV:Something warm pressed against my side and my eyes cracked open slow.Hardin.He was still here... still asleep next to me with his arm thrown across my waist like he was afraid I'd disappear if he let go.My chest did this stupid flutter thing and I hated it... hated that just lookin







