Harlow

Harlow's POV

What the hell is that noise? There are people screaming and lots of banging. Can't a girl so some sleep around here? I snuggle closer into Toby cause he is comfortable and try to go back to sleep. Toby starts rubbing my hair again and I smile. I know I'm safe here with Toby until I hear "Harlow get your arse out of that bed right now". I am assuming it's Hendrix.

I throw my leg over Toby to piss off Hendrix even more cause I'm good at it and he is pissing me off. Toby pulls me closer as well kissing me on the head. I hear Sue gush "oh my grand babies will be so pretty". "The fuck there will be any babies. It ain't happening, Harlow move your arse now" that sounds like Cameron. So me being me move my arse so I'm laying on top of Toby with my face buried into his neck.

I hear Toby laugh and he wraps his arms around me securing me to his body. He is warm and comfortable what can I say? "Let's leave them be and come back later" Sue says but next minute I am been pulled by someone. Toby and I hold onto each other. He had his arms wrapped around my waist and I have my arms wrapped around his neck. "Fuck off. I have nothing to say to any of you. You had your 5 minutes already" I whine.

"Harlow we need to talk. Jax let your sister go so she can come downstairs and talk" my father says. "I have nothing more to say so go away" I reply. "Harlow there isn't an option, you come downstairs willingly or Jax will dragged you down" my father says. "Oh he will not manhandle her again. Steve grab my magazine will ya?" Sue calls out. I giggle at that, both Toby and I have been on the receiving end of her smacking us with the rolled up magazine and it ain't pretty.

"Sue, I think maybe you should stay out of it" Steve calls back. By this stage Toby is sitting up and I have my legs and arms wrapped securely around him. "Steve don't you tell me what to do, that boy is manhandling Harlow and I won't allow it in my house. Get me my magazine or you will be sleeping on the couch for the next two weeks" Sue calls back.

About a minute later you could hear Steve stomping up the stairs. "Right everyone downstairs now. You too Harlow and Toby" Steve said. "Move" he boomed out when Toby and I didn't make a move to get up. "Carry me" I said to Toby who laughed, "sure baby" Toby said. "I'll carry her" said Leo. "Don't touch me" I told him. Toby got up off the bed with me still wrapped around him and that's how we headed downstairs with lots of grumbling from all of my brothers.

Once we were in the sitting room, I sat on Toby's lap, he was safe unlike the other people in the room. "I would prefer you sit with me or one of your other brothers" Hendrix said. I just rolled my eyes at him before saying "and I'd prefer you not be here but I don't see you leaving". "Can't he at least put a shirt on?" Leo asked. I turned to him and said "can't you all at least fuck off?". "Harlow, enough" Steve said. I just nodded my head. I respected Steve and his house so I would stop.

"Right now we are going to have a conversation. No one is going to touch Harlow, and Harlow you will stay here and listen" Steve said. "Yes sir" I replied. This was scary Steve, ex army Steve which meant he wasn't to be messed with. My father and brothers looked surprised that I had agreed to this seeing as I fought them all the way.

"The floor is yours Jeff" Steve said. "Right, Harlow, first off I am so sorry you found out about your mum the way you did. I assumed that you knew. Second, I am sorry things took so long to sort out at home and I didn't come back to get you sooner. I never abandoned you at all" my father said. I just scoffed, I didn't believe a word he said. If what he said was true he would of been here three years ago. He also could of come back any time in the first two years to see me and let me know what was happening but none of them did.

"Harlow" Steve warned me. "What? They did abandon me. Three years ago my so called mother died Steve, and you want to know how he told me? Yeh he just blurted it out like it didn't matter. That entire time none of them, not one came to check on me. None of them came to take me home when my mother died so excuse me for not believing the shit he is saying" I said. I was pissed and I was going to let them all know exactly what I thought. "Is that true?, about her mother?" Steve asked. My father just nodded his head. "You have got to be kidding me. You just blurted out to your daughter that her mother died? I think it's best you all leave. Clearly this is not going to work at all" Steve said standing up. I was smiling, Steve wasn't intimidated by these idiots either.

"Let us explain" Hendrix said standing up too. "I told my sister who informed us Harlow didn't want to come back for the funeral. We tried calling her and messaging her but all of that went unanswered. We didn't know she no longer had the same number anymore. We have asked her for the last three years to come home in texts and letters but she hasn't seen any of it because she doesn't want to communicate with us" my father rushed out.

"Do you blame her?" Toby asked. "Six years ago you dumped her with her aunt and took off. In that entire time none of you came to check on her. You all got on with your life together while she was here broken and alone. Her aunt was barely home. She had no one whatsoever. She was a scared little girl in a new place knowing no one. She didn't open up to anyone because she was sure you would be back for here in weeks. When you didn't come back, she was lost. I picked her up and helped her when you all forgot about her. You promised to be there for her but you weren't. Not for her last day of primary school or her first day of high school. Not for when she got her first boyfriend or her first period and not for when she caught her boyfriend cheating. Why would she want anything to do with you?" Toby said. He was fuming and I was rubbing his thigh to calm him down. This was my Toby, my protective best friend who I love and makes me feel safe.