My Brob GF Ch 36: Holding On For Dear Life, Harper’s Determination!

I had climbed a lot of things in my life.

Rope courses, rock walls, the occasional rooftop when I was feeling particularly reckless as a kid. But nothing—nothing—compared to this.

Harper's lower leg wasn't just a surface to climb. It was a shifting, living, breathing landscape. The heat of her skin radiated through the thin fabric of her sweatpants, and despite the loose fit, the cloth still hugged her form enough that I could feel the ridges and curves of her body.

I wasn't even sure if I was still on her skin directly or if I'd been pressed into the fabric of her pants at some point. The lines between the two had blurred. All I knew was that I was holding on for dear life, using the trenches of her skin and the thick, rope-like hairs that jutted out at uneven intervals. Each one was thicker than my arm, and they waved slightly with her movements, like trees swaying in the wind.

I was clinging to one now, my arms wrapped tight around it, panting as I tried to catch my breath.

This was insane.

And yet, I knew I couldn't stop moving.

Stopping meant dying.

Harper's body was massive. That much was obvious. But being on her like this—literally climbing the terrain of her flesh—was a whole new level of overwhelming. Her skin wasn't perfectly smooth; up close, it had tiny imperfections, natural ridges and valleys that formed miniature hills I had to scramble over. Even though she took care of herself, no amount of lotion or skincare could erase the fact that human skin was never completely flawless.

And for someone my size?

Those tiny imperfections might as well have been trenches.

I took a deep breath, bracing myself as I started to climb again, using the ridges of her skin for leverage. My hands were already slick with sweat—not just from the humidity of her body, but from the sheer, exhausting effort of holding on.

And then, the world moved.

No warning.

No time to prepare.

Just movement.

A sudden, sharp shift that made my stomach lurch like I was on a roller coaster.

"SHIT!" I screamed as my body was flung sideways, pressed up against the warm, slightly damp skin of her leg as the force of her motion slammed into me.

I could barely think.

Could barely breathe.

My entire world was skin and motion, the fibers of her sweatpants pressing in just enough to pin me against her without fully crushing me. If the fabric had been tighter, if she'd been wearing leggings or something even slightly more form-fitting, I would've been smeared against her leg without a second thought.

I had to move.

I had to move NOW.

As soon as she stopped moving, I scrambled upward, digging my hands into the ridges of her skin, yanking myself forward with every ounce of strength I had left.

Because I knew the real danger wasn't just her movements.

It was everything else.

The world outside of Harper's awareness.

She could brush her leg absentmindedly.

She could adjust her pants.

She could wipe away a stray itch without even thinking about it.

And if she did?

I'd be gone.

Squished into nothing.

A speck of dust she'd never even realize she'd obliterated.

That thought alone was enough to fuel me, and I kept climbing.

***

Breaking News

Sixteen... seventeen... eighteen...

My thighs burned. Sweat dripped down my back, soaking into my sports bra. The barbell on my shoulders felt heavier with every squat, but I pushed through, my breath steady, my form locked in place.

"Nineteen..." I exhaled through my nose, lowering myself one last time before pushing back up, my muscles screaming in protest.

"Twenty."

I let the barbell drop onto the rack with a loud clang, rolling my shoulders as I stood up straight. My lungs felt like they were on fire, but that was just part of the process.

Darcy, standing behind me with her arms crossed, smirked. "Getting slow, Harp."

I shot her a glare as I wiped sweat from my brow. "Maybe you're just getting impatient."

"Or maybe you're distracted."

She wasn't wrong.

I grabbed my water bottle and took a long gulp, the cool liquid soothing my dry throat. Darcy was watching me expectantly, waiting for me to talk.

I sighed. "What now?"

She shrugged. "Just wondering what you're gonna do with your little Lilli after his vacation."

Ethan.

I had been wondering the same thing. I mean, it wasn't like I could keep him here forever. His work wasn't done.

I stared at my reflection in the gym mirror, my muscles still tense from the workout, my mind drifting to what I knew was coming.

"...He's gonna go after the Consortium."

Darcy frowned. "You think so?"

I nodded. "I don't have proof. I just know."

Especially since she's there...

I hadn't meant to say that part out loud.

"She?" Darcy's eyes narrowed.

I cursed internally. I didn't want to tell her the full story—it wasn't mine to tell. But she was my best friend. She deserved at least some kind of explanation.

I set my water bottle down and turned to her. "Ethan has a grudge against Silvershade. A huge grudge."

Darcy let out a low whistle. "Damn."

I didn't elaborate, and she didn't push. She could probably tell from my expression that this wasn't just some petty vendetta. It was personal.

Then, as if on cue, she smirked. "And let me guess... you're gonna be his bodyguard? Free of charge?"

I rolled my eyes. "If I must."

Because the truth was, I wasn't gonna let that woman anywhere near Ethan.

We both went quiet, stretching in our cooldown. The rhythmic sounds of the gym—clanging weights, muffled music, the occasional grunt of someone lifting too much—filled the space between us.

Then, suddenly—

BEEP BEEP BEEP.

The overhead TVs flickered red.

BREAKING NEWS.

Darcy and I both turned toward the screen.

A news anchor appeared, his expression serious.

"What's happening?" I muttered.

I had a feeling we were about to find out.