Homebound

Chapter ThirtyOne

I must have fallen asleep on the couch while watching TV at one point because the next thing I know I'm waking up to banging on the front door. I jump out of my skin while Teddy runs into a nearby room with the hair on his back standing tall.

My heart pounds in my chest as I become paralysed in place, my mind goes blank and the only thing I can do is freeze.

"Would you leave me alone?" suddenly my body can move again when I recognise the voice as Harley's. I glance at the clock and see that it's well into the early morning hours. She bangs her body on the door again as she tries to unlock it.

"What the hell?" I whisper to myself as I stand up and walk over to the door, wrapping my arms around my waist as the house seemed to have chilled while I was asleep.

I unlock the door and open it. I step back when Harley unexpectedly falls inside because she had been using the door as support to lean against. Banks is on the other side, his forearm leaning against the doorframe. He doesn't so much as flinch when Harley falls inside. She catches herself just before she falls on her ass, her hand now gripping the door firmly, almost turning her knuckles white.

I look back and forth between them as they both remain silent, Harley silently fuming.

"Am I interrupting something?" I ask. Harley looks at me but Banks' eyes stay firmly on her.

"No" she huffs, as she catches her breath. Whether it's from the fright of the fall or the fact Banks had her up against the door, I don't know.

She doesn't bother saying goodbye before she slams the door closed in his face.

"Harley, you can't do that" I say as she walks into the kitchen. The rosiness to her cheeks showing how truly flustered Banks had made her.

"I've decided what I'm going to do" she announces "I'm going to ignore him, at least until he's older" she says with a completely straight face. I can't help the snicker that escapes me. Does she not think I would've ignored Hex if I could have? It's practically impossible; you can't ignore your Darling. They come into your life at a specific time for a reason.

"What?" she looks up at me, the anger from Banks still simmering in her eyes.

"Uh, just had something in my throat" I make up an excuse while clearing my throat. She buys it and grabs left overs out of the fridge. "What's he doing here anyway?" I ask. Had he been waiting outside for her to come home this entire time?

"He showed up at Darby's, I don't know how he knows where I live or what time I work. Seems you're not the only one with a stalker, Poppy" Harley doesn't see the wince my body subconsciously does when she mentions having a stalker. "Rex nearly kicked him out when he threatened a customer who slapped my ass!" she exclaims loudly. I snort and then watch as she starts shovelling food into her mouth.

"Anyway" I yawn "I'm going to bed" I tap the kitchen counter with my hand and then say goodnight and head to bed.

*

Today is my first day back at work and I hadn't slept a wink last night. I hadn't slept well since Hex was taken away but I was also worrying about seeing Jacob for the first time since everything happened. Had he even told Lola what had happened? Surely he couldn't have just arrived home with a bloody face and she didn't question it?

Harley's still in bed when I leave the house. I can't imagine she got much sleep after the whole ordeal with Banks last night. I opened her door a tiny bit before I left ensuring that Teddy can go in if he gets lonely.

I hold my breath as I unlock the front door of Darby's. I have to open today so I should be alone but Jacob had also made a habit of keeping me company when I'm opening. It seemed innocent then but now I'm wondering if there was an underlying reason he insisted on keeping me company.