Rose
How I manged to sneak into Jack's home escaped my memory and became insignificant at that moment, the moment that the gun shot pierced the thick, violent atmosphere before my eyes.
Two men, one my living nightmare and the other the man of my dreams, stood rigidly still. From my point of view I could only see Jack's face behind Harry's head, which scared me beyond comparison because there was no emotion visible in his eyes. In my head, this could only mean that the bullet fired must have hit Harry.
Tears ran freely down my checks when I saw blood quickly pool at the bottom of their feet. A figure at the entrance of the room that will forever be imprinted in my memory appeared, causing my gaze to focus upon whoever it was.
It was Carlos, who stopped dead in his tracks at the sight before him then turned his attention to me.
Suddenly a pained groan sounded out, which snapped my attention back to Jack and Harry. Like a scene from a dramatic movie, everything seemed to happen in slow-motion.
Jack's face no longer held an impassive mask; nose scrunched up with a grimace of pure fright and pain and eyes rolling back into his head, he dropped to his knees, gun in hand, then finally thudded lifeless onto the stained boarded floor.
Relief washed over me like a tsunami destroying a city, but unlike that city, I was not destroyed. Clearly Jack was dead, which allowed me to be free, conscience clean as he got his just deserved. After everything he's done, after all the people he's harmed, this is payback.
Sobs wracked my aching body when Harry finally turned around to face me, his eyes glistening with tears whilst he approached me with some speed.
Unexpectedly, he lifted my feet from the ground in an extraordinarily tight embrace then whispered,
"It's over."
***
Back at Harry's home after he swiftly removed me from Jack's premises, he held me gently, caressing my spine with his skilled fingers.
"What's going to happen now?" My voice was trembling still, much like my body. What I had witnessed played on a loop inside my head.
"Carlos and his team are getting rid of Jack and any other evidence that's there."
"Any other evidence?"
"Yeah; the gun, blood, Jack's friends." Swiftly pulling away from him, I stared in disbelief.
"You're getting rid of Jack's friends?" Studying me, Harry eventually frowned then rolled his eyes, holding my hand in the process.
"Not like that. Carlos got intercepted whilst he was following behind me by a few of Jack's so called friends, tried to attack him thinking they were powerful." He let out a cold short laugh and shook his head.
"Of course, Carlos knocked them down, but now they know too much. However, there's nothing a bit of bargaining and money can't buy, especially with people like them." Understanding set in quickly.
"You're paying them off?"
"Pretty much. There's only one other way to handle a situation like this, but I've already killed once tonight." Staring off into the distance, Harry looked beyond troubled, I could see in his eyes that the reality of what he'd done was finally sinking in. Killing a man was tough even to the most degenerate of minds so I couldn't begin to imagine how he was feeling, his soul being the sweetest that I know.
Placing my free hand over his shoulder, I brought him closer for an embrace that he didn't refuse, rubbing his back when he was close enough.
"I'm sorry." Was the only thing that I could think to say. I felt awful knowing that his feelings were, and forever will be, tainted due to my actions.
"You have nothing to apologise for, I had to do it. Please don't argue with me on this, I'm so tired." The deflation in his voice caused a lump in the back of my throat to form, which I abruptly pushed down.
"I'm not going to argue. Do you want to go to bed?" Shaking his head, Harry sighed then held me closer and tighter, placing his lips just beside my ear in a long kiss.
"Not yet, I just want to hold you for a while."
***
Waking the next morning to an empty bed made me uneasy, although I knew I was being paranoid and irrational. Nothing was a threat to us now. Except maybe the police and Harry's mental health.
Once we went to bed last night, Harry kissed my face all over then wrapped his arms around my body that was maneuvered into the spooning position. He held me tightly all night, nearly suffocating me with his unconscious affection. I didn't mind of course, but it worried me how close he seemed to need me.
Groaning, I jumped out of bed and headed to my first port of call, the toilet. Then I walked to the sink to attempt to remove the horrible taste on my tongue using mouthwash, but stopped suddenly.
A note written in masculine calligraphy stared back at me beside my reflection in the mirror.
'I love you too'
My hand went to my chest to feel my own heart beating rapidly, which turned to a drummers solo as Harry appeared a few feet behind me and our eyes locked in the mirror's reflection.
"Did you write this?"
Harry's smile nearly blinded me, even though it didn't fully reach his eyes.
"I should hope so, or there's someone in my home with a crush on you who shouldn't be here."
Giggling like a school girl, I pivoted to walk to him then looked directly into his eyes as he banded his arms around my waist.
"Do you mean it?" Even I noticed that my voice was small and vulnerable.
Leaning down, Harry gave me the most tender chaste kiss, before pulling back all too quickly.
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. I know that we've been through more than enough drama, but I don't regret meeting you and you've made me feel things that I've never felt before."
I hadn't noticed I was crying, once again, until Harry cupped my face in both of his hands and wiped my cheeks with his thumbs.
"So, what will we do now?" It seemed I asked this too often, however I had a feeling the answer this time would be more positive.
"Who knows? A real date would be nice."
This time as Harry smiled, his eyes twinkled, shining with anticipation, amusement and predominantly, love.
Every bad thought disappeared when he looked at me like this, and I knew everything was going to be all right.
YOU ARE READING
Guarded By Him (#Wattys2016)
Romance[COMPLETED] Harry Jones, a successful business man, thinks he's just had the best and most passionate night of his life with a beautiful woman. Little did he know, this woman would soon take his heart and open wounds he would rather forget. Roselin...
