Harder Than Ever After [H. Scott]

11

Hardin bangs on the door, groaning. "Esther... Come on!"

He hears footsteps behind him and spins around, sighing when he sees its just Maya ; she has an over night bag on her shoulder indicating why she hasn't answered his banging for the last 20 minutes.

Maya glares. "She isn't here."

Hardin's heart leaps. "What! Where the heck is she then!" He yells.

Maya scoffs, walking around him to unlock the door. "Like I'd tell you. I knew you'd hurt her, I knew you'd fuck this-"

"Yeah yeah, I fucked up, don't I always." He snaps. "Fuck off. Where is she Maya?" He demands, trying to push through the door.

Maya blocks his path, glaring hard at him. "Far far away from you."

"Has she gone home?" He demands.

"She barely had the money for the ticket on Friday, you think she'd have the money to get a new one or change the flight?" Maya snaps. Of course she knows that Esther is home and Taylor paid for her new ticket but she won't admit it to this jerk.

Hardin growls to himself and runs his hands through his hair. He tears, inhaling sharply; he's been barely holding it together being apart from her and now he has no idea where she's gone. "Maya." He pleads, his voice breaking. "Please tell me where she is."

Maya eyes him up, half wondering if its all an act. She crosses her arms, glancing at her feet for a moment. "Hypothetically, if she was to have flown home already, she probably hasn't gone home home. Hypothetically, she isn't in this country, but she's somewhere familiar."

Hardin stares at Maya. "That really hasn't fucking helped." He snaps.

"Figure it out asshole." She says, closing the door a second later.

Hardin kicks it hard and storms back to his car, speeding away. He has no idea what Maya means. What does it mean she hasn't gone home home? Is she back in England but not in her home town? That's the likely answer he can comprehend, but he doesn't know how she'd do that. She doesn't like to rely on anyone for money so she wouldn't ask her siblings or parents. Did Maya give it to her?

He does a sharp U-turn and heads onto the highway, speeding off towards Seattle. There's one person he'd hate to rely on right now but his biological father is the man he needs. Vance is connected in so many ways to various people, he'd be able to help.

After a few hours of driving, breaking many speed limits and probably receiving multiple tickets, he makes it to Vance and Kim's luxurious home in the hills. He parks sloppily on the big driveway and runs up to the door, banging on it.

"Vance!" He calls. "Christian!"

The door opens and Kim stands, surprised, in her silk robe, her hair in curlers. "Hardin?" She says surprised.

Hardin pushes in. "Where is he? Christian. I need him."

Kim is surprised; Hardin has never said those words. He's never admitted to needing his real father, he'd usually say he needed to see him or need his help, not he 'needs him'. She closes the door. "He's upstairs in his office, he works from home most Wednesdays-"

Hardin is off running up the big stair case before she's even finished. He taps on the door before rushing in, Vance looking up in surprise. "Um, I'll call you back..." He says slowly, lowering the phone. "Hardin?" He says with an edge of concern, standing from his desk. He takes in the man's dishevelled appearance, the tired face, the worried expression, the crumpled clothes and messy hair.

Hardin breathes heavy. "I-I-"

Vance walks over and places a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it's okay."