Dark. (Harry Styles)

Chapter 43

"Scream for me, Baby." Scott darkly spoke, a smirk crossing his lips. "I want Harry to know you screamed out for him...you wanted him to save you."

Tears were slipping down my cheeks, my hands gripping on to his wrist as he forcefully pressed my back to his chest. My hair was used as leverage, tilting my head to the side as his dipped down.

"Be a good girl. I want to hear you scream out for him." Scott encouragingly whispered.

I had no intention of complying to his demands. The power Scott craved was granted to him through fear and intimidation. I would not be his next victim. Instead I gritted my teeth, stomping my foot mercilessly on top of his. He grunted in annoyance as I struggled free, sacrificing the strands of hair left between his fingers as I painfully pulled away. My scalp prickled with the action. The taunting smirk made an appearance once again, Scott apparently liking the situation panning out. Maybe he wanted a fight.

"This is going to be fun. But let's say we mess up that pretty little face of yours first, eh?"

In that moment a wave of resistance pulsed though me. I was fed up with constantly being made to feel physically powerless in the male dominated world I had become a part of. My arms quickly rose in defence, just as Harry had taught me, shielding my face. Scott's shock mirrored mine as I managed to weakly block against the fist that would have knocked me flat out. I staggered back but didn't fall. My forearms throbbed with the fierce contact but my action was enough of a distraction for me to inflict some damage. My feet stayed planted to the floor, Scott's daunting frame stalking closer. The instant he came within touching distance the heel of my palm roughly forced upward to his face, catching his nose at an odd angle. My eyes widened as I withdrew my defensive posture, blood was pouring from both nostrils, Scott's scarlet blood dripping down the inside of my wrist.

"You little bitch!" He aggressively spat.

I screamed as the back of his hand lashed out across my face with enough force to knock me to the floor. Large black boots flickered into my vision. I hastily removed myself from the vulnerable position, avoiding the kick that was intended for my stomach. I didn't waste time in scrabbling up, ignoring the stinging of my lip and climbing onto the cash desk. My body clumsily collapsed the other side of the tills, picking up an old vinyl that lay unwanted without its sleeve. I panicked as my pursuer angrily moved towards me, my arm drawing back and flinging the object. I hadn't aimed for his face, so I was a little surprised when I just clipped his right eyebrow. The gash was substantial, blood trickling down. Scott spat out a curse.

My plan was to escape out the back and run to Harry. Even if I couldn't find him, I was sure to be safe in the presence of his friends who worked with him at the gym. But before I could make a dash for it my arm was roughly yanked, my hip colliding with the counter between Scott and myself. He was a complete mess, tilting his head to the side to spit out the blood that had infiltrated his mouth from his nose. My lip was throbbing, arms already bruised but I was in much better shape than him.

"Bo!"

My head snapped around to find Dan rushing through the back door wide eyed. I had forgotten Scott and I weren't entirely alone. I could see Dan desperately assessing the situation, vision darting from my petrified face to the hand gripping my forearm. Seconds passed in a blur as the painful touch was released, Dan tugging me behind him as he shouted.

"Get the fuck out!"

I felt disorientated, peering around the masculine shield in front of me to see Scott wiping the blood from under his nose with the back of his hand. His gaze was swarming in anger, annoyance that someone had interrupted his murderous plan. My breath caught in my throat as he held my vision captive.