Dark △ H.S | ✓

Chapter 40

“Bo, your iTunes is fine, there’s nothing wrong with it.”

My distraction hadn’t provided me with nearly as much time as I had hoped. I knew Harry must have been searching for me, his voice repeating my name before the handle of the door pushed down. I barely had time to shut the wardrobe, let alone fix the clothes I had haphazardly yanked from drawers in my haste to find answers.

Harry looked a little bewildered as he entered; staring at the mess I had created. The frown that creased into his forehead made it clear he wasn’t best pleased. When I left his questioning gaze unanswered, his complete focus landed on me. I gulped as he shut the door with his foot, slowly stalking over to me. Warm breath fanned on my face as I resisted Harry’s eye contact. He stood directly in front of me, height shadowing over.

“Did you find it?” He lowly asked.

I attempted to appear calm, despite the anxiousness I was desperately fighting down. It was astonishing how he could transform in a matter of seconds. Harry’s usually comforting, large frame, now felt intimidating; just like it had when we first met.

“Find what?” I weakly asked.

“Whatever it was you were looking for.”

“I wasn’t looking for anything.” I whispered.

My breathing began to shallow as my curly-haired fighter stepped impossibly closer. He nudged my head to the side slightly, lips brushing the tingling skin of my neck. My eyes squeezed closed as I battled to stop the tears.

“You and I both know that’s not true.”

His tone was controlled, but the sense of authority behind the raspy words was evidently clear. Afraid I would cave, my body moved back from his. I glanced around when the back of my legs bumped into the wooden frame of the bed. When my vision flickered to Harry, his narrowed gaze was upon me.

“Tell me.”

I nervously shook my head.

“I wasn’t searching for anything.”

“Don’t lie to me!” He barked.

Harry’s sudden raise in volume made me jump, his rough voice bouncing off the walls. The thick vein in his neck was protruding, a sign of his obvious annoyance. As well as the hardened stare I was currently being held captive by. I shuffled to the side, attempting to manoeuvre round his frame. My heart thumping as his large hand clasped around the door handle before I could reach it. It was then I realised he wouldn’t hurt me. The most extreme gesture Harry could enact was to shout at me and he’d already done that. I pushed my hair back over my shoulders, standing taller.

“Let me go.” I instructed calmly, meeting the burning green.

“Not until you tell me what you were looking for.”

His agitated frown subtly transformed at his surprise, my body nearly pressing to the front of his as I boldly stood my ground. I wasn’t scared of him.

“What did you say to Dan?”

It was his turn to look a little uncomfortable. His touch fell away from the handle, almost as if now he actually wanted me to leave. Harry was avoiding the question.

“Harry.” I prompted.

He remained silent, unsure on where to look.

“It’s true then.”

My words were barely audible, confirming it for my benefit rather than Harry’s. A part of me was hoping what Dan had told me was false, a silly attempt at causing trouble. But in the moment of standing before Harry, I knew it was true. It pained me to ask my next inevitable question.