slow it down // zayn malik

chapter twenty // fire in our bones.

His expression gets only angrier after the moment of shock of my interruption wears off. He stares me down, as if he could intimidate me enough to get me to cower beneath him. Fat chance. 

"I think you've done enough, haven't you, pretty boy?" He spits at me, looking at me as if I were vermin beneath his shoe, "Sable, I'm not sure how you managed to let this happen. I would expect something like this to come from a careless little child like Linley, but from you?" He turns to give Sable a disappointed look.

My eyes widen as I look back at the lads in disbelief. They all wear looks of pure outrage as well, especially Niall - who confirms my suspicion that he's become quite fond of Linley. I can feel the hatred boiling in my chest at this man, making me actually physically warm. 

Sable stutters over her words as she stands beside Linley, watching her manager with wide, fearful eyes. Not being able to stand it a moment longer, I step back in front of the two girls, getting further in this prick's face. 

"Listen here," I growl, "I don't care who the fuck you are, but you have no right to talk to them like that," I enunciate clearly, just to be sure he hears every fucking word I say. 

That definitely takes him by surprise. He blinks stupidly at me, his mouth held wide open, making him appear even more stupid than he did before. No one says a word behind us - all clearly too afraid to even make a sound. 

It takes him a moment to process what just happened, but when he does, his face flushes to a deep scarlet as his eyes narrow into deadly slits. I can feel Linley taking a step backwards from behind me; a smart move. 

"I don't know how in the hell Linley managed to bring you into this - that's low for even her - but this does not involve you. So if you could just get the hell out of my way so I can talk to my client," He says, raising his voice even louder than it was before, something I didn't think possible. 

He stares at me as if I were the biggest idiot in the world, blinking his eyes in a condescending manner, adding insult on top of insult. 

Feeling the volcano that was rumbling in my chest erupt, my instincts take over. My brain shuts off and my body works. In a matter of seconds, my fist is connecting with his nose, earning a satisfying crunch before he falls to the ground in a wounded heap.

I've never felt so relieved before. 

A chorus of gasps trickles behind me as I slowly float back down to reality. The grown man screams as he holds his nose, blood trickling through his fingertips. 

My heart beings to catch up with my actions, pounding at a million miles per hour. I turn around to look at Linley, who stares at me with a wide smile spread across her face. 

Quickly I grab hold of her hand and take off running, practically dragging her behind me. 

"What are you doing?" She asks, though judging by the tone of her voice, she really doesn't care all that much where I'm dragging her and that gives me an odd feeling of happiness in my gut. 

"I'd rather not be handcuffed to him too," I glance over my shoulder to flash her a cheeky smile.

Both of us listen as her manager shouts after us, but we are quick to disappear into the busy bustle that is the festival.

*  *  *  * 

Linley and I continue to zoom through the festival grounds, weaving in and out of crowds of people, moving far too quickly for them to recognize us. Laughter bubbles from Linley's chest, causing me to join her.