INDECENT 》Harry Styles #Wattys2018

》Chapter Seventy-Six

"I don't know if we can trust him." Harry whispers pretending to press a kiss on my temple, I'm sceptical too, yet we don't have many options.

"I need to fill out a report, so please would you like to leave a statement?" My mother then tenderly lingers her hand over the man's elbow in a way too intimate.

"Jade will talk when and where she feels like it, okay? I don't care if you are the chief, or whatever. We don't own you anything so please if you have to be obnoxious, you can as well leave or we will." My mother wants to fire back at Harry nevertheless, she's scared I'll disappear again so she stays quite, with tears at the corner of her eyes.

"Do you know that, by protecting those people, you are only doing them a favour? And if we find out who they are, you all are gonna be summoned to court to testify?" Karen sucks in her breath, not happy about this possibility.

Harry lunches forward, ready to fight against the man but I stop him.

"My friends are not protecting them. They're protecting me."

I grab a mug of tea and take a seat, my heart is beating so much because of what I'm about to do, but we're at a dead end and  we need to move forward or this will not end up well.

"I can tell you everything I know. But I have just a couple of requests." He tells me to go on so I comply. "I want them to be here when I tell you everything and I'll be the only one speaking. Whatever I tell you, it won't be transcribed, recorded or such; there will be no trace of it anywhere. It's for safety." I can tell they have relaxed a bit behind me.

"I can do that. Anything else?"

" Yes, my mother needs to leave the room." She gasps and smashes her palm on the wooden table, making me jump.

"You'll need to tie me, fasten a rock to my ankle and throw me into water to keep me away from this room and  from you. I ain't letting you out of my sight baby girl." I can see myself in her eyes, the fire that used to burn inside of me. And I love her for this..

"Very well." I cross my hands and without knowing where to start, my lips part and the story strolls off word by word. Milton stares at me with no particular expression; Harry shifts from one foot to the other and I know why.

I tell him about the kidnapping, the texts, everything. When I get to the rape part, I let him getting it by himself without actually saying it. Yet I peek at my mother's face and she has her hands pressed against her face in so much pain, it hurts me too.

I can't imagine how it must feel to listen to all the things you work so hard to protect your daughter from. No matter how good you did, these things might happen and most of times, nothing is left for you to do. It's not easy, I reckon, watching your scariest nightmare taking form before your eyes. She doesn't interrupt, just stands back letting me taking it all out. None of my friends dares to step in, not even Harry. It actually feels so empowering  doing something about it.

"I knew it was them."  Milton says as soon as I finish my story and we all look at each other puzzled.

" You know who we're talking about?" Harry asks for us and Milton fixes his sleeves recollecting his thoughts.

"Yes, I've been after them for over ten years. I always come close to get at least one of them but they manage to flee right before I find them, every single time. They have so much money they can cover up anything. But now I have something they don't have any power over: you Jade and I need you to think. Do you have any clue of who the chief of this organization might be? Can you give me any name?"

" I only know the person who showed up the most, the one with the scar on his left hand. They were well hidden the whole time, their voices distorted. There was no way for me to make out anything more specific. Cole could give you the name of his family, since I stayed at his place and the only person I got to meet was his father." I gulp down the heavy fear that is trying to trap my wings. I won't let those claws get me anymore. I'm alive, there's no reason to not break free from them.

" They are good, I can't fight this." He massages his forehead, deep in thoughts. "However you don't line up with the other girls' profiles. There's must be something about you that bothered them, perhaps you know things they don't want you to." I shrug and look up at Harry, he's as confused as I am.

"They said I was some kind of jolly they didn't care to lose, I had no value for them alive. I tried to ask for help to one of them but the door was shut to my face."

" Whom did you ask for help?"

"I was at a party, there were lots of girls in there wearing masks. Among the sea of strangers I saw a friend of mine, well someone I thought was my friend, and dared to ask him."

"As a matter of fact, Jade.. You shouldn't trust that worm of Niall."

Harry stumbles back, turning his glacial eyes to Cole, still processing his statement.

"Niall? As in my friend Niall?" I avoided the name on purpose.  Damn it, Cole.

"What did they tell you Cole, before I came to your house?" I try to change the subject hoping that my little blonde friend will catch the hint. He has his hands on his hips, moving his foot as if he wants to pierce the pavement for how frustrated he is.

"I don't know, is your friend Irish?" Harry pales heavily and I can tell by the white in his knuckles, he's about to explode. I hope he doesn't. We need to stay focused, not going bonkers. "Anyhow, not much Jade. Just that I would have gotten a new Ianfu, that's it. They described you a little bit, nothing specific.."

"Wait a moment, Ianfu?" My mother catches us all by surprise. She unlinks her arms and storms away leaving us all hanging. When she comes back in the room there's a veil of agony on her face that is too heavy to be lifted. She throws a book on the table and points to the title.

Ianfu: the lotus society

My blood runs cold when I recognize whose book it is.