HIRED GUN // H.S AU

forty-four

AMARA

"H, you need to rest," I pushed at his broad shoulders as Harry attempted to walk out of the room, following hot on his heels when he succeeded.

"I've been in that damn room for 5 days, Amara. I'm fine," Harry hissed, grabbing a bowl from the kitchen cabinets. He placed the bowl on the counter when Louis knocked on the front door in a code we'd come up with considering they had to get a separate room to us, due to no bigger rooms being available.

"Harry? Mate, you look great!" Louis cheered as he walked in, hitting Harry's shoulder playfully as Zayn trailed behind. Louis was right, Harry did look a lot better. The night we got here, Harry was horrible. He'd gotten another fever and was incredibly pale the next day, but by the second night it started looking like things were getting better for him. He didn't get much pain anymore, only when he got up too quickly. Other than that, he was pretty much back to normal.

I walked back into the room as the trio started talking about work, knowing they'd send me there if I didn't go myself. They'd been talking about work quite a lot, and Harry had been constantly on his laptop this week. They, of course, didn't let me listen. I didn't really mind by now, I was content with the fact they couldn't tell me certain things for my protection. I'd probably be even more scared if I knew who was after me and the work they were researching.

Harry was also confusing me, more than usual. He'd been hot and cold the past couple days, his mood swings worse than usual. He'd be affectionate and clingy one minute, and secluded and distanced the next. I assumed it was just him stressing, I didn't want to overthink.

"Hey, you okay?" I released my lip I hadn't noticed I'd been biting when Harry appeared in the doorway, catching me off guard.

"Yeah, why?" I tilted my head as he stepped closer, now noticing I had been stood up near the window this whole time.

"You left the room pretty quick when the guys got here."

"I know you guys don't like it when I'm there while you discuss work," I bit my lip as he grabbed my hand, leaning his forehead on mine.

"Such a good girl," Harry smirked as I gulped, his innocent words twisting my stomach in a completely different way. I tilted my neck when he lowered his lips to my jawline, enclosing his mouth around the skin before sucking on it. I pulled his head up when it lowered down to the valley of my breast, crashing our lips together in a hurried frenzy as I grew needy for him.

I felt myself moan into his mouth as our tongues met, my hands tugging on the hem of his white t-shirt. He lifted his hand behind his neck, tugging the shirt off completely as we broke the kiss, throwing it across the room carelessly. I pressed my lips to his chest when he didn't re-connect our lips, wanting to feel my skin on his desperately. I crouched on my knees when my lips hit the trail of hair under his bellybutton, my hands unbuttoning his trousers.

"Amara, no," Harry pulled my body back up, his hands tucking under my armpits before he lifted me. He scanned my confused face, sighing as he grabbed his shirt to pull back over his head. "This was a bad idea."

"We've done it before, what's the problem now?"

"You're the problem," Harry stopped walking to the doorway, turning back to me with his arms crossed.

"Excuse me?" My jaw slacked, my arms crossing to mirror him as anger bubbled in my stomach, replacing the want I felt for him only minutes ago.

"The more we do this," Harry gestured between us, his arm flying out. "The more I want you, all of you," he stuttered, shaking his head as my face dropped.

"Then have all of me."

I watched as he continued shaking his head, his fingers pulling at his hair violently. "What are we, Harry?"

"What?" He looked at me as if I was a different species, his pupils dilating. I was taken aback by his hesitance to answering, growing frightened of how he'd answer.

"What are we?" I repeated, drawing out the words slowly as if I was communicating it to a child. My stomach continued to drop as he stared blankly at me, all emotion void from his face by now. I started feeling regret for asking the question, not even wanting to hear the answer he's going to say.

"We're Harry and Amara," Harry answered, looking away from my disappointed eyes. He knew what I was asking, and he was clearly avoiding it.

"Harry," I pushed firmly, walking up to him cautiously. "What are we?" I repeated it for the third time, having to lift my head to look at him as I stood close, our chests almost hitting each other's.

"I'm your bodyguard," Harry kept his head straight, his eyes looking out the window as my heart clenched from his sentence. He was my bodyguard, he wasn't wrong. But after these months, I thought he'd at least see himself as something more to me, and me to him. I'd heightened my expectations far too much, and now I was in the aftermath.

"What am I to you?" I whispered, feeling my eyes burn as his kept the emotionless glare in them. I shouldn't have asked it, I shouldn't have pushed him to answer. I should've stayed away from him when I had the chance, let him keep on task. We should've never advanced things further than acquaintances, I shouldn't have allowed my feelings to cloud my judgement. Because, the next words broke my heart, and Harry clearly didn't realise how much by the distant look in his stare.

"You're my assignment."