Buckle up loves this one is a long one.
It's 4:30 in the morning. I slept for maybe a total of 3 hours on and off, waking up at the slightest change in the continuous beeping from the machines Harry is connected to, too worried that if I didn't wake up he would be dead. I don't get why I am so worried that he's going to die. The doctor that came in last night before Harry passed out said he was fine and that they want to keep him for the next couple days just for observation but that doesn't stop that nagging feeling in my chest from making me think the worst.
The night shift nurse came in a couple times and offered to get me a cot so I could sleep comfortably but I politely declined each time. He even offered to stay in the room if I wanted to get some coffee from the cafeteria but I declined that offer too. I'm gonna be a fucking mess at this meeting. I peed with the fucking bathroom door open for crying out loud just so I was able to see him, to see that he was okay.
"How long have you been married?" The nurse asks me, leaning in the doorway as I sit by the window in Harry's hospital room. I give him a confused look but remember that Gemma lied to them yesterday.
"44 days." I yawn.
"Wow, newly weds. He's lucky to have someone like you. I don't think I've seen you sleep since you've gotten here." He smiles, coming into the room to check Harry's vitals.
"I would say it's quite the opposite actually."
"Really? You must have one hell of a love story then." He keeps that polite smile on his face while typing into a computer.
"I guess you could say that."
"Well his vitals look good, blood pressure is a little low but that's normal for the type of pain killer he is on. I'm going to grab a new bandage and stuff to clean out the wound for him, do you need anything?"
"No, thank you though." I sigh and look out the window, down towards the empty street. It's so calm during early mornings like this, peaceful and serine. The nurse walks out leaving me be.
Sometimes I really wish things could go back to when Harry and I first met. Not with Eric obviously but with how naive I was to how fucked up the world really is, back to just him and I singing in the car on the way to the Santa Monica Pier. Back to our conversation on the fire escape with a cigarette, the conversation that became a metaphor for him and I. I want to go back to the good moments, the moments where it didn't feel like we are going to die or die trying to save our lives. Gemma had told me to be careful when it came to Harry when in reality he should be the careful one. Tragedy follows me like my own shadow, lurking around behind me, hiding behind every corner, waiting until it can fully take over. He has risked his life for me 2 times now, the second time unknowingly. There was a saying my grandma used to tell me. Find what you love and let it kill you. I never thought something like that could ever feel so real, I would die for Harry if it meant he got out of this unscaved. I would get on my knees and hand the killer the gun if it meant he could be free from this, if we both could be free.
"Knock knock." The nurse announces before he comes back in, a new bandage in one hand and a paper coffee cup in the other.
He walks over to me, holding the coffee cup out to me, "this is for you and oh-" he digs into one of the pockets on his scrubs after I take the coffee from him, "-here's some cream and sugar, ya know just for safe measure."
"Thank you, you didn't have to do that." I slightly smile as I take the small round containers of creamer and the packets of sugar from him.
"It's no big deal." He shrugs while rubbing in the hand sanitizer that he just squirted onto his hands before pulling back the small sheet that's been used as a makeshift blanket, slowly peeling off the old bandage and throwing it into the hazardous waste bin.
I take off the lid of the coffee cup and set it on my thigh while I peel the foil material off of the creamer cups, dumping them in as well as the sugar packets. Since I don't have anything to stir it with I opt for my pointer finger and quickly circle it around in the warm liquid, only mixing it slightly but not really caring to fully stir it.
"Doesn't the night shift end at 3?" I ask after taking a sip of the caffeinated liquid.
"It does." He states while rubbing a large q-tip covered in an orangish brownish liquid over the stitches that spay across most of the lower left side of Harry's abdomen, a couple inches below is bottom rib.
"Are you working a 24 hour shift?"
"No I am not." He continues to strategically clean Harry's surgery wound.
"If you don't mind me asking, why are you still here?" I take another sip of my coffee, my exhaustion really hitting me at this point. Hopefully this coffee kicks in soon.
"Mrs.Styles, frankly the morning nurses on this floor are kinda bitchy. I love them but they don't like the patient's family in the room while they work. Plus you look like you could use some moral support and I don't have anywhere I need to be." He takes the packaging off of the bandage once he is satisfied that the wound is completely clean, gently placing it onto Harry's tattooed skin.
"Please just call me Parker, formalities make me feel old. What's your name?"
"Andre." He smiles and cleans up the rest of the mess before sitting down in a chair that's closest to where I'm seated.
"Thank you Andre."
"Of course, now tell me how you two met." He smiles waiting for me to tell the story of how 2 messed up people fell in love.
***
3 hours have gone by and Andre has gone home. We talked about Harry and I for almost 2 hours. He seemed really intrigued by our story, asking question after question, but there was only so much to tell since our story has really just begun.
Gemma and Frank are here now, meaning it's my time to go. I have to head back to the house to get ready. Sadly Harry hasn't woken up yet but I still kiss his forehead goodbye before leaving with Frank. I left my sweater on the bed with him for comfort, well more to comfort me I guess. That way I'm there with him in spirit.
"Hey Frank, do you mind if we stop by a corner store on the way back?" I ask.
"Sure there's one about a mile from the house."
"Actually there's a specific one I want to go to if that's not a problem." I really need to see a friendly face right now.
"Not a problem at all." Frank answers. I tell him the name of Dale's store and sit back during the drive.
Once we are at Dale's store I promptly get out of the car and push through those familiar glass doors with worn metal bars covering them. The small bell chiming above me. I head towards the back and grab the usual can of Arizona Green Tea then around the corner to the candy aisle, grabbing 4 bags of peach rings, my favorite ones still here.
"Is that who I think it is?" I hear Dale shout as he comes out of the back room towards the check counter.
"Well that depends, how many red heads do you know?" I joke with him as I stride up to the counter.
"Oh come here and give me a hug. I've missed you, you haven't come by lately. I got scared you were taking your business somewhere else." He says as he comes around from the behind the counter and pulls me into a tight hug. I hug him back just as tight, feeling a bit of relief seeing the man who has acted like a father to me since I moved to California. I always stopped in after meetings when I was walking back to grandmas. Apparently they were old friends so I used to get a discount when I was short on cash.
"Dale, why would I do that? You have all of my favorites." I say as we both release from the hug, setting down my items on the counter.
"You doing alright? Still sober?" He asks as he scans my things.
"Still sober. Just going through the shit life throws at me."
"Good. You know if you need anything just give me a call and ol' Dale will do what he can to help. Total is $11.58."
I reach to go into my back pocket but remember I'm wearing leggings and I don't have any cash on me, I didn't bring anything when I went to the hospital besides my phone. "Dale let me go out to the car real quick and ask my friend if he has any cash. I forgot I didn't have any on me."
"Parker don't worry about it, it's on the house." He bags up my things and holds the bag out to me.
"No Dale, just let me go ask really quick." I start to walk towards the front door but Dale comes running up, stopping in front of me.
"Parker, you've been going through a lot. I don't need to know what but just let me handle this for you. Just be safe out there alright." He says as he shoves the bag into my hands so I have to grab it.
"Dale seriously. He probably has cash. I'll be like 10 seconds."
"Parker Owens just take the damn bag, and get some sleep cause you look like you haven't slept in days." He looks at me sternly.
I thank him and walk out the door, climbing back into the car to head towards the house. I crack open the tea and drink almost half of it in a couple swallows. Frank pulls back out to the main road and the rest of the car ride back to the house is silent.
I have a couple hours before I need to be at Howard's office so that gives me time to decompress. I head straight upstairs once I enter the house, setting my tea on the nightstand along with the paper bag with my candy. I walk into the bathroom, flick on the fan and light, peeling off my clothes as I turn on the shower, waiting for it to warm up. I rinsed off most of the blood that stained my skin last night but I still feel unclean. I close the bathroom door before climbing into the glass shower, condensation building up on the glass. As soon as the hot water hits my scalp and runs down my body all the tension starts to release. I scrub my scalp with shampoo twice, feeling neurotic while doing so. I just need to make sure there's not a trace of blood or body matter on me. Once I'm satisfied I rinse out the shampoo and lather some conditioner on my ends, letting it sit in my hair as I lather my body with a soapy loofa, scrubbing my body until it feels like my skin is raw. There's only so much I can do to feel cleansed. I rinse my hair and body, turn off the shower and wrap a towel around my body and hair.
I quickly dry my body off but leave my hair in the towel propped on top of my head, leaving the bathroom. I take over and plug my phone in and take a sip of my tea while walking into the closet and deciding what to wear. I pull a couple options, hold each against my body and look into the full length mirror. It feels strange being in this closet after being in it to save my life, the mind numbing fear I felt, the anger I felt towards those pieces of shit. Something about all of this isn't adding up.
I decided on a black leather skirt and one of Harry's white silk dress shirts as well as the boots he had bought me in Vegas. I tucked the front of the shirt into the skirt, leaving the back of it hanging down. I blow dry my hair and style it into light waves, applying some darker makeup then usual before heading downstairs. Putting everything I need into a small bag I found in the closet.
"Liam!" I call out once I reach the bottom step.
He comes out from the office down the hall with a confused look, "What's up?"
"You go to Howard when you need information on people right?" I ask while walking into the living room, sitting down on the couch and looking at the clock seeing I have about 45 minutes before my meeting.
"Sometimes, other times I just hack the federal database. Why?" He sits down next to me.
"Where does he keep this information?"
"Parker if you need information on someone I can get it for you."
"Harry said something didn't add up about this. I'm gonna ask him a few questions."
"I don't think that's a good idea. Just tell me who you need information on and I'll get it." Liam looks concerned but I'm tired of feeling like a sitting duck.
"I'll be fine."
I leave him sitting on the couch and walk out to the car. The plan is I get there early enough that I can get into Howard's office, log on to his computer, hopefully have enough time to email myself any information I can find on him as well as Alan. I need to know everything about Alan, especially things I can use as black mail to maybe call off the contract. I've watched enough crime shows to know that shady criminals pay off people to keep their business private from anyone but, there's also one person who knows everything. Yeah Liam could probably dig it up but this is personal, I have to be the one to do it.
Frank shifts the car into drive. I'm not fragile like a flower. I am fragile like a bomb and I'm about ready to explode. It's been 5 days since the shooting at my apartment, in 5 days Harry has gotten shot twice because of this bullshit, in 5 days I've been shot at 3 times. Harry's solution was to kill Alan and maybe that's the best option. So if we are going to kill him we better know everything about him. I dig into my bag and grab a package of peach rings I threw in there, opening them and sticking a couple in my mouth.
"My daughter loves those things." Frank smiles as he watches me stick a couple more of the rings in my mouth.
"I didn't know you had a daughter. I don't blame her though, these are the best candy known to man." I say as I hold the bag out to him, offering some of the sweet, sugary candy. He takes a couple sticking some in his mouth.
"I try to keep my personal things away from work."
"Well with the work you do it makes sense why you would want to protect her from that."
"I know it's none of my business but keep that in mind with your meeting with your dad. Maybe he was trying to do the same thing." Frank takes a couple more peach rings and I do the same before putting them away.
"I wish that was the case Frank. Both of my parent's only care about themselves." I sigh.
"Just don't be so quick to assume. Hear him out." Frank stops the car in front of the building giving me a sympathetic smile.
I climb out of the car, swiftly walking through the large glass doors trying to sneak past the receptionist.
"Ms.Owens he's not here yet. You can wait here in the lobby." The receptionist says but I just keep walking towards the elevators.
"Ms.Owens!" She shouts but I push the call button to bring the elevator down to the lobby, not bothering to look in her direction, walking into the elevator as soon as the doors open and pushing the button for the top floor. I watch as the receptionist starts running towards the elevator just as the doors begin to close.
When the elevator doors open to the small hallway where the door to Howards is I step out and try the handle but it's locked. Good thing I prepared for this. I dig into my bag I brought, finding the 2 bobby pins I threw in there. I bend back one of the bobby pins out so it is just a flat piece of metal. I stick the end of the bobby slightly into the lock and push up to bend the end of it so it's more like a pick that's normally used for something like this. Then I bend the side that has the humps on it back onto itself so it's easier to handle and apply pressure on. I bend the other bobby pin into a 90° angle to use as the lever, basically a key. A typical lock is made up of two parts: the barrel and the pins. The barrel is the chamber you put the key into. The pins are small metal cylinders that sink into the barrel, holding it in place until a key or your pick pushes them up and out of the way. The pins are cut in half, and when the halfway mark lines up with the barrel you can turn the lock. I just have to make sure I get all of the pins in the correct place so the lock will turn freely and I can open the door.
I insert the bobby pin I bent at a 90° angle into the bottom of the lock, keeping it as low as possible while still getting it deep into the barrel. I turn the makeshift lever slightly to the left, applying slight pressure to make the pins inside the lock loose enough to maneuver them. I then insert the pick, bent side up and feel for the pins. I move the pick a bit trying to get a count of how many pins are inside the lock. I only feel 5 which is pretty standard. 3 move pretty freely and the 2 in the very back of the lock seem to be stuck which is normal.
I start with the pins that were stuck, loosening the pressure I was holding with the lever because stuck pins mean there's too much pressure on the lock. I gently push each of the stuck pins up until a hear a faint click meaning I've lined the halfway mark up. I continue to do this for each of the pins until all of them are locked into place, turning the lever the rest of the way to unlock the door. I shove both bobby pins into my bag then open the door and quickly close it behind me.
I throw my bag onto the chair in front of the desk and open his laptop. Of course it's password protected so I look around the room to see what the password might be. I start opening drawers in the desk, shuffle around the papers in each, looking for something that screams password.
If I did some shady crime shit where would I keep my passwords? I turn around and look at the bookshelf behind and start pulling out some books opening them then putting them back when there's nothing. As I'm going down the line of books on each shelf I see one of mine. I grab it off the shelf and flip through the pages, stopping in the middle of the book when there's a giant sticky note with the title passwords. I bring it back to the desk and quickly type the password into the computer. When it unlocks I go to the files on it and look for any hidden files but find nothing. There's just a bunch of authors and rough drafts of books. I hear the elevator ding down the hall so I quickly put the book back on the shelf and log out of the laptop, closing it then sitting down in the chair where I had placed my bag and pulled out my phone so I seem as if I'm occupied.
"Parker, you're on time for once." Howard announces from behind me.
"Early actually, I have somewhere I need to be so let's make this quick. What did you want to discuss?" I quickly start a voice recording on my phone, locking it then putting it back into my bag. If I couldn't find any information then I'll just ask about it.
"Who told you about my business?" He asks as he sits down in his desk chair across from me.
"Which one?" I sass.
"You know which one."
"Oh right!" I sarcastically gasp. "You mean the one where you hire people to kill people who owe you money right? What is it you do? Drugs? Gun trafficking?"
"Parker you need to watch what comes out of your mouth. Shit like that gets you killed in this world." He says with clenched teeth.
"Well I've already been told I'm suicidal so that warning or whatever you want to call it doesn't scare me. Remember at our fun little dinner how I said things between us will be on my terms? Yeah that still stands so talk about whatever you want to talk about but I demand some answers in return. Got it?" I glare at him, crossing my legs and leaning back a bit.
"Fine. I didn't want to talk about this in front of Martha because the bitch can never keep her mouth shut but there's a few things I need you to understand. The world you live in is completely different from my world. In my world there are people who would kill just to be richer or to be feared by others. They would kill anyone to have that." He pauses, stands up and walks towards the bar cart with a collection of dark liquors in glass bottles on top of it. He grabs two glasses pouring the caramel colored liquid into both of them then walks back over to the desk setting one of the glass in front of me.The smell radiating off of it immediately signals that it's bourbon.
"Since word has gotten out that you're my daughter there are a few things that people in my world want to do now. The big one is kill you. Why might you ask, well dear Parker because your death means they can kill me and have no one to take over the business so they would automatically take control of everything. But it seems you haven't put 2 and 2 together yet with that one."
"That doesn't make sense. No one knew you had a daughter so why would they kill you now that they know you have one? Wouldn't it make more sense to just do it without finding out next of kin?" I ask after taking a sip of the bourbon.
"Oh few have tried to kill me and none were successful but now there is more value to my death and yours. It would be ending my bloodline. The other things people want to do would be marry you since it would be a direct in for the business or hold you for ransom until I give up the business."
"Good thing you signed all of your rights away." I roll my eyes.
"I didn't want to do that. I did what I had to so I could keep you from this." He sighs.
"And yet the world I grew up in is just the same. I'm all too familiar with someone trying to kill me for their benefit. You know in 5 days I've had people try to kill me 3 times already and my boyfriend has been shot twice. He's actually in the hospital right now. So if you want to keep me from this I need all the information you have on your buddy Alan. Pretty sure he hangs around Las Vegas, likes to sexualize lesbians, ya know all the fun stuff."
"So it's true then? You're parading around with Styles." Howard glares at me slightly in almost disapproval.
"Don't avoid what I asked. I know you know shit about Alan, all of his dirty secrets, where he lives, his wife's name and since you know these things that means you get to play good dad and help your daughter out because I'm about another bullet flying at me or my loved ones away from killing you my fucking self and taking over your beloved business." I pull the pistol out of my bag and hold it in my hand, moving it around a bit before cocking it, with a click of my tongue I look up from the gun back toward Howard.
"Parker I understand you're mad but you need to put the gun away." Howard sternly says standing up slightly from his chair.
"Howard I'm more than fucking mad. I'm fucking furious. Now sit your ass down and tell me everything you know about Alan." I say with a sadistic smile, using the gun to motion him downward.
"Alan Richards. He's married to Elena Richards and her maiden name is Fraiser. He lives in Phoenix Arizona but flies to Vegas every weekend to do business. His twin boys aren't actually his sons. Elena had an affair and Alan doesn't know. He also does human trafficking, it's his main source of income." Howard starts listing off a bunch of things on Alan. I put the gun back in my bag and slowly stood up while stopping the voice recording on my phone.
"Pleasure doing business with you dad. Oh and true to nature you legally can't talk about this to anyone cause I have you on the record as and associate to human trafficking which last time I checked was illegal. Have a nice afternoon Howard." I walk out of the office, down the hallway and into the elevator.
I walk through the lobby with my head held high, shoulders back. I got the info on Alan but I still need some dirt on Howard. Best way to do that is to see how they live in their private spaces. An address isn't hard to look up. I push through the glass doors and walk directly towards the car, climbing in. I pull the pistol out of my bag, open the glove box and set it in there.
"Everything go okay?" Frank asks, slightly concerned.
"I got what I came for, the gun wasn't even loaded but he didn't need to know that." I close the glove box and signal Frank to drive off, heading back towards the hospital. It's funny how powerful men think they are until a badass woman starts calling the shots, literally.
-AUTHORS NOTE-
This is the energy Parker is radiating this chapter and I love it!
This chapter was pretty long but we are 11 chapters away from being halfway to the end which is insane.
As always...KISSES! And don't forget to vote please!