Shit.
I should've known this would end up happening sooner or later, but I really tried to fool myself into thinking it was safe.
Well, It'd been two months since I started picking up June and driving her home, or taking her to my place, and not once I had run into anyone from the Horan family.
I didn't hang out around Eroda, I mean, I parked my car and waited for June, that was all. I was more than careful.
The first time I met her it wasn't even anywhere close to here, there was this party downtown and we danced together and ended up fucking, but turns out she wasn't simply a one night stand and we'd been fucking ever since... but just now we decided to make things official and try to date.
June was the smartest and kindest woman I'd ever met, and I really liked her. We connected instantly the second we met, and when she told me she worked as a dancer I never imagined it could be in the only club I shouldn't go in.
I wasn't a Styles, I knew the truce didn't involve me or anything like that, but Harry was my best friend and if I was seen inside Eroda then shit wouldn't be pretty.
Fuck, being parked outside was already risky but I had to spend time with my girl.
June's schedule was very busy, she had classes and she took them very seriously, plus she danced five times a week and I knew she needed to focus on resting and sleeping so she could get her doctorate degree. So these little moments when I could pick her up were pretty special to me, even though Harry would probably shoot me if he knew where I was.
But now I was staring into wide blue eyes, completely shocked that Cleo Horan herself was June's friend and she was standing right in front of me.
I never expected her to hang out at the club or befriend the dancers, I assumed she was like Harry and simply isolated herself from her family businesses. Harry didn't spend much time at the tattoo parlor, only when something important was happening or when he was fucking the receptionist.
But I only knew Cleo from the rumors I'd heard and from what Harry told me. And I had never seen her before that night at the club, so it took me three seconds to recognize who she was. First, because she was actually dressed and not only wearing lingerie, and second because i just had to be hallucinating.
This was the worst timing ever to run into her, considering Harry was obsessed with killing her and she was obsessed with stabbing him, and I sure as fuck didn't want to be dragged into that.
It was their families' problem, not mine. Just because I was Harry's friend her it didn't mean I hated the girl to the point I wanted to kill her, but I understood Harry's motives her and I sure as fuck didn't trust the Horans.
Was I stupid for continuing to see June even after I found out where she worked? Very much.
But unlike Harry, I actually tried to have control over my own life without allowing petty rivalries to interfere.
Guess that didn't work out for me.
"Oh, shit. I forgot my phone in my dressing room. I'll be right back, babe." June's voice made me snap out of my thoughts and I put out my cigarette, turning to give her a smile that I hoped was good enough to fool her. "You can get to know each other, Cleo is like, incredible."
June chuckled, planting a soft kiss on my cheek before she walked back towards the club ... leaving me alone with Cleo.
She was squinting at me, grabbing her helmet with one hand and I just had to stay prepared in case she decided to hit me with it. But now, instead, she walked closer to my car, checking my license plates and then my tinted windows.
What the fuck?
I watched as she inspected my car, it was a simple black SUV, there was nothing exciting about it.
But my gun was in the glove compartment and I really fucking hoped I didn't have to use it.
Harry would kill me if I even dared to hurt Cleo before he could get his hands on her, and let's talk about sick obsessions.
"Did you follow me?" She snapped all of a sudden, focusing those big blue eyes on me again as she tucked her blonde hair behind her ear. "Answer the fucking question. Did Harry send you here?"
"Wow, okay I did not follow you and Harry doesn't know I'm here," I told her, lowering my eyes to her jeans to see if she was armed or not, I had no idea what she was capable of but June would be back soon.
And she had no idea what my line of work was, she assumed I worked with music because I was always playing my piano when she was around.
But the fact she was friends with Cleo made me wonder if she actually knew what the Horans really did.
"Bullshit. Is that why you're seeing June? You're spying on my family and the club, using her for info?" She was speaking through gritted teeth, taking a step closer to me. "Were you involved with one of our dancer's deaths?"
The fury in her eyes made me take a step back and I raised my hands in defeat, I honestly didn't want any trouble.
Harry would kill June if he knew about this, he'd think just like Cleo was thinking and assume June was getting close to me to spy on him.
Arrogant fuckers.
"Look, I'm here for June. I won't go inside the club or say anything." I whispered, looking around the parking lot to make sure we were alone. "Nothing else, I swear."
"So Styles doesn't know?" She snorted, shaking her head before she let out a humorless chuckle. "Good fucking try, Zayn. By the look on your face, you know exactly who I am and what I'm capable of. I bet Harry told you enough so there's no way I'm buying this shit."
I scratched the back of my neck before I looked into her eyes, and I really hated this.
"It's not my problem if you're buying it or not, whatever the fuck you have going on with Harry, it's none of my business," I whispered, looking over her shoulder and watching as June walked closer to us once again.
I was quick to step away from Cleo and smile at June, hugging her back when she wrapped her arms around my middle.
"Please tell me he passed the test." June smiled, the way she was so excited about Cleo and interacting with her was all the proof I needed to know she had no idea she was friends with a psycho killer.
I wasn't a murderer, my job only involved drugs and trafficking them smoothly in the city. Yeah, I'd shot a few people before but I wasn't paid to do so and I never wanted it. I had no idea how Harry did it so mercilessly, without thinking twice.
The things I'd watched him do were enough to give anyone nightmares.
"Oh, he passed the test." Cleo forced a smile, putting on her helmet and adjusting the black leather jacket she was wearing.
The tight black turtleneck she had on her was probably to cover the evidence from her fight with Harry, he told me enough about it.
But she was in much better shape than him, I just had a feeling she knew she could easily distract him.
I mean, she was really hot .. and Harry did have a pain kink after all.
"I'm so happy you two met." June clapped her hands together, pulling Cleo for a quick hug. "Have a good night, babe."
"Good night," Cleo said, clutching her jaw before she simply turned around and walked towards her motorcycle.
I knew she wouldn't kill me tonight, but the fact we had our first interaction together and she already thought I was scheming to get to her only proved how I couldn't tell Harry about this. I didn't trust him when it came to the Horans, he was already on edge.
What I knew about this whole family drama wasn't much, although I'd been around Harry and his dad for a while now.
They didn't talk about Anne's death or how they murdered Cleo's father, it was a subject I was really curious about, but not brave enough to ask.
They were kinda the only people I had here in America, I never had a good relationship with my family back in London.
My grandad was actually the only person who cared about me, that's why we moved here. But after he passed away, I got mixed with drugs and dealing so I could make some quick money, which was how I ended up meeting Desmond and Harry.
Yes, I owed a lot to them because I had a pretty good life now, but it didn't make me blind to the point I'd do anything to please them. I liked June and I was going to date her, no matter where she worked or who she was friends with.
"Take me home, Z." She touched my arm before she got inside the car and I watched as Cleo rode away, glancing at me one last time.
Did someone actually follow her today? She seemed nervous and confused, it was very hard to read the people you didn't know.
I got into the car and realized how fast my heart was racing. I had to agree with Harry on one thing: two years had gone by without seeing Cleo or even getting involved in anything that was related to family, and now this? I could understand why it was a trigger to him.
Fuck, I was just glad I had the next few days off so I could spend some time with June and take a mini-break from Harry. He was supposed to meet his dad tomorrow morning and I knew that would ruin his mood and make him kill someone, which was why he was going after the second target on that list of his.
It was in a city five hours away and maybe he'd blow off some steam and stop being such a stubborn son of a bitch.
He told me his plan was to torture this person until they revealed what was the connection between the list and the Horans, and I didn't even want to be anywhere his stupid ass.
His father was going to kill him if Harry broke the truce. And I mean literally .. Desmond was never kind to Harry, I knew that he was afraid of that dark because of something his father did, but Harry never talked about it.
He never admitted his fear either, I obviously realized it from all the times I spent the night over.
We always fucked with the lights on, or even just the lamp, and when we went to bed he never turned them off.
I never brought it up, though it wasn't a good idea. Harry was a very difficult person to deal with and our friendship had grown this strong because I didn't push him or forced him to talk.
I loved him, I really did...
But this whole situation with Cleo was going to get him killed, and he just wouldn't listen to me.
"Babe? Are you okay?" June placed her hand on my knee and I smiled at her, starting to drive the car and make my way to her place. "You're so quiet today. How was your friend's birthday party?"
"I'm just a bit tired." I cleared my throat. "And it was fun a night to be remembered for sure."