"Oh, shit-"
Harry scared the hell out of me and I could see him in the reflection of the mirror right in front of me as he tripped on the desk and let his phone fall on the floor, quickly making me turn around so I could see what the fuck had happened.
But his eyes were focused on me as he gripped the edge of the desk so hard that I honestly heard the wood crack, which was what made him pull away and straighten his back, not even looking at his phone on the floor... no, his eyes were basically eating me alive.
He was getting dressed in the bathroom after his shower while I was getting ready for tonight, we were supposed to leave in about ten minutes for the club and the car was already packed with the things we would probably need... just the basic rope, weapons, and ammunition.
I could see Harry had a gun tucked in the waistline of his black slacks, and I cleared my throat when I looked up to meet his eyes, realizing we had just been staring at each other for the last minutes.
He was wearing a simple black shirt, folded up to his elbows and a little more unbuttoned on the top than usual, his butterfly tattoo was peeking through the fabric and making me stare even more, and I could see the scar on his chest.
His hair was loose and a beautiful mess as he twisted the many rings on his fingers, and seeing him like this again was making my stomach clench in a weird way.
Yes, he looked really fucking good... he always did.
But tonight there was something different... and I was actually feeling naked given the way he was still gawking at me.
But you can say my choice of outfit was quite... bold.
I didn't own many dresses back home, and I quickly went shopping this afternoon at a mall nearby so I could buy some makeup to hide my bruises and also an outfit so I could look presentable for tonight.
After all, I had to seduce a disgusting man... and I was definitely going to succeed.
The white silk was thin and it hugged my curves perfectly. The dress reached my mid-thigh and there was a slit on the side, enough to show just a bit of my snake tattoo in the process. It was a very small piece of fabric, backless and showing a whole lot of cleavage, and I just knew I made the right choice because Harry couldn't look away from me.
His green eyes moved from my face to my boobs, then lower on my legs before he repeated the drill. I could tell his pupils were already more dilated and I couldn't deny how much I secretly loved his reaction.
I knew I looked very good, that was my goal. For our job tonight, that's all.
"Are you doing this on purpose, baby?" His voice was deeper than usual, making his accent seem thicker as a chill went down my spine.
Harry slowly walked closer to me, raking his eyes down my body once again... and I didn't move, watching as he stopped when he was right in front of me, and I didn't have to tilt my head back as much because I was wearing heels tonight.
"What?" I asked, biting my lower lip to hide a smile and his gaze instantly dropped.
We'd been acting less hostile around each other ever since last night... when he nearly gave me a heart attack with the whole being in the dark thing. I'd never have imagined that Harry was afraid of the dark, it seemed like something so weird to me.
Not even when I was a kid I had problems with sleeping alone in the dark, I actually felt more comfortable in it. But now I knew that I'd have to learn how to sleep with the lamp on as long as I was staying with Harry.
I was honestly concerned about him, I could hear his soft sobs before I turned on the lights and I was shocked, seeing him cry made me feel frustrated in a different way. I hadn't cried since my father died six years ago, so you can say I didn't know how to handle other people's emotions very well.
It felt wrong to ask him why he was like this or what had happened to make him so fucking terrified... he acted out of instinct when I touched him, almost as if he was sure he was going to get hurt.
Yes, I was worried in a way... maybe that's why I tried to distract him with small talk, and then he finally seemed a bit relaxed. And we'd been talking a bit more, he actually didn't annoy me today as we went over our plan.
"Do you really want me to say what's on my mind?"
Harry asked me, suddenly reaching out his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, his careful touch made goosebumps erupt all over my skin.
"I feel like I won't like it." I cleared my throat, stepping away from him so I could grab my knife from the bed and safely place it on the white lace garter that was on my thigh. It was carefully hidden and Harry didn't even bother to hide how shameless he was being about his staring.
"Well, you liked it when I fucked you with my fingers, just thinking about doing it again." He said very casually, smiling at me when I blushed. "But I know you're no fun... just wanted you to know that this little dress makes me want to show you what you're missing."
Fuck.
I quickly cleared my throat and stepped away from him just when he was about to approach, and it was already our time to leave.
He chuckled under his breath and grabbed his phone from the floor, and I glanced at the mirror one last time just to make sure my bruises were concealed under the makeup, and my cheeks were so pink that it seemed I had put on blush.
Why the fuck did he have to say this? I was dreaming about his touch ever since that night and he wasn't making it easy for me to think rationally.
That was it... Harry was simply irrational, and he was transmitting it to me.
"Let's go," I told him, not looking back as I made my way to the door, knowing he'd follow me.
I could feel he was staring at my ass, I just knew it.
I got in the car first and he joined, trying to hide a smirk all along and distracting me when he flexed his fingers on the steering wheel.
"Hold it for me while I start the car." Harry suddenly grabbed his gun and handed it to me, which instantly made me flinch and move away as far as the space in the car allowed me to.
Harry had to hotwire the car and I knew his request was innocent, but it was so fucking sudden that I panicked only with the thought of holding a gun. I looked into his eyes, taking deep breaths as he furrowed his eyebrows at me.
"Sorry." He said simply, placing the gun on the backseat and not saying anything else about it as he started the car and drove away from the motel.
God, I was sure he knew now... I tried so fucking hard to hide my fear and the desperate way I reacted was more than enough proof.
But Harry didn't mention it or talked at all on the way to the club, he kept his eyes on the road and both of his hands on the steering wheel.
I was nervous but I had no idea why it was easier for me to calm down than usual. Focusing my attention on the blurred street lights as he drove a little too fast was actually the perfect distraction until we arrived.
Harry parked the car near the creepy alley right next to the club, and I could see a bright green 'exit' sign that was probably the backdoor of the place.
We had to find a way to sneak out... or maybe drug Gael so we could pretend we were helping him out of the club. I still didn't know which one I was going to choose.
"So, he's always here every night and I'll approach on my own... you just watch and wait for my signal."
I cleared my throat before I dared to look at his hypnotizing eyes. "I'll try to get closer to the backdoor... just keep your eyes on me."
"My pleasure." He smirked, the look in his eyes made me feel a bit apprehensive about tonight.
We both got out of the car, and before I could make my way to the end of the small line right by the big blue doors, he grabbed my elbow and pulled me along as he walked towards the security by the entrance.
His touch made me shiver and there was no way I could explain just how much he affected me, it shouldn't be allowed.
"My girl and l are celebrating tonight." Harry's dimpled smile was innocent and he wrapped his arm around my middle, and I felt his large hand on my lower back... dangerously close to the curve of my ass as the metal of his rings made me shiver again.
And then he reached for three hundred dollars from his pockets. What the fuck?
The security grabbed the money and gestured for us to go inside, and Harry was quick to cup my chin and plant a soft kiss on the corner of my mouth.
"Thank you, it's our anniversary." Harry smiled at the tall security and I was still a bit stunned by the whole thing to even process as he pulled me along with him when we walked into the club.
The blinking blue and white lights made me dizzy at first before I got used to them, and this place was so fucking crowded, especially since it wasn't really that big.
I was very good with faces, I had seen Gael's file countless times and I memorized every small feature so I could spot him, and it would come in handy.
Harry suddenly threaded his fingers in the back of my hair and gently forced me to turn my head in his direction as he leaned down to whisper in my ear, and fuck, his warm breath and the way he was slightly pulling my hair made somewhere very specific tingle. He was touching me so freely that I was starting to get way too used to it.
Focus, Cleo.
"I'll be at the bar, I can see pretty much the whole place from there." He said before he pulled away with a small smile, probably knowing just what he had done and making his way to the large bar that occupied the back of the club, a few feet away from me and across the dancefloor.
The music was loud, a slow electronic beat that had everyone basically grinding on each other, and this was such a weird place for a fifty-year-old man to be because the customers were around my age, but dear Gael was a fucking creep, it wasn't any news.
I made my way to the small lounge area just by the side of the dancefloor, pushing a few people out of the way so I could see the small VIP sections... and that's when I saw him.
He was a very tall man, with black hair and dark eyes, and he did look younger than his age. He was also much stronger than his pictures let on, his big muscles were straining against his shirt and I had to take a deep breath before I walked closer.
Okay, maybe it was going to be a bit harder than I imagined to drug him... so how could I lead him to our car outside?
"Blondie? You with the snake tattoo!"
I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a deep voice with a faint Spanish accent... and it was Gael.
He was quick too, I had to give him that.. maybe he was always paying attention to new girls he could add to his collection.
I forced a smile at him and walked closer, playing with my hair just enough to draw his attention to my boobs.
"You're not from around." He said when I was right in front of the couch his friends were sitting on, and he was the only one standing. "Are you alone?"
"Not anymore." I smiled, sitting on the armrest of the couch and crossing my legs to hide the garter and also reveal more of my skin in the process.
I glanced at the bar and my eyes instantly met Harry's, he didn't seem pleased at all as he watched me like a hawk, the colorful lights made him look almost threatening.
I noticed the number of girls that had approached his spot by the bar, he didn't even have to try. But he obviously ignored them all.
"Wanna have a good time tonight, pretty girl?" Gael's voice made me look at him again and he was already way too close, brushing his fingers on my knees.
God, this was disgusting.
It wasn't bright enough for him to notice my scars, either way, his attention seemed to be focused on my boobs. Wait... maybe I could take him to the alley outside and then we carried on from there, it was too crowded-
Gael suddenly grabbed my waist and pulled me on my feet, lowering his hands to my ass very roughly and his shameless actions right in the middle of the club caught me very much off guard.
"You didn't answer so I'll have to show you." He said, but before I could even push him away, someone did that for me.
He was literally thrown against the nearest wall and I had no fucking idea how Hary moved so fast or how he managed to do that, the guy was almost twice his size.
But it happened... he was holding Gael by the collar of his shirt and now he bashed his head against the wall, making all of his friends stand up from the couch, too afraid to do anything, and the people around us were shouting or simply staring.
Harry's back was turned to me as he punched Gael, leaving nasty cuts behind because of his rings, but I was pushed to the side as soon as the securities rushed to break them apart.
This was a very fucking reckless thing to do, Harry was completely out of his mind by acting so randomly like this. It could draw too much attention and now we were certainly going to get kicked out of the club, what a fucking way to succeed tonight.
"Both of you, out!" The security grabbed Harry by his shirt and I was surprised when he didn't fight back, allowing the man to drag him away from Gael as the other security also grabbed him. "You're gonna solve this outside, I don't give a fuck."
Harry winked at me and I watched as they were taken to the exit door... just the one that led to the alley outside.
He did this on purpose, tricky bastard. It was so damn sudden and unexpected that I was speechless, but I was quick to make my way outside through the front door so I could go to the alley as well.
I could hear voices and grunts coming from there when I was just a few feet away, and I could also see our car. The line outside was smaller and no one paid attention to me as I walked into the alley.
The first thing I saw was Harry bringing his knee up to hit Gael right in the crotch until he fell on his knees, and then he grabbed his arm behind his back and forced it until I heard the echo of the bone breaking and Gael's desperate grunt.
"Fuck, stop this! Let's bring him to the car." I spoke up after I made sure we were indeed alone, and given the securities' behavior, I had a feeling this wasn't the first time someone wanted to beat up Gael, but we couldn't risk getting caught.
Harry looked up at me and rolled his eyes. "I'm not done."
I was about to speak again when he grabbed Gael's other arm and quickly broke it as well, making the man nearly scream in pain before Harry grabbed his hair and bashed his head against the concrete wall until he passed out.
"What the fuck, Harry!" I glared at him, watching as he leaned down to pick up Gael from the floor as he literally dragged him out of the alley with his limp arms and bloody face.
"Don't look at me like that, he deserved it." Harry huffed, looking like he wasn't making an effort at all to lift the man from the floor and pretend like he was helping a drunk friend. "Go open the car, baby. And you can thank me later."
Thank him for almost ruining our plan? This could've gone south in so many ways and here I was, opening the backseat door as Harry pushed Gael inside with no caution at all, grabbing his gun to tuck it in his pants again as the backseat was now stained with blood.
He ran his fingers through his hair to push it off his face, and then he smiled at me, making his way to the driver's seat as if nothing had happened. No one was looking at us, that was a plus, but I was so confused and filled with adrenaline that I needed a while to process this.
I got in the car and glanced at the body in the backseat, right when Harry started driving.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I asked, twirling my hair up in a bun as I put the seat belts on.
"A lot of things, baby." He shrugged. "I didn't feel like staying in there for too long, it was risky and I was in a bad mood. So I opted for the quickest option. He was begging for it the second he laid his disgusting hands on you, I'm gonna cut each of his fingers when he wakes up."
"It was part of my plan! I had it under control before you risked it like a lunatic." I raised my voice, glaring at him.
"He wasn't supposed to touch you." Harry deadpanned, glancing sideways at me. "And I had a plan of my own, baby. One that didn't involve watching this motherfucker daring to lay a fucking finger on you."
His stern tone was unexpected and he actually seemed very pissed off, so I decided to stay quiet before we could argue even more and end up crashing the car.
The whole way back to the motel was silent and I refused to help Harry since he could clearly keep following his own plan.
Why the fuck was he so hung up about Gael touching me? This wasn't the first time I had to accept this kind of behavior during a job, I was sadly used to it.
As soon as he parked, I made my way to our room, knowing Harry had also rented the room two doors from ours, so we could keep Gael in there. It was already prepared, with newspapers covering the windows and enough plastic covering the carpet so we wouldn't have to clean much after, and this was one of the good things about cheap roadside motels: no one suspected anything as long as you paid.
I was sure Harry could handle himself, he didn't have any trouble when he decided to do things his way without giving me a heads up.
I didn't even look back, taking off my heels and taking deep breaths to calm myself as I paced back and forth in the room, wondering if there were any cameras in the alley, or if the securities came looking for Gael and if they would know something was wrong because Harry was literally fighting him. So many fucking loose ends.
This was way more stressful than I planned, I hated when things didn't go according to what I expected, and Harry was the king of being unpredictable.
And it took him ten minutes to walk into the room, with the most arrogant expression he could muster as he closed the door behind him.
His hair was tucked behind his ears and he was careful to place his gun on top of the desk, the bloodstains on his arms got mixed with his tattoos and he looked really damn unbothered.
"Thanks for the help, baby." He said with sarcasm.
"You clearly didn't need it." I snorted, crossing my arms over my chest. "This was supposed to be teamwork, Harry. You agreed to this plan and you knew what I was going to do-"
"You said you would seduce him, not that he'd force himself and touch you like that!" Harry actually snapped, raising his voice and taking a step closer to me. "Did you expect me to stand there and do nothing?"
"Yes," I answered, taking steps back as he got closer to me, until my back hit the wall, and this time I had to look up to face him since I was barefoot.
"No one is going to touch you while I'm around." He whispered, making me arch my eyebrows and literally gape at his words.
What?
"You're insane." I shook my head, trying to push him away and ignore the stronger throbbing all over my body because of his words.
He caged me in between his arms as he placed his hands on the wall, leaning dangerously close to me until his lips brushed against mine.
Fuck.
"Takes a psychopath to know one, baby." He whispered. "Wanna show me how crazy you are?"
His eyes were looking deep into mine and I had no idea why I was literally getting wet as he spoke, my body was clearly trying to confuse me.
His teasing touches since last night had been enough to build up this even stronger tension between us, and I knew he'd done it on purpose. It was undeniable and enough to blind all of my senses, and it wasn't a good idea to be so on edge tonight.
"What are we doing?" I whispered against his lips, my ragged breaths already gave away how much I had lost control of the situation.
"Whatever you want." He whispered back.
And couldn't stop myself.