"Sebastian."
She unwound herself from his grip, knowing that in their sleep they'd become tangled. She kicked his leg, her eyes wide on the figure in front of her.
"Sebastian!"
He woke slowly, stretching with a groan, groggy. He was never a morning person and didn't appreciate being pulled from his slumber.
"Little one, go back to sl—" He yelled out in shock as he was forcefully yanked from his bed, landing on the hardwood floor with a loud thump. "What the fuck? Oh... fuck."
He was faced with a deranged, sleepless, and very angry Harry. Who had a gun pointed at Seb's head, his nostrils flaring. He shot his hands up in surrender.
"Harry, it's not what—"
Harry cocked the gun, and Scarlett scrambled in the sheets, rushing forward into his line of eyesight.
"No!"
"No? Give me one good reason not to."
"Please, just take a deep breath."
He laughed, his eyes meeting hers for the first time in weeks. The pain she saw in them shredded her apart. Her Dio. Hurting so much. Just as much as she was. But then she remembered why they were in this place. How he'd gotten them there. Broken her trust and love in him, and hidden it from her.
"Take a deep breath? You're in bed with him."
"Let me explain," Seb begged, although no stranger to staring down the barrel of a gun, he'd never seen Harry this unhinged. And it scared him.
"Explain fast before I paint the walls with your brain."
"She was followed last night." Seb rushed out. "She called me, I went over to check on her and some fucker from the bar was about to hurt her. I took care of him and understandably, she didn't want to be home alone after."
Harry's heart lurched forward in his chest. Fuck. She wasn't even safe after he'd left her. Broken her and broke what they'd had in order to protect her. She was followed and her safety was put on the line. Because of him. Again.
"Who was it?"
"I swear to you I'll give you a full report once you've put that gun down and I've put on some pants."
Harry's chest was heaving. Shame and sorrow soared in his veins. He couldn't even look at her, knowing the fear and disappointment he'd see in her eyes. His jaw twitched and he lowered the gun, putting the safety on and taking a deep breath.
"Fine. I'll wait in the kitchen."
"Coffee, please."
"Go fuck yourself, Sebastian."
He sauntered into the kitchen, absolutely seething. Sebastian knew how hurt he was over losing his precious Venus, how he felt like a part of him died. He'd grown so accustomed to having her in his life, even if it was only for those months. Her smile and her laugh and her wit. Her dreamy brain and the way she regarded him.
Scarlett treated him how nobody ever had before; like he deserved the love she gave him, and she'd give it to him unconditionally. Even if she hadn't said it, he'd sure as fuck felt it.
And to see his best friend sharing a bed with her in whatever capacity, whatever the reasoning, really fucking hurt. Far more than he'd ever expected to be hurt over a woman. He hadn't seen her in weeks and seeing her again felt like he'd been breathing with a hole in his chest. She'd filled it immediately. No matter how scared she was to see him, no matter how angry she was at him.
He paced the space of Sebastian's kitchen, hearing their muffled voices in the bedroom. He couldn't make it out, but he could hear her. Hear how frantic and panicked she was.
Sebastian emerged, wary and no doubt looking for the gun that had been pointing at him only minutes ago.
Harry raised a brow as Seb closed the bedroom door behind him, leaving Scarlett in there alone. Away from him.
"She needs a minute." He explained simply, on edge.
"Explain."
"Where do I start?"
"The beginning. End with how you two shared a bed."
"Well, I was at the bar last night, as you know. You were shit-faced and I had shit to do at home, so I left pretty early. I got a call from her as I was driving, and was super confused, thought it was a misdial or something. But I answered anyway and could hear him. Talking about how he'd destroyed her store and was following her and shit. Figured she was at her apartment and broke every traffic law to get there. He was about to... hurt her. So I hurt him and buried him in a shallow grave."
It took all of Harry's strength to not break something. His girl had been put in danger and had not called him for help, instead had called Sebastian. Fuck. She truly did not trust him anymore. He shook his head, trying to clear the vicious green fog. What mattered was that she was safe, and she'd been endangered by him. Again. How could he fucking win?
He coughed into his fist, trying to be rational. "And after that?"
"She was a mess. Shaking and crying a lot, trying to make sense of what happened. Think she was in shock. Said that she didn't want to be alone, so I brought her here."
"You couldn't have slept on the couch?"
"She had a man put his hands on her. He had a fist in her hair and was about to land the other on her cheek. She needed someone by her side last night. She needs someone every night."
"And I suppose you're up to it?"
Sebastian scoffed. "I didn't say that. She called me, and thank fuck she did. Yeah, you're in pain right now and I get that, but she's hurting far more. She was put in serious danger last night."
Harry clenched his jaw. He wanted to tackle him to the ground, but moreover, wanted to thank him. He just wasn't there yet. Too angry and hurt and confused. He felt fucking murderous. He wasn't sure what pissed him off more: the fact that his Venus and his best friend had shared a bed, or said best friend got to kill the man who put his hands on her.
His fists curled tightly, and he looked at Seb. "I came over to see you, I wasn't expecting to... fuck. You should have called me."
"You weren't the priority."
Harry got up in his face, trying to keep his cool but failing. "No, you're right. She is the priority. She has been and always will be my priority. Do you have any idea how hard it has been to lose her? I can't be sane without her. I want her fucking safe. She wasn't last night, and instead of you being the good friend you always claim that you are, you got all cosy in bed with her while I questioned my fucking sanity. Like you knew I would be."
"You don't get it, do you?" Seb seethed. "No one is safe if they have anything to do with you. Especially her. You've shown her off to everybody and they know that she's the chink in your armour. Fuck off with your sanity bullshit, because if you had any sense of it, you'd never have gotten involved with her in the first place. And I fucking told you that from the start."
"So what? I'm meant to step aside and let you take care of her?"
"Eliminate the threats and she won't need us anymore."
The words hit home and Harry shook them off, stepping back. He felt the exhaustion take over. The sleepless nights and tiresome fights for her safety all while letting her move on.
"I'm trying."
Sebastian's face softened entirely, seeing the full picture. Harry had been working day and night to fight for her safety. He was exhausted and stretched thin and restless. He was using every single resource he had at his disposal and it still wasn't enough. He felt hopeless.
"We won't stop, Harry. Ever. We'll always protect her."
"I hate not having her. It's worse when I know she's not safe without me."
"I know."
"Do you? Do you know how much I feel for her? She's had my whole heart these past few weeks. Fuck, I—"
The bedroom door behind him opened, and he turned to see Scarlett fully dressed as she eased out into the living room space.
"I'm going to go home." She said quietly.
Harry stepped forward, his eyes pleading. "I'll take you."
"No. I don't even know why you're here right now."
He exhaled sharply. "I deserved that."
"You deserve a lot worse after what you did."
"Just... let me take you home. Please."
She bit her lip, her arms crossed. She had never been so closed off from him and it was a scary sight. Like being in four foreign walls that had once been a home to him.
"Fine." She got out, and his heart eased a little. "On one condition: you say sorry to Seb."
Sebastian snorted. "Looks like you're walking."
Harry glared at him, heavily aware that Scarlett was watching on. It felt like a test of sorts. To see if he'd changed and adapted, gathered a sense of understanding of why his behaviour wasn't okay. Given the fact that he'd had a gun pointed at Sebastian's face— probably not.
He sighed. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Seb pressed, enjoying this, but very surprised.
"For trying to shoot you. And lashing out."
"Apology accepted."
"And... thank you. For saving her when I couldn't."
There was a strange heaviness in the air. A tension that none of them knew how to navigate. Sebastian's eyes found Scarlett's, checking in on her. She was clearly uncomfortable, and didn't know where to look as Harry stared at Seb. Waiting.
"I'll always protect her. You know that."
Harry eyed him, seeing the sense of strength in his friend. The sheer protectiveness he felt over Scarlett. He'd come a long way from his suspicions about her. He saw her for how Harry saw her; strong, soft, a true goddess.
"Let's go." He managed out, not quite meeting her eyes. He suddenly didn't feel worthy to be around her at all. Felt small and stupid and embarrassed.
"Okay." She said quietly, gathering what little belongings she had with her. She was dressed in clothes Seb had lent her, and Harry tried to not let it bother him.
He led her to his emerald Chevrolet Chevelle. Her heart lurched in her chest at the sight of it. The very one he'd taken her on their first proper date. A day at the museum, stolen kisses and flirty remarks in darkened corners. Dio. Venus. The painting.
As aware as she was, and she knew that he was too, she didn't comment on it. She noted how on edge he was. Looking around, checking to make sure she was safe. He opened the car door for her, catching the soft scent of her that was purely her. A sensual, female scent that he knew was his favourite aroma. Like her perfume and her soul blended together to intoxicate him.
They drove in silence, the radio playing lowly in the background but it was still so quiet. She side-eyed him, catching his gaze for a split second before looking out the window.
He cleared his throat and she snapped her head over to look at him, her chest burning with how devastatingly beautiful he was.
"How..." He winced. "How have you been?"
"Good." She was lying but didn't want to have this conversation. "How are you?"
"Good."
"That's good."
They both looked away awkwardly, and he kept his eye on the traffic while she kept her eyes on anything but him. His fists were so tight on the steering wheel, his body tense and his jaw clenched. He had been mourning her and wasn't prepared to be in her presence again. It hurt. It fucking burned every nerve-ending in his body.
"You look tired." She commented lamely.
"I'm fine."
"Have you been sleeping?"
"I can't sleep without my dreamcatcher."
He regretted the words immediately. She sucked in a sharp breath, looking out the passenger window. Her eyes stung with hot tears. His dreamcatcher. She'd forgotten how used to her he was. How he relied on her.
"You fucked up, Harry." It was the first time she'd said his name in weeks. It felt odd on her tongue, like a spell she'd known long ago but grown to forget.
At a red light, he let his head lean back on the headrest. He made a small, pained noise. "I know."
"You had no fucking right to violate my privacy. No right to speak to me that way."
"I thought I was doing the right thing."
"Yeah, well, you thought wrong."
"I want to apologise for what I did. Make it right."
"You can't."
"Please." He whined. "I'll do anything. Tell me how."
"Did the reading up you did on me not give you any tips?"
"Fuck, Scarlett."
"Or you could just yell at me again. Scare me off. Seems like that's what you thought was best."
"I'm trying—"
"By pointing a gun at your best friend?"
"I wasn't expecting to see you. I thought you two had—"
"Oh my god. Are you being fucking serious? You really think I would do that? Does what we had really mean that little to you that you think I would fuck him?"
He gripped the steering wheel tighter. "That's not what I meant."
She scoffed.
"It hurt because I hurt you so badly that you went to him and not to me."
"You're so selfish."
"I know."
She took a deep breath. "I was attacked last night and this is all you want to talk about? Your wounded ego?"
"Trust me, it's best if we don't talk about that right now."
"No?" She glared.
"I want to... take it out on someone."
"So Seb was your best option?"
"I'll talk to Seb. Find out what he knows and go from there."
She looked out the window again, wiping tears from her eyes. The conversation was awkward and forced and they were dancing around each other.
"Are you okay?" He asked gently, wanting so badly to reach out and hold her.
"No."
He blanched, "I guess I knew that. I think... when Seb told me what happened, I was in shock and all I saw was red. I wanted to hunt the guy down and make him suffer for even laying his eyes on you. And I couldn't. And then I wanted to hold you. Make sure you knew I was there but... we aren't like that now. I want to look after you but I don't know how to do that this way."
"It's your fault we're this way."
"I thought it was for the best. You aren't safe with me and I thought that by letting you go, you would be protected."
"I was safe with you. I was happy and safe and sheltered. The only thing that could truly hurt me was you. And you did."
"It has been hell without you."
"I'm tired, Harry." She sighed. "I don't want to talk to you right now."
"Then when?"
"I don't know. And that's not fair of you to ask me."
"I understand, Scarlett. I'll wait. You have all of me, always."
Those words stuck with her, and as they pulled up to her apartment block, she felt the intense grasp that he still had on her. He guided her up, his hand on the small of her back, the touch burning her skin.
He checked through her apartment, making sure nothing was amiss. "Everything looks good, and I've called one of my guys to keep watch outside."
"Thank you."
They stood in silence for a few moments, and he adjusted his hair before smiling, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"I'll go. Please... call me."
"Maybe."
"Even like, if you need anything."
"Okay."
He took a deep breath, wanting so badly to touch her. To hold her and apologise and grovel. He wanted her so badly but he knew that he didn't deserve her. She was in so much pain because of his actions, and he knew that she needed the space from him. The ball was completely in her court. He would wait.
And so, his heart on her floor, he left. Wishing and hoping she would call him back. To talk to him, to yell and berate him for his shitty behaviour. To hit him, kiss him,
But she didn't, and Harry returned to his bar, reminiscing about when he first saw her. Fiery red, bold, and crimson, much like the lashing wound on his soul from the loss of her.
***