I slept over at Brin's last night. We spent the entire day floating around from her couch to her bed, watching her favorite movies and cuddling. I really tried my hardest to be good, but my fingers managed to find their way into her pants too, and after so many orgasms, we just kind of fell asleep nestled into each other.
I woke up to multiple phone calls from my friends, as well as my lawyer, about the magazine pictures. It's pretty normal for things like that to happen, and if anything, they probably helped my business while the article was out for a few hours. I mean, tourists see drugs and sex and they flock toward it, it certainly didn't harm me in any way.
In any way except for the fact that Brinna was in the pictures. No one else cared about being in them, not even Grace apparently, but the guys all knew that I would be pissed the second I found out about it, so they made sure to tell me before I saw for myself. It's a good thing too, because my reaction would have been a lot worse had they not said anything.
They really talked me down from the ledge. I was about thirty seconds away from burning down the entire publishing building with everyone inside of it. Luckily, I settled for paying them off and pulling every single copy from the shelves. It was super early in the morning, like four in the morning early, so very few copies had been purchased.
Unluckily for the rat responsible, I have so many cameras in my club that I can follow a person the entire night from every single angle you can possibly imagine. That made it very, very easy to find the dumb mother fucker who thought it was a good idea to take pictures of my angel.
Was he there to target her, or even any of us? Not necessarily. Was he only doing his job, that being tarnishing Jillian's reputation? Sure, but he made a deadly mistake in using my Treasure to do so, and now he gets to pay for it. Taking care of her means eliminating any threats I see, so he's got to go and I'm going to enjoy every second of it.
Well, maybe coked up, whiskey-for-blood Harry would enjoy every second of it. It's not easy to brutally murder people when you're sober, which is why I needed to see her before I went back to the club. I was sort of hoping she would give me the motivation I needed to get the job done. Don't get me wrong, I'll be ending him whether I'm high or not, but it certainly makes it easier to not remember it afterward.
Much to my displeasure, Brinna's going back to work today. I tried to gently convince her to let me handle whatever it is that she needs to be handled, but she's a stubborn one and evidently doesn't like the thought of accepting help.
I have a feeling that's from many years of being alone while she took care of her parents. She probably feels like it's easier to rely on only herself since she managed to do it for so long already. But I wish she would take a break and let me be her keeper. I would give anything to have her fill my home with all of the things she spent the day shopping around for. My empty flat could use her touch, the place doesn't feel warm like hers does.
She had to drag me out of her bed so she could shower but she wouldn't even let me join her. That's probably for the better, we both know exactly how that would have ended up. The water is running, and I can hear it sloshing around like she's washing out her hair. The warm scent of her vanilla soap travels down the hall and fills my lungs deliciously.
I'm sitting on the end of her bed, lacing my boots back up so I can leave. I need to be quick. I'm trying to be out of here before she's done in her shower. Not because I'm not coming back, but I really need to take care of the problem tied up in my basement before the guys get any more mad. They're troopers for finding him as quickly as they did, and they've been waiting for me since yesterday morning.
I stand up from her bed, steadying myself from the slight dizziness. My fingers push my hair back from my face as I walk out of her bedroom, past the sweet-smelling steam room. It takes everything in me to not knock on the door and invite myself in, but I'm a strong man, so I continue on to her kitchen.
Her roses look pretty sitting on the counter. These ones I did personally pick out, for a very special reason. She might already have Harry Jr. from the carnival, but what's better than a bear with my chain? I can think of a few things, one of which is actually why I chose this arrangement.
I open a few drawers, looking for something to write with. I finally find a notepad and pen, slapping them onto the counter to begin my note. I'm leaving her a message this time, I've learned my lesson. We're not mind readers, alright? She won't think I'm ditching her if I say something. I won't fuck up again.
My tongue pokes out of the side of my mouth as I scribble down the words, leaving a few badly drawn hearts all around the paper.
borrowing your shiny treasures, you'll get them back soon. xo
ps, picking you up after work, no ifs, ands, or buts. ;)
I pluck the diamond pins out of her roses, shoving them into my pocket before grabbing my keys and wallet off of the counter. Maybe it was a bad idea to leave that bouquet outside of her door, I didn't know if she would actually come with me so I wasn't sure when she would get it.
They're real diamonds, and they look better in person than I expected. I had to get them set in pins to stick in the roses, and now they need to be dropped off with the jeweler to be put into their new setting. I'm not even sure if she realizes those aren't fake, but I hope she recognizes them the next time she sees them. And that she doesn't kill me for doing it.
I look around the room, mentally checking my list before I can leave. The shower turns off, Brinna's curtain scraping along the metal rod signaling that she's done and drying off. I hurriedly spin on my heel, making it out of her door after locking the handle.
I walk quickly down the cement hallway and through the grass to my car, hopping into the driver's seat and turning it on before I can second guess it and wait on her doorstep like a lost dog. I pop open the glove compartment, searching around for the velvet bag that the gems will live in before they get returned to their rightful owner.
I tuck them away and pull off of the curb, making a U-turn to exit her street. Pulling up the call log on the car's screen, I scroll through it until I find the contact I'm looking for. The line rings as I wait for Zayn to answer.
"Hello? Where the fuck are you, we've been trying to call you for the last twenty-four hours man," he answers quickly.
"I was taking care of something important, Zayn. I'm coming right now though. Is he still alive?"
"He's alive like you wanted him. We haven't touched him, but Niall has been taking steaks down there. That's fucking evil, isn't it? He doesn't even eat them, he just cooks them and makes the guy watch."
I shake my head, making a mental note to ban Niall from using fire around the vault. "He has the strangest ways of torturing people. Is everything ready?"
"It is, we're just waiting on you."
"Be there in ten. Hope you're all wearing clothes that you hate," I state calmly, hanging up the phone and stepping harder on the gas.
__
The club doesn't open for a few hours, which is plenty of time to get this over with and clean up before picking up Brinna. I walk through the doors and straight back to the right where the basement is.
Hopping down the stairs, I make a left down the short hallway, hammering my fist on the metal door. I could just open it, but I want to make them jump a little. Better to have my victim scared than be able to sense that I'm not drunk enough to fully commit.
Louis pulls open the door, the metal creaking together as it moves. I step into the dim room, the musty scent of wet concrete filling my nostrils. I would much rather it be that fruity vanilla stuff Brin wears. Maybe not down here though, that would mean she has to be here.
My boots scrape across the floor in my path to the man tied up in the middle of the room. I stop in front of his shaking frame. His hands are tied behind his back, ankles to the chair legs, and his eyes are blindfolded.
My hands are behind me as I observe him. He's short and skinny, the perfect type to fly under the radar as a rat. It's a shame he had to do it here, I'm sure he was really good at his job. He will be missed, not by me though.
"A hello would have been nice, you dick," Niall grumbles from behind me, making me sigh and drop my head as I turn to face them.
"I'm trying to be fuckin' mysterious right now and you're ruining it." I put my hands out, gesturing to the man in the chair. "Christ, what the fuck happened to you?" My eyes widen at the claw marks on his neck, leading into his shirt. He's covered in hickeys, including ones on his face and his lips look like they've been sucked on to the point he's got filler.
"You should see his back, it looks like a bear attacked him," Louis laughs, slapping Niall as hard as he can on the raw skin beneath his shirt.
"Ah! Fuck!" Niall cries, arching forward and trying to reach the sting shooting through his body. He steadies himself, puffing out an annoyed breath, "While you were playing house with your not-girlfriend, I was getting fucked into another dimension," he says proudly through the pain.
"Don't tell me you're the one that gave Grace a black eye," I bawk. "You don't hit the face during sex, you fucking animal." I had seen her bruise yesterday and made a mental note to get on that too, but I was too consumed by Brin to ask her about it. I might actually have to kill Niall now, that's just how chivalry works.
"It wasn't on purpose, you idiot. She mounted me like a tree and we both learned she's a shit climber," he laughs.
"I don't need the details."
"We've been listening to this shit all morning already." Louis rolls his eyes.
Zayn groans in the corner, rubbing his temples. "Will you three shut the fuck up? You're making my head hurt."
"What's your problem?" I grumble.
"He's still recovering from hurricane Lola," Louis chimes, humping the air in front of Niall while Niall fake moans.
"It's been two days, get it together." I shake my head.
Zayn scoffs, peering up at me with furrowed brows. "That's rich coming from you, what have you been doing? Care to tell us what was more important than being here to deal with this?"
"He doesn't have to, we already know." Niall wiggles his brows. "Harry is in looove," he purrs out.
I smile against my better judgement telling me to stay mad. "You'll all get it eventually. When your one-day wife calls, you answer." I shrug, biting the inside of my cheek to keep myself from talking about her anymore.
"From just friends to one day wife. How romantic," Louis teases, tossing me a pair of scissors.
I catch them by the blade, flipping them around to point the sharp end at him. "Watch it, I'm already here to kill for her and I'm not afraid to add another chair." The man behind me starts whimpering and shaking around in his seat as if the ropes will loosen.
"Shut up," I draw out, turning around to face him. I step toward him and cut off his blindfold, his sunken in brown eyes blinking to focus on me. A smile spreads across my face as I hold the scissors in my fist like a knife.
"What's your name, buddy?" I drag the blade up his jugular.
"G-George..." He chokes out.
"Do you know why you're here, George?" I push the scissors under his chin to force his head back.
He winces and cries out a small whimper, pinching his eyes shut. "N-no... I was just-just sleeping."
"Next to someone?" I ask scanning over his face for a lie.
"M-my wife..."
"It's nice waking up next to her, right?" My tone softens and his eyes peek open.
"Please... please whatever you want I'll give it to you if you let me go. I just want to go home... she's got to be so worried about me by now!"
I hum and stand up straight, removing the blade from his chin. "It doesn't feel good to worry, does it? It didn't feel very good to worry about my wife when I saw those pictures you took of her."
"One day wife," Niall snickers.
I blow out an annoyed sigh. "You're not leaving here alive, George. I'm going to show you what it felt like to see her cry over those pictures," I taunt, slamming the scissors down into his thigh. He screams out in pain, blood soaking into his pant leg in seconds.
"Get it all out now, you've got a long fucking way to go," I sneer, walking toward the table full of weapons and torture devices. My eyes scan around before grabbing the gardening nippers. I close the handles in my hand a few times, checking that the blade is still sharp despite some rust on the metal.
I walk back over to him, stopping behind the chair where his hands are tied. The back of his hand gets nicked as I snip the zip ties, freeing him from the waist up. He pulls them forward, doubling over in his chair while he cradles his limbs. They probably lost all blood flow being tied up like that, so I'll give him a few moments to make sure he really feels what's coming.
"Who's got the cuffs?" I look up at the three bored men in front of me.
Louis pushes off of the wall, walking to the chair and kneeling in front of it. He pulls out two small belt-like leather cuffs before ripping one of George's arms away from his chest. He quickly secures his wrist to the arm of the chair before moving on to the second one. He stands when he's done, pushing George's forehead back with a chuckle. "You're fucked, buddy."
"I wasn't trying to hurt anybody!" he cries, tears flowing down his cheeks.
My steps are slow and calculated as I make my way around the chair, holding his shoulder as I do. I flash the new tool in front of him, waving it around like a treat. "But you did, and unfortunately for you, the person you hurt is the most important thing in my life. Which hand did you use to hold the camera, George?"
"I... wha-what?"
"Which fucking hand did you use to hold the camera?"
He glances down between the two. "I hold it in my left... but I click the button with-"
"This one?" I bend his right pointer finger back so far it almost breaks. "Do you know what it felt like when she was clinging to me after she found out she'd been violated by you?" I bring the nippers to his bent finger, snipping it off with a loud crunch. His screams echo around the room, blood sputtering from the newly exposed blood vessel. "It fucking hurt, George!" I yell, grabbing his face with my free hand.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he cries, shaking uncontrollably. "Please! I didn't know! I swear I didn't!"
I walk back to the table, throwing down the tool and grabbing a sharp melon baller. My boots thud across the floor. "You made a lot of tears fall from her beautiful eyes," I state with a head shake, flipping the handle around in my palm. "Someone come hold his head still." My brows furrow as I watch his eyes widen.
"Absolutely not it," Zayn winces.
"Fuck it." Niall shrugs, pushing off the wall and walking behind him. He grabs his forehead and jaw, tilting George's head back until he's looking straight up at me.
"You watched her the entire night and captured her in a vulnerable state. Now the last thing you get to see is the face of the man who's going to murder you. I hope the pictures were worth it, George." The cool metal tool runs down the side of his terrified face.
He shakes in Niall's hold, sweating and pale like he's on the verge of passing out. I bring the baller up and flash him an evil smile before pressing the sharpness into his eye socket at an agonizingly slow pace. He screams and thrashes as I scoop out his eyeballs.
His cries are so loud that they vibrate through my ears until his body falls limp in Niall's hands. "Is he fucking dead?" I grumble annoyed.
Niall checks his pulse, shaking his head no. "Just a fuckin' pussy."
"Wake the fuck up!" I shout, smacking his bloody cheek so hard his head snaps to the side. He doesn't budge which only spurs on my anger. I stomp to the table again, whipping off clamps connected to an electrical charge. They get hooked onto his ears before we step away. "Zayn, flip the switch."
He stands from his seat and pulls down a small silver lever. A jolt of electricity gets zapped into George's body, making him jump and holler. His brain is probably fried from my choice of placement, but I need him alive for only a few more minutes so he can feel what I felt.
"Wakey, wakey, buddy. We're not done yet. You haven't even gotten to the worst part. My heart, George, you don't understand what it felt like for my heart to shatter when she told me she thought I was mad at her for the shit you did." I grab him by the cheeks and shake his head, to which he groans and winces.
"She thought she did something wrong. My pretty girl, my princess, thought I was mad at her for playing in her own territory," I tut at him, "You stepped foot into our den, and now you get to play with me."
I pick up the largest butcher knife on the table and look at my reflection through the shiny silver blade. "Do you believe in evolution, Georgy?" I ask, tapping the pointy end on the table. "We've evolved over billions of years, but can you guess the one trait that's stayed? The one thing that is seen across every single culture?"
I bring the knife up to the wall, dragging it across as I start my walk around the room. "Do you know what men are wired to do? From the days we lived in caves, we've had the same deep-rooted biological urge..." An evil smile spreads across my face. George groans and twitches, fear filling him from my footsteps closing in around him.
"We protect our den," I answer for him. "And everything in it. Men are disposable, but our women... we need them to keep going. We're hardwired to keep them safe." I press the blade harder into the wall, making it screech across the dark concrete.
"We balance each other. She keeps my den how I like it, and I protect her while she does it. She dances and laughs, and I cut the eyeballs out of any threat who comes too close to her." I circle behind him, rounding the corner with sinister steps.
"I'm feeling pretty primal right now, George. My animalistic urges are begging me to tear you to shreds for daring to hurt what's mine." His head follows the sound of my knife dragging on the wall beside him.
"Instinct is a powerful thing, you know. It's a shame yours didn't tell you that you were walking into a trap." I stop in front of him with the knife at my side. "Now is the time to pray to your God, George." I bring the knife above my head in both of my hands and drive it as hard as I can straight through his heart. He sucks in a deep breath, crashing at the peak of his lungs filling with blood.
I watch as he sits dead in the old chair, blood stained on his face from his empty eye sockets, a finger missing from his right hand, scissors stabbed into his thigh, and a butcher knife being the physical embodiment of the ache in my chest over Brinna's tears. The man who caused them can't hurt her anymore, and that's enough for me to snap back to reality and away from this hellhole.
"Let his blood drain," I murmur.
"That was a bit fucking theatrical, don't you think?" Louis snorts with his arms crossed.
"Whatever, I saw that shit about cavemen on the Discovery channel and it fuckin' sounded good." I flip him off, peeling my bloody shirt off my body.
"Nah, that was badass, you were all protect what's mine, you're in my den, her territory this, caveman that. I got the point." Niall bobs his head, staring at the dead body with no emotion.
"I'm leaving, you guys have fun cleaning this up," Zayn grumbles, looking like he's about to throw up.
I shake my head amused, knowing that he's probably been completely eaten alive by Lola in the last few days. He looks like he needs a vacation and I'm not going to stop him, especially because if he's gone, he can't bug me when I spend all of my time with Brinna.
"I'm leaving too, I've got a raccoon problem that needs fixing." I smile, pulling my phone out of my jeans before leaving the room.
A raccoon Bandit problem, that is.
Usually, I wouldn't walk through the club covered in blood, but I don't feel like hosing myself off in the same room as a dead guy and no one's here right now anyway. I walk up the stairs, pushing open the heavy door and shutting it tight behind me. The bathroom by the dressing room has a full shower, so that's where I'm headed. I unlock my phone as I walk forward, opening my texts with a giant smile on my face.
To: Bandit 3:37 pm
I miss you, pretty girl
I walk into the employee-only hallway and into the bathroom, never looking away from my phone screen.
From: Bandit 3:40 pm
I miss you too, curly. Where did you run off to this morning?
My lips purse to the side as butterflies swirl in my stomach.
To: Bandit 3:41 pm
just work. has the dragon been civil today or do I need to rescue my princess early?
I place the phone on the counter, unzipping my jeans and tugging them down my legs. I twist the shower knob to hot and let the bathroom fill with steam, looking in the mirror at some of the splattered red around my face and hair.
From: Bandit 3:45 pm
haven't seen her all day, but it is tempting to let you steal me away. are you going to tell me what we're doing today?
To: Bandit 3:46 pm
Nope. you'll have to wait and see. I hope you're not scared of sharks ;))
I set my phone down and step into the shower, watching as the red washes down the drain. My eyes shut under the warmth relaxing my muscles. I don't really want to clean myself in girly soap and then go see Brin, so I pull an unopened bar of soap off of the shelf.
I begin to wash, scrubbing my hands and face extra until the small stains become unnoticeable. I step under the water, rinsing away the suds on my skin. A deep sigh leaves my nose, and my mind starts to wander to my plans for tonight. I can't wait for her to see what we're doing, it's nothing crazy but I've been wanting to go for a while. It'll be something we both haven't experienced here, so we can make a completely new memory together. Our first one entirely of us.
The bathroom door opening makes my train of thought stop abruptly, my eyes snapping open toward the exit. None of my workers are set to be here for another few hours at least. "Harry?" an annoying voice that I wish would jump off the nearest cliff echoes into the room.
"I saw you come in here..." Magnolia closes the door behind her.
"What the fuck, Maggie?" I shout, trying to cover my dick. The room is pretty well foggy, but the shower door is glass so I'm sure if she tried hard enough, she would be able to see the outline of my entire body.
"You looked lonely." She walks closer to the shower. "Figured I could join you. I knew that little girlfriend wouldn't work out." I see her shadow pull her shirt over her head before stepping to the glass.
"Get the fuck out of here, Magnolia. I'm not playing with you, if you step into this shower you're going to regret it." I look around for anything other than my hand to cover my body with out of respect for Brin. I couldn't live with the guilt of another woman seeing me naked even if I didn't want it. I would feel like I was betraying her trust.
"I told you that whore didn't know you like I do..." Her hand grasps the silver handle as she slowly pulls back the glass shield.
"Don't talk about her like that, for fucks sake stop, I don't want you." I breathe faster out of anger, her eyes meeting mine as she stands in just her bra and shorts. "Out, now," I grit through clenched teeth.
She steps forward and I step back, pressing myself to the ceramic wall while my hands cover my front. I try to move around her to the slightly open shower door so I can get a towel and leave, but she steps in front of me, pushing me into the wall and slams her lips into mine.
I try to lean my back as far away from her as possible because I don't want her touching me. One of my hands comes up to push her away, but right before I can, a phone camera in her hand flashes and Maggie pulls away with a huge smile. "Thanks, Harry. Got what I wanted." She winks, walking out of the shower.
I stand there with my jaw dropped open, watching her shadow behind the glass door as she puts her top back on and exits the room. I turn into the water and scrub my lips off, my stomach turning with guilt over what just happened.
I can't believe she came in here and forced herself on me, knowing I have a girlfriend. Fuck, I can't believe I did that to Brinna. She's going to be so devastated, I can't lie to her and pretend it didn't happen.
I shut the water off and step out, grabbing a towel from the stack and wrapping it around my hips. My hands find the bathroom counter, leaning over into the sink as I take deep breaths to calm my nerves.
My phone buzzes, but I can't bring myself to look at it. I think if I have to act like that didn't just happen in a reply to my angel, I'll actually vomit. It buzzes again, and then again. "What the fuck?" I grumble, noticing that my phone is in a different spot than I left it.
I tap the screen to check my notifications.
Instagram: GraceInSinCity Sent A Message
what the fuck harry?!
Instagram: GraceInSincity Sent A Message
how could you do that to her?????!!! I should cut your fucking balls off fo rthat shit
Instagram: GraceInSinCity Sent A Message
fucking dog i knew you would do this shit you're all the same
What the–? I unlock my phone, the screen opening to the text conversation between Brinna and I, the last message being... fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck! She took that picture on my phone and sent it to Brin.
It's blurry, but you can clearly tell I'm shirtless and wet, as well as Magnolia being in a bra and kissing me. You can't tell that I'm pushing her off, either. It really does look like the two of us are consensually kissing in the fucking shower.
"No, no, no baby..." I plead, shaky fingers pressing the call button and bringing the phone to my ear. "Please, baby, please..." The line rings a few times before I get sent to voice mail. I call her again, but this time it immediately gets declined.
To: Bandit 4:50 pm
baby please answer me I can explain
I call her again and again until my chest is so tight that it feels like I'm having a heart attack. I rush out of the bathroom and into the dressing room to the locker I keep extra clothes in, pulling on a pair of shorts and a crewneck. I slip my boots back on, probably looking crazy as I slam through the doors and through the lobby where I parked my car.
"Get you in trouble, baby?" Magnolia snickers behind her desk.
I say nothing as I push open the lobby doors and jump into my car, speeding to Brinna's apartment faster than I ever have. I don't think I blinked the entire drive here, and I don't even remember parking before I was throwing myself out of the car and onto her doormat.
My hand pounds on the wood, chest heaving like I forgot how to breathe. "Brinna!" I shout on my knees. "Please let me explain, I promise you I didn't kiss her!" I continue pounding on her door, becoming desperate to see her and make this right.
"Are you fucking kidding me, you didn't kiss her?!" Grace shouts through the door.
"Stop, Grace! Just let him leave!" Brinna says back sadly.
"He's a liar! I'll kick his ass right now, I'mma fucking ankle-biter! Let me at him!"
"Brin, baby please, please let me see you. I know it looks bad–" My voice breaks at the sound of her so upset.
The door whips open in front of me, making my eyes shoot up to a very pissed-off Grace. "You have five seconds to run before I drag you away by your ball sack," she seethes with her hands on her hips. I hear Brin sniffling on her couch, my eyes immediately drawn to the sound.
I stand to my feet, peering around Grace who's trying to stop me from looking. "She doesn't want to see you, you prick. You have some fucking nerve showing up here, you know! To tell her you're going to pick her up, only for her to get a picture of you and some other girl when you said you were at work!" She gets louder again, making my brows crease with sadness.
"Brinna..." I look at the side of her the best I can from my position. "Please I... I was at work. Just let me explain, I swear it's not what it looks like."
"Let him in, Grace..." she mumbles. Grace growls at me, hesitantly stepping out of the way to let me through. I walk cautiously to the green couch Brin is sitting on. She's on the middle cushion with her legs crossed on the seat, her arms are folded over her chest and her hair is down and around her face. Tissues are crumpled up on her coffee table and there's an open wine bottle next to the box, but only one glass is being used. I assume it's Grace's.
I kneel down in front of her and wrap my arms around her back while my head rests in her lap. "I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry you had to see that. I promise I didn't kiss her. I wouldn't do that to you."
"How can you even..." She sniffles, "You sent me a picture of it for god's sake, Harry."
I shake my head on her, my arms tightening around her. "That wasn't me, Brinna. I was showering after I finished work and she came in the bathroom." I look up at her, pleading with my eyes for her to trust me. "Look at me, please baby. Look at me so you know I'm not lying."
She looks up, lashes wet and eyes puffy. Her face is full of hurt and anger, rightfully so. I sigh and tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I promise you with every fiber in my body, Brinna, I did not kiss her. I had to shower after I finished working, she came into the bathroom even after I told her to go away. She kissed me and sent you that picture, I didn't want her anywhere near me. I was devastated when it happened because I didn't want you to think I did it on purpose. I would never do that to you."
"Why would you even be showering at work?" she questions.
Shit.
"We had some new equipment delivered, and I was helping to move around some furniture, so I got sweaty. I wanted to be clean for our date," I say quickly.
She looks between my eyes, doubt filling her own. "Do you know her?"
"I recognize that bitch from the front desk. I bet she's your fuckin' side piece, you skank!" Grace hisses from the kitchen.
"She- yes, she works at the front desk. We used to have casual... relations... but I haven't done anything with her since that first night I met you. I even blocked her number after you went out with me. She's jealous of you, Brin. She just wanted to hurt us."
"But she works in the building your job is in, which is also where you live," she states, clearly uncomfortable with the notion.
"She doesn't have to. I can make her leave. If that's what you want, consider it done. You won't ever see her again."
She furrows her brows and shakes her head. "That really hurt, Harry. I-I thought you were texting me to tell me you were outside. And then I open my phone up to you naked and kissing another woman."
"Brinna..." I lift myself to be almost at eye level with her. My fingers gently unclasp her arms and bring them to my hair, silently asking her to scratch it how I like. I'm not sure if she's trying to comfort herself or if she's used to playing in my locks, but her fingers move delicately like they always do.
I sigh deeply, a pit of emotion festering and bubbling up my throat like a geyser bound to erupt. "Just listen to me for a second. You don't need to say anything back, just... just let me." I look between her reddened eyes.
My time on this Earth is limited and you're not going to think, even for a second, that I'm not completely obsessed with you, Treasure. I know this is scary, this is new for both of us. Maybe we don't know the right answers, but we can make them as we go. We don't have to do things in any order, so please believe me when I tell you that...
"I love you, Brin," my voice is shaky, the hot steam of my devotion settling around us. "I love you and I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. You mean the world to me and I'm sorry you had to see that. You don't deserve the hurt you keep getting, and I'm sorry that I'm the root cause of it all." I shut my eyes, head dropping at the realization I had only from saying those words out loud.
"I tried to make her go away. I didn't know what to do, I was trying to cover myself out of respect for you and then she pushed me into the wall, and I didn't know how to stop it without doing something wrong. I'm so sorry it happened." I drop my forehead into her stomach again, soaking in the last bits of her before she inevitably makes me leave.
She's always so warm, but more than just to touch. She radiates an energy deep so deep that it heals parts of me I didn't know were so broken. Her scent coats my nostrils all the way down to my lungs like I'm asthmatic and she's my medicine. She makes me want to be a person I didn't know was possible. I love her.
She shifts above me, curling over me while her arms wrap around my head. She plants a deep kiss on my hair, holding me to her body as she rubs the side of her cheek on me. I feel her head pop up only momentarily to which Grace grumbles out a barely audible seriously?!
She moves again slightly and the door to her apartment shuts, meaning Grace has left us alone. I relax only momentarily, knowing that she either wants me to herself or she's going to say something that would hurt my ego if it were in front of someone else. She shuffles under me, sliding off the couch and onto the floor with me.
She's perched on my bent knees with her back to the couch, holding me to her by wrapping her arms around my neck. I bury my face into the soft skin of her neck, squeezing her to me like I'm afraid if I let go, she'll disappear, too. She kisses the side of my head and lets out a hum.
"You love me, Harry?" she asks, just above a whisper.
I nod against her, "Forever, Treasure. I love you, forever."
***
Harry when it comes to protecting Brin:
our delulu king has said the magic words!!!!!! does he mean them? does she feel the same? is love even a person? is love an emotion? is she a place?... we don't know ;)