Harry kissed my cheek again and again, until I looked up at him.
“I’m sorry” he apologized again.
“It’s ok” I told him.
“I can’t lose you again” he shook his head quickly in determination.
I nodded in agreement. Then we headed back to Harry’s apartment. The image of Becky’s wet, naked body over Harry flashed in my mind and I swallowed hard. I didn’t know what I was going
Harry opened his front door and I walked in.
Becky was laying on Harry’s bed, in her towel, and flipping through the channels on the T.V.
She looked up as we walked in.
“Oh, hey Angie” she greeted casually.
I glared at her. I have to admit, she had some steel-hard nerve to just sit there as if nothing had happened.
“Beck-” Harry spoke up calmly, but I cut him off.
“Rebecca Kirchhoff, get the fu*k out of my house” I commanded through clenched teeth.
Becky’s mouth hung open slightly as she stared at me in disbelief. I could feel Harry’s eyes on my back, watching me with the same shocking expression.
Not only had I cursed (and I never curse), but I had also said “my” house and I knew Harry was pleased about that.
Becky swallowed hard and resumed her flirtatious teasing.
“Well that’s no way to treat a guest” she winked as she toyed with a piece of her damp hair.
She winked at Harry.
I nearly ran over to Becky, grabbed her by her towel and shoved her against the wall.
She grasped her towel with whatever ounce of dignity was left inside her.
“I swear to God, I will throw you in that jail cell with Louis so he can screw you til Kingdom Come” I threatened through clenched teeth.
Becky stared me in silence. Her lower lip quivered and she swallowed hard.
Then she nodded ever so slightly and started to pull her clothes on hastily.
I walked back over to Harry’s side. He watched me walk up to him with the most calm, but thrilled expression. His eyes light up at my momentary confidence and aggression and his lips curled up in a slight grin.
I took his hand and squeezed it. Of all the times he has defended me; it felt nice to be able to do the same for once.
Just then, a tall, dark figure ran into the room, causing it and the entire level of apartments to shake.
“Angela, are you ok? I heard crying” the figure asked and we all turned to see Danny: fists clenched, jaw tight and eyes eager- eager to hit something.
Danny’s dark eyes watched me carefully as he came up to me and patted my shoulder with his paw-like hand.
Then he turned his attention to Harry, the suspected criminal, and Becky, the suspected accomplice. Danny’s fists clicked, like a revolver ready to release the lethal pain.
“You son of a b*tch” Danny raised his voice and glared at Harry and back at Becky, who had quickly pulled her shirt on.
“Wait, Dan-” Harry tried to explain, but Danny walked slowly and dangerously close to Harry.
“Danny-” I spoke up, but Danny was already full into one of his rampages.
“You!” Danny pointed accusingly at Harry.
I tried to block Harry by standing in front of him, but he refused to let me fight against Danny. He was too noble to shy away from standing up to Danny.
“WHAT THE HELL YOU TRYNA PULL, STYLES?!” Danny demanded and he grabbed Harry by the collar and slammed him against the wall.
“Danny, let me-” Harry tried to explain, but Danny wasn’t much for words. Actions suited him better and got him what he wanted, faster.
"Danny, wait!" I pleaded. I grabbed Danny's bulky arm and tried to get him to look at me so I could explain everything, but there was no hope for reasoning with Danny.
"YOU THINK THIS IS ONE OF YOUR LITTLE GAMES!? HUH?" Danny demanded, but he had closed off Harry's throat, preventing Harry from answering.
Harry shook his head quickly.
"YOU THINK YOU CAN PREY ON MY BABY SISTER, F*CK WITH HER HEART AND THEN CHEAT ON HER WITH HER BEST FRIEND!?" Danny growled powerfully.
Becky;s no friend of mine.
"N-no, Danny" Harry defended, but Danny his grip dangerously.
Harry coughed as he struggled to breath.
Danny kicked Harry in the gut over and over until Harry grabbed at his abdomen instead of his neck.
"DANNY STOP IT!" I screamed and I tugged at his stone-hard hands as I tried to yank them off of Harry's neck.
"PLEASE!" I begged, but Danny seemed almost as determined to kill Harry here and now, as he was to let go and forget and forgive his best friend.
I stared in wide-eyed horror. Now Harry was almost as determined not to hit Danny back, as he was to defend his faithfulness.
"He didn't cheat" Becky spoke up.
Everyone stopped and stared at her, almost having forgotten she- the source of the issue- was still here.
Danny loosed his grip around Harry's neck and Harry caught his breath. I ran to where Harry leaned against the wall, clutching his gut.
"It was my fault" Becky admitted.
Then she grabbed her bag and didn't dare turn back.
I swallowed hard. It didn't bother me that I had lost my best friend. It bothered me that my "best friend" had tried to hurt me like that. How she simply did not care about her dignity as a human, or her faithfulness as my friend.
But what hurt the most was that I had lost her God knows how many weeks, months, or years ago.
Danny cleared his throat anxiously, waking me from my brief moment of deep disappointment in Becky and in myself for ever trying to help or trust her.
"Harry-" Danny began to apologize.
"It's ok, Danny" Harry nodded slowly. His voice was raspier than usual and I hoped that Danny hadn't caused serious damage to his throat.
Danny placed his hand at Harry's shoulder and looked him in straight in his eyes.
"Harry, you could be the Prince of Wales, but if you even dare imagine hurting Angela ever again, you know how the fairytale will end" he threatened Harry calmly.
Then he nudged his shoulder more playfully and turned to look at me.
Danny held my slightly trembling hand in his bulky one and patted it with his other hand, comfortingly.
"I'm only a click away" he reminded me as he motioned at his phone.
I nodded.
I knew that as long as Harry and I were safe and together, I would never need Danny to intervene. And maybe Danny knew that already, that's why he was so quick to come to my rescue; he liked putting his fists to work, especially if it was in the intention of defending me.
Danny walked out slowly and watched me and Harry as he closed the door behind him.
Harry took a deep breath and I touched his neck softly. Danny had left some sizable bruises and had ripped the first few buttons of Harry's shirt.
Harry sat down on the couch as I gathered ice, a few clothes and adhesives for his neck and abdomen.
He lifted his shirt to look at the damage to his gut and I gasped quietly.
"I'm so sorry, Harry" I apologized as I looked at the blue and black bruises on the right side of his abdomen.
Harry shook his head.
"Angie, it's not your fault" he reassured me. But I wasn't satisfied; it was my fault that Danny had even gotten involved.
"No, Harry, I should have trusted you. I should-" I shook my head as I rambled on a list of my mistakes.
Harry leaned up on his elbows until his face was no more than an inch from mine.
I saw the bruise marks on his neck even better now, but I could also see the think black lines in his irises.
Harry took my hands in his and brought them to his chest, just over his heart. I made sure not to press too much in case Danny had made something bleed internally.
"Danny could beat me to a pulp and buried me in the park" he told me casually and I felt his heart beating fairly calmly and steadily.
I stared at him and swallowed hard. Why did he see his life as being so trivial? Why was he always so willing to sacrifice it in a moment's notice, especially if it was to save or defend me?
I exhaled slowly as I realized I already knew the answer.
"And I wouldn't feel an ounce of pain" he shook his head slowly and watched my eyes carefully.
"But" he began quietly and swallowed hard.
"If you hadn't believed my faithfulness and had I lost you..." Harry shook his head and clenched his teeth painfully.
"I could live 100 years, but my heart would be bleeding for every moment" he confessed and he looked down at his bruises as if they were minor scratches.
"Harry" I spoke up.
I hated when blood and death entered the conversation, but they were always present. They were like those two kids in math class who seem to make a point of reminding the teacher about the homework.
"Angie" Harry smiled softly and his lips tugged up at the sides.
"Do you really feel like my place is your home?" he asked me with a quiet excitement.
"No" I shook my head.
Harry's bright, eager smile vanished as quickly as Liam's life had.
I could almost hear Harry's heart sink.
"I think it's our home" I corrected him with a grin.
Harry laughed and started to kiss along my neck and tickle my sides until I laughed with him.
I touched the bandages I had carefully placed at his neck and kissed them softly, wishing they could heal with the help of my words.
Then I slowly traced down his chest.
"Do you want to make this place our official home?" Harry hissed temptingly.
"Yes" I whispered close to his neck.
Then he pushed he down on the couch with the weight of his torso.
"Words will be just words til you bring them to life" Harry half whisphered and half kissed the words along my neck and down my chest.
Then he wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up. He carried me over to his bed and laid me down gently.
"I should be carrying you, you're the one that's hurt" I teased.
Harry grinned and he shook his head.
"I told you, the only thing that can hurt me are your words" he reminded me softly. He glanced down at my lips as if waiting for me to say "yes" in agreement or possibly "no" and break his heart.
I looked up at Harry. His dark curls hung down over his forehead in messy ringlets. I reached for a curl and twirled it in my finger.
Harry slid his hands down to my waist and felt along my jeans. Then he tugged down at them and I loosened the buttons of his shirt.
He pulled the covers over us, using it as a shield from everyone who tried to break us apart.
He let his hands wander up my thigh until he reached my vee and pulled at my panties. Then he slipped on the glove and came inside me quickly and urgently, proving his faithfulness over and over.
"You" he moaned and he pressed deep into me, reaching for something far within me.
I nodded quickly, wanting him to call my name instead.
"Angie" he whispered in his beautifully raspy voice, answering my silent plea. He let his words touch my lips and glide down my neck and chest until they were within me.
Harry let his breath grow heavy down my neck and over my breasts.
I clenched the back of his neck as I tried to keep him inside me. I was afraid what would happen the moment someone else tried to break our special puzzle.