Harry instinctively steps in front of me, his arm extending to hold me back.
We had been in there for an hour at least, without so much as a text from Zayn or anyone else at Ivory. Harry and I had barely spoken before I made my vow to him. I had asked him if we could have gone anywhere other than here, but he shook his head, saying we needed to be where the rest could get us. I only nodded, hoping this fact is not one to come back to bite us. The weight of my promise to Harry is heavy on my shoulders as I look around him to see who is there.
It's Zayn, his skin damp with sweat and his features stressed.
"Could you have honestly bolted that any tighter?" He asks, panting.
"What the hell is going on?" Harry demands, his arm lowering from in front of me.
"We need to move fast, they're on their way here."
"Alec?"
"Alec and Aaron and Marion."
"Why didn't you just call?"
"No time. They're having a hard time at Ivory, I had to move quick."
"Where do we go?"
"Ivory. We'll all depart from there."
"Fuck." Harry runs a hand through his hair. "Let's get moving, then."
I look at the ground as we hurriedly exit the apartment, Harry's hand finding mine and squeezing.
We decide against the elevator and take the stairs down, my pumps clicking on the concrete steps. I push a lock of hair out of my face as we reach the ground floor. I have no idea what to expect, and frankly, I'm scared shitless.
We step out into the cold, Zayn walking a few steps ahead of Harry and me. I continue to focus on the ground, my heart pounding.
The sky is dark, stars beginning to show. It's hard to make them out with all the city lights around, but a few shine through. I'm reminded of when Harry took me to that open field to see the billions of shilling stars. It was such a beautiful moment-I would give anything to go back there.
Suddenly, Zayn stops.
"Shit," He hisses. I look up and lock eyes with a smirking Marion.
She stands slightly behind Alec, Aaron to her side. My breath hitches in my throat, and I feel Harry drop my hand.
"Going somewhere?" Alec asks, raising an eyebrow.
We stand in the parking lot, a black car parked to the side that I can only assume is the vehicle the three came in.
"We have much to discuss," Alec says. "But not in such an...open area."
"No, we're just leaving," Harry says through gritted teeth.
Alec raises an eyebrow. "Don't worry, it will only take a second."
My nightmares surface in my brain once again as Zayn and Barry reluctantly follow the other three into a nearby alley.
What is with these people and alleyways?
We finally stop walking and I look up to face them again, my breathing uneven.
"What do you want?" Zayn snaps.
"Your little alliance seems to have failed, hasn't it?" Alec gins, smirking.
"It's not over yet," Harry bites back.
"Yet."
"You underestimate us," Zayn says.
"Your little crew at Ivory is currently being overtaken by my backup, I don't think I am underestimating anything."
Zayn and Harry's looks are deathly as they glare at Alec. I chew on my lip as Alec's haunting gaze slides over to me.
"Rose," He says, smiling sinisterly. "How are you, darling?"
Harry tenses next to me.
"Fine," I say, my tone clipped.
"I must say, the two of you make ever the charming couple," Alec says, gesturing between me and Harry. "Quite lovely." He looks to Aaron. "I do recall when Aaron told me he was with a girl named Rose. What a coincidence it would be, if you were the same one."
"It would have been much easier if it hadn't," Aaron sneers.
"Don't act like I'm the one that did anything wrong," I snap at him. "You're the one that hit me, remember?"
"And of course you go crying to him." Aaron gestures to Harry.
"I didn't go crying to him, if anyone went crying to anyone in our relationship it was you to your uncle."
Aaron backs down and Alec looks amused.
"I knew you were smarter than you let on," Alec says. "Intelligent girl, you are, Rose." He tilts his head. "If only you were smart enough to stay away from trouble." He nods to Harry and I flush with anger, Harry's gaze turning to the floor.
"Do you love him, Rose?"
I look back at Alec.
"What?"
"Only a short time ago, you told me directly he meant 'less than nothing to you,' I believe. Is that still the case?"
I had forgotten what I said to Alec that time, when I had gone to Ivory to prove I didn't know anything. Harry had heard everything I said, and my heart sinks just remembering.
"No, it is not the case," I say bravely, aware of Harry's eyes on me.
"And what changed?"
When I don't answer, he repeats his previous question.
"Do you love him?"
"Yes," I say quietly.
"How much do you love him?"
"There is no limit," I whisper.
"What would you do for him?"
"Anything." My voice is barely audible.
"Very good."
I don't speak.
"This rebellion has quite upset me," Alec says. "And I will do everything to ensure it does not happen again. Is that clear?"
No one speaks.
"Which is why I am going to let one of you go," Alec says and my heart drops to my feet.
"One of us?" Zayn asks.
"No," Alec replies, looking to Harry and I. "One of them."
No.
I can't seem to fathom his words. One of us? One?
He's knows it, he knows Harry and I are each other's weakness. And I see now why the gun turned up in both my dreams, pointing at each of us a different time-because by tearing us apart, he is killing us both.
A lump rises in my throat as I look frantically to Harry.
"We'll give you time to decide," Alec says, smiling evilly. He begins walking away, but stops midway. "Oh, and if you try to run, there's backup positioned all around the perimeter."
I hate him, I hate him so much. He must be truly heartless, if be is really going to carry this out.
Everyone exits the alley except for Harry and I Zayn gives us a saddened look as he slowly walks out.
I turn to Harry. I know he's going to want to let me go, he's going to take the heat.
His hands travel up to my arms, resting on the sides of my shoulders. His eyes are filled with angst.
"Listen to me, Rose," He says. "Remember what I said."
I shake my head. "I can't leave you, this can't-"
"You have to go, get out of here. I'll be okay."
"No, I'm not going anywhere. It's either both of us or-"
"I know this guy better than you, Rosalie, and I'm telling you to get out of here now. I'm not budging on this."
I know he isn't. I didn't expect him to.
"Rose, I want you to know..." Harry swallows, looking past me as he wraps his arms around my waist. "I want you to know that I love you more than I have ever loved anything."
I shut my eyes, leaning my head against his chest. "I love you," I whisper into the fabric of his shirt, breathing in his spearmint scent deeply.
"Do you remember your wish?"
I feel his voice vibrate through his body. "Wish?"
"You wished...you wished that you could change someone's life for the better, that night we saw the stars."
His deep voice slides over his words as the memory returns to me.
"Yes, I remember," I say.
"Just know," He says, stepping back so he can look at me. "You completely, irrevocably changed mine."
"No, I'm not going anywhere. It's either both of us or-"
"I know this guy better than you, Rosalie, and I'm telling you to get out of here now. I'm not budging on this."
I know he isn't. I didn't expect him to.
"Rose, I want you to know..." Harry swallows, looking past me as he wraps his arms around my waist. "I want you to know that I love you more than I have ever loved anything."
I shut my eyes, leaning my head against his chest. "I love you," I whisper into the fabric of his shirt, breathing in his spearmint scent deeply.
"Do you remember your wish?" I feel his voice vibrate through his body. "Wish?" "You wished...you wished that you could change someone's life for the better, that night we saw the stars." His deep voice slides over his words as the memory returns to me.
"Yes, I remember," I say.
"Just know," He says, stepping back so he can look at me. "You completely, irrevocably changed mine."
I stare up at him, tears welling up in my eyes.
"What will happen to you?" I whisper.
"I don't know," He says honestly, dropping his hands from me, looking down.
A cold wind blows through the alley.
I sum up the courage to ask the question that I'm dreading the answer to.
"Will I see you again?"
Harry swallows hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. He looks into my eyes. "I will make it so," He says, his voice low.
"Promise," I say, tears spilling. "Promise me."
"I promise," He whispers as Alec rounds the corner into the alley again.
"You've come to a decision, I hope," Alec says, the rest filing into the alley.
I look at the ground. I wish he wasn't so cruel, I wish he could let us both go.
"I'll come with you," Harry says, his voice much bolder than I feel.
I hear the smirk in Alec's voice. "Very well. I was expecting as much."
I glare at him, my breathing heavy.
"Take her away," Alec says to no one in particular, but Zayn comes up and takes my arm gently.
"No," I say, trying to wrestle from his grasp. "No!"
"Rose, we need to go," He says to me, his voice sympathetic.
"No!" I shout and Harry looks away from me. "You can't do this!" I shout to Alec.
Alec has the nerve to smirk at me as I struggle with Zayn.
I muster the most deathly glare I can and direct it at him. I have never wanted anyone dead before, but now, as I look at Alec, I want him as dead as one can be.
Zayn tugs me along as tears stream down my face.
"Please, no!" I call again. "How can you do this?"
Zayn pulls me to the parked car, but I turn around just in time to see Alec reach into his jacket.
My entire body goes rigid.
No.
The silver pistol, directly resembling the one in my nightmares, is held in his hand.
Please, let this be another dream. I'll wake up any second now.
But I know it's anything but a dream when Alec cocks the gun.
"No!" I shout again. "No, you can't-"
Harry looks to Zayn. "Get her in the car!" He shouts.
I turn to look at Zayn frantically. "Zayn, please-"
"Zayn!" Harry's voice is strained.
I hear commotion behind me and I turn to see Violet stepping out of a car, moving towards Zayn and I, pain in her eyes.
"We've got to move," She says. "Come on, Rose."
"No!" I repeat. "Harry-they-" I turn back to look at the alley, Zayn still struggling to keep hold on me.
Alec points the gun towards Harry.
"No!" I yell, my voice quicky tiring. "No, take me instead! Let him go!"
Alec stares at me, vile amusement in his eyes.
"You're a coward." I spit at him. "You're a fucking coward, and I hope you get what you deserve for this. You are nothing but scum, dirty, rotten scum that tears people apart-"
"Get her in the car, Zayn!" Harry's strained voice cuts me off.
"Rose, come on!" Violet says.
"Harry!" I shout.
"Go, Rose," Harry says, looking down.
"Rose, get in the car-"
"Come on, Rose--"
"Harry!"
So many voices battling at the same time, but I cannot move my eyes from the alley.
"Rose, we need to go!"
"Stop struggling, Rose!"
"Get her in the car!"
Alec's finger slithers around the gun to the trigger.
"No!" I shout in one last futile attempt. "Please, no-"
My voice is cut off by the gunshot, loud and earsplitting.
All words are stolen from my tongue as I feel my heart sink to the floor. I can't believe the sight. I refuse to believe it.
This is not happening. This can't be happening, not to me, not to Harry...
My senses blur as my legs give way and I fall to my knees, my cheeks hot and wet from the never ending river of tears. I feel Violet's soft hands and Zayn's rough ones pull me to my feet, but I can't find the strength to support myself, and they practically drag me to the car.
Zayn pushes me into the back of the car as I turn my head to see Harry fall to the ground, his white shirt already stained with crimson, and I feel my world crumbling around me, piece by piece.