“The lack of money is the root of all evil.”
Lennon.
It wasn’t the look of love I received, it was the opposite. My lungs held in the air without me even noticing. Time didn’t stand still, the seconds still passed by, the hands on the clock ticking throughout the house bouncing off the walls, it made the whole scenario even more spine tingling. I felt like someone had pressed slow motion on my life at that very moment in time. He didn’t spare a second glance at me, his own flesh and blood.
A blood-curdling scream left my lips as the broad shouldered, aged man stormed through the small distance in the foyer and clamped his hands around Harry’s neck without a moment to spare. Punches were thrown left, right and centre as almost everyone in the room jumped on top of the pair, trying to pry his hands away.
Harry’s chokes sounded louder than the rest of the commotion, but Axel was taller, stronger and more determined than the rest. His grip didn’t falter until Paul pulled his handgun from his back pocket. I tried to intervene and help Harry but I was pushed away from the brawl by Zayn, he gave me a warning look before turning back to help himself.
“Alright Paul? Nice house you got here.” His normal sounding statement was anything but ordinary it was sinister and had a very evil underlying tone. He took his time to look up and around to admire the house at a glance. He didn’t look at me, he had already brushed me under the rug.
“Let.him.go.” Paul sneered through his gritted teeth as he stepped so close to Axel the gun was pressed against his temple on one side of his head. “Or I’ll-“
“Or you’ll what? Shoot?” He laughed a hollow chuckle. “Because that worked so well last time.”
“How the fuck are you alive?”
“You can’t trust anyone, especially the people you give your dirty work too.”
“Sykes.” Paul confirmed. “He said he dumped you in the Thames.”
“He was always my favourite, always did everything I wanted. Everything.”
“I shot you. How are you not dead?” Paul’s voice began to rise in decibels, his patience wearing thin. Harry was still choking in the background of the reunion. His grip on his neck wasn’t loosening at all, even has Harry tried to pry his fingers off his skin.
“One millimetre to the left and I would be rotting in the ground now, but I wasn’t suppose to die. The city is still mine.”
“No it’s not, and it never will be.”
“In you-“
“Right Lennon, the city is ours isn’t it? We could kill everyone in this room in a matter of minutes.”
Every single set of eyes in the room focused on me. My own widened at his delirious and evil words. I shuddered in my boots, my stomach felt like it flipped upside down making me feel very nauseous. For the first I made eye contact with the man who was my own flesh and blood, and I had never felt more scared in my life. My heart was pounding on my chest as I gulped down the sick feeling. I shook my head at him, watching him raise his eyebrows looking almost satisfied with my answer.
“No, you’re a vile creature who deserves to be turned into ashes.”
“Maybe having a daughter won’t be so bad.”
“I am not your daughter.” I seethed as I stepped closer to him, his towering presence suddenly felt overwhelming.
“Your birth certificate would say otherwise.”
“I refuse to have any association with you.”
“Oh really?”
He grinned once he finally let Harry go who slumped to the floor gasping for air. I tried to rush to his side but my path was forcefully blocked by Axel’s extended arm slamming into my chest. Before I could stop him his hand grabbed a hold of the hem of my shirt and pulled it upwards exposing my stomach. I couldn’t comprehend what he was doing until his fingers traced the scar on my ribs, whilst a smirk grew quickly on his face. I stumbled backwards almost tripping over my own feet as I tried to get as far back as possible. My shirt fell back down across my skin but the feeling of his fingers still felt ghostly on my body.
“We’re not so different Lennon. I’ve heard what you’ve done.” For every pace I took backwards he matched mine with two forwards. Harry was watching wide eyed from his position on the floor as Liam checked him over briefly.
“I haven’t killed anyone. I’m not like you.”
“Oh but you are, aren’t you?” His shoulders relaxed as he crossed his arms over his chest and leant against the wall, he looked so casual yet so ominous. “You’ve helped kill people, you knew they were afraid of you. You used it for your advantage too.”
“Leave her alone.” Harry’s voice was hoarse and deeper than usual as he stormed over to us, the rest of the entourage hot on his heels. Axel spun around so he was in the middle, facing both sides.
“Ah, Harry Styles just the person I actually wanted to see.”
“And what do you want to see me for?” Harry growled back twice as fierce. His hands were balled by his sides, his lips snarling at him. Harry’s neck was bright red from the where Axel’s hands held on so tightly.
“I must say you’re nothing like your father.” You could physically see Harry tense at his words as the silence filled the room momentarily again. “Complete and utter fucking coward.”
“What do you want?” Paul stepped in, his gun was still evidently present in his hand.
“Where is your father Harry? Where is dear old Vince hiding?”
“Why?”
“He has something off mine and I want it back.”
“What could he possibly have that is yours?” Harry scowled viciously.
“How do you think he managed to runaway and hide for twenty years without a single trace? I bet that low life father of yours has a house in the country somewhere abroad without having to work a day again.”
“Money?”
“My money. And I want it back. So where is he?” Axel’s face was right in front of Harry’s.
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
“Did old Styles not keep in touch? Poor thing.” He ruffled Harry’s hair until Harry gripped onto his wrist and threw it off him.
“You can’t talk, you’ve been alive all these years and when you do show you’re face it’s because you want some money. Did you spend all the money you had saved up else where?”
“That’s none of your fucking business little boy.” It was almost déjà vu when he belittled Harry to a little boy because I was used to hearing the words little girl thrown at me.
“Axel, why don’t you just fuck back off to wherever you came from. You’re nothing around here anymore.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that, It’s amazing the type of people who will betray you. I’m not in this alone and you should all sleep with one eye open.”
“No one here is as despicable as you, no one would stoop down to your low level.”
“I never said it was anyone in this room.”
“Leave,” Paul demanded in a hostile tone. “We don’t have your money, we don’t know where Vince is. We don’t want anything to do with you.”
“Okay.” He replied casually until he turned around before leaving through the door he entered through only minutes ago. “But when I find him I’ll turn him into dust and you’ll all be next. It’s only a matter of time.”
He slammed the door shut behind him and we were consumed by our own battling thoughts, as his presence was gone. The only thing running through my mind was ‘what the fuck just happened?’
I was barely daydreaming but by the time I had fully come to my senses again the room had erupted with shouting and heavy footsteps. Paul yelled something about a meeting in his office immediately. It was natural instinct to follow behind the rest of the boys. My hands were balled tightly by my sides however the rest of my body was still quaking with fear.
I had just met my father; the one who had killed many, destroyed any sanity my mother had and injected himself into my life in no way I desired. I was known for what he had done and no matter how much time passed or how hard I tried, I’d always be known as his daughter. The daughter he didn’t even want and still doesn’t. A few stacks of money is more important to him than his own child, if that doesn’t show the type of person he is then I don’t know what would.
His quick departure made it seem as if he knew we didn’t have what he wanted, he wasn’t persistent, he just wanted to show his face. He wanted to threaten us, he wants us to fight him so he can win and take back his pride and glory. But he doesn’t know London anymore, I can only imagine it’s a lot different than it was almost twenty years ago.
I was only a couple feet behind Liam as everyone filed in the office but the door was shut straight in my face. I frowned at the door centimetres away from my face and tried to open it, but the door had already been locked. My hands were still shaking when I pounded angrily on the door. I knocked on the door repeatedly but my calls were ignored.
“What the hell!” I shouted against the door. “Let me in!” Perrie and Eleanor were watching me helplessly hit my hand against the wood with little effect. I even tried kicking it a little as I became more frustrated. I couldn’t hear what was happening behind the door when I stood completely silent which was even more aggravating – whatever they were talking about they didn’t want me to hear.
“Don’t you dare!” I screamed with my back against the door so I was facing the empty foyer, the girls had now scampered away. They knew not to get involved in the gangs business but as far as I was concerned it was my business too. “Don’t you dare.” I repeated again although a lot more sincere and quieter this time.
I squeezed my eyes tightly shut and hit my head back against the door, it was a stupid move considering my head was still tender and only just healed from beforehand but the anger in my veins blocked out the nerve sensors.
It had only been seconds since I pleaded when the door swung open almost knocking me straight off my feet. I fell against Harry’s body briefly before he pushed me back to my feet properly. I stepped backwards and allowed him to close the office door, leaving the two of us outside the room alone. I leant up against the wall and watched him cross his arms over his chest. I looked at the marks around his neck and I couldn’t help but reach out and run my fingers delicately over the tender areas.
“I’m sorry.” I sighed warily. He took my hands away from his skin and held them tightly in his own, still remaining quiet as he waited for me to speak. “Please not again.” I begged.
“Again?” He repeated almost inaudibly as he ran his fingers over my cheek softly.
“Don’t shut me out. Don’t leave me in the dark.” I stared at him hopefully but frowned when he moved his hand away, sighed heavily and stepped backwards. “Harry.” I demanded. “Don’t you dare do this to me again. Look what happened last time, it just made everything more complicated and even more-“
“Even more fucked up.” He finished for me but still refused to meet my eye contact.
He sounded almost angry. He ran his fingers through his hair repeatedly whilst he concentrated on the front door at the end of the hall. I tried to reach out for his hand but he moved away before our skin made contact.
“Harry.” I spoke again. “Are you hiding something from me again?”
“Lennon,” he growled swinging his body round to face mine eventually. “I am not hiding anything from you.”
“Yet!” I argued. “But you’re going to!”
“You don’t need to be involved with this!”
“He’s my dad.”
“He’s after my fucking father Lennon, he’s going to kill my dad!” We were both shouting by this point at the top of our lungs. “I need to find him before that animal does and I don’t need any distractions.”
“So I’m just a distraction?”
“That’s not what I meant!”
“Then tell me what you did mean! Am I only a distraction to you? Because if I remember correctly I was a lot more than a fucking distraction last time.”
“We don’t need your help this time. It’s not about you.”
“So that’s it? I’m useless now, just your little hobby on the side?”
“Fuck.” He groaned and ran his hands over his face. I was livid now, my own hands pulling at my hair angrily.
“Why won’t you let me help you? I know how dangerous the world is, I’ve stared death in the face more times than I could ever imagine.”
“Can’t you just understand we don’t need your help?”
“Why are you treating me like a incompetent fool?”
“Lennon for the love of-“ he groaned again, silencing his previous sentence. “Just, please.”
“No, Harry ple-“
I was slammed back against the wall faster than I could react. His hands were gripped tightly around my face as his lips pressed harshly against my own before I could say no or stop him. It wasn’t tender or passionate, it felt needy. I was still aggravated at him but I took my anger out by kissing back just as fiercely. I wound my fingers into his hair and pulled not so gently. His body was pressed tightly up against mine, limiting the space between us and the ability to breathe. His teeth bit down on my lower lip making me grunt instinctively.
He pulled away only for a split second to catch his breath before his mouth was pressed against mine for a second time. It was faster and more desperate this time almost as if the clock was ticking or we were saying goodbye. His tongue wasted no time invading my mouth, making me forget what we were even arguing about. His hands trailed down my sides landing on my hips forcing them against his own much to his pleasure. I avoided his tender neck and pulled the front of his t-shirt frantically, as if my life depended on him.
He tore his lips back from mine and left a trail of delicate kissed down my jawline to my neck stopping when he reached below my ear. I shivered at his sensitive touch and yearned for his close presence again. I mumbled words I didn’t even know where leaving my mouth, he had left me physically and emotionally unstable in a matter of minutes with the power of his lips.
His hot breath hit the skin on my neck again, this time not as a kiss but as words breathed effortlessly from his lungs. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing up despite the air being warm.
“I promised myself I would keep you safe. Seeing you hurt, tore my heart into pieces and I never want to feel that again. I can’t put you in danger again.” He whispered honestly and delicately. “I just…can’t.”
“Oh.” I replied quietly, the rush of guilt suddenly rushing over me. He didn’t think I was useless and I was evidently too short tempered and too quick to rush to conclusions.
“Yes, oh.”
“I don’t want you to have to do this on your own though.”
“I’m not, the boys will be right by my side.”
“Can I not even help with the research bit or something, anything? I don’t want to be completely useless, he’s still my dad and I hate him just as much as you do.”
He didn’t respond straight away. He pulled away from my neck and rested his forehead against mine as he looked down into my eyes, I stared back eagerly, silently pleading for his answer.
“Fine, you can help with the research, but that’s it.”
“Okay.”