The days thereafter were heaven for most of us. Harry and I got closer and closer as the days passed and so did Eloise and Liam, although they feared that when Eloise's parents returned they would oppose to their relationship. My father and I also got the chance to learn more about each other, and he would sometimes join during our training.
The trainings intensified, and although both Harry and my father insisted I stayed away from the battle that looked from the horizon I told them it was in my nature to fight, and now that I had something... now that I had people to fight for there was no way I was backing down.
Kai always tried to get his way with Louis, but it seemed as if the more he tried the further Louis got. Instead he spent his energy in making it known that he did not like me, which I reciprocated when we'd go up against each other while we trained. Harry thought it was amusing, but every time Louis tried to "break his way" through me I'd show him I could take him down with a finger.
Damien was still a prisoner, but he had constantly asked to join our team in grant of his freedom and I think my father was starting to consider it. After all he had so much valuable information about Felicity and what her next moves would be.
Without notice six months had passed, and everyone knew the attack would come soon, so we worked harder and harder to master our techniques. That also meant that today, Stella and Eloise's parents would return, and I knew she was more worried about that than our possible doom.
I sighed, leaning back against Harry's hands as he applied soap to my back. It was our thing now that after training for hours we'd get in the tub together and enjoy each other's company.
"What do you think they'll say to you when they see you?" I asked— things didn't exactly end right according to Eloise after she explained that Harry and I were indeed not brother and sister.
He pressed a kiss to my shoulder, and I leaned back pressing my back against his chest. "They'll be pissed of course," he said, "But I'm sure they'll understand Eloise and I aren't meant for each other."
"What if they threaten to pull away their investments?"
"They can't they're under a contract. And even if they do," he started, wrapping his arms around me, "There's no way I'm letting them get between us."
I closed my eyes, humming to the sound of the soft piano music I had downloaded into my phone. He knew it relaxed me so he suggested we played it when we were in the tub.
"Do you think... if I hadn't come into the picture you would've married her?" I couldn't help but ask.
"The plan was to always have you in the picture, Kat. I just never planned I'd have such a crazy attraction to you." He explained, "But to answer your question... if If came down to keeping their support in ending this war I would've married her. But we both would've been unhappy, Liam was in the picture and at the time so was Stella for me."
"So you had feelings for Stella at one point?"
He laughed, "No... it was never like that I just had a physical attraction to her."
"But you said you had a physical attraction to me... isn't that the same thing?" I turned my head to look at him.
"Baby, no, my attraction to you didn't just stem from your incredible looks. It was everything about you, your strength, and wit, and kindness."
I pursed my lips, he was too good for me.
He leaned over, pressing his lips to mine for a short second and when he pulled away he pressed his forehead to mine. "I have never in my life felt this way for anyone. I love you with everything I have."
I smiled, "I love you with everything I have." I pressed my lips to his this time, holding it for a second before he pulled away with a smirk.
"Now what was it about me that sealed the deal for you?"
"Hmm..." I turned back, "Well pressing your hard on against me was a start." I joked, and he splashed my face with water.
"Okay Okay... I'd say the same things. I thought you were a selfish asshole... and then staying with you and seeing how much you cared for everyone... and what you did for those kids changed my mind. I think I fell without even noticing."
He pressed me to him, grabbing my chin and turning me over so he could kiss me passionately, and I moaned into his lips. "If you start that we won't get out anytime soon and we have to go greet Eloise's parents soon."
I grabbed my towel from its hook and got out of the tub, wrapping myself around it. He stayed in, looking at me.
"You are so goddamn beautiful and I am so lucky." He smiled.
"Well get out of there or you'll lose your luck." I told him, blowing him a kiss and walking back into our room.
I put on a simple back jeans and an off the shoulder blood red blouse, and a pair of my heavy black military boots, during which time Harry came out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist.
"We're running late, you might wanna hurry it up." I told him, while I curled the ends of my high ponytail.
"Harry it up, you mean." He said with a snort, and I laughed, throwing my wet towel at him.
"I'm going to go check on El," I told him, walking toward him and wrapping my arms against his bare back.
"Stay a minute." He pouted, holding my hands against his waist.
"Nope." I said, pressing my lips against his shoulder before walking away. He groaned in response why I walked out, and I couldn't help but laugh until I came out and came face to face to Stella herself.
Guess they were here already. She looked surprised I had just come out of his room.
"Hey," she said, avoiding my eyes, "Is Harry in there I need to talk to him?" She asked.
"Yeah, he is. You might want to wait a minute, he's changing." I told her, I had nothing else to say so I walked away toward the elevator. I wasn't scared of her, or leaving her alone with him. Not because I trusted her because I didn't, but because I trusted him.
xxx
I could already hear Eloise's parents when the elevator came to the first floor. They were chatting with my father, possibly in the study which I now approached.
My father, Arthur looked up from his seat when he saw me, smiling widely at me before standing up and wrapping his arms around me.
"I'm sure you've met my daughter before," he said, placing a hand against my back. I smiled at Karl and Chelsea, who looked as rich and snobby as they did before.
Karl came over first, taking my hand a pressing his lips against it. "We met before yes, but we were under the impression that she was Harry's sister back then." He chuckled, but I could hear the bitterness of his deceit in the back of his words.
"I apologize for that. I didn't want anyone to know the identity of my daughter back then and I guess Harry came up with whatever he could." Arthur explained.
"And now he's left our daughter for her?" Chelsea smiled, again with that same bitter tone.
"No. I left Harry for Liam, Mom. Harry loves Kat, and I love Liam what was the use to go through with it?" Eloise asked, coming up from behind me. Liam was next to her, but he stayed near the door while she kept walking.
"Eloise!" Chelsea rose from her seat, coming over and grasping her daughter in a tight hug, after she let go Karl did the same.
"And you must be Liam," his father tightly smiled, and that gave Liam his cue to come over.
"Yes, it's nice to meet you sir." Liam offered his hand, which Karl looked at for a second before taking.
"Well he's no general am I right," he joked, but from the frown on my father's and Eloise's face I could tell he meant it.
"Eloise, dear, mind if I speak to you in private for a second?" Chelsea said, grabbing her daughter's hand.
"You guys can stay in here, dinner is probably served so we will wait for you at the table." Arthur said, and both of us and Liam left, closing the door behind us.
I could tell Liam was nervous, so I stopped him and wrapped my hands around him. "No matter what they think there's nothing they can say or do. You and Eloise love each other and that's all that matters."
"Thank you, Kat, I just hope they accept me one day." He said, wrapping his arms around me.
"They will." I smiled, pulling away so we could walk toward the dinner table which was already sat.
We were about to sit down when Harry and Stella came down, he gave me a small smile and took the place next to me while Stella sat across from us next to Liam.
Harry's hand grasped mine under the table. We could hear Eloise and her parents arguments start to get aggressive, and Liam sighed.
"So when's the wedding, kids?" Arthur asked to lighten the mood and Harry and I both chuckled. I looked across to Stella but she didn't even react.
Eloise came out first, and I barely caught her face full of tears as she ran by toward the stairs. Liam got up from his seat and ran after her.
"Come on, Stella, we're leaving." Karl commanded, and Stella nodded, giving Harry one hard look before standing up and joining her aunt and uncle.
"I'm sorry Arthur. We will come by some other time, maybe when our daughter has learned that we only want the best for her." Karl grunted when my father walked over to them.
He placed a hand on Karl's shoulder, "Not to meddle into something that isn't my business but I've never seen your daughter happier than when she is with Liam. He is an incredible man, second in command if the rank really matters to you which it shouldn't, because he'd nevertheless give his life to protect Eloise's."
"You're right. You shouldn't meddle. I am not ending business with you because of the contract. Let's go." He commanded to his wife and niece, giving Harry and I a hard look before whisking away.
I sighed, looking down at my hands and then at Harry who seemed to be deep in thought.
"I have to speak to your father, I'll be back soon." He told me, pressing a small kiss to my lips and walking away.
THIRD PERSON P.O.V
"Can I have a minute." Harry told Arthur once he saw Karl and the rest leave. He was nervous, and Arthur could tell.
"Come." Arthur said, taking Harry down toward the chamber. He knew Harry was only speaking to him in private to avoid the listening ears of Katerina, so once they made it past the chamber door, he locked it, and they made their way down stairs.
"Stella told me she found new info on what Felicity's plan might be. She slept with one of her guys who told her that..." Harry took a deep breath. He couldn't even bear to repeat the words that had chilled him to the bone.
"She plans on striking soon. She wants to capture both you and Katerina and make you watch her... torture Kat.. and then kill her." His voice was a low, husky whisper. He tried to contain his anger but it was getting the best of him.
Arthur himself leaned back on the wall in shock. He knew this was her plan all along but hearing it... and knowing she'd take action soon made fear rise within him.
"We can't live like this anymore. We have to find a way to end it once and for all." Harry said, placing his fingers to his temples. He knew Felicity got closer by the minute, and the only thing he could think about was her goal—to kill her. To kill Kat.
He could never allow that to happen, moreover now that he was head over heels in love with her.
Arthur looked at Harry in the dark chamber, he knew himself that as the months passed by, the closer they got to ending this war. He didn't mind losing his life, but it wasn't his she was after.
"Maybe I can help." Offered a voice, a voice locked in the chambers. Harry and Arthur botb turned to the figure behind bars, his skinny arms extended out toward freedom as he spoke. "I know you don't trust me, but I know Felicity more than any of you, I know how she works, I know she's expecting and preparing for an army... but from her own tactics I've learned sometimes you can rely on one man to complete the job."
Arthur approached him quietly, cautiously, "Help us and you'll win your freedom." He told him, and Damien smiled.
"I know I've asked to help before in return of my freedom, but I'm not doing it for anything in return. I hope you'll hear me out, but only do it if you choose to. I'm only helping because I can't allow Felicity to hurt Kat."
"And why is that?" Harry asked from the steps, looking at his rival, his enemy; the man who killed his father.
Damien smirked, "Same reason as you. Do you really think you're the only one enchanted by her? The only one who would give his life for her?"
Harry walked over to him, placing his hands tightly on the bars and yelling, "Then why didn't you, coward? Why did you leave her to the mercy of that woman?"
"Harry calm down." Arthur warned.
"No. I don't want to hear what he has to say, it's probably a trap." He said, grabbing Damien's neck in his hand and bringing his face to the bars. "She's mine." He snarled. "You touch one hair off the top of her head and I will shoot you dead."
Arthur grabbed Harry, pulling him back while Damien just smirked angrily at Harry. "Scared she'll leave you if I'm the one who saves her?"
Harry shoved Arthur off of him, and looked Damien straight in the eye. "See, you don't know her at all, do you? When it comes down to it we all can agree if someone is going to end up saving Katerina it's going to be her own damn self."
Damien huffed, he was done playing, and he wanted out of that cell. "Are you going to hear me out or not."
"We will." Arthur spoke, making Harry turn to look at him.
"It's a trap Arthur! Tell me you are not that stupid."
Arthur growled, "I will do anything! Anything for my daughter Harry! I will take any risks, make any deals, I would sell my soul for her. I understand you love her, I once loved someone as much but I am in charge here no matter who cares for who, and you work for me so you will do as I say!" He shouted, finally coming out of his initial shock and thoughts of losing his only daughter.
And then the room was quiet, until Damien spoke again with laughter in his voice, "So what I have in mind is..."
a/n:
Sorry for the long break, I will update nearly everyday from now on until we reach our end, which is so so so soon. I predict we only have 3-5 chapters left so get ready for a roller coaster ride.
Don't forget to share, vote, and comment your thoughts, it really helps give this book recognition!
I also want to announce the beginning of my new book, Bouchard, which is a teen fiction romance that I am sure you'll love. It's a teacher/student book filled with tons of kinky stuff (which you all damn love) and same darkness you find in all my books lol!
So please please go give it some love!
Delilah E.