"It really is unbelievable that the two of you are so stupid."
Sound reached my ears and I blinked slowly, sitting up on the bed. This was the first thing I'd heard in, well, however long I'd been in the room.
"What part of don't fucking hurt her didn't you get?" The voice hissed again and I stood up, my legs shaking as I lent against the door.
That voice was familiar.
I waited for someone else, hopefully the same person, to speak again because I knew that voice. I was sure I knew who was speaking but I just couldn't think of it.
I waited with bated breath as nobody spoke again and I began to wonder if I had imagined it. I wasn't sure what day it was, all I knew was that the light above me had turned off three times before it came back on.
Every time it was off, it was for over an hour, I think. I wasn't entirely sure because I had no way of telling the time. Did that mean I had been in here for three nights? Did the light turn off at night time?
If so did that mean today was Saturday?
Oh god if it was I missed all my other classes this week. And what's going to happen if I'm stuck in here forever? I'm going to miss all my classes and I'll never see Ollie again.
Or Harry.
I felt my breathing pick up as I licked my lips and started to panic, I needed a drink.
"Hey!" I shouted without thinking, my fist banging on the door. "I want some water!"
Everything was silent and all I could hear was my breathing as I took a step back from the door once I heard some shuffling about on the other side.
"Look behind you."
I jumped as someone spoke and I did as I was told, my eyes landing on a bottle of water next to the bed and I lunged for it immediately.
That wasn't the same voice that had been speaking earlier but right now I didn't care, I was too busy squeezing the entirety of the bottle into my mouth, my body gasping for it and I wiped my mouth once I was done.
I didn't know what to do now, not that I'd been doing anything at any other time but my only need was fulfilled and I just sat back down on the bed.
I pulled my socks up in an attempt to conserve some warmth considering my coat had been missing since I'd woken up however long ago but it was barely any use considering they were thigh highs and my dress didn't meet them.
I shouldn't have worn a fucking dress.
Harry was right to make fun of me.
"Her phone is still on right?"
I shot up at the sound of the voice I recognised and I strained to hear what was being said once more.
"Yeah."
"You're ready to do the ransom call?"
Who was it speaking?
I didn't know the other voice so it had to be either of the men who I'd seen on the tube and/or grabbed me from uni.
"How much should we ask for?" The unknown voice spoke again and I frowned before my head started to throb.
Ransom?
"However much you want for the two of you going to prison. I can't believe I have to fucking do everything. If you'd stuck to the plan then you wouldn't have had to dispose of Styles."
Dispose of Styles....did that mean Harry... no that couldn't be true.
I felt water growing in my eyes as I stood there trying to control my breathing, the last thing I wanted to do was start hyperventilating.
He was just hit in the head, that wouldn't have killed him right?
"Wait prison? You never said anything about being caught!"
"Well I wasn't going to let you get away with it was I? She's a fucking Carmichael, do you know how bad that would look for me?"
The realisation suddenly clicked as my eyes started to grow heavy and I rubbed at them, I already knew I looked a mess considering I'd been crying and my foundation was probably dried to my face and now I'd have smeared mascara but I didn't care.
I tried to fight off the drowsiness I was feeling, I had no idea where it had come from because I was right when I said I knew that voice!
Although part of me was sure it wasn't him because why would it be? It was someone that sounded exactly like him.
I stumbled sightly even though I was standing still and I propped myself up on one hand against the door.
That person sounded like my Father.
The thought barely registered before I lost all cohesion and I lost my balance, landing on the floor painfully, my head smacking against the hard concrete and for the first time since I'd been here, I was out cold.
h.
"The attack took place at about twelve o'clock on Wednesday the thirteen of November, outside Kings College London. Miss Carmichael was wearing a yellow dress with white flower prints and black socks pulled up over her knees. Now this is the same information we gave yesterday and we are still looking for witnesses. Currently we have no-"
"Why didn't you tell me Poppy was missing!"
I jumped as my front door was thrown open and Liam appeared, shouting at me and I blinked slowly before I looked back at the TV screen only to have my phone buzz alongside me.
"The fuck are you doing here?"
"Why didn't you tell me she had been kidnapped!" Liam practically screeched at me and I rolled my eyes.
"Not important." I shrugged, "Aren't you meant to be at work? How'd you even get in?"
As far as I was aware, no one but Niall had a key to my place.
"Not important?" Liam hissed as my phone buzzed again and I picked it up, a message from Zayn and Ollie on the screen.
"Harry you fucking cunt! She's my-she's Poppy! I have a right to know!"
I flew up off the sofa and shoved Liam's shoulder watching in satisfaction as he stumbled backwards a few steps.
"She's not your fucking anything! It has nothing to do with you Payne, she doesn't belong to you and if she was anybodies anything, she'd be mine."
I watched through narrowed eyes as Liam raised his fist to swing at me and I simply smacked his hand away, I was bigger, stronger than him but I wasn't going to complain if he wanted a fight.
"Whoa, whoa okay!" Louis pushed in-between the two of us and held a hand to my chest making me glare at him.
"Lets take the testosterone down a few notches yeah? We get it, Harry loves Poppy cause she's pretty and Liam loves Poppy because they're friends, we all like Poppy. Calm, the fuck, down."
I pushed Louis away from me and went back to the sofa, rolling my eyes as I snatched up my phone and unlocked it.
"Don't love Poppy." I muttered as my eyes flicked over Ollie's message, it was practically the same as Liam shouting me.
I replied with a simple, working on it and moved onto Zayn's message.
Zayn 3:47pm: Got a location. And a ransom demand just came in.
I stood up stupidly making both Louis and Liam look at me in confusion. The words on the tip of my tongue but I couldn't let them out.
I had been annoyed with Zayn, he'd taken way longer than I had expected to actually locate Poppy's phone and then he kept trying to guilt me every five fucking minutes by telling me he could lose his job.
But now I wanted to kiss Zayn.
"I want it known that I do not associate with criminals but I will do anything and everything to get my daughter back."
The three of us looked up as Jack Carmichael appeared on the screen and I snorted, laying it on a bit thick there buddy.
I didn't understand that stupid prick, there he was yelling at me that he didn't want the police involved but here he is standing on screen with the fucking Commissioner of the Met police begging for his daughter back.
How much is it for?
"Zayn's found a location and they've had a ransom." I finally announced.
"Makes sense, everyone knows he's good for it. How much and did you find anything online?" Louis asked before he tapped away on his laptop and I shook my head.
"Not sure yet and nah. She only has Facebook and its fucking boring."
Typical Poppy.
"Did you look at her spending?" Liam asked and Louis shook his head before I realised that I could have but just didn't think about it.
"No but I still have access to her account."
I grabbed my own laptop and pulled up the bank website apparently all the Carmichael's used and used the log in information Jack had given me several months back.
"What the fuck Harry?" Louis looked at me as if I was deranged.
"Yeah I second that. Talk about invasion of privacy." Liam muttered making me glare at him.
"Jack gave me all the information to 'monitor' her spending when I worked for him. I never looked at it." I explained, feeling slightly better that it was true and I hadn't looked at her bank account before.
I frowned as I scrolled through the transactions, they were all money coming in. Not a single outgoing payment.
"This can't be right." I muttered.
"What?" Both Louis and Liam asked at the same time just as Louis' phone rang making me look up.
"Zayn." Louis said before answering the call. "Go."
"There aren't any outgoing transactions."
My eyes drifted over to my vinyl shelf, the Led Zep album Poppy bought me sat there almost pride of place in the centre, she had bought that album, but there was no record of it in her account?
"What do you mean?" Liam asked and I blinked before looking at him like he was stupid.
"No money has left her account, its all money coming in. Just payments every month from Jack himself." I explained, scrolling all the way back to July and I sucked my teeth at the amount Jack had transferred for that month.
I clicked on the transaction curiously, my eyebrows furrowing as I read the note, only one word that explained the twenty grand. Birthday.
"She's got a cool half mill sitting in her account, wow." Liam laughed and I rolled my eyes, glancing at Louis who was still on the phone and tapping things into his laptop.
Poppy had bought me the record, we had gone food shopping where she paid for it, she paid for our coffees once and the time we went to the aquarium, she bought a bunch of junk in the gift shop.
Where were those transactions?
My gut twisted at the memory of the aquarium, how excited she'd been the entire time and although it wasn't my idea of a fun time, spending it with Poppy and watching her had made it pretty good.
What if I never got to see her be that excited again?
What if I never even saw her again?
No.
I shook my head, and ran a hand through my hair, I couldn't think like that. It was going to be fine, if I really thought Jack Carmichael was just going to let Poppy disappear and never be seen again then I was truly stupid.
Liam level stupid.
"Right." Louis suddenly spoke making both Liam and I look at him. "Got an address and Zayn said police have tracked her location too, probably going to raid in about an hour, maybe twos time."
"Where?" I demanded, switching the TV off and standing.
"Uh, Bolina Road. I've never heard of it but its in Bermondsey apparently."
I frowned as I grabbed my jacket, the name was familiar and I was sure I'd been there before. Or at least in the area.
"Isn't it next to the football club?" I asked Louis who followed my actions and nodded. "Thats mostly industrial estates."
Louis opened his mouth only to be cut off by my phone ringing and I set my jaw as I pulled it out and answered.
"Styles."
"It's Jack Carmichael."
"And?" I ground out as I locked the front door behind me, Liam and Louis looking at me suspiciously.
"Don't fucking talk to me like that." Jack hissed and I rolled my eyes. "I need you to resume your job."
"I already have a job." I drawled.
"Don't play stupid with me Styles, although I doubt you're playing. Poppy's coming home tonight. I'll up your pay."
I frowned as I slowly walked down stairs before pointing at Louis' car, I didn't feel like driving. But how was Jack so sure Poppy was coming home?
"How can you be so sure?" I asked as Louis started the car and Liam made some noise of protest at having to sit in the back.
"Because I am. Stop asking so many questions and just be back in my house by eight tonight, alright?" Jack snapped and I sucked my teeth.
"How much extra?"
"One and a half." Jack spat down the line at me.
"Nah I'm alright thanks."
"Fine!" Jack snapped quickly, "Two and a half."
"Eight you said?"
"You're on fucking thin ice Styles."
The dial tone met my ears before I got to say anything and I rolled my eyes as I looked out the window, the area becoming vaguely familiar to me.
"Who was that?" Liam asked, my eyes flicking to him in the wing mirror.
"Your boss."
"And yours." Liam fired back making me snort.
"He'll be his father in law soon." Louis cut in laughing and I automatically punched him.
"I'll crash this fucking car, you cunt." I snapped. "Poppy's going home tonight apparently and I have a job again. I have to be at her house by eight."
"How does he know that?" Liam wondered out loud making me shrug.
"I know this area." I suddenly stated, sitting up properly as Louis slowed the car as he looked around, his eyes flicking between his phone and the window.
"Unit thirty four apparently."
I smacked his arm when I spotted it and the car jerked to a stop before Louis put it in reverse and we back up a little bit, out of sight of the door but enough we could still see.
"That's London Ice next door, I've picked up gear from there before." I frowned as I looked around.
Poppy was literally right over there and I couldn't do anything about it.
I'm sure she hadn't even thought of me in the three days but fucking god knows I've done nothing except think about her the last three days.
"Get down." Liam suddenly demanded and without thinking both Louis and I sank in our seats just as a pretty flash looking Mercedes pulled up outside.
"That's Jack's car."
"What?" I hissed at Liam who was staring out the window, his head nodding in a jerk as I returned my eyes to the window just in time to see Jack climb out, his eyes darting about before he let himself into the unit.
"What the fuck?" Louis mumbled.
"He's in on this?" Liam honestly sounded like he was going to cry and I rolled my eyes.
This was unfucking believable but at the same time, fucking believable.
My brain threw up another memory of Poppy from several months ago when I'd taken her to the gym with me, in the car on the way home she asked about a fire. I racked my brain for the exact words she used.
Do you think anyone that works for my Father would deliberately commit arson for insurance money?
"Wasn't there a fire at one of his offices a few months back?" I asked Liam who looked at me strangely before nodding.
"Yeah, not mine but the other one in Canary Wharf. It was arson, got a fucking massive insurance pay out. And the stocks sky rocketed, it was bloody good for business."
"What are you trying to say Harry?" Louis asked and I shook my head, what was I trying to say except Jack Carmichael was a piece of dog shit and I hated him more than I hated anyone in my life and that was saying a lot.
"C'mon, let's go back to mine. I need to pack again."
I rubbed my face as both Louis and Liam drove away the moment I was out of Louis' car, and I crossed the road. My fingers were itching to get in my car and go back and get Poppy.
She had literally been ten feet away from me, probably scared out of her fucking mind and I did absolutely fucking nothing.
If anything's happened to her I genuinely don't think I could forgive myself.
I was overreacting, it was Poppy, she was going to be fine.
But what if she wasn't? She had been wearing a dress for fuck sake! In November as well, so not only did that mean fucking frostbite but everyone knew dresses and skirts meant easy access!
Bile rose in my throat as the thought entered my head, nah it was Poppy. No one would wanna fuck that, she was definitely the type to get attached afterwards.
What a fucking nightmare that would be.
I couldn't stop my mind from reeling as I packed up several of my bags, I shouldn't have left her on Halloween. I should have fucking stayed over night outside like I had been, I shouldn't have just left like Jack wanted me to.
I should have hung around, she wouldn't have had to have known, neither would her prick of a Father. I should just made sure she was safe.
But I didn't, instead I was too much of a twat and only thought about myself.
I was starting to think Jack was right about me.
I was fucking stupid, this just proved that it wasn't good for Poppy to be near me. But now I couldn't get out of it. Maybe if I just changed my name and left the country?
No. I just needed to do my job and make sure Poppy was safe and keep a good distance between her and me emotionally or whatever the fuck was easiest.
The thought made my blood boil and without thinking my fist hit the wall, the plaster cracking under my knuckles and a hole appeared and I groaned.
Instead of dealing with it, I just snatched up my bags and headed out. My car had been spending more time in Primrose Hill than outside my own fucking place lately. But it didn't matter, I just had a waiting game now.
Five past eight.
It was five past fucking eight, they were late.
It was fucking weird being in Poppy's house without her.
I didn't know what I was supposed to do so I killed time by unpacking and putting my things away, I hadn't even bothered to do that the first time I'd stayed here. It was gone eight o'clock, where the fuck were they?
Blue lights lit up my room suddenly and I almost lunged through the window as I lent against it, the driveway gate opening as several cars pulled in and even in the darkness of the night I recognised Jack's car.
The same Merc that I'd seen this afternoon.
I paced back and forth as I heard voices and then the front door opening. Was I meant to go down? Was I supposed to be there the minute Poppy came home?
Would she even want to see me?
It was one thing that Jack wanted me working again but did Poppy even want me here? I knew she'd been annoyed with me the last time we'd seen each other and I didn't blame her considering how I acted on Halloween.
But now that didn't really matter, I couldn't even remember why I got so angry about her lying to me, I couldn't remember how anxious I'd been about her getting irritated with me on Wednesday.
I just wanted to see her now and I didn't know if she wanted to see me.
I opened my door to find several people milling about on the landing, several being police officers who all turned to look at me suspiciously.
"He's her security." Jack's voice was low and I turned to see him on the top stair, arms crossed with a somewhat irritated look on his face.
All scrutiny left me as the man I vaguely recognised from a few weeks ago, one of Jack's drivers I didn't know, but the one who'd been waiting for Poppy at university appeared, his arms holding something.
My eyes flicked to Jack who was watching me through hard snake like eyes and I swallowed.
I couldn't say anything, I didn't think I could say anything that wouldn't give me away.
"She's asleep." Jack muttered as we watched as Poppy was taken into her bedroom and Jack's driver reappeared a few seconds later arms empty.
"She alright?" I asked instead, my voice low and casual. Disinterested.
"She'll be fine." Jack snapped before several uniformed officers started talking to him and suddenly it was like nothing had ever happened. "I'll leave some security officers outside."
Thank fuck he wasn't staying.
I waited until I heard the front door shut and the cars leave the driveway before I took a step forward. No one, not even Jack had mentioned if anything had happened to her. But I was sure he would have if something was wrong.
But what had taken so fucking long from rescuing her to bringing her home?
I cracked her bedroom door open as quietly as possible, my eyes landing on her curled up form in the middle of her bed.
She wasn't wearing the dress.
I swallowed as I crept closer, my own heart thundering in my ears and I wondered why the fuck my body was being such an out of control spazz lately.
I felt like throwing up as I looked at Poppy, her tiny body completely engulfed in a pair of trackies and a t shirt I recognised that most certainly did not belong to her. The fleeting moment of joy was quickly shattered as I caught sight of her face.
Even with it pressed against her white sheets in the darkness of her room, the ugly blue bruise shone against her white skin and if I hadn't been so disgusted I would have laughed.
We had fucking matching bruises.
I barely let my eyes leave her as I crossed her room quickly to grab the chair from under her desk and pulled it back around the side of her bed, settling into it.
Was this the smartest idea? Probably not.
But if Poppy didn't want to see me then we'd deal with it in the morning, but right now I didn't want to see or even think about anything other than her.
Although the guilt I had inside was eating me alive, I didn't think it would beat the weird warm feeling inside of me that seemed to grow and consume my entire body whenever I looked at her.
Whatever that was.
But we could deal with that in the morning too.