Harry's P.O.V.:
Jerking off in the airport bathroom - definitely not one of my finest moments.
Then, having to jerk off again, less than 40 minutes later and already on-air, not one of my proudest.
And honestly, I was beyond pissed by the time the airplane landed and I was starting to get hard again. Don't understand how my balls are actually throbbing if I just unloaded twice in the past 2 hours. I mean, I didn't even know I had so much Harry Juice produced in me, frankly.
But let me tell you, having to deal with that is the least of my problems right now. I'm actually trying to come up with a way to get rid of a heavily tattooed body without raising too much suspicions. And considering usually he is the one I come to when I need to get rid of someone, it's not like I can ask for advice.
Trust me, the moment I put my hands on Rickie he is fucking dead meat.
The problem is not even that he cockblocked me - I mean, I'm not that petty. I understand sometimes works has to come before pleasure, and usually I'm very OK with that. But cockblocking me with Aster? It's a whole new level of being a dick.
I've been waiting my whole life for that moment, for fucks sake.
To actually throw all the caution to shit and for once do what I want to, without having to worry about the consequences. It felt so fucking good to act like myself around her, these past 3 days were way better than I've anticipated - probably because she was too tired to hassle me about the tiniest things, like she usually does. Or maybe she didn't have what to bother me for, considering I've been acting like a perfect gentleman and the great company man she always wanted me to be.
Fuck, just to think about the way I left her behind... Drenched and ready, tied up to the bed, soaking wet cunt waiting to be eaten out. I can almost feel her in my tongue if I concentrate hard enough, the sweet taste that hasn't left my mind ever since I tried her for the first time.
That's why I'm going to fucking kill Rickie. It doesn't matter that he used our code word, doesn't matter if he was just doing the job I pay him to, when I put my hands on him I'm going to strangle him, gonna slap that Always Tired tattoo out of his face. Bloody hell, I didn't even get the chance to choke her the way I wanted to, or to slap that bubble butt while watching her ride me like the good girl I know she is.
I feel like I should be a bit more concerned about Rickie using our secret code by the phone, I mean, he never did it before, and considering all the situations we've both been in before, that's saying something.
Can only imagine what must've happened for the guy who once dealt with one of the most dangerous guys I know by blowing his head up, point-blank rage, so coldly it even scared Abel - aka the ice fella himself - to feel the need of using our secret code.
Now that I'm thinking about, I'm actually starting to get curious. I'm still fucking annoyed, of course, but at least I'm starting to think maybe it's going to be worth it.
No, scratch that. Nothing is worthy of leaving a naked and willing Aster behind.
Gonna kill Richie all kinds of dead tonight.
Fuck, my balls hurt.
Looking up front, to the quiet Uber driver that's taking me to the address Rickie texted me, I consider shoving my hand inside of my pants to try and relief myself for the third time tonight, but somehow my consciousness managed to convince me otherwise - this would be the second Uber driver I put on a very difficult position tonight, and I don't wanna trigger some kind of karmic revenge by having to deal with someone trying to rape me in my next ride.
As if it was possible, considering the amount of hidden weapons I have on me.
But they could try to do something to Aster - God knows she is just as guilty for embarrassing innocent Uber drivers as I am - and the very thought of something like that happening to her makes me see red, my heart racing so fast inside of my chest I even get a bit woozy.
Honestly I have no idea why am I even feeling like this towards her. The moment I stepped in New York and had her father almost life threatening me to keep my distance from her, then actually met her again after 9 years just to find out she became the most annoying woman in the planet, I'd tell myself she was simply not worthy it. She was uptight, bratty, spoiled and frankly, a bitch - the whole package of ultimately buzzkill. Somehow she always managed to push my buttons and make me so fucking mad, I started trying to make her angry and frustrated every time she was around, just to get back at her for being so fucking maddening.
I don't even know how I ended up on my knees crawling to eat her up at the floor of a high end sex club, or why I had to have her all tied up for me in my office only a few days after. When it all started - the sexual tension, the constant thoughts about her in the most inappropriate moments, the thrilling acceleration every time I saw her - it was actually very funny. It felt like an adventure, but nothing more than that. To know that it was something I shouldn't do, to have Philip busting my balls every once in a while only made everything more exciting.
I thought it was only that. The need to do risky things - I've always had a thing for what is forbidden.
But then, there was that day at Phillip's house, during Penny's birthday. Watching Aster all but run away from the party while trying not to cry, took me straight back to when we were teenagers and she did the exact same thing, all those years ago. It was like something was triggered inside of me and suddenly I just felt that crazy urge to follow her and comfort her. I felt she needed me, and I was right.
The moment I entered Maddie's room to find her there, crying alone, everything came back to me in a rush - the fact Aster lost her sister so many years ago, only to have her mother abandoning her a few months later. How she grew without a mother and had to endure the festival of gold diggers her father dated while she was still a teenager. How she had to go through so much by herself and how she used to find shelter in my family, with my mother. How close we were and how much I used to love her while growing up.
And the fact that she lost it all again when my parents divorced and mom and I went back to the UK, never even contacting her again - not by our own choice, but she doesn't know that. In that moment, I've realized how alone she actually is and everything else started making sense to me - why she drowns in work the way she does, why she fights so fiercely for her father's approval, why the only important friendship she has is with a guy who lives in another continent, why she goes to a place like Pandemonium to find relief and carnal proximity.
She is afraid of losing more people in her life. She is afraid of opening her heart and have it smashed to pieces all over again. And she hates me because I was one of the people who broke it in the past.
Everything became so clear to me while she was still crying her eyes out on my lap, in her dead sister's room. She looked so fragile, that facade of strength and independence she wears everyday was completely gone and I saw her. My Aster. My Bunny.
And ever since then, I've been fighting with everything I have to stay away from her - not only because of her father, but actually because I do think it's in her best interest to stay away from me. However, this trip was the end of it - I realized I simply can't stay away from her. And I have no fucking idea how will I deal with that, considering everything, but guess I'll have to find a way.
I know I'm not good for her. I'm dangerous and will probably bring more hurt than anything else to her life. But, at the same, I simply can't let her go - I'm perfect for her. The only thing in the way is my job, it's what makes me not be suitable.
Or maybe I'm just so horny for her I'm getting everything else mixed up. Can't really tell, all of my blood is circling in the wrong head tonight.
The Uber suddenly stops, making me realize we've just arrived the destination. We're in the suburbs, Bedtown Park I think - don't know this place, Rickie shared the address through text while I was still at the airport back in Washington, but even though I've never been here before, one thing I can tell for sure - it's definitely shady.
Thanking the Uber driver and giving him an extra tip - you know, karmic balance or some shit - I step out of the car, suitcase in one hand, gun in the other. The secret word Rickie used on the phone is also our safe code, meaning no one else know what it means. We agreed on using the code when something wrong is happening, something we cannot say out loud for whatever reason. Being held at gunpoint and obligated to lie, for instance, which is why I'm now on full alert, for the first time in weeks being able to put Aster completely aside in my mind
I need to to concentrate.
The place is a warehouse, but for the looks of it, it's probably deactivated - or maybe the busted walls and broken windows are purposefully like this to match the whole street atmosphere, I don't fucking know.
Going to the front door, I realize it is unlocked, which is definitely odd considering the place around. Everything is dark inside, so after leaving my suitcase near the entrance, I fish for my flashlight in the pocket of my overcoat. I'm in a dark corridor, but there's light at the end of it. After looking around, I hold my gun tighter, taking large steps towards the end of the corridor. The place smells like mold, the putrid scent immediately making my stomach turn and my nose tingles. It's all I've ever needed right now - to start fucking sneezing.
First thing I notice after turning around, is that there's another long corridor that leads to an open door, from where the soft light is coming. The second thing I notice is Rickie standing right in front of the door, his shoulders tense and a fearful expression on his face. I raise my eyebrows, lowering the gun to the side of my body, my heart racing even more. I have no clue of what is happening, but if it's enough to make Rickie look scared, then it's fucking serious.
The guy is like a Buddha on a daily basis, always super chill and relaxed.
Unless someone manages to get him angry, which is fucking difficult. But when he is, he turns to a bloody killing machine.
When I got closer, however, I notice one thing - he is not scared of whatever or whoever is inside of the room behind him.
He is scared of me.
"The fuck is going on?" I hiss under my breath, all the anger from before coming back in one big wave that washes me over.
"Sorry, boss." Rickie says, shaking his head. "Had no choice."
"Over what?" I can barely talk from how much my teeth are clenching, but I can't help it. I'm fucking fuming.
Rickie shakes his head, breaking eye contact as he looks down. "Dude is fucking crazy." He mutters, stepping aside and opening the door behind him, enough to give me a full view of what is inside.
Who is inside.
Motherfucker.
"Hi, Harry." Phillip greets me with a stern look on his face. My eyes darts back to Rickie and I raise my eyebrows.
Why did he use our code word and lie in behalf of fucking Phillip? Why would he make me fly all the way from Washington only to meet Phillip here, and why the fuck are we in a place like this and not back at the office?
"What the fuck is going on?" My voice sounds hoarse, and gladly manage to hide the confusion in my voice, sounding stern and kinda bothered, but definitely not confused.
"Come inside." Phillip says, ignoring my previous question.
Was about to come inside of your daughter, motherfucker.
I stay exactly where I am. Not going to enter that fucking room without knowing what the fuck is going on and why the fuck are we in this dirty warehouse.
"Have you lost my number?" I ask him instead. "What was so important you had to have my employee calling me?"
Phillip sneers, not moving from where he is standing. His back is leaning against the opposite wall, his body posture relaxed in stark contrast to me. My back muscles are starting to get sore from how tense I am. My eyes are pinned on Phillip's icy blue ones, but I can feel Rickie shifting on his feet when I mentioned him. The air is thick with tension and some sort of expectation I'm yet to find out.
"Don't make me say it twice." Phillip answers, his voice suddenly getting colder and more authoritative. I'm still standing a few steps away from the door, so I can't see exactly what is inside of the room, besides him, and that's what making me the most nervous. Something is definitely not right, I still can't understand why are we here, the fact Phillip is clearly stalling to tell me the reason only raising my suspicions that whatever this is, it's not a friendly reunion.
Breaking eye contact, I glance to Rickie. He gives me the tiniest of shakes of his head, closing his eyes slowly before opening them again. The message is clear. Don't go in there.
"I don't have time for this, Phillip. Tell me what the fuck is going on." My voice is deep, a menacing inflection echoing through the walls.
It happens so fast I barely have time to process everything happening around me. There's a low shot sound, followed by a loud thud as Rickie falls on the floor, out cold. I open my mouth to yell, taking half a step towards him before I feel it. Pressed on my back, perfectly round, cold and hard. A barrel.
"Don't worry, it was just a sedative for Richard." Phillip speaks, a tiny smug smile tugging his lips up and making my blood boil instantly, my heart hammering against my rib cages.
For Richard. His implicit threat didn't go unnoticed.
"Move." A raspy voice comes from my behind, the barrel pressed against my back compelling me further.
Even though I definitely don't want to, I start walking. I know Phillip could never do something to seriously harm me, after all I'm not only his partner son, but also his most important associate in the moment. He depends on me to keep his business working, and so far I've done a superb job at making things even better. Which only makes all this theatrical bullshit make even less sense.
The moment I step inside of the room, the barrel is off my back, but before I could even comprehend it, my arms are being pulled behind my back roughly, my body being firmly secured in place. Someone snaps the gun out of my hand violently.
"What the fuck!" I viciously scream, looking up to Phillip. "What kind of sick joke is that? Let me go! Now!"
"Not just yet, boy." Phillip says coldly, now taking a few steps towards me, his chest puffed. He comes closer and closer, till he is standing right in front of me. We're about the same height so our eyes are in the same level, and I glare at him, struggling against the firm grip on my arms as I try to break free. "Need to have a little conversation with you first."
"Let. Me. Go." I hiss through my teeth, the blood boiling in my veins, my face hot and probably full red. I can feel the veins popping in my neck, my breath getting heavier and harder.
"When Desmond decided you should go to the PTS with my daughter" Phillip starts talking, calmly. But his facade doesn't fool me, I can hear in the under layers of his voice, the slight shake, clear rage hiding underneath it. "I tried telling him it wasn't necessary. Tried telling him it was better for all of us for you to just stay here and keeping doing your job. But you know how stubborn your father is, don't you?"
"Harry should be training to lead S&L as well. It's not all about the secondary activities, he will inherit it all just like Aster." Phillip mimics my father, perfectly impersonating his accent. "I had no choice other than agreeing with him, even though we both know you will never be the same as Aster for S&L."
"No, cause I'll be doing the dirty job." I challenge him, having to hold back from spitting on his face. "But tell me, Phillip, for how long do you actually think you'll be able to hide it from her? There's no way you think she will remain oblivious when she starts having full access to S&L's invoice."
"That's none of your fucking business, is it? She will know when I think it's time. Not even a second before it." Phillip takes a step forwards, getting so fucking close to me I can see the pores on his nose, his hot breath hitting me face. "I know that very well, don't you? That it doesn't matter who you are, if you dare to open your mouth to her, I'm fucking ending you."
"Yeah, I'm aware." I spit it out, against my better judgement. "I'm aware of how afraid you are of your precious little daughter finding out the kind of scum her father actually is."
Phillip smirks, but his eyes sparkles with barely contained anger. "You and I both, my friend. We're the same."
His words hits me like a bullet train, and even though I wish I could say he is wrong, deep down I know I can't. After all, I'm the one Phillip sorted out to lead the operation he created. For whatever reason, he chose me, and that makes me his equal. In the end, I accepted it - even though I had a choice, I decided to follow his steps.
"What does PTS have to do with this little circus you put on here?" I ask him instead, changing the subject to one that doesn't make me face the extension of my culpability.
"You don't actually think I would let my daughter alone with you while you were there, do you?" Phillip scoffs. "So I sent Ronald to keep an eye on you."
"You did WHAT?" I shout, raising my eyebrows. I can't fucking believe this fucker put someone to spy on me, this is simply outrageous. "Let go of me!" I thrash around, trying to get myself free, but it's useless.
Scenes of Aster straddling on my lap at the Red Room flashes before my eyes, and for a moment my heart almost stops beating, the possibility of someone seeing how she circled her hips against mine, someone hearing how she moaned my name when I touched her swollen clit--
Come on, Harold, now it's not the time to get hard.
"Don't act all surprised, you can't possibly have thought I wouldn't do this." Phillip scoffs, eye rolling. "Now, imagine how surprised I was when Ronald told me you and Aster left the fair in the middle of a lecture. You know, at first I even tried to understand - homeopathic pharmacology is a real pain in the ass, so honestly, I strived to give you guys the benefit of the doubt." He starts walking around while speaking in a calm tone of voice that gives me the creeps.
He is too calm.
I've known this guy my entire life. He is not this serene.
Feeling the tight embrace on my arms getting slightly looser, I try to free myself from whoever is the fucker who is holding me, but the moment I jerk off, his grip gets tighter.
"I thought you two were probably tired of working so hard." Phillip goes on, now getting closer to me again. "And that you were going back to the hotel and some rest. Imagine how I felt when Ronald sent me the pictures of the nasty place you took my daughter to."
Like the fucking clown you are?
The words gets to the tip of my tongue, but I swallow then bitterly. If it was just Phillip and I here, I would take him down any day. Phillip knows it too, and that's exactly why he has this guy holding me. That's who he is - I know him well enough to know he doesn't play fair, doesn't follow the rules.
"What the hell is that place?" Phillip asks suddenly. "Why were you doing inside?!"
Oh, of course. Ronald - whoever this fucker is - couldn't enter Hell to keep following us. Only members can get in, and if you don't have a membership, not even all the money or influence in the world could get you in. And I'm sure he wouldn't use violence, considering his job is to be discreet and not expose his boss's dirty goals.
"Why don't you ask your mate Ronald?" I scoff, raising my eyebrows mockingly. "Thought nothing could stop you from reaching your go--"
I'm cut mid sentence as Phillip's fist connects to my stomach. My body goes forwards automatically, trying to bend in reflection, head dropping, the breath being completely knocked out of my body. My mouth waters with the sudden need to puke and I tasted bile and a hint of blood. Fire runs through every fiber of my abdomen and adrenaline spreads throughout my body, making me suddenly dizzy.
I thrash around again, trying to get away from the grip, but it's useless. Gasping for air, I look up again and the sight of a smug smirk on Phillip's lips makes me blood boil hotter in my veins.
"Let me fucking go." I hiss, my voice hoarse and faltering from the recent attack. "You coward son of a fuck!"
"I'm not done yet." Phillip says nonchalantly, actually trying to sound nice. "What is that place you took my daughter to?"
"Fuck you!" I spit on his face, feeling enraged, completely blinded by anger.
This time I anticipate his movements, clenching the muscles of my abdomen to tighten then up, exhaling all the air in my lungs beforehand. His closed fist hits my already sensitive stomach, and even though I've had my guard up this time, it didn't keep a little vomit from creeping up my throat. The force of his blow would've made me walk backwards, but the man holding me still is keeping me from moving. I cough, the dizziness in my heart getting stronger, my arms shaking, hands balled to tight fists that I know I won't be using tonight.
"Pathetic." Phillip spits out, disgust dripping from his voice as he looks down on me.
"Let.. Me go... And I'll show you." I huff, fighting against my clenched throat. My chest is going up and down fast, the room spinning around me as I try to regain my breath, but I feel like I'm losing it the more I get worked up with anger and despise for the man standing right in front of me.
"I'm not going to waste more of my time with you, little fucker." Phillip say suddenly, roughly grabbing my chin and making me look up so our eyes can lock, his icy blue ones sparking with barely contained anger. "Stay away from my daughter. Do whatever you need to, make her hate you, I don't fucking care."
One more swift movement, one more hit to my stomach, and now I'm definitely tasting blood in my mouth. The immediate impact caused a sickening sight on my face as my knees buckled, the guy in my back finally setting me free, my arms flying over the sore muscle over my stomach as I gasp for air, collapsing to the floor in a fetal position. I feel humiliated and sickened to my core, but too breathless to even care right now.
I feel a movement over my and immediately scrunch tighter over my stomach, but this time there's no rough impact. Instead, hot air hits the side of my face as Phillip whispers to my ear.
"Consider this my last warning." He spits, then moves again and I hear the heavy footsteps walking away, at the same moment I somehow manage to roll over and vomit bile and a sticky, dark red substance - luckily I didn't eat dinner tonight, or the mess would be twice as big.
Don't know for how long I stay here, in this dirty, smelly room, laying on my back and trying to recover my breath, creating a hundred different scenarios in my mind of how I can get my revenge someday. I fucking hate that bastard with all my heart, and if I could, I would end his bloody life without an ounce of regret.
But of course I fucking can't. At least, not for now anyway. There's too much at stake, I can't risk losing it all just because Phillip De Loutherbergh is fucking insane. He may be the biggest fucker I've ever knew in my entire life, but not only he is still my father's partner, he is also smart enough to make himself vital to our operation.
He is smart, dangerous, reckless. And he has an arsenal of dirt on everyone that ever crosses his life. He does his job flawlessly, ever has done, and that's why he is in the place he is.
But if he thinks he can control me, that's where he is vastly mistaken. It will take more than a few cheap threats and punches on my stomach to keep me away from my goal, keep me from getting what I want.
Something moves on my pocket and it takes me a few seconds to realize it's my phone buzzing. Huffing under my breath, I crawl on my back till I can lean against a wall and sit up, groaning when I feel the hard pressure on my sensitive stomach, the simple movement making me spit yet another mouthful of blood. I've been punched many times before to know I'm gonna be just fine, but right now it feels like my insides has turned to pancakes.
Fishing the phone from my pocket, I turn the bright screen to my face. There are three new messages.
FROM: Honeycup
Have you arrived safely?
FROM: Honeycup
I have a question for ya.
FROM: Honeycup
Do you ever think of something that's so fucking dirty, you have to go under the cold shower and be like calm down, be honorable, think about Jesus n stuff?
I snort, and my stomach hurts so bad it becomes a whimper mid-laughter. With my fingers shaking from the pain and shock my body has just been thought, I unlock the screen, opening the messages app while my mind rushes for a good enough answer for her. Before I start typing, however, the phone buzzes again, a new message popping right under her last one.
FROM: Honeycup
Let's just say I'm probably one shower away from getting pneumonia.
"Bloody hell." I cuss in between chuckles, my stomach on fire, my sternum hurting. My fingers words fast over the screen, that is now blurry from the tears pooling under my eyes.
TO: Honeycup
Have you ever tried to take cold shower on the airplane's bathroom sink? Not easy.
TO: Honeycup
Does it count as Mile high club if you're alone?
I hit send, putting the phone aside and taking a deep breath, I try so get on my feet. It takes me more time than I'm proud to admit, but I manage to.
Wonder why would Phillip do to me if he ever saw the text his sweet little daughter just sent me. He would probably cut my dick off and feed me to it, but honestly, it would be worth it.
She is worth of any risk I might be taking.
Plus, it will be actually very funny to steal Phillip's most important possession - like he seems to believe she is - right under his nose.