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Last One Standing

Chapter Fifty Two

*Emma’s POV*

The woman who had put the benefit together was a good friend of mine and had asked me to stay after to help with the clean up.“You know that I’m not trying to sound like a jerk, but would that really be in my job description?”

“Emma, you sound like a jerk.”I rolled my eyes and let a smirk come over my face as I grabbed a trash bag out of her hand.I spent the next ten minutes walking from table to table and picking up after the jerks that didn’t bother to do it themselves.That’s what I liked about the boys.They were stinking rich and they knew it… but they always tried to leave things like this the way that they were when they came.I came across the table that I remembered them sitting at and only found a few crumbs scattered across the table top.Before I registered what was happening, the crumbs were swept before my eyes and into the palm of someone’s hand.I looked over to see the blue, unmasked eyes that I had nearly given in to earlier tonight.

“Ni, what do you want?”

“Emma, I had you so close.How could you run?”I held the garbage bag out to him and he brushed the crumbs out of his palm and into the bag.“I really like you, and I like to think that you feel the same way.”I rolled my eyes and continued clearing a different table.“Well if you don’t, then I wanna know what’s keeping you from feeling the same way.”

“I just can’t Niall.”

“Hey Emma,” I turned my head in the direction of the sound, “can you go backstage and clean out whatever the models left back there.”I saw Niall smirk out of the corner of my eye.

“They do know that Hannah isn’t a model right?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I started walking that way, “they thought she was and that’s what’s important.”Even though I was facing away from him, I could still feel Ni’s presence walking behind me.Knowing that this couldn’t end like the fairy tale I had never yearned for, I went up the stairs backstage to find everything that the models had left behind: chip bags and water bottles.Some things really made me wonder.Going over to clear off a counter full of junk, I winced silently as Niall’s hands rested gently on my hips – there were still harsh bruises beneath.

I felt Niall’s nose urge my head to tilt sideways.Why was this so hard?I knew why.I didn’t deserve Niall – I didn’t deserve anyone…So what made me so attracted to him?Maybe it was because even if I didn’t believe that I deserved the best, he still did.He wanted to be that for me.A set of shivers ran through my body as Niall’s breath tickled against my skin through plump lips.“You’re perfect,” he breathed before licking his pink lips and letting them attach in short, soft kisses against the bare skin.

I sucked in a breath and held it there as I slowly turned in his arms.Once I was turned, I kept my head down and watched Ni’s fingers each hook into my long gloves and seductively bring them down my arms and toss them to the side.The pads of his fingers then traced up my arm – leaving more goose bumps in their place – and settled his hand on the side of my face, gently tracing over my cheekbone with his thumb.Looking upwards, I saw the sparkle of his baby blue eyes and I knew that there were no more defenses of mine that would fight against the beautiful boy in front of me.

With a shaky breath and weary eyes, Niall inched closer and closer to me.His breath washed over my face and my eyes closed, nose scrunching up at the scent of the alcohol on his breath.He stopped moving forward.“What?”I opened my eyes to see his genuinely concerned face and I could feel my heart melting inside of my chest.Without another moment of hesitation, I closed the rest of the space and caught him with his eyes wide with surprise.Ni’s lips were soft and I could only taste the alcohol slightly on his mouth – nothing new.Hands wrapped around my waist and my eyes shot open along with my lips as his hands squeezed my bum.I saw that his eyes had relaxed to a close and felt his tongue slip into my mouth.The taste was stronger now.

At first, I was caught up in the kiss that was absolutely wonderful, but now, lots of things were reminding me.What time was it?I should be home by now.Damon would be pissed.Damon drinks.Niall’s tongue went particularly deep into my mouth and I took in a deep breath, pressing my hands to his chest and pushing him away.I couldn’t go on, the smell – let alone the taste – was way too much for me.I didn’t like smelling that on my father nor did I enjoy its presence on the boy that I must’ve been falling for.Wait.Niall was Irish.Fuck my life… forever… for a thousand years… until the end of time.When I had worked through a few thoughts, I looked back up at Niall who now stood about three feet from me.His face was painted with confusion and hurt.He looked to the floor and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his dress pants, walking to the side of me and leaning on the counter beside me.I leaned back too, still staring at the place where he had stood in front of me just a minute ago.He mumbled, dragging me from my thoughts.

“What?” I spoke quietly.

“Does he drink too?”I looked over to see his arms crossed over his chest and moving his shoe across the floor.His head moved up so that his blue orbs could lock with mine.I was rendered helpless and speechless in his gaze, not able to lie or downplay Damon’s habits.Nodding my head, I was taken back when Niall smiled and looked back to the ground, scuffing his feet and standing to his full height to walk back to stand in front of me.He picked his head back up and his smile quickly turned to an expression of anger and tears began filling his eyes.“Then why are you with a son of a bitch like him and not with someone who really cares about you,” his voice was booming and caused me to shrink back into the countertop.He let his face soften and closed his eyes, pushing a tear over the brim of his lashes.He closed them tighter and wiped his hands across his cheeks.“Why aren’t you with me?”There was a long pause.He had to know.He deserved that and honestly so much more.

“I’m not allowed to have a boyfriend, Ni.”He opened his still wet eyes to meet mine that were now becoming wet as well.Confusion filled his face, and then a little bit more anger followed.

“So you’ll break the fucking rules for this guy,” he gestured towards the stage, “but not for me?” his voice cracked and got so much softer as he placed one hand on his stomach and the other on his chest.

“I’m not breaking any rules Niall,” I sighed and closed my eyes.I couldn’t look at him as I admitted this to him – it was something that I had never confided in anybody except for me, myself and I.“Damon isn’t my boyfriend.”I opened my eyes but stayed looking at the ground.“When I had my temporary license, my mum took me for a drive on an old country road.I took a curve too sharp and,” my voice got soft as it started cracking, “the car flipped and I wrapped us around a tree.She died on impact.I took my mum away from Damon – my dad – so I’m not allowed to have a boyfriend.He doesn’t even want me to leave the house unless he needs more smokes or whisky.”I opened my eyes and saw two black dress shoes standing on the floor in front of me.Niall’s finger hooked under my chin and he took my face in his other hand and wiped away the falling tears.He pulled my face until I was forced to make eye contact.

“Your dad does this to you?”It came out as a whisper as he brushed his fingers against my forearm that had skillfully been covered by gloves.He looked down at my branded skin. “Emma, I can’t let you go back there.”

“You have to.”He brought his eyes back to mine and they were much harsher this time.I knew that there wasn’t a single way in hell that he was planning on letting me go home.

*Hannah’s POV*

The car ride to my apartment was silent.Lou was pretty good about not asking questions, but there was one that I didn’t blame him for asking – anyone would’ve wanted to make sure.

“So that was…”

“Yeah,” I interrupted.I didn’t want to hear the name slip off of his tongue if I could help it.He was poison, and no one deserved to die by that venom.

“So if he left then why did we leave?And why without Harry?”

“You should’ve seen Harry Lou.He was relentless.He left him in the alley all kicked and broken and…”

“Good.The prick deserved it after what he did to you.”

“Harry walked away more or less untouched.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”He looked back and forth between me and the road with a slightly confused look on his face.

“Well I’m glad that he didn’t get hurt or anything but Louis… think about it.”I could feel a lump rising in the back of my throat.I avoided looking back to Louis and focused on what little I could see out my window.

“Hannah!”I jumped slightly at the sound of his voice and looked back to him.“Shouldn’t you be fucking thankful that he’s out of the way now?”I stayed silent and felt my breathing beginning to become uneven.“I know that you’re not afraid of Harry, so what are you afraid of?”My eyes glassed over as I stared out the passenger window.“Hannah, you know that he won’t hurt you… ever.”

“It was so easy for him to come close to killing Marcus… What if he gets mad at me and something happens.I would be no match for…”

“Shut up Hannah.”

“Lou!I’ve seen him being suspended from school for fighting and I’ve cleaned his busted knuckles from when he had a full out duke with Gemma’s boyfriend.How do I know that I couldn’t be on the other end of that hit?!”I looked over to Louis’ knuckles that were gripped so tight to the steering wheel that they had gone white.Shutting my mouth, I let an awkward silence fill the car.I was jolted when Lou took a sharp turn around a corner.I looked out the window, witnessing the cars whizzing by.Louis’ breathing was heavy and I could hear the anger raging through the silence.That’s when I realized that we weren’t headed towards my apartment.“Lou, turn around and take me home… my home.”

“You know that Harry would never do anything close to what Marcus did.If you don’t believe that then we’re going to make you find out!”I sunk into my seat as he fumed his words towards me.The rest of the ride was silent and soon we were pulled into the car park.Louis stormed out of the car, but I couldn’t bring myself to move.Before I knew what was happening, he was on my side of the car and opening my door too.I stared up at him.“Hannah, get out,” he wouldn’t look at me.

“Lou…”

“Hannah, get out of the car.”I let a tear slide from my eyes.Lou had never been this harsh with me before.

“What if he’s mad at me?”His eyes flickered from me to something else, but caught mine once more.He bent down closer to me and took my hand in both of his.

“Harry loves you and he won’t be mad at you.Even if he was he would never lay a harsh hand on you.If things go wrong then you can sleep in my room tonight.”He gave me a friendly smirk that pulled up the corner of his mouth and I suddenly felt at peace.I used his hands as leverage as I pulled myself out of the car and followed closely behind him.We stood by each other in the elevator and I rested my head on his shoulder.Part of me was starting to feel like a jerk, but the larger part was worried about how Harry would be feeling about me running out on him at the benefit.

I walked through the door with tears threatening to brim over my barricade of mascara.I walked towards the kitchen and looked back to see Louis giving me the look and walking towards his room.Once the door had closed, I leaned against the threshold of the kitchen and watched as my mop head carefully put some ice inside of a towel and rested it down on his knuckles that had obviously been cleaned of blood.He sat shirtless at the island, still in his dress pants – breathing uneven and sniffling every few seconds.“You took your shirt off?”He jumped slightly and I couldn’t help but let a smirk tug at the corners of my mouth.

“You weren’t here to clean me up this time.”His face fell slightly and he looked back down to the blood that had started to pool again.I stepped towards him in the most subtle way that I was able.I observed his busted knuckles and went to get his first aid kit.He hissed a little as I wiped them down with disinfectant.“Were you scared?”I gave him an emotionless look.“Hannah, I’ve seen you scared.That look on your face when we were in the alley… That was fear.Were you afraid of me?”

“No,” I lied. I softly began putting bandages on his hands.

“Hannah, don’t lie to me.You practically ran away from me after… after what you saw.”

“Yeah, because you just beat someone half to death and you were covered in blood…”

“That’s what he deserved,” his interruption startled me and my hands withdrew from his anxiously.He let out jagged breath.His knuckles started to tense again and I gripped at his fingers, trying to get him to relax.I sat silent for a while, holding his hand in mine even after the bandages were set in place.

“Will I ever deserve it?”I gathered the strength to stare straight into Harry’s piercing green eyes that were beginning to fill with wetness.

“What?”It came out as a low, hurt grumble.

“I know that you were angry and that he deserved it,” I soothingly rubbed my thumb over the back of his hand, “but will I ever make you so angry that you…”He tore his hand from my grip, looked away from me and furiously wiped tears from his cheeks.

“You know that I’d never hurt you in any way, let alone hit you.”His voice was a cracking mess as he began sniffling again.“So I did scare you…”Now my stare fell to the floor.I heard a loud bang and closed my eyes, flinching back into my seat.When I felt no pain, I opened my eyes again to see Harry on the other side of the island, face towards the floor.I realized that the sound had been his fists against the countertop. “Damn it, Hannah!I thought that I was doing the right thing here!”My heart began to melt.Harry really wasn’t trying to scare me.He genuinely thought that he was doing right by me, and he honestly was too.Marcus was out of the picture and it was all thanks to him.Harry was beating himself up because he helped me… saved me.I slipped out of my heels and padded across the tile floor.I slid between him and the counter and snaked my arms around his waist.He stood to his full height and let me rest my cheek on his bare chest.I let the warmth of him flow through me.I relaxed more when his strong arms wrapped protectively around me, pinning me to him.“Are you afraid of me?”

No words could breathe from my lips.I simply shook my head and turned it enough to press a kiss to his chest.His grip became tighter around me as he kissed my hair, a sigh of what seemed like relief leaving his mouth.I wasn’t sure how long we sat like this, but we were standing still for too long.Slowly, I lifted my head from Harry’s bare skin and looked up at him to see that he was already peering down at me.His eyes bored into mine – there was no escaping his lustful glare.With little hesitation, he allowed his lips to meet mine, capturing them in a sweet kiss.We let our lips move perfectly in sync for God only knows how long.His hands ventured up to cup my face as I deepened the kiss.The pads of my fingers trailed up his stomach, treasuring the indents of his toned lines.My hands came to rest on his pecks as Harry pulled my face back slightly.Eyes remained closed as our foreheads pressed together, breathing heavy and emotional.

I backed away so that the only touching places were his hands on my cheeks and my palms on his chest.Keeping his eyes captured with mine – our faces centimeters apart, I slowly moved my hands down his chest as a blank look came over his face.His eyebrows twitched slightly into a furrow as my fingertips passed his navel.He looked down and I was sure he was watching me in my pursuit.I traced down his v lines and was just about to unlatch his belt buckle when all of his muscles tensed and his hands gripped tightly around my wrists, restraining them from taking things any farther.I looked up into Harry’s eyes and saw them full of pain and what seemed like disappointment.“Why do you keep doing this?”

I allowed question to come over my face as he looked away from me.Dropping my wrists, he turned and walked towards the kitchen door.“Harry?”He didn’t answer me.He continued walking until I heard his bedroom door close.My jaw dropped to the floor as the tears began flooding over the barricade.I folded my arms over my chest, finding it harder to breathe with each second that passed.Harry didn’t want me.I’m not sure what he wanted, but I was positive that it wasn’t me.Why do you keep doing this?You son of a bitch, I keep doing this because I… well I… I love you.I keep doing this because I love you, don’t you know that you jerk?I wanted to give him my all.I wanted him to show me what love was supposed to feel like.I wanted to be the one to give you that touch.Then why won’t you?Without another thought, I half stormed down the hall, stopping at the door and preventing myself from knocking ferociously.I tapped three times on the door and wiped away a few tears before it creaked opened and tired, blue eyes peered out at me.

Notes

Sorry I haven't posted you guys! I've really been trying but I've been out of town and I spent time with my boyfriend last night and I still have loads of summer work that needs to be done like in the next 20 days lol so it might take me more time to post but I'm gonna wait for some feedback and then I'll post chapter 53... just sayin... there's smut... fair warning to everyone...
comment, rate, subscribe!
xoxo Hannah <3

Comments

so in love with this one !!! update soon!!!

@HannahBanana16
nope, sorry I'm terrible at that hahahahahah! I like the title already, do you know when you're going to update?

@abear44

any ideas on what my new title should be?

I'M SO OBSESSED PLEASE UPDATE SOON!!!! <3333

Updateeeeee