Crime (h.s. au)

Chapter Thirty One

Ava

My hand slams my car door shut and I lock it, shutting the garage door and unlocking the house. I lock my door and kick off my shoes, running up the stairs. All the lights remain off and I run to my spare room, going into the closet. I slam the door shut and feel over the floor, ensuring nothing is disrupted. My mind has built with paranoia the entire time after my meeting with the lawyer.

I let out a sigh, but I'm not going to rest now. Once I gather my strength, I maneuver out of the room and walk to the laundry room. Once I retrieve my tools, my feet rush up the stairs and back to the room.

After I place the flashlight between my teeth, I begin to remove the boards that cover the floor. I grab the box and punch in the code. It opens and I grab my ring of keys from my pocket, opening the next box. The final box is unveiled and I type in the code once more, opening it and seeing the piece of jewelry that fucked up my life.

As I look at it, my body slumps onto the ground and I rest on the back of my legs. The weight of my heart feels heavy and I clench my jaw, holding something people are looking for. It's a scene out of a movie; holding onto a treasure so valuable.

The box is closed and I redo all the codes, placing it back into it's secret compartment. I board the floor back up, cleaning it up as it was before.

I make my way downstairs and put everything back in place, turning the lights on. My lips press together and I move to my room, taking a seat on my bed. The thump of my heart makes it feel like it will break through my diaphragm, ripping me apart. Wrapping my mind around the fact a necklace can do this to me has my body shaking. It's unbelievable.

My eyes flicker to the clock and I see it's nearly one in the morning, my lips releasing a sigh. It's complicated, what I'm feeling. There are no words I can put into how to describe how I'm feeling. What scares me right now, is how much I want to be held. Just because I had a taste of what it feels like to have someone care about me, makes me crave it.

"Fuck," I groan, making my way to my closet. I change out of my jeans and into sweatpants, grabbing my sneakers. The irrational decision I'm making right now is about to jeopardize everything I know. All my instincts are down the drain and I'm doing something spontaneous and incredibly stupid.

Once I'm in my car, I drive down the street and park. My eyes take in the front of the building and I walk over, someone opening the door as I walk up. The happy coincidence is nice considering I won't have to buzz up to the apartment I need.

I thank the man and walk up the stairs, swallowing the nerves forming in my body. All the feelings I've suppressed over the years are coming up and settling in my chest.

My fist knocks on the door and I hear Zeus bark, my lower lip taken between my teeth. For a second I forgot he had a dog, but perhaps it'll work in my favor in waking him up.

The lock is undone and I look up, Harry looking at me. He's shirtless and a pair of sweatpants are hung low on his hips.

"Nicks, it's late. You alright?" he asks, and I feel my lips quiver. Then his face falls and concern takes over, his hand reaching for my waist. He tugs me into him and my arms wrap around his neck, his head burying into my neck. The tears are swallowed back and I just hold onto him, almost as if I need it to hold myself together.

My hand wraps into his hair and he kicks the door shut, not loosening his grip. His hand holds my shoulder and his arms hold me to his body, my eyes squeezing shut.

"I needed a hug," I admit to him, his lips setting a kiss to my jaw. "I'm sorry."

"Nicks, you never have to apologize. Not to me," he tells me, my head lifting. I remove my hand from his hair and drag it down to his cheek, brushing my thumb over his scar. If only he knew I owed him an apology; a tremendous one at that.