Cold Truths | H.S.

32

*TW  graphic depictions of drugs/addiction, child abuse, and violence*

Harry's POV

I got a call later that night from Marco. I was running on the treadmill when I picked up my phone, hearing the one-word code. Orion. Typically he would just text it to me which confused and worried me. I stayed on the line, my phone pressed to my ear as I slowed down the speed on the treadmill. I waited for him to speak again, anxious about what his next words would be.

"She just confronted me." He spoke, his voice slightly tinged with anxiety.

I stepped off the now still treadmill and took a swig from my water bottle.

"What do you mean she confronted you?" I answered, waiting for him to explain.

"Well, she just yelled at me and threatened to call the cops. She said something about knowing that I've been following her for a month, and I just turned around and left." He explained.

Shit.

I didn't want to do it. I knew how crazy it made me look but I couldn't stand not knowing where she was and whether she was okay or not. She moved apartments, I knew that much but a deep control in me needed to know what she was doing, where she was going, and if she was safe. Gray had fulfilled his promise and left her alone but that didn't mean I trusted him or anyone else for that matter. She still had ties to him whether she liked it or not and although she wasn't a walking target, didn't mean she couldn't become one. So I hired Marco to watch her. He was a private investigator we'd use from time to time when we needed intel on certain people. He was good at his job, but probably the least dangerous person in this business despite his intimidating looks.

"Where was she?" I asked, now needing to know every detail.

"Well, she was at dinner first, in the West Village." He spoke.

"With who?" I questioned, not letting him explain further.

"Some older woman, maybe a coworker or a boss?" He answered, uncertain.

"Then I followed her to the subway and she caught me following her as she was walking towards her place."

I sighed, my hand going to the back of my neck, rubbing against my skin. I had just noticed I was pacing the room.

"Good thing is she just thinks I'm some random creep following her around." He added.

"Technically you are some random creep following her around." I joked.

"Hey..." He spoke faking offense.

"Well, you're gonna have to switch up your routes. Maybe do some rounds driving around instead." I spoke.

What was I thinking? I shouldn't even be doing this, to begin with. What kind of freak hires someone to follow someone else around to make sure they're okay? If I hadn't left her in London, we probably still would've at least been in contact. I would've been able to at least check in on her. That bond wouldn't have been broken.

But I did what I always do. I panicked and built the walls back up twice as high. I always do this. Things get good and somehow I find a way to fuck it up. Because in my mind, when you finally let someone in, there's an even greater chance they'll leave you. So I do it first before they can. Spare my feelings while hurting theirs. It was fucked up and I knew that but when you've been abandoned all your life, you know nothing else. 

There hasn't been a day in all of these three months that I didn't wish I just stayed until she woke up. Often times I found myself staring at my phone wanting to call her up and apologize only to realize that she definitely wouldn't accept it or even pick up the phone for that matter. She was better off without me in her life, we both knew that.