Facade: Love, Lust and Deception

CHAPTER 9

Harry's heart was rabbiting in his chest, jaw clenched tensely. Nick was speaking something nonsensical beside him, unaware of the hurricane of thoughts in Harry's brain that threatened to rip apart his sanity bit by bit.

His fingers rotated the rings around his fingers, soft clinks that sounded like bells in his head every time his fingers touched.

8.30 pm (Gemma)

Time to roll baby brother. Hope you've got our bait ready.

8.31 pm (Harry)

Sacked and unaware. Be there in 10.

"Where are we Harry?" Nick asks, finally bothering to stop his ramble and pay attention to his surroundings.

Harry doesn't speak, opening the small compartment under the seat as he clicks his gun. Nick's face goes through a wave of emotions before they all end up morphing into anger and hatred.

"You filthy rat" he sneers, the door behind him swinging open.

"And who gave you permission to talk to my brother like that?"

Gemma grabbed his hair, and dragged him out of the car. Harry shrugged, stepping out as Nick continued screaming profanities at Gemma.

Gemma had always been direct in their deals, if the person was of use she'll maybe give them five minutes to explain themselves and if she sensed bullshit she hit faster than the person blinked.

Harry knew swearing her in as the new leader was much more beneficial than giving the reins to him. He was good at manipulation and deceiving people to gain their trust, Gemma did the main work.

Harry would never ask people to pity him for the line of work he was in, claiming he's never wanted to be here. Whatever the reason, he was here, he did things that authors glamourize. No part of washing off a dead man's blood off your body late at night on your birthday is glamorous.

He'd never have chosen this for himself, that is if he was given a choice.

*Flashback*

"Mum, where are we going?"

Harry was 10 and his mother was packing a suitcase for him. His innocence still untouched, no scars of expectations had been made on him.

"You're going to a special school darling"

"What's special school? I have a school here"

His mother stopped the packing, sitting down on the edge of the bed, gently bringing him closer as she held him on her lap.

"Dad runs a business right? To run that business, you have to learn special skills. Your school can't teach you that so your mummy and daddy decided they will send you to a better school. So you grow up to be the smartest boy"

He held on to his mother for a long time, watching from the window as her figure disappeared into the fog of the early morning rain.

That was the last time he saw her. He got a letter six months later that she had passed away in a car accident. He wept in his room late at night.

The sweater she'd packed for him smelled like her, walnuts and vanilla. He didn't leave the dreadful emptiness of his room for days until someone forced themselves inside.

"You have to take a shower at least" Liam's voice was a comforting hug.

He felt the bed dip under Liam's weight as the smaller boy slid in behind Harry. Liam wrapped his arms around him gently, Harry's shoulders shaking as sobs racked his body. He turned around in Liam's embrace, crying into his shirt.