The Most Dangerous Game (Harry Styles AU)

57

-Everly

"You really think after what I just said... You think I'm just gonna take this and leave?" Harry asks, looking at me in disbelief.

"You have to."

"Why?"

"Cause I'm not going to do this anymore, I can't. And when Carter finds out... you just can't be here when he finds out."

"What is 'this'?" He places his hand on my forearm to get me to look at him. "What is it you can't do anymore?"

"Use you. I can't use you anymore."

"How are you using me?"

I shake my head, looking down at my feet. If I told him he'd hate me, maybe enough to leave, but I doubt it. Cause if I told him he'd also want to know what my plan is now. And if I shared that with him, I know it would be next to impossible to get him on a plane. Not when the probability of me coming out of this alive is practically non-existant.

"I need an explanation Everly. Now."

"I can't give you one!" I raise my voice, causing Harry to flinch.

"Then I'm not leaving." He states plainly, "You want me gone.. You want me to leave the f.ucking country then you need to start talking. And none of this half the story shite. The truth, the lot of it."

"I wouldn't even know where to begin." I shrug helplessly, "It's all become this huge conveluted mess and I... what you just said..."

"That I'm in love with you?"

"Please don't say it." I shake my head, willing my tears to stop.

He can't be in love with me. He can't.

"Why can't I?" He questions, taking my chin gently and nudging it up so I'm looking into his eyes. "I get that it's a bit out of the blue.. I honestly hadn't expected those words to ever come out of my mouth. But they did. And it's the truth. Probably the truest thing I've ever said if I'm being honest."

"Harry, please." I try to pull away from him, but he doesn't let me.

"I'm in love with you Everly. Why does that revelation suddenly mean I need to leave the country?"

"I..."

"It cause you realize you feel the same way?" He cuts me off. "And whatever this is you're doing, you can't put someone you love through it?"

I clamp my mouth shut, swallowing hard.

That's exactly it.

I'm in love with him.

I'd known for awhile now, but I wouldn't let myself really think of it. If I did, this is exactly how it would turn out. I couldn't keep going on with Carter's plan. I couldn't put Harry in that sort of danger. I knew I'd have to send him away, and any hope of saving myself and Reid would leave with him.

He had no idea what I was giving up by taking him out of the equation. And he couldn't.

If he did, he would never leave willingly.

If he knew I loved him, there'd be no convincing him to go.

And if he didn't go, Carter would end up killing him. Bridgette wasn't going to keep our secret for long, everything was already crumbling around me.

I'd already sacrificed so much because of Reid's choice. And I'd done so willingly. I loved him after all.

But Harry was no longer something I was willing to sacrifice. I'm not sure if he ever was to begin with. There was something about him, from the very start, that made me second guess everything.