Stripped

Chapter 28: The Price

Chapter 28: The Price (Taylor's P.O.V.)

I squeezed my eyes closed even tighter as I tried to imagine myself anywhere but here.

"Mr. Carson!" a voice yelled from the doorway at the bottom of the stairs.

I felt my heart skip a beat as I felt the two back away from me. I had been saved, if only for a little while.

"What is it?" Carson called back.

The man at the bottom of the stairs called up again, "You have a visitor, sir."

Carson growled, "Tell them I am busy and to come back later."

He turned back around and headed for me again. I could feel my heart stopping as I saw the hungry look in his eyes.

"He said he's a friend of Miss Taylor's."

My heart stopped now for a different reason. There was a guy downstairs wanting to talk to Carson. No one knew about Carson or that I would be here except for one person and she was definitely not a guy.

Carson gave me a smirk as he moved away from the stairs. "Send him up."

I held my breath as I waited to see who would mount the stairs. To my horror, a familiar curly haired guy crowned the stairs with his hands in his jacket pockets. He looked around the room as his eyes landed on me. I could see that his body was stiff.

"Well, well, well," Carson cooed, "What do we have here?"

Melvin sat back down at the booth and crossed his legs as if he were about to watch something interesting on the television. I just continued to look at Harry, trying desperately to forget what Carson had planned, while still wishing that he wasn't here either.

"It looks like my little Taylor has found herself a boyfriend," I could hear the grin on his voice.

I chimed in, "He isn't my boyfriend. I don't even really know who he is."

Carson chuckled as he came up and put a hand on my shoulder, "My dear, don't tell me that you don't know who this is. This is the Harry Styles."

I cringed at his touch but made myself stay put.

"Mr. Styles," Carson directed towards Harry. "What can I do for you?"

Harry stayed blunt, "I came to talk to you."

"Ah," Carson moved away from me and I was able to let out the breath I had been holding in. "Were you wanting to get a permit contract with my lovely little girl here? But I will warn you, the price may be going up once I find out if she is as good as everyone says she is."

I closed my eyes as I saw the edge of Harry's mouth twitch. I wanted to leave the room, get away, be anywhere but here.

"Maybe I could let you in on the fun," Carson added as he took a sip of his drink. "What do you say?"

I waited for Harry's response but only heard some footsteps before a faint thud on the table. I opened my eyes to see the Harry was now standing between me and Carson. On the table, there was now a large stack of hundred dollar bills.

"There's what the girls owe you," Harry said plainly.

Carson looked at the stack of money and then to Harry. The slender man beside him, however, never took his eyes off Harry. Melvin was glaring at him so sharply that you would have that he could cut him in half.

"Their debt is paid," Harry said, "That means their services are no longer required for you."

Carson moved his gaze back to the money before sitting back in the booth and looking at Harry again, "Well you put me in quite the predicament, Mr. Styles. You see these girls have some pretty big cliental that will be sorely missing their company."

"Well, I suggest you tell them to deal with it," Harry's voice was strong. He wasn't going to take any of Carson's shit. "The girls don't have to work for you anymore."

Carson's smirk had faded, "I guess I can't argue with you. The only thing is that they will need to finish up tonight and then they're yours."

"Go fuck yourself!"

I look at Harry in awe as he took my hand and turned for the door, "They don't owe you shit. And if I find out that you have landed a finger on either of them, I will personally see that you never see the light of day again."

He pulled me forward as we headed down the stairs. Carson called after us, "I wasn't much of a daytime person anyway."

Harry walked quickly, pulling me out of the club and into the cool night. He didn't slow down right away though. He covered a few blocks in only two minutes. I wasn't really sure where we were going, my mind was in a haze. My shoulders still tingles from the thought of what Carson had been planning.

I stopped, causing Harry to pull on my arm. He turned and looked at me.

"Why did you do that?" I asked, lost for words.

His eyes looked sad as he answered, "Because I could let you guys do that anymore."

I let out a shaky breath and I felt tears begin to run down my face. Without thinking, I threw my arms around Harry's middle and buried my face in his chest. He instantly wrapped his arms around me as I stood there crying. I couldn't stop thinking about what would have happened if Harry hadn't of shown up, what Carson and Melvin would have done to me.

He had saved me. Not just from those two, but he had saved Ann as well, because we were no longer in debt to him.

"It's okay," cooed as he rubbed my back. "It's over now."

I nodded my head as I mumbled, "Thank you."

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