Contrite ✓

Chapter 20.

It meant a lot hearing those words leave Harry's mouth. I just hoped he was being sincere. I searched his face for any signs of contrition, but found none. He just smiled softly, still tracing his slender fingers through my hair.

"I never wanted to stay away in the first place," I mumbled.

Harry chuckled and pulled away, sitting up and positioning my legs across his lap. Absentmindedly he stroked his fingers over my skin, making me shiver.

"That's both good and bad, I guess. There's so much going on I honestly don't know if us being together is such a smart idea. But like I said, I like you. And if possible, I'm even more miserable when you're not around," he said.

I grinned, liking this up front side of him. "So, what are you saying?"

"I'm not sure, really. We have to be careful. You know I'm involved in some bad shit and I don't want you to get mixed up in it, too."

"Why would I get mixed up in it? I'll just stay away from all of that. It's not like you're trying to sell drugs to me," I frowned.

"I have a bad feeling. Cole's awfully curious about you, and you don't know how dangerous he can be. If he finds out I'm seeing you, things might end badly," Harry said with a painful expression.

I sat up and took a deep breath. "What the hell did I ever do to gain interest from that bully?"

Harry shook his head, clearly as clueless as I was. "I think he just wants to piss me off. He's always been competitive with me."

"How did you meet him? And who is he to you, like why do you take orders from him?"

He sighed and rubbed my knees in a soothing motion. "I met him on my first day in New York, a couple of hours after I arrived. He helped me out and I was naive to think he did it out of kindness. If I'd only known the things he would make me do to pay him back."

"Why did you need his help in the first place? I thought you got it all figured out."

"I got mugged, they stole all of my things. I thought it would work out when I went to the police, but then I found out the flat was a scam. It didn't even exist. So I was left with no money, no passport and no place to stay."

I gasped upon hearing these news. "Why didn't you call for help? What about your mum? I'm sure she would've been on the first flight out to New York."

Harry winced. "I know. That's exactly why I didn't tell her. I wanted to succeed on my own so bad, without help from anyone. I felt like the biggest failure right there, and thought I would fix it on my own. So when Cole approached me in my vulnerable state I kind of just went with it. Felt like I had nothing to lose."

The thought of Harry all alone in that big city, with nothing or no one to support him, made my stomach turn. "I still can't believe you didn't even reach out to me. It makes no sense. I could've done something!"

He gave me sad smile, patting my thigh. "I know, baby. I'm sorry. Thing's got really messed up after that and the more I put it off, the less I wanted to get you involved."

I would never get used to the warmth flooding my body whenever he called me baby. And I didn't know if I should be mad at him for being so stupid and stubborn, but he was here now and that was all that really mattered.

"Harry. . ." I sighed and sat up to get closer to him.

He reached his arms around my waist and pulled me in, putting my head against his chest. He held me there, playing with the strands of my hair that rested against my back.