Contrite ✓

Chapter 33.

          harry.

I always thought that saying about a weight being lifted from your shoulders when you confessed something you'd been carrying around for long, was bullshit.

But sitting here with the girl I was in love with on my lap; I could feel it. I felt lighter, happier and my mind didn't scream at me for being an asshole.

Last night when I saw Ella dance with Dylan, I'd lost it. My heart cracked and I was sure it was the last time I would ever see her. I had never considered myself a coward but that's exactly what I'd acted like since I got back from New York.

Understand my surprise when I found Ella on my porch this morning.

To continue with my newfound cowardliness, my first thought had been to push her away yet again and not tell her how I truly felt. But the look on her face and the things she said; I couldn't bare seeing her heartbroken like that and knowing I was the one to blame.

So I'd told her. And shockingly enough she'd admitted she loved me too.

I leaned my head back now and studied her gorgeous profile. Her light brown hair spilled down her back and reached the small of her back and her curious eyes were pinned to the telly. When she let out a small giggle, my heart warmed. She was beautiful.

Carefully adjusting my position, I got her to lay down against me and I could feel the steady beating of her heart against my ribs. I pressed my lips to the top of her head and slid my hand down her back, marvelling in the soft texture of her hair. Her hair definitely was my number one weakness.

She hummed quietly under her breath and turned her head to look at me with squinting eyes. "Harry?"

"Hmm?" I mumbled, eyes still glued to her pretty features.

"I feel so happy."

"Me too, baby," I said and kissed her forehead.

She smiled and brushed her fingers over my cheek. "Not to be a party pooper or anything but I would appreciate it if you could explain what's been going on. Why you've been acting like a jerk when you actually have been in love with me this whole time."

I winced, knowing it was inevitable. "I will. You deserve to know why. But you're not going like it."

Fucking Cole. Everything bad that happened; it all came back to him. He was a sneaky rat and I still had a hard time figuring out his motives. He'd been all up in my business more frequently later, as if he suspected Ella and I had gotten closer. And why that would be a problem, I had no clue.

I sighed and ran my fingers through her silky hair. "Cole—"

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed and sat up straight.

"What?" I frowned.

"I forgot to tell you that he came by work on Thursday! I. . . It slipped my mind, since we weren't talking and—"

"What did he want?" I bit out. I hated how he kept finding time to visit Ella, especially when I wasn't around to defend her.

Ella grabbed my hand and started to fiddle with my rings, a sure sign whatever he had told her made her uncomfortable.

"He. . . he told me to stay away from you; that you thought I was clingy and that you needed to focus on work."

"And?" I prompted. I had a feeling there was more.

"And. . . he grabbed me. Hard. For the first time since I met him, I was afraid. I think he threatened me."

Rage blazed up and coursed through my body; I had to close my eyes and breathe calmly through my nose to not fly up and run straight to his place and beat the shit out of him. He'd hurt her physically and threatened her.