Undercover (Boyxboy)

Chapter Ten

Ethan

The stunned silence that followed Hugh’s shocking outburst was enough to almost floor me. Which was why it wasn’t surprising when Harry actually did collapse to the ground. The lack of surprise didn’t suppress the concern, fear, shock, horror or anger that drove through me, however. The onslaught of emotions was completely ovewhelming me.

I caught him just before he hit the ground, falling to my knees and resting his head in my lap. I felt my panic-mode switch on and I tried desperately to gather my thoughts and remain calm. Harry had just gone into extreme shock... he would be fine... I just needed to keep repeating this to myself.

Hugh rushed over too, kneeling at Harry’s feet – he was out like a light. I patted his cheek gently a few times, unable to make a sound. I couldn’t speak – it felt like a siren was screaming in my head and all coherent thoughts were shying away from the noise.  

What the fuck was going on? I worried that if I opened my mouth I would start crying, and I hadn’t felt like that since Tom died – the mere possibility of that man going anywhere near Harry gave me thoughts so dark, I feared I would be imprisoned for even thinking them.

“Harry? Harry, come on – it’s all going to be fiiiine,” Hugh seemed to be drunker than I’d originally assumed and he was more of a hindrance than a help.

“Stop – stop!” I barked at him, holding my hands out over Harry protectively when he tried to shake his legs. I didn’t know who Hugh was or what his motives were. I just knew that I needed to bring Harry back to consciousness and get some answers from Hugh. I didn’t trust anyone, apart from Harry – Hugh would have a tough time getting a mere spectrum of trust from me.

“Harry? Harry please, please just open your eyes!” I patted his cheeks harder until one sharp accidental slap snapped his eyes open blearily.

He gazed around in a frenzied panic until he found my eyes, confusion and horror etched in them. “Please tell me it was a dream,” he whispered quietly after a couple of silent moments. I took his hand in mine before shaking my head, nodding towards Hugh, who had now fallen onto his ass and seemed to be holding onto Harry’s leg to keep himself upright.

I was about to angrily physically remove his hand from Harry but I didn’t have to. When Harry saw him he suddenly backed away as far as he could, putting himself behind me, a crazed, terrified look in his eye.

I only ever saw that look in his eye whenever I was in danger or injured. He never cared this much about himself – I’d never seen him look so scared. Then again, his father was enough to scare anyone, going by his files. And they only gave a brief overview of the hell he’d gone through.

Hugh had a pained look on his face and I knew he was trying to manage a coherent sentence. “No – no, Harry... no... You don’t have to be scared of me... I did this for you.” Hugh held his hands out as if that explained everything.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I snapped, burying Harry further behind me. I had always wanted to protect him and it looked like he was finally letting me.

I shouldn’t have given Hugh that extra drink – it had set him off into a downward spiral of drunkenness. I couldn’t get a word out of him. We kept going round and round in circles, Hugh mumbling about how it had all been for Harry and that he would protect him.

Harry stayed completely silent throughout the entirety of the conversation, his hand clinging to mine. I was in charge now – nobody was going to get him unless they went through me.

Eventually, Hugh began nodding off against the banister of the stairs. We were all still in the same positions – Harry hidden behind me, his forehead pressed against my back. I assumed he was trying to control his breathing by the way I felt his chest rising and falling.