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BOOK ONE OF THE NOWHERE SERIES.
❝You don't have to say you love me. No one means it anyway,❞ Harr...
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❝You and I are nothing but wild beasts wearing human skins.❞
☀︎
[A/N: Another loooong chapter; enjoy!]
MIA STIFLED A LAUGH. "So, you two, huh? When did this happen?" Anna asked, while guiding a spoonful of cheesy pasta into her mouth. She waved her spoon in front of Jeremy and Noah's blushing faces and wiggled her eyebrows.
"Okay, please, Ann, can you stop that?" Jeremy pointed at her eyebrows. "It's giving me the creeps."
"What?" Anna lightly touched her eyebrows. She didn't really have the time to prime herself. It mostly never crossed her mind unless it was for a mission. "They aren't that scary, okay," she huffed.
Harry entered the store room, crossed her end of the table and pulled up a crate opposite Anna. He sat at the head, flanking Mark and Mia on his right and left. He pushed his foot up one of the legs of the table, his hands resting lazily by his side.
"One rule. I had one rule, guys." Harry sighed dramatically and reached out to grab the bowl of pasta in the centre of the table. He dished out a small amount on a plate and raised a perfect eyebrow at Noah, waiting for an answer.
"You had a shitload of rules, Harry," Noah said, his voice gently fading away. "Maybe you can bend one?"
Harry exhaled loudly, his eyes wandering everywhere else but at the people in front of him. He knew it was unfair to set such a rule but it was in their best interests. Getting attached and falling for someone is a weakness. And if that made him broken and dumb, he was willing to take it.
"Noah, I can bend rules. They weren't even supposed to be there. But you know why I had to do it. I cannot afford emotions between us. It makes us weak in our line of work." Harry glared at everyone in front of him. "You all should know that."
Noah scrutinised his entangled hands, palms sweaty and the lines creased. He heaved a long sigh and said, treading very lightly, "Harry, I get it. I've been in this business since I was a kid. It wasn't the life I chose for myself but it is my reality now.
I've always been on the move. I've always had company wherever I went. But here, with all of you, I felt like I belonged. I'm not saying I already love Jeremy but I'd like to see where this goes." Noah let go of his own palm and held Jeremy's shaking hand instead.
"I cannot tell you what to do, Harry. Neither can I tell you why what you think is absolutely wrong. But I can tell you this. Love does not make us weak. If anything, it makes us stronger than ourselves. And I think you should know that." Noah gently squeezed Jeremy's hand and a collective 'aww' from Mia, Mark, and Anna sounded over the table.
Harry leaned further back in his chair, his golden eyes sharp and calculating. Mia reached out to Harry, catching hold of his shoulder. "Let them be. It doesn't involve you or our work. The moment they fuck up, I'll give them an earful of my choicest words. But for now, Harry, love is love. Period."
