Deception - H.S

Chapter 99

Harry Styles

After wrapping a towel around my waist, I skip using any of Hope's hair or skin products that I know she keeps in the bathroom so I could use them as well. I peek out of the bathroom to see if anyone else was in the room but I find it to be empty.

Why would Hope leave?

I walk over to the closet to pull out some boxers and put on a pair of black sweats along with a grey t-shirt.

Just as I was about to drop the towel on the bed and leave the bedroom to find Hope, I notice a fucking black box with a blue ribbon sitting in the middle of our bed.

My heart dropped, hands shaking and mouth dry with anticipation as I approached the bed. I blinked my eyes a few times to ensure I wasn't imagining things. Perhaps the high from all of the excitement today got to me... I wish that it did because when I reached out to grab the box, my world felt like it was going to fall apart. 

I open the box to see a note lying inside with some numbers and a message "Time's ticking." The same paper, the same neat script.

Fuck. No, no, no.

I ran downstairs, seeing everyone sitting on the couch, laughing, drinking and having fun – but Hope wasn't there. She had to be here, there was no way everyone would be okay if something had happened to Hope. 

My panic increased with every room that I found empty. I look all over the house but there was no sign of her.

"Why do you look lost?" Kiara teases, laughing, when she notices me.

"Louis, Niall, Liam, I need to talk to you guys." I couldn't even pretend that things were okay for Kiara's sake, my heart was hammering in my chest and I was fucking afraid. Instead of responding to her, I ignored her. 

They didn't need any further explanation, the look on my face was enough to get their attention. The four of us went into the kitchen, surrounding the island. "Hope's been taken. Did you guys see anything?" I tried to maintain my calm for the sake of the two women sitting outside.

"What the fuck do you mean taken?" Niall questions, confused, like the other two.

"I mean fucking kidnapped, again." I feel fucking stupid for saying the word "again"

I think about how someone could get in but then realized that I had turned the alarm system off as per Kiara's request. She kept whining about the beeping every time the doors opened while she was moving things around and decorating. My fists clench in anger at my stupidity. "It's the stalker. There's a note in the bedroom with some numbers and a message that says "time's ticking". Now, I don't know how they got in and took her without any of us knowing, but I'm going after her and putting an end to this tonight. You guys, take care of Kiara and Ayla, make sure they get back safely-"

"Have you lost your fucking mind?" Louis interrupts me. "If this is Vis, you need backup. It's fuckin suicide going alone. You've been trying to catch this person for months and haven't done it, this person is smart and sneaky and good, what makes you think you can do this by yourself?" I didn't know shit about what to do, only that I need to skin the person alive.

"I don't know any fucking thing except for the fact that I need to get her back. She's been through enough shit and doesn't deserve any of this. I need to get her back and this time, she will be safe for good." I'll do anything it takes to make sure she is safe.

It ends tonight.

I cannot call myself a good person or even be a good husband to Hope if I couldn't do the bare minimum of keeping her safe. I keep losing track of what is important, the past few months have been so chaotic. My focus is on Hope for sure but I get distracted by her smile and spending time with her to truly work on finding who wants to hurt her.