FEAR [n.h]

26.

Madison's POV.

I sighed as I tossed around in bed once again, grabbing my phone to check the time: eight in the morning. I think I slept for like two hours, my thoughts not letting me rest as the words Niall said to me kept playing on repeat in my head.

I felt like a complete idiot, ashamed of myself for how naïve I've been. He was right, I'm just a job for him, he and the other boys are here with me because they have to because they are getting paid by the man who should protect me but just won't do it. I'm a fool for how I enjoyed their company lately, for caring about them and thinking that they cared about me too, when in honesty if my father stopped paying them or someone offered them more money to harm me or even kill me, they would do it without blinking.

I got up and went straight into the shower, ignoring the noises I had been hearing for a while now that came from downstairs, letting myself relax under the hot water, focusing on the sound of it. After a few minutes, I got out of the shower and got ready, putting on, again, a pair of sweatpants and an oversized hoodie and staring at myself in the mirror as I brushed my hair.

I missed getting ready. I missed putting on makeup to go out, styling my hair, and talking with Aria in front of our closets to decide what we were going to wear to go anywhere. I missed going on walks, and going to the grocery store, I even missed going to college even though my vacations had just started a few weeks ago. I missed being in control of my life.

Once I pulled myself out of my head as I finished brushing and drying my hair, I grabbed my phone and headed downstairs, the noises became clearer as I stepped into the hall: the boys were talking, or well, arguing in the office. I couldn't tell what they were saying, but to be honest I didn't care; I wasn't going to have a vote or be able to decide even if I wanted to, so why bother? They'll tell me once they get to a conclusion on whatever they are talking about, and I'll just have to agree to it.

Fucking bullshit.

I headed into the kitchen and made myself my usual coffee, hot this time, as it was cold and pouring outside, and sat on one of the stools as I grabbed my phone to text Aria and see how she was doing.

"Oh hey," Louis said as he walked into the kitchen, "I didn't know you were awake."

"Yeah," I replied, not taking my eyes off the screen.

"Tough night?" He asked, and I nodded in response. "I saw, I mean, on the cameras, I, um, he was a dick Mads, but I assure you he didn't mean-"

"Stop," I said, turning around to look at him, "Just, don't. Stop defending him, and stop acting as if you care, he's right, this is a job for you, and you are working, so if you are not going to tell me what's going to happen next after everything that went off with Jason and them invading the house, drop it." He sighed and nodded slightly, staring at me in silence.

"Come to the living room, we'll tell you the plan," he said, staring at me, "and just so you know, we care about you, at least I do."

Niall's POV.

I rolled my eyes as I entered the office and saw all the boys staring at me with looks that could kill me, knowing that they all knew what went down between Madison and me last night. I didn't have the patience for another conversation about it, and even more given the fact that I didn't sleep because of it.

"Come on, speak, I don't have a lot of patience today, so go on with it," I said, sitting down on one of the chairs and facing the four of them, who were leaning at the desk, still looking at me.

"Louis told us everything, I don't think we have to repeat what he said to you, so let's talk about what happens next," Liam said.

"Before we do that," Harry said, "I just wanted to say one final thing about your dickhead act: you are a fucking idiot, and you are so going to regret what you said to her, sooner than later. The more you fight against what you want to do, against what you feel, the more it will grow."