Benevolence [H.S.]

Chapter Seventeen

I thought it'd let up, but the deluge had only begun.

Harry's grip on my elbow was slick in the rain as he pulled me under the Hawthorn tree.

I hoped lightning wouldn't strike, but couldn't help wondering if it would be preferable to the rage rolling off of him right then.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He spun me around so my back thumped against the gnarled trunk, branches behind him forming a thorny cage.

I raised my chin, trying to appear defiant while internally I winced at the thunder creeping closer.

"You have no right to come into my shop and just, just demand work. This is MY business, Liam is MY employee and so is your brother. You do not belong here, and you sure as hell have no real reason to even want to be here. Other than to be a pain in my ass, which by the way you're fucking excelling at. Congratulations." He spat the words with more vitriole than I was prepared for, but if one thing has never failed me, it's matching male rage.

"You are such a fucking hypocrite, Harry. Look at you, all puffed up and self-righteous over a bicycle shop. Your glorified scooters and pansy-ass parts. You think-" a peal of thunder cracked open the clouds, drowning me out.

"Pansy ass? Well you certainly didn't think I was too self righteous when you asked me to fix your fucking car when you had no one else to call!"

The ground slowly yawned underfoot, I could taste the next words on his lips before they hit the air.

"I did you a favor, and this is the shit you pull."

Before I could register the movement, I cocked my fist and swung hard.

Luckily for both my knuckles and Harry's face, my version of "hard" was quite lacking and he caught my arm pathetically quick.

"FAVOR?" I laughed into the storm, Harry's hand still wrapped around my forearm mid-punch.

"You're right, Harry. You are absolutely right." I wrenched my arm free, stepping closer as I did so. Close enough to see the rain collecting on his lashes, and the crease form between his brows as he calculated my next move.

But there was no move. Just the truth. I was so tired.

"And that is exactly why you're stuck with me now. I have no one else to call, I have no job, nothing left but a brother's paycheck, of which is conditional on the promise of someone else's 'favor."

I swallowed back the angry lump, blinking too many times and pretending it was only the rain.

"Employee, volunteer, apprentice, call it whatever the hell you want. I don't care what you have to do to make it right with your books, or Duncan's, or-god forbid you have one-your conscience. But I will never be indebted to a man again." I swallowed again. "I will not."

The tree shook as another clap of thunder rocked the earth around us, even closer this time.

Harry's jaw tensed and was about to speak when an explosion across the alley lit the whole block.

The rain was coming even harder now, no longer fat drops but fast, sharp waves.

"Come on!" Harry shouted over the noise of the storm, tugging me away from the tree as a sizable branch snapped just a few feet away.

We ran for the back door, but when Harry pushed it was stuck fast. Locked. He cursed under his breath, shoving into his pocket and coming out empty.

"Car, now!" He pointed and I booked it for the only one left on the lot; Liam's truck already gone, and clearly Liam along with it.

Harry beat me to the old black Chevy and yanked the passenger door open, all but shoving me inside. He made it to the drivers side in seconds, struggling briefly to get it closed against the wind.

Rain pulsed over the windshield as we both sat in silence, blowing into our hands to try and warm some life back into them.

"Try not to touch anything metal," Harry half-shouted as I reached for the stereo. Stupidly, I realized, as there weren't any keys anyway.  Harry reached under his seat and pulled a lever, scooting the whole bench away from the front dash.
"Doubt we'll get hit but better to be safe."

I nodded, pulling my knees to my chest. The leather squeaked under my sodden shoes as I curled tighter against myself. Definitely warmer inside the car than out, but no keys meant no heater. And we were both soaked.

Harry reached into the back seat and rummaged for a moment before tossing an old drop cloth at me. "Here."

I tucked it under around my shoulders and leaned back as far as I could get, careful to avoid the door frame and any other potential little lightning rods.
From my peripherals, I watched Harry zip his leather jacket to his chin before doing the same.

The smell of rain and ozone permeated everything around us, and neither of us spoke as the sound of Summer's end reverberated through the cabin. Every so often a hard gust would rock the car, jostling the cab a bit to one side. 

I risked a glance over at Harry, he had his chin tucked into his jacket, arms crossed against his chest, breath slow and even.  I couldn't see his eyes, but with my body heat slowly warming the makeshift blanket, it wasn't long before my own drifted closed.