Reckless {HS}

eighteen

Harry's Pov

Sitting in the booth, I kept one arm slung casually around Delilah, more to keep her from wandering off than anything else. She was swaying a little, head heavy against my shoulder, but every now and then, she'd snap back to life, mumbling about something or another. The boys, all sitting around the table, were still trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

Niall was the first to speak. "So... are we just gonna pretend like we know her, or...?"

I sighed, shooting him a look. "Just drop it, alright?"

"She was dancing with some random guy when you dragged her over here," Louis added, leaning back in his seat with a skeptical smirk. "Doesn't seem like your type, mate."

"She's not—" I stopped myself. Explaining Delilah to them would be impossible. They didn't know the half of it, and she wasn't just some girl. But I wasn't about to say that out loud. "Look, she's drunk. I'm just making sure she doesn't get herself into any trouble."

Liam raised an eyebrow. "And this is our job why?"

I shook my head, staring down at her as she rested against me. Her hair fell across her face, and I gently brushed it back, revealing her flushed cheeks. She looked so damn innocent, sitting there like that. It was hard to believe this was the same girl who had nearly thrown herself off a rooftop last night.

"Y'know," Delilah slurred, her words half-mumbled against my shoulder, "I've seen you all before."

That got everyone's attention. Niall, Louis, and Liam exchanged looks, their eyebrows raised. "What's she talking about?" Louis asked, glancing at me.

"Forget it," I muttered, trying to steer the conversation away from dangerous territory. But Delilah wasn't done talking.

"No, really," she continued, her head rolling to one side as she stared up at the ceiling. "I've seen you. A year ago. The bank..."

I stiffened. My fingers tightened on her arm, but I tried to keep my expression neutral. "Delilah, you're drunk. You don't know what you're talking about."

But she ignored me, eyes glazed over as if she were replaying the memory in her head. "I saw you... I didn't know it then, but those eyes. I knew I couldn't forget." Her words were slow and sloppy, but the realization in her voice was clear. She was piecing it together, bit by bit, even if she didn't fully understand it yet.

The boys were silent now, watching her with a mixture of confusion and concern. Louis glanced at me, his expression hardening. He didn't like this—not one bit. And honestly, neither did I.

"Alright, that's enough," I said, standing up and gently pulling her to her feet. "You need to go home."

She blinked, disoriented as she tried to focus on me. "Home? I don't... know where that is."

"Where do you live?" I asked, already knowing it was pointless. She was too far gone to give me a coherent answer.

Delilah just shrugged, her head lolling forward as she leaned into me for balance. "Dunno... Can't think right now..."

I glanced around at the boys. "I'll take care of her. You lot stay here."

"Take care of her?" Liam asked, raising an eyebrow. "Where are you gonna take her?"

"My place," I said, not offering any further explanation. I didn't trust her to make it back to her own without collapsing in the street somewhere, and I wasn't about to let her wander off alone. The safest option was to take her back with me, at least for tonight.

"Mate..." Louis started, clearly about to argue, but I cut him off with a glare.

"I said, I'll handle it."

That was the end of that. Without another word, I led her out of the booth and toward the exit, holding her steady as we made our way through the crowd. The cool night air hit us as soon as we stepped outside, and Delilah groaned, shivering a little in her thin dress.

"Cold," she mumbled, clinging to my arm as we walked.

"Yeah, well, that's what happens when you wear that in October," I muttered, though I couldn't deny the way my eyes traced the curve of her bare shoulders. She was going to freeze out here.

It didn't take long to reach my place. By the time we got there, Delilah was barely awake, her eyelids drooping as she leaned against me for support. I half-carried her up the stairs, unlocking the door and guiding her inside.

"Alright, come on," I said quietly, leading her to my bedroom. "You can sleep here for tonight."

She blinked, looking around the room in a dazed, sleepy haze. "Your room?"

"Yeah. You're not sleeping on the floor," I said, though the thought of her in my bed made my stomach twist in a way I didn't quite understand. I pulled back the covers and helped her sit down, making sure she was steady before letting go.

She flopped back onto the pillows with a soft sigh, eyes already closing as she snuggled into the blankets. "Feels nice..."

I stood there for a moment, staring down at her. She looked so peaceful like this, completely unaware of the chaos she'd stirred up in my life. She didn't even know what she'd done. Didn't realize the danger she was in just by knowing me.

I knelt down beside the bed, grabbing an extra blanket and tossing it on the floor next to her. As I settled in for the night, I couldn't help but glance up at her one last time. Her breathing was soft and steady, her chest rising and falling gently under the covers.

This girl... I didn't know what to do with her. She was reckless, stubborn, and way too curious for her own good. But damn if I didn't admire her for it.

I leaned back on the floor, pulling the blanket over myself as I stared up at the ceiling, my thoughts swirling. She wouldn't remember much of this tomorrow. Hell, she'd probably wake up and think it was all some messed-up dream. But tonight, it was just her and me, with no walls between us. No masks. No games.

Just me, lying on the floor beside the girl who'd somehow managed to turn my world upside down.

That's my smart girl, I thought, a half-smile tugging at my lips. And even if she didn't know it yet, I knew one thing for certain.

She was going to be trouble.