Reckless {HS}

twenty-two

Harry's Pov

The dim lighting of the abandoned warehouse cast long shadows over the room as I sat with the boys, going over the plan for the heist again. This one had to be perfect—no distractions, no mistakes. I couldn't afford another screw-up. Not after the last time. Not after her.

But tonight, I wasn't letting Delilah get into my head. This wasn't about her. It was about the job. We were professionals, and my father expected results.

"Alright, listen up," I said, leaning forward, my eyes scanning the group. Louis sat on an old crate, smirking like usual, but his eyes were sharp and alert. Niall leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, looking more relaxed than anyone had any right to be. And Liam—Liam was pacing, as always, the tension visible in every muscle of his body.

I sighed. "The gallery we're hitting tonight is downtown—The Beacon. It's a private opening, so security's going to be tight. High-end guests, expensive art, the works. We're going in during the main event when everyone's distracted. We get in, we get out—clean. No drama."

Niall raised an eyebrow. "You sure you can handle that? Seemed like you had a little bit of trouble keeping your head in the game last time."

"Shut up, Niall," I growled, narrowing my eyes. "I'm focused tonight. This one's too important to screw up."

Louis chuckled, rocking back on the crate. "He's right, you know. You've been a little off lately. You let that girl get under your skin."

"I said shut up," I snapped, my voice low. My hands clenched into fists, but I forced myself to keep calm. "I'm fine. And this isn't about her."

Liam stopped pacing long enough to glance at me. "Maybe not, but the last thing we need is you getting distracted again. Your old man's already pissed about how things went down at the ball."

"Yeah, well, we wouldn't even be having this conversation if everything had gone according to plan," I shot back, my tone sharp. "This one's different. It's a small job. Quick and clean. We hit the main vault during the exhibit's big reveal and then disappear."

Liam rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So, what are we grabbing again? I know it's some rare art piece, but give me details."

I turned back to the blueprints spread across the table in front of us. "There's a collection of ancient artifacts being displayed. But the prize is this one piece—an emerald-encrusted dagger from the 16th century. Worth more than anything else in the gallery combined. It's kept in a glass case with motion sensors, but Louis will handle those."

Louis nodded, his smile widening. "Piece of cake."

Niall kicked his feet up onto the table, still looking far too relaxed for my liking. "And security?"

"Top-notch," I admitted, pinching the bridge of my nose. "They've got cameras on every entrance, but we'll disable them before we go in. Liam, you'll be on lookout duty. Niall, you're with me on extraction."

"Sounds like a good time," Niall said with a lazy grin, but I caught the glint in his eye. As laid-back as he always acted, I knew he was just as sharp as the rest of us when it mattered.

I stood up, my chair scraping against the floor as I did. "The party's high-profile—expect the place to be crawling with rich folks and security guards. That's why we've got to hit this fast and clean. There's no room for errors. We'll be going in dressed like the waitstaff, so blend in and stick to the plan."

The boys nodded, and for a moment, I felt a flicker of confidence. This could work. We'd done it a hundred times before, and we'd do it again. I couldn't let myself think about her. Not tonight.

But damn it, I couldn't help but picture her, just for a second—those wide, brown eyes and the way she looked at me, like she knew I was dangerous, and still wasn't afraid.

I shook the thought away. "Everyone clear?"

"Crystal," Louis said with a grin. He stood up, stretching his arms above his head like he didn't have a care in the world. "I'll be at the gallery early to make sure everything's in place."

Liam glanced at me again, his brows furrowed. "You sure you're good, Harry? I know how much your father's breathing down your neck, but you've got to keep your head on straight for this one."

I gave him a hard look. "I'm fine. I told you—she doesn't matter. This isn't about her."

But even as I said it, I wasn't sure if I believed it. She was everywhere in my thoughts, like a shadow I couldn't shake. But I couldn't let her get in the way. Not tonight. This was about the job.

Niall looked up from his phone and asked, "What time's the opening?"

"Eight sharp. We go in at nine, just when the exhibit's in full swing."

"And what's this gallery event for, again?" Louis asked, clearly only half-interested in the details.

"It's an anniversary event for the museum," I said, keeping my voice steady. "They're celebrating a decade of showcasing rare and priceless artifacts from all over the world. The media will be there, and they've invited some big-name collectors. Perfect cover for us to slip in and out without raising too much suspicion."

"Fancy," Niall commented, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

"Yeah, real fancy," I muttered. "But we're not here for the champagne and hors d'oeuvres. Stick to the plan, and we'll be out before anyone notices."

Liam was still watching me closely, his eyes narrowing. "Just make sure you're not distracted by anything—or anyone."

I met his gaze, my jaw tightening. "I'm not. Now, let's get ready."

As the others filed out, I took a deep breath, pushing all thoughts of Delilah aside. This was the most important job we'd pulled in months. I couldn't afford to let anything—or anyone—get in the way.

But even as I steeled myself for the night ahead, I couldn't shake the feeling that, somehow, she would find a way back into it.

This isn't about her, I told myself again. But the words felt hollow. I had to stay focused. This job had to go exactly as planned.

No mistakes. No distractions. Not this time.