Reckless {HS}

forty-three

Delilah's Pov

The rush still buzzed through my veins as I sat on the couch with Niall, Louis, and Liam. My mind was racing, replaying every second of the heist. I couldn't stop thinking about how it felt when I unclasped that necklace. It was a mixture of fear and exhilaration like I had never felt before. It wasn't just the thrill of getting away with it, but the sheer adrenaline that surged through me in that moment. I wasn't sure if I was proud or terrified of myself.

The room was quiet, just the low hum of chatter between the guys, but it felt like I was in my own world, still floating on the high from what we had just pulled off. I kept flexing my fingers, feeling the echo of the cold metal necklace that had been in my hand, my pulse still uneven.

Harry had disappeared into his office almost immediately after we got back, and I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. When I handed him the necklace, he'd barely even looked at me, just gave a nod, as if this were routine, something I should be used to. But I wasn't. I wasn't used to this world at all, and despite the excitement, the weight of what we had done started to sink in.

I glanced around the room, trying to ground myself. Niall was lounging, his feet kicked up on the table, and Louis and Liam were muttering something to each other under their breath. I didn't know what to say, or if I even should say anything at all. A part of me wanted to blurt out everything I was feeling, to process this whole crazy situation out loud, but I wasn't sure if they'd understand. Or worse, what if they did understand, and this was just normal for them? The thought unsettled me.

I sank back into the couch, hugging a pillow to my chest, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me. I couldn't let them see how rattled I still was. I had to pretend like I belonged here, even if I didn't quite believe it myself.

Louis turned to me, his eyes scanning me like he was trying to figure something out. "You okay?"

I nodded quickly, forcing a smile. "Yeah, just... a lot to take in, I guess."

He smirked. "You did well tonight. Harry hasn't stopped talking about how smooth it all went."

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Harry. "Really?"

Louis nodded. "Yeah. He's impressed. That's not easy to do."

A warm glow spread through me despite the lingering nerves. I wasn't sure why it mattered so much to me that Harry was impressed, but it did. Maybe because he always seemed so in control, so distant from everything, that getting his approval felt like winning some kind of game.

Still, I couldn't shake the weird energy between us earlier. He'd barely said anything to me after the heist, and now he was locked away in his office. What was going through his mind? And why did it bother me so much?

The minutes ticked by, and I found myself listening for any sound of Harry coming back. The guys had moved on to a new conversation, but I was only half paying attention, my thoughts drifting back to the ballroom, to the feel of Harry's hand in mine as we danced. The way he had looked at me, like the rest of the world had disappeared for a moment.

Just as my thoughts started spiraling, I heard the door to Harry's office creak open. I sat up a little straighter, my heart rate quickening. He walked into the room, his expression as unreadable as ever. His eyes swept over us, landing on me for just a second before moving on.

He didn't say anything, just made his way to the corner of the room where Louis was sitting. They exchanged a few quiet words, their heads bent close together. I tried not to watch, but I couldn't help it. Something about the way Harry carried himself—like everything was calculated, every movement, every glance—drew me in. It was frustrating how little I actually knew about him.

Louis glanced at me briefly before turning back to Harry. Their conversation was low, too quiet for me to hear, but I could sense the tension. Whatever they were talking about, it wasn't good.

I shifted on the couch, pretending to focus on something Niall was saying, though I couldn't even begin to follow the conversation anymore. My mind was elsewhere. Was this the part of the plan they hadn't told me about? Something bigger looming on the horizon that I wasn't prepared for?

Harry finished his conversation with Louis and straightened up, his jaw tight, shoulders rigid. He looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his back. Without another word, he walked out of the room again, leaving me with even more questions.

I watched him go, a sinking feeling forming in my stomach. What was going on? I felt like I was constantly a step behind, never fully in the loop, and it was starting to grate on me.

But at the same time, part of me didn't want to know. Part of me wanted to hold onto the high of what we'd done tonight, to keep living in the bubble of excitement, pretending like the consequences weren't lurking around the corner.

I let out a slow breath, leaning back into the couch, trying to clear my head. But all I could think about was Harry—his reaction, his distance, the way he had looked at me earlier in the ballroom. The way I had felt so out of place yet so alive all at once.

There was a part of me that wanted to chase after him, to ask him what the hell was going on, to demand answers. But another part of me, the rational part, told me that it was better to stay where I was, to not get too involved. Because getting too close to Harry Styles felt like stepping into dangerous territory. Territory I wasn't sure I could handle.

Still, despite the warnings flashing in my mind, I knew that this wasn't the end of it. Whatever was happening between us, whatever was building, wasn't going to just go away. I could feel it every time he looked at me, every time we were in the same room. Something was pulling us together, no matter how hard we tried to stay apart.

And deep down, that scared me more than anything else.

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