Devil's Desire [h.s.]

Chapter 28

Reference chapters: 23 & 24 of devil's due!

--

Chapter 28

"Right," Morgan asked, a foot away from the security line. We all pulled to a stop in a semi-circle. She pointed at Olivia, who looked about ready to shit her pants. "You. Why are you travelling?"

Olivia's eyes went wide. "They're going to ask that now? I thought that was only once we landed back home and are going through customs." Her fingers tightened around her passport.

Morgan shrugged. "They might. And you honestly seem the least prepared of us all, so better to be safe than sorry."

"Oi," Louis suddenly stepped forward. He gave a small shake of his head. "Lay off a bit, yeah?" He reached for Olivia's passport and gently peeled it out of her hands, smoothing it open on his leg. He held it up. "Name?"

Olivia straightened with a steeling breath. "Octavia Sloan."

Louis nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching into a grin. "Birthday?" This time, she hesitated, to which he nudged the toe of her shoe with his. "C'mon. Only really a month off your real one—"

"June 12th, 1999," she answered with a nod, dragging her foot away from his.

Louis' grin deepened. "Reason for travelling—?"

"This definitely looks very inconspicuous," I commented drily when Harry drew up to my side, his shoulder brushing mine. "Standing literally a foot away from security and reiterating our cover story."

"Like I said," Harry flashed me a bitter grin, "a bunch of fucking morons." He gently nudged my waist, urging me forward into the security line. "And these are the people you want me to abandon you with."

He braced his hands on the rope behind him, which severed the lines into multiple sections, glancing around. Taking note of everyone. Stiffening whenever the crowd moved.

"Abandon seems like a strong word," I replied with a huffed laugh. Harry didn't so much as crack a smile.

Olivia was busy repeating under her breath, when she came up to wait in line behind us, that we were simply travelling as a group of friends. That, and the address of the fake hotel we had reservations under, the return date marked on our tickets—which was to be cancelled the moment we touched down—and that it would be her first time in the country, according to what her fake passport showed.

Harry rolled his eyes and stepped away from her, reaching for me.

'Relax' I signed to him.

He drew his hands off my waist only long enough to sign back 'No'.

I laughed, which in turn finally made Harry grin slightly.

"Hey," I said, trying to distract him the nearer we got to security. I tugged him close by his sweater, drawing the neckline back just a fraction. The same way Morgan had been doing earlier. He exhaled deeply, leaning into my touch. "Should I be concerned? That you've got this other woman's name all over you, Horace?"

Harry's grin deepened. He shrugged, glancing my face over. His cheeks turned the slightest bit pink. "Probably. Sorry, Rhonnie. You're stuck at number two."

"Rhonnie?" I barked out a laugh, my hands drifting to his shoulders. "Eh," I shrugged. "It's alright. You're cute enough that I'll take it. I'll be your number two."

Harry buried his face in the crook of my neck, laughing, and pinched my waist. He pulled away only once we got to the front of the line.

Thankfully, beyond the normal airport security line anxiety, everything went smoothly. Neither of us really had much we were bringing anyway, none of our luggage got flagged, nobody got pulled aside for an additional search, and our boarding passes were accepted without so much of a second glance. In fact, the attendants waving us through seemed almost bored. It was something of a miracle when we all emerged on the other side, glancing at one another with wide, nervous eyes. All that was left was to make it to our gate.