Prince and the Pauper

Chapter Twenty-Three

*Slight smut content-minimal . Let me know if you're okay with it, because if not I can always cut these scenes :)

The ride back to Harry's penthouse hadn't been half as exhilarating as it had been the first time on his motorcycle. I had remained silent all the way up to the apartment, processing what had happened back at the gym. When Harry led us into his bedroom and closed the door gently behind him, I looked up and forced a smile. Harry flicked on the lights, the warm, yellow coloured lights gave his room a cosy vibe, and I found myself relaxing slightly. Harry's feet carried him over to me until he stood in between my  legs where I  sat on the edge of the bed. The curtains surrounding his bed swallowed our bodies, the lights shined through the curtains slightly, and  our shadows were cast onto the bed behind my back. I sighed in relief as Harry's hand raised to my cheek, stroking over my cheekbones and he ghosted a dimple in his smile. I allowed his hand to slide to cup the  back of my neck, and his other hand gently pressed weight down on my shoulder as he lowered me down, so my back was lying on the bed, and my legs dangling over the edge.  My hair fanned out around me, and Harry's smile grew as he grabbed my legs and pushed me back further onto the bed with my help as I shuffled back with my elbows. The warmth flowed through me instantly as his body climbed over me, his body hovering over mine. I grinned, and pulled him down by the back of his neck, his body flush with mine. Harry's lips instantly found mine, and I sighed into the kiss, the electric current instantly racing through my body. His large hands roamed down my body and paused as his hands gripped at my hip-bones.
"Have you ever..." He trailed off with a soft smile, and I shook my head.
"No." Harry seemed to pause his affectionate caressing, and I shook my head. "Not because I'm prudish or anything. I've just never looked at a man like that before. Ever. You're the first man I've ever wanted to have sex with." I surprised myself at how effortlessly I spoke about such an intimate topic, but Harry approved, his nose nudged against mine, and I smiled up at him.
"I want to make love to you." Harry confessed with a whisper, and I closed my eyes in anticipation. "But I want it to just be you and me between these sheets, Angel. You sure you're okay after what happened in the gym?" My eyes opened and Harry's eyes stared into mine.
"Trace will regret saying what he did. I will make sure of it. But right now," my hands slid up his arms and gripped at his shoulders, "I am only focussed on you." Harry smiled in awe, and the feeling of somebody looking at me the way Harry did was something indescribable.  It was love in a physical form above me, his bright eyes, soft smile, and relaxed composure. Perfect peace and serenity.
"Okay." Harry grinned, his lips crushing into mine, and I happily kissed him back, our kiss instantly deepening as his tongue thrust into my mouth, and I complied. Harry's hands slid up again, under the black hoodie I wore. Sparks ignited inside me as his fingers raked against my navel, and heat spread throughout my body. My back arched as Harry swiftly lifted the hoodie up over my head. I smiled coyly as Harry's eyes scanned me up and down as I wore no shirt beneath the hoodie, leaving me in a plain red bra below him.
"For what it's worth, I totally knew you had a killer body beneath all your baggy clothes you wear." I laughed at Harry's comment, happy at how natural he was making this. Harry smirked as I laughed, and I reached up towards him. Harry remained still as my hands discarded the jacket from his shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. His white t-shirt followed quickly after, and then my hands wandered down his perfectly chiselled torso. Harry's eyes fluttered closed at my touch, and as my fingers lowered and traced along his V-lines his lips parted.
"Baby." Harry whispered, and his eyes opened when my touch withdrew. I bit my lip teasingly and Harry made a guttural sound that made my insides simmer with heat. My hands were caught by his and our fingers interlocked as he raised my arms above my head, locking them there.
"Not such an innocent Angel now am I?" I whispered.
"Not in a minute you won't be." Harry grinned, pressing his mouth to mine, and I melted into him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Soft fingers combed through my hair as I stirred from my sleep. His fingers ran through the strands of my hair that reached the middle of my back, and then traced up my arm, along my shoulder and collarbones. Finally they skimmed along my jawline and under my chin, tilting my head up, and plump, warm lips pressed to mine. I sighed dreamily, my mind finally untangling itself from the deep slumber, and my eyes flew open. Bright, green eyes greeted me, and I smiled at Harry.
"Good morning, beautiful." Harry murmured, and I leaned forward to kiss him again.
"Good morning, handsome."  Familiar hands pulled me in even closer to him, and I giggled as I felt skin on skin. 
"Last night was incredible." Harry kissed my shoulder affectionately, and I pressed my lips to his. We pulled back and his forehead pressed to mine.
"Yeah my sleep was pretty good too." I teased, and Harry laughed lightly, the sound huskier than normal due to his morning voice.
"We both know that wasn't the highlight of your night." Harry retaliated, and I slid my tongue along my lips slowly.
"Oh yeah, there was this one other thing." I admitted, making Harry's smile widen.
"You're not to sore or stiff?" He questioned.
"Not really." I said truthfully. "If I can handle mother nature cramps I can handle this."
"Good." Harry smiled, kissing me on the lips again.
"So what's the plan for work today?" I questioned, and Harry grimaced.
"I'm sure the boss won't mind if we had a lazy day." Harry quipped, and I rolled my eyes.
"Must be fun being the boss, huh?" I mused, and Harry simply smirked in response. "Well you might be contempt with staying in bed all day, but I need to work. I need to make money to move remember?" Harry's brows furrowed in confusion, and he looked at me like I had grown a second head.
"Move?"
"Yes, move. Verb. The process in which somebody relocates from one destination to another." I said dryly, as if reading from the dictionary.
"Smartass. Verb. Devonne Abel  opening her mouth." Harry mocked, and I swatted his arm. "Kidding." Harry chuckled. "But you already have moved. Hence you waking in our bed, your clothes in the wardrobe."
"Yes, but not permanently." I said slowly, the term 'our bed' making my cheeks flush with heat, and Harry tilted his head to the side. 
"Why the hell not?" Harry asked in bewilderment.
"Because-"
"I swear to God if you say because we only met a little over a week ago I'll scream." Harry groaned, and my eyes narrowed, but a smile never left my lips.
"Okaaay," I stretched out the word to contemplate another way or wording it, "because..." Harry flicked his wrist around in seconds impatiently waiting an answer.
"Dammit because I can't handle scavenging off you." I huffed, and Harry shook his head.
"So your pride then?" 
"When you say 'pride' like that you make it sound like a bad thing." I grumbled as Harry propped himself up against the headboard and hauled me upright into his warm, naked chest. I pulled the duvet up with me to keep myself covered, and Harry laughed at my attempt of modesty.
"Of course pride isn't a bad thing. Just in moderation." Harry elaborated.
"Oh so now I'm overly proud?"
"I'm sorry. Did that comment hurt your pride?" Harry snipped, and my mouth dropped open as he grinned down at me, amused by my reaction.  
"Seriously?" I snapped. "Men in your financial situation are supposed to be weary of woman who want to live off your money. I am the complete opposite, and I am still the bad guy?"
"Of course you're  not." Harry kissed the top of my head, his arms wrapping around my torso as I snuggled into his  chest "But I want to take care of you."
"I know, and I appreciate it, truly I do. But I also want to be able to take care of you. I can't do that without working, and pulling around my weight. I know men have the expectation of being the protective one, but relationships work  both ways. I want to be for you what you are for me." I defended myself, and Harry remained silent for a moment, thinking.
"Okay, how about a compromise?"
"Go on." I said warily.
"You stay here with me, where you belong, and you can just pay some rent. That way you're contributing like you so desperately need to, even though I own this suite and don't actually need your rent. That and the fact that I have more than enough money."
"Show off."
"Honest." Harry retaliated. "So how about it? The money can go towards groceries given the accommodation is taken care of. It will be just like you planned originally, only the suite is much better and your flat mate is your boyfriend."
"That sounds enticing." I admitted, and Harry smiled into the crook my neck.
"So?"
"So I'll stay." Harry hollered in victory and I giggled as he tackled me down onto the mattress, my face pressed down into the pillows with Harry on top of me. Sprinkled kisses scattered over my shoulders, the back of my neck, and down my back. Just as Harry's kisses got lower and my eyes had fluttered closed, Harry's phone rang, interrupting us.
"Damn." Harry huffed, and I stifled my laugh into my arm. "It can go to voicemail."
"It could be important. Given, you know, you're important, Mr GQ." I reasoned. Harry grumbled as he reached out and grabbed his phone.
"This better be important." Harry snapped into the phone, and I pursed my lips together to remain silent. I heard the static sound of laughter through the speakers of his phone, and recognized it as Zaiden.
"More important than what I obviously just interrupted, probably not. Important enough that if I didn't call, you'd kill me, yes."
"I'm listening."
"You want to serve a hot, steamy dish of Karma to Trace?"  Zaiden enticed, and Harry's eyes locked with mine, the mood sobering up.
"Explain." Harry ordered.
"A fight, with his new in-law son." My eyes narrowed as Zaiden figured I was listening and he still wanted the mystery son's identity a secret.
"I'm above his weigh-class. It wouldn't be allowed." Harry replied.
"Well there's the catch. It wouldn't, strictly speaking, be a legal fight."  Silence lingered, and Harry's jaw clenched.
"And he's agreed? He's signing his own death warrant?" My eyes widened at the venom in Harry's voice.
"He thinks he can take you. I couldn't care less about him to warn the twat. Him and Trace agreed if he looses they'll both back off, and if you win, well I doubt you'll let him walk out of that ring."
"Who is this?" I demanded from Harry, and his teeth clenched together. "Harry." I lowered  my voice, the tension in the room was palpable. I had found Harry's boxer side hot before, but now that it was becoming lethal the thought terrified me. I couldn't picture Harry being so violent, and I didn't want to. I didn't want to even consider there being any similarities between him and his brother. The dangerous gleam in Harry's eyes told me this was personal to Harry, and Harry wanted revenge. I couldn't picture Harry having so much bad blood with anybody, but now that an illegal fight was brewing, I couldn't dispute the facts.
"It doesn't matter. Once I end him, you'll never have to deal with him." Harry side-stepped, and I shook my head.
"Harry, you're talking about seriously hurting somebody here. How could you hate somebody so much?" I pleaded.
"Darling, if you knew what he had done, you would want to kill him. I know that for a fact." Harry argued. My lips formed a straight line, confusion making my head heavy.  
"Kill? You'd kill this guy?" I gasped in horror.
"I wouldn't mourn his death." Harry shrugged, and my mouth ran dry.
"Dev," Zaiden addressed me through the phone, "we can tell you if you must know, but I am telling you, if you knew you'd never get over it. It would be the ghost that haunted your life." I glanced from the phone to Harry, and he nodded slowly.
"My life already has it's ghost. Geordie. Tell me." I demanded.
"That's what this is about." Harry's voice startled me. "Geordie's attack."
"Harry, what are you saying?" My voice shook, and Harry's hand grabbed mine.
"That day your brother was attacked, there were two people who helped Dante." Harry explained, and I nodded. I was confused how Harry knew for a moment, but then I remembered Harry had been in court when I told the story of what had happened.
"Yes, but I don't know who they were. They got away." Harry's eyes softened with sympathy, and the dots connected together.
"One of them is Trace's son?" A curt nod came from Harry, his hand squeezing mine. "How do you know this?"
"The bat you described that was used, you said in your statement you thought it was one of a kind. It had some signature on it, and on the handle there was my families signet, the bold golden S?"  I  slowly, my mind swirling with wild thoughts.
"They are one of a kind, well on set anyway. Dante had one, so do I, and my father. The last one, was given to Dante's step-brother, as a welcome to the family gift I suppose."
"I don't understand." My voice was but a mere squeak. "You said this was Trace's son. If he was Dante's step-brother that would mean that Dante's biological dad was-
"Trace." Harry confirmed. The world froze, and Harry released a heavy sigh. "Trace is Dante's biological father. The man my mother had the affair with. Trace has married another woman, Therese,  to elude suspicion from my father. The woman he married had a son, and so by law Dante and Therese's son are brothers." 
"Therese." I repeated the name. "I recognize that name..." I trailed off, trying to search my memory.
"Therese...oh God." Realisation hit me like a ton of bricks, and I fell backwards against the headboard. The betrayal and hurt was too much, and a sob left my mouth. Harry was by me in a second, and my watery eyes met his.
"Therese Geller. Her son-that means Trace's son, Dante's brother, my  friend is-" I couldn't finish my sentence, and Harry confirmed my biggest fear, sending my word crashing down all over again.
"Sebastian."