Facing His Demons (Harry Styles, One Direction)

Chapter Two

"Lace. Lacey!!" He yelled after me but I kept on walking.

I exited the building and made my way down a side alley. One of the men who had followed Zayn, stood lurking in the shadows.

"Are you following me now. I'm leaving him alone, okay." I sighed, trying to barge past him. My previous fears had been replaced with anger.

"Oh I'm not here on Malik's orders. This time I want something all to myself." He grinned.

His eyes were lustful, I could sense it.

He lunged for me, shoving me against the bricks. I bashed my head, instantaneously feeling a trickle of blood run through my hair.

He ran his hands up my thigh. I slapped him repeatedly but I had no effect on him. I tried to push him away with all my might.

"If you struggle, it'll hurt more." He grunted.

"Harry."'I whispered, crying silently to myself as the man planted kisses down my neck. It was the first and only name that I thought of.

"Styles won't help you babe, he doesn't care. He'll get what he wants out of you and then dump your body somewhere. That's how he works."

"You're lying." I cried.

He lifted his head from my neck and smirked at me.

"I guess you won't live to find out will you." He pulled a knife out of his pocket, and pulled it up to my throat. I froze in a state of terror.

"Get your fucking hands off her, before I turn you into a dust pile and send your remains to Malik." His deep raspy voice had never sounded so inviting.

Harry stood at the other end of the alleyway, aiming a gun at my attackers head.

The man next to me dropped the knife.

"Dust, I've been wanting you dead for a while now. Don't make me kill you tonight. You won't get another warning." Harry threatened grimacing.

The man laughed.

"Your threats don't scare me, Curls. I didn't know this was your girl, and if I did she would be lying dead in a ditch by now."

"HARRY NO." I screamed, as he was about to pull the trigger.

Thankfully he stopped. I wasn't happy that I was referred to as 'his girl', but I wasn't about to witness a murder.

"Taking orders already, are we?" He wound up Harry, before Harry marched up to him and knocked him clean out with one punch. He repeatedly punched him over and over again.

I tried to pull him off the unconscious man lying in a heap but I couldn't overpower his muscular frame.

"Harry stop." I begged.

"Don't tell me what to do, you have no right. I'll do whatever I want." He growled.

I cried out in shock at the state of the man, and nodded slowly. Harry eventually stopped, clearly content.

"You're welcome." Harry stated sarcastically.

"T..thank you." I muttered.

He brushed his hand over my hair.

"You're bleeding." For a second, he almost seemed worried. His facial expressions softened.

"I'm fine." I looked down.

He nodded and began to walk away, leaving me all alone. He couldn't leave me, I couldn't be alone. Not now.

"Well are you coming or not?" He shouted.

I walked quickly after him, relieved.

I was sat beside him in his flat as he applied cotton wool to my wounds. I winced.

"Is this really necessary?"

He nodded, concentrating on me.

"If you stay at your house they'll come back for you. Just lie low for tonight, I'll protect you."

He finished helping me.

"I'm supposed to trust you?" I questioned.

"You don't really have another choice." He pointed out.

"Where am I supposed to sleep?"

"In my bed, where else." He said coldly, yet again.

"But..."

"I won't try anything, if that's what you're worried about." He insisted.

I nodded and closed my eyes, crawling beneath the covers despite the fact that I was still in my day clothes, Normally I'd be going crazy, but I was slightly drunk and in too much pain to even care.

"Goodnight Lacey."

"Goodnight Harry."

I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep. His presence stopped me from being afraid.

Harry's POV

A text from Louis woke me up immediately.

He said that the whole group were waiting outside for a meeting.

Shit. I jumped out of bed, and closed the bedroom door as I walked downstairs, leaving Lacey tucked in beneath the covers.

Horan, Bones, Tommo and Conor stood at the door of my flat.

"What time do you call this?" I questioned.

They all barged their way in, dragging Conor behind them. He had a black eye and looked distressed. I knew where this was going.

"It seems that one of us doesn't want to be in the gang anymore." Tommo said, shoving Conor onto his knees.

Everyone crowded around him, jeering at him.

I silently prayed that Lacey wouldn't wake up, if they found her she'd be in big trouble.