Trace of Innocence | Sweet and Sour (Book 4)

Chapter 1

This is No Control | Holding Me Ransom told from Harry's POV. This is the 4th book in the series, so please don't go any further until you have read the first 3 books!

(No Control | Holding Me Ransom - 1. Stop Me From Not Moving On)

June 2015

Stories. Tabloids. Rumours. Conclusions.

The Daily Mail. Hollywood Life. Sugarscape. The Mirror 3am.

All bullshıt, of course, but still poisoning the minds of the general public who read, comment and believe.

LOVE CHEAT HARRY... One Direction singer Harry Styles... at the centre of a new controversy... Portuguese model Sara Sampaio... reports of their relationship have never been confirmed... never been denied... sparking more speculation... a relationship with Jessica.

My heart jumps as I catch sight of her name in print. It's almost taunting me.

Jessica no longer follows Harry on Twitter or Instagram.

Thanks for rubbing that in.

Harry Styles... currently amidst rumours of infidelity... caught on camera kissing Victoria's Secret Angel Sara Sampaio... girlfriend Jessica Bradshaw remained in the UK... show Styles what he is missing... unconfirmed sightings of Bradshaw at Heathrow airport on Saturday.

"Where do they find this shįt?" I growl, and Louis looks up at me curiously.

"What şhit?"

"Fuckıng stories about me and Jess," I mutter, locking my phone and throwing it down on the table, but not before I have caught sight of her beautiful face gazing up at me from my lock screen.

I should change that picture, really, to save myself the heartache, but doing that would be admitting we're over and I'm not ready to erase her completely from my life just yet.

"Why are you reading stories about yourself?" Louis asks, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "Have the last five years in this band taught you nothing?"

"He's got a point," Liam says, matter-of-factly, from beside Louis.

Niall farts.

"Fucķing hell!" Louis moans. "Can't you hold it in?"

"I'm sure I read somewhere it's dangerous to do that," Niall responds absently, without looking up from his phone screen, and Louis pulls a face of disgust.

The door to the hotel conference room opens and Richard Griffiths, the co-founder of Modest, walks in accompanied by Gillian and her assistant Louise.

"Afternoon lads," he greets us, and we murmur our greetings in return. "Everyone alright?" he asks, taking a seat at the head of the table and looking at us expectantly.

"Yup," Louis replies, resting his ankle on his knee and jigging his leg nervously, while Niall nods slowly, finally tearing his eyes away from his phone and placing it face down on the table in front of us.

"Anyone want coffee?" Louise asks nervously from the table in the corner that houses a percolator and a tea pot.

We've all got full mugs in front of us, and we wait while she pours coffee for Richard, Gillian and herself, and then takes a seat next to Gillian at the opposite end of the table to Richard.

"Tour's going well," Richard begins, making the necessary small talk before we jump into the real reason why we're here. "Merchandise is selling fantastically. Zayn's departure doesn't seem to have affected your popularity, and that's partly down to how well you've maintained your stage presence and promotional work. Well done, all of you. You deserve a pat on the back."