Limitless

Chapter 32

I could see Harry’s adam’s apple bob up and down slowly as he gulped.  The little stubble that he had lining his chin seemed to wilt and all of his muscles deflated.  His mouth hung open just slightly and his green eyes turned a dull gray as he took in every bit of the ink he had never seen… as he took in the side of me he had never known. His eyebrow twitched as if he couldn’t decide to raise his eyebrows in pleasant surprise or make them stoop in angry confusion.  His upper lip trembled as his breathing picked up and then slowed.  The air conditioning in the house turned on and the vent above me cloaked my nearly naked body in cool air, making me shiver.

I was too busy trying to read Harry that I hadn’t noticed Louis walk up behind me.  Noticing my goosebumps, he slipped an arm around my shoulders and rubbed his hand up and down my bare upper arm.  “Why don’t you put your shirt back on.  You and Harry can talk about it in his room,” he said quietly.  I bent down to pick up my shirt, suddenly feeling weird being topless in front of 5 boys at once.  As I pulled the fabric back over my torso, I glanced back at Harry.  The vibrant green had returned to his eyes, but it was more of a dangerous color than a playful or excited one.  He was glaring at Louis.

“You knew this whole time…?” He breathed.

Louis rolled his eyes at Harry. “Look mate, it’s not like we haven’t kept secrets from each other before.”

Harry’s jaw clenched. “You knew how important it was for me to find her… And you’ve let me fuck it up over and over with her and didn’t even bother to tell me it was her that I was fucking it up with?”  He threw his hands in my direction as he raised his voice.

Louis turned his head sharply to look at Harry. “Honestly, after all of this time, I don’t think it would have made a difference who you were fucking it up with.  I used to think that you were better than this Harry, but Lou is the best thing that ever happened to you and you fucked it up anyway.  Her tattoos make no difference.”

Suddenly my anger returned.  Louis was right.  If Harry never knew that I was Party Girl, would he just have continued to fuck up?  Just because he knows who I am now, would he change and just stop cheating on me?

Harry looked hurt.  His hands balled up into fists again and the muscles in his arms flexed.  On my other side, I felt Liam straighten up and slip slightly in front of me protectively.

Louis took a step toward Harry after watching him tense up. “Don’t you dare be pissed at me, Harry.  I tried to stop you from sexing up that sleazebag and screwing it up with Lou but you were an ass and didn’t listen.”

Harry squeezed his eyes shut almost as if he were trying to stop the truth from flowing into his ears.  When his eyes shot open again, he was glaring at me. “Why did you never tell me?  You knew it was important to me too.  I know you did.  And it’s not like you were helping me to find some other girl.  It was just a matter of taking off your damn shirt.”

“I tried, Harry; I tried to tell you before you lost your memory and then we were interrupted by my father and it just seemed like there was never a good time.  I did try though-“

“Well you sure as hell didn’t try hard enough!”

Louis grabbed my wrist. “Lay off, Harry.  It was a damn big secret for her to tell.”

“Well she sure had an easy time telling you!”

Louis’ grip tightened. “I figured it out on my own, lad!  It was probably also easier because I wasn’t the one that saved her!”

Harry glared at me again. “Well it doesn’t look like it matters who saved her.  She obviously likes you more than she likes me.”

“Harry!” I exclaimed, taken aback.  I shook my head and stepped toward him but Louis pulled me back and stepped in front of me.