camouflage [h.s]

39

It looked as if a tornado had gone through the apartment, leaving a path of broken furniture, glass, and scattered clothing.

"Casey!" I called out, being met with no response. She was probably with Liam, one of the first times I'm grateful for how they are constantly with each other.

I carefully walk inside the apartment, finding profanity spray painted all over the walls. Messages to stay away from Harry are also there, telling me to obey or face the consequences. I walk inside Casey's room, finding that nothing is touched. Whoever got in here only wanted me to suffer, something that makes me feel absolutely terrified.

Once I'm out of Casey's room and in my own the difference is overwhelming. Most of my clothes have been cut up, no way they can be salvaged. All the furniture has been taken apart and them smashed to nothing.

I pull out my phone, considering calling emergency services, but decide against it. I call Harry, luckily he hasn't made it home yet and is on his way back. Once we've hung up I notice that my window is open, looking out it I find my laptop on the ground below. All of my course work was on that, and to see it all gone causes tears to fall from my eyes.

"Leah?" Harry's voice echoes through the now ruined apartment. I quickly wipe away my already fallen tears before telling him where I am.

"I can't believe this happened, are you all right?" He asks as he walks into the bedroom, wrapping his arms around me in a tight embrace. "The fucking nerve," he says before releasing me, planting a kiss on my forehead.

I begin to panic, "what are we going to do? My parents cannot find out that my apartment has been vandalized, they will kill me."

My parents are the ones on the lease, meaning they could find out about this situation as soon as the landlord does.

"We're not going to tell anyone about this." Harry says calmly, as if what's happened is no big deal. "I'm going to call some people over with new furniture and I'll give you money for all the clothes they ruined. Nobody should stay here tonight until everything is back to normal."

"You can really just brush this aside that easily?" I ask, taken back by how nonchalant he's acting.

"If we react drastically to this Nikolai will step it up, and neither of us want to see what the next thing he's willing to do." He licks his chapped lips before continuing, "I admit I'm a bit of a fool by playing by their rules, but its a must in this situation. One wrong step and both of us could be put in our graves."

His words effect me deeply, a part of me wondering how much simpler life would have been if I didn't fall for Harry, how I would never be put into danger. There's no point in the thought though because it's too late, I fell for him knowing full and well this may happen, and my life has definitely become more dynamic because of it.

"You may want to call Casey right now, make a good excuse for her to stay away from here." Harry says, raking a hand through his hair and rubbing the back of his neck which are dead giveaways that he is nervous.

I dial Casey on my phone, having her pick up after a few rings. I explain to her that Harry and I want the apartment to ourselves tonight, the only excuse I can possibly think of that makes sense. She agrees immediately, me having to hang up after she continually says to use protection.

Harry raises an eyebrow, "Sex jokes are coming our way from her, aren't they?"

I laugh, "Knowing Casey, she's probably going to blow up my phone with them."

Harry's phone goes off, and he nods in approval. "Some guys are on their way, I can trust them not to tell Nikolai about us using them. Let's just hope they don't get called in for a job while here."