The Puppet Master

Chapter 9~ Maybe-

H-Harry!” I stuttered, and though the look in his eyes terrified me, I was, in a way, relieved that he was here. 

Both men terrified me, but in the moment, Blake scared me more, his hands were on my body, his mouth too close to mine, and I wanted him away from me. I knew for a fact that Harry would insure that Blake would not touch me, and for once, his presence somehow reassured me of my safety, at least, from Blake, my safety from Harry, was a whole other matter. 

I looked up at Blake, and watched as his face turned into a scowl, his lips forming into a sneer, “What are you going to do about it Styles?” 

It took me a moment to look at Harry, I could practically feel his anger in the air, I could reach out and grip the tension in my hands, he was explosive, but eventually, I forced my eyes his way and couldn’t help but tremble by the look on his face. 

If that kind of anger were ever directed at me, I don’t think I would be able to stand without falling to the ground, let alone sneer and scowl at him such as Blake did.

“I think you’re forgetting who I am.” He smirked, and though the supposed smile was now on his face, the anger didn’t leave his eyes, which were practically black rather than their usual emerald. 

It all happened rather fast after that, it was a whirlwind of things, my body was thrown back, and I landed with a hard thump on the ground, I whimpered, but quickly, sat up and scrambled to my feet. 

Harry had Blake pinned to the ground, his left fist gripping Blake’s shoulder, his legs on either side of his torso, his right arm pulling back so quickly that it was a blur through air as it pounded down on Blake’s face. I gasped, and covered my mouth, stumbling back a bit.

My eyes were wide as they traveled over to Harrys face, his curls disheveled around his face, his eyes obsidian, his nostrils flared in anger, his jaw clenched and his mouth set in a hard line, not an ounce of mercy on his face, not a bit of pity for the boy he was now throwing repetitive punches on.

Blood splattered from Blake’s face, groans coming from his mouth only momentarily before they were cut short by another punch and he was knocked out. I forced myself not to look at him, knowing that it would be a gruesome sight, and not knowing if I could handle that.

My feet moved on their own, my brain not thinking, not catching myself as I grabbed onto Harry’s arm as it was midair, jerking it back before it could land on its target.

He whirled around in the same movement as when he pushed me to the ground, it all happened in a fast and fluent motion, my body, slamming to the ground again just as he stood to his feet over me. I cried out as I felt, my eyes squeezing shut, a groan emitting from my mouth as my back hit the floor. 

My eyes flew open after my collision, and somehow Harry was already towering over me, his eyes had returned to emerald, but they were still narrowed in anger, “What are you doing?!” He growled out, his voice punctuating each word slowly, but spitting them out angrily.

“You were going to kill him!” I exclaimed, climbing back to my feet. 

He watched me with narrowed eyes, his lips tightly pursed, “Do you think I care?” He spat back. 

“He doesn’t deserve to die!” I told him outraged, waving my arms. 

“He needs to know his place. And if he wants to be an example for others, then so be it.” He roared, starting to turn from me.

I jumped at his screaming, but took a deep breath, grabbing his arm before he could return to beating Blake to death, yanking him so that he would face me. 

“Please... don’t kill him Harry!” I begged, looking him straight in the eyes with my own wide ones, “Please! You’re scaring me!” I pleaded, tugging on his hand anxiously.

Maybe I imagined it, the look in his eyes, but I could have sworn that his hard gem eyes softened, and for a moment, his eyes were ones of kindness, understanding, but then, it was gone as quickly as it had come, and I didn’t know for sure If I had really seen it or not, if it had merely been a trick of the light, a glimmer of hope that I had scrounged up. 

I could never be sure though, because whatever was or wasn’t there was gone with the sound of a phone ringing. 

He sighed, and pulled his black phone from his tight pocket, and I took a moment to wonder how he squeezed the device into his already tight pockets.

“What?” He seethed into the phone before sighing again and rubbing his temples with his thumb and forefinger, “Yeah, I’ll be right there.”

He hung up and slung the phone back into his pocket, turning to me, “We’re going.”

“I-I can’t go!” I told him with wide eyes, “This is my job! I can’t just leave! I’ll get fired!” 

“Good,” He shrugged, grabbing my forearm, “It’s too dangerous for you to work anyways.” 

“B-but... “I stuttered, weakly trying to twist my arm from his hand as he began dragging me out of the store, “I need this job!” I cried out. 

I didn't miss the fact that his hands gripped my waist tightly, forcing me to look towards the door and not back at Blake, almost as if he were trying to spare me the trauma of seeing the bloody body.

“Don’t worry about money Grace.” He growled, pushing me out the door, “I’ll handle that.” 

“B-but-“

“There’s no butts about it.” He told me, dragging me out to his car. 

I glanced back at the gas station behind us, knowing there was a man in there, which was lying half dead on the ground, and hoping someone would find him. 

“W-what about Blake?” I asked as he nearly pushed me into the car. 

“I’ll have someone take care of it.” He told me flatly, clearly ending the conversation as he got into the driver’s seat.

He didn’t even spare me a glance as he drove away, giving me the cold shoulder, I knew he was mad at me, and I knew he was furious with Blake, and I didn’t know exactly what would happen to him, though I hoped he would be okay, despite everything. 

There was something that kept nagging at me though, something I couldn’t ignore. Just the look in his eyes that he got when I begged him, he seemed so vulnerable in that moment, and I couldn’t help but feel as if it truly was real and not something I thought I had just seen. 

And in the back of my mind, I just couldn’t help but think, maybe, just maybe, there is more to Harry Styles than I thought.