Fortunes & Follies - ON HIATUS!! (sorry)

3

"Arden? Are you in here?"

Arden was woken by someone calling her name.

"Arden? Is tha-- Harry?"

"Ashton?" Arden said groggily, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She propped herself up on her elbows, surveying the room that was lit only by sunlight that shone through the cracks of the curtains covering the glass doors.

She smiled to herself, remembering the night before, and then was startled by the fact that her brother was in the room.

"Ashton get OUT!" She shouted, holding the sheets to her chest as she threw a pillow at him. "I'm naked, get out!!"

Harry stirred beside her. "Hmm? Who's naked?"

His chocolate-colored curls were a mess about his face. He opened one eye to assess the situation.

"What the fuck did you do?"

Arden rolled her eyes, her knuckles paling as they gripped the sheet.

"It's my life, Ashton! You don't get to make choices for me," Arden retorted before she realized he was talking to Harry.

She sat up straighter, eyeing the men apprehensively.

"I think it's pretty obvious what we did," Harry replied, laying down and resting his head on his hands.

"This is about me and Gemma isn't it?! I can't believe you're still stuck on that! She's a grown woman who has the power to make her own choices."

"So is Arden," Harry countered. "And you need to respect that. I promise you that, no matter how vengeful you think I was or how drunk I actually was last night, I did not rape your sister. I'd never do anything of the sort to anyone, and you know that."

"Wait," Arden said. "Vengeful? What's going on?"

Ashton glared pointedly at Harry. "Tell her, Harry. Tell her what this," Ashton said, gesturing to them in bed, "is all about." His tone was sharp and bitter.

Arden turned to Harry, a befuddled frown twisting her lovely features.

Harry sighed.

"Your brother thinks I fucked you to get back at him for sleeping with my sister a few years ago."

"I know,"Ashton corrected him.

Arden sat speechless. This wasn't the first time people had taken advantage of her because of her connections, but this wasn't something she expected from Harry Styles. Although, it did make a lot more sense to her than Harry Styles sleeping with her because he thought she was hot. That was the most devastating part.

"You know what?" Harry said, sitting up in his bed. He pointed a finger at Ashton. "Fuck you for making this about yourself. Sure, before you introduced me to her, I had thought it'd be ironic and a little funny if I slept with your sister."

"Right here," Arden reminded him, scowling to hide any pain she felt.

"I'm sorry," Harry apologized. He looked genuinely upset. "But," he said, turning back to Ashton, "look at her!"

Arden crossed her arms, hugging the Egyptian cotton sheet tightly to her body.

"Okay, maybe not right now," Harry continued. "What I'm trying to say is she's gorgeous. She is a beautiful, bold, and sexy woman. And people are going to want to sleep with her. Lots of people! People in the industry, random people on the street, sleazes in bars, your friends... You need to realize that, and trust her to make her own decisions.