In the Open | Harry Styles | Sequel to Undercover

12.

Harry

"Mr. Styles!" Mr. Goldman said as he walked quickly through his office door to greet Harry. "Great to have you here at Goldman. What can we do for you?"

"I was wondering if we might have a little chat?" Harry asked, gesturing with his hand towards the doorway Mr. Goldman had just emerged from.

"But of course. After you." He said stepping to the side to allow Harry to gain entrance.

He shut the door behind them and Harry took a moment to sit and gather his thoughts. He had to be smart about this, tactful and level-headed.

"I wanted to talk to you about our agreement."

"Yes, I hire the girl, you come over to Goldman when your contract runs out in a few months, fairly straightforward."

"Well, Mr. Goldman, you see I had hoped so. There were however, a few other contingencies that were agreed upon." Harry spoke slowly, his words rolling off his tongue in a manner that made it apparent they were well calculated.

Mr. Goldman shifted uncomfortably in his seat and his face reddened as he let out a cough.

"Yes sir, I'm aware." His voice was quiet now, Harry's word seeming to have had the impact he had intended.

"What were they Mr. Goldman?" He asked, wanting the man to have to admit that he had broke their agreement. He need the admission for his plan to work.

"That no one was to know of the agreement beforehand."

"And?" Harry pressed.

"And that the girl would be treated as any other employee, no one was to know that she was in any way a part of the deal." He sighed, obviously realizing where this was headed.

"Mr. Goldman, have upheld your end of that bargain? I encourage you to think before you answer that, I have eyes everywhere." His tone was sharper than he intended but his irritation with the man in front of him was bubbling in his stomach. His hands gripped tightly at the arms of the chair he sat in as he waited for the man's reply.

"I-I-I.."

"Well, which is it?" Harry prodded, "Yes or No? It's a simple question really."

"No, sir. I guess I did not."

"And how is that Mr. Goldman, that you would go against your word when I had done as was asked of me."

"I just wanted the staff to be prepared to handle your affairs, that's all sir." The suddenly incredibly nervous man, replied.

"And how, may I ask, was El's relation to the deal of anyone's business or in any way connected to the handling of my affairs?" Harry stared at the man straight on. He knew Goldman was a proud man and wouldn't take the things Harry had in mind sitting down. He knew this would be a checker game and he had come prepared.

"I-I don't know, sir."

"You don't know." Harry repeated. "You don't know and yet you were quick to blab to half the staff that she was a part of the deal that would bring me here. Quick to put a target on her back and leave her vulnerable, making her transition here more difficult than it already was. I could go on and on and that's not even touching the story you've sold to the press." The vein in Harry's neck was prominent as he felt his face flush with anger.

"Have you ever been in love, Mr. Goldman?" Harry asked, changing subjects in an effort to calm himself.

"Yes, I have. I've been married for twenty-three years now." He answered softly, a hint of fear in his voice and Harry wondered if he was doing the brooding, intimidating thing that El told him he did often when he was uncomfortable or angry.

"Well, I love the girl I asked you to hire. I love her more than life itself and I would do anything for her. She wanted this job, she wanted it so bad that I was willing to compromise our trust in order to make sure she got it. I came to you in confidence, I asked you to be discreet, I needed that from you. That was my one big condition for me to move my contract, and you couldn't manage even that."

"Surely, we can work something out, Mr. Styles?"

"No. I gave you my terms, you broke them. There is no deal." Harry stood abruptly, shoving himself off the chair and throwing the door open before stalking down the hall at an intensely quick pace determined to get out of here with as few people as possible noticing him. He knew if he caused a scene El would only resent him more.

•

Ellie

"Did you hear?"

"Do you think it's really him?"

"...heard he came in and stormed into Goldman's office pissed."

Ellie listened to the conversations swirling around her and wondered who they might be talking about. With the list of clientele that Goldman serviced it was really anyone's guess at who might be here and why he may be pissed at Goldman. 

She looked longingly at the table across from her full of other staff eating their lunch as she sighed and picked at her salad, alone at her table. 

She stabbed at the medley and raised her fork to her mouth glancing up just in time to see none other than Harry Style rushing past the glass encased break room. His face was reddened, the sleeves of his crisp white shirt unbuttoned, and shoved up to his elbows, he moved briskly, like he was on a mission, like he didn't want to be seen.

She wasn't sure how to react. Was she supposed to stand and chase after him? Attempt to find out what he was doing there? 

'Probably just trying to weasel his way back out of the mess he made' she thought to herself, biting angrily at her lunch. He certainly wasn't there to see her she deducted, obviously.

She sipped at her drink and looked back up only to find the eyes from the table in front of her now focused solely on her.

Oh. So now they were interested in being friendly to her. Fuck that. She stood quickly from her seat, tossing her trash and heading quickly in the direction Harry had gone.

AN: Is it just me or is pissed off demanding Harry kind of hot?

What do you think the repercussions of Harry and Goldman's meeting will be?

Do you think Ellie will catch up to him before he leaves?

Vote and comment!

ILY

Sav