Vulnerable (Book One) Complete!

chapter seventeen

Harry

     It'd been a miserable week without Jensen. I had to fight every urge I had to go into the bar. She needed time to think, to think about what being in my life meant for her. I didn't blame her, but I couldn't help but miss her.

     The news about her being my new fling had seemed to die down once we weren't spotted together again. Some of the fans had bashed her and I wondered how she was dealing with it. I didn't care what they said, the negative things anyways. It was my life after all and I wanted her in it.

     "You ever going to leave this apartment mate?" Mitch walked into my room, leaning against the door frame. I sighed, rolling over in bed so I was staring at the ceiling.

"I have left the apartment. We've had a bunch of interviews and what not this week to promote the album. Did you forget about that?" I didn't look at him as I said the words. I knew he meant going out for non-work related events.

"Just go see her. Everything has died down. What's the harm in it?" I'd thought about it. I'd written out thousands of texts and deleted them all. I'd driven to the bar countless times just to sit in the parking lot, trying to muster up the courage to walk in.

"She said she needed time, needed space. And I don't blame her. All this fame gets in the way of every relationship. I just want something real and I know she's it." I sat up, leaning against the headboard. Mitch walked in the room, sitting on the edge of the bed. He had his elbows on his knees, looking at the floor before speaking.

"Then the fame shouldn't matter. If you really like this girl then to hell with anything that stands in your way. Find a way to make it work." Mitch's eyes were serious, his words burning into my skin. I wanted to be in Jensen's life.

"I don't think she wants me around." I was fighting him, playing the devils advocate because I knew she wanted distance. Not because she didn't like me, but to keep her family safe. I could understand that.

"I see the way she looks at you mate. That night at the bar, she couldn't take her eyes off you. You have to at least try." Mitch shook his head at me before walking out of the room.

He was right. I knew he was right. If anything, I had to try.

*********

I walked up to the bar, hands shoved in my pockets. I'd spent the whole day trying to figure out what I was going to say. I went in with five minutes to close, as the bar had been packed since the announcement and I needed all of Jensen's attention. I gulped, walking through the door.

The bar was empty but trashed. There were spilled drinks on tables and wrappers all over the floor. The bar itself was full of half empty bottles and smashed cans. Jensen's dad lifted his head above the counter, his eyes narrowed until he realized it was me. He shook his head, placing his hand on the counter.

"You're not supposed to be here kid." He started clearing the bottles off the counter and I moved to help him. "She's not here, Harry."

"She always works Friday's, actually she works just about every day as far as I could tell." Jerry continued throwing bottles in the trash, emptying the ones with liquor left in them.

"I sent her home. She hasn't been able to focus lately. She'd never say so but I know she hasn't been sleeping." He wipes his hands on the towel resting on his shoulder before looking at me. "She'll never tell you this, but I know she misses having you here."

"I've missed her." I sigh, taking a seat on the stool closest to me. "I know I made a mess of things with the press finding out. I never meant for that to happen, I hope you know that. I would never knowingly put your daughters in danger." He gave me a sad smile, reaching across the bar to pat my shoulder.

"I know you didn't mean for this to happen kid but it did. It's been so busy lately that I don't think any of us here are sleeping but the money is nice so I guess I should be thanking you for that." He poured me a Jack and Coke before opening a Bud Light for himself. "I know you wouldn't hurt my kids. I also know that Jensen would never put herself in a position she hadn't thought rationally about. Not since.."

"Ryan." I said as his voice trailed off. He looked up at me, tears forming in his eyes.

"She told you about him?" I nodded. "Well hell, she must really like you then." He moved to the other side of the bar, sitting next to me as he took a swig from his bottle. "I would have killed that kid. I should have but then my daughters wouldn't be where they are right now. It wouldn't be fair to them. I guess him rotting in a jail cell for the rest of his life is punishment enough."

"I want you to know sir that I would never-" He shook his head, putting his hand up.

"Listen here bud, Jensen, she's a tough cookie to crack. I took her to self defense classes after everything and that girl has the best head on her shoulders. She gets that from her mother. I don't have to worry about Jensen anymore. Her sister is a different story but J, she's really built herself back up. You don't have to give me the "I would never hurt your daughter" speech with her because I know she'd beat the crap out of you if you did. She must have seen something in you to even give you the time of day. I'd suggest going to see her, even if it's against your managers wishes."

With that, he threw his empty bottle into the trash can with a crash and got to work cleaning up the mess. I'd stayed to help him before he kicked me out, telling me to go fix things with Jensen. I didn't waste a second after that. I drove straight to Jensen's apartment, my mind focused on only one thing and that was to take this opportunity while I could.

I raced into the parking lot, running up the stairs to the apartment and knocking frantically on the door. Reese answered, rubbing her eyes.

"Harry? What are you doing here?" She yawned, eyes brows knitting together. Just as I opened my mouth to answer, Jensen appeared. She wore large t-shirt and plaid pajama pants. Her hair was a mess on the top of her head. My eyes were instantly drawn to her pale complexion and the purple circles under her eyes. Her expression wasn't angry, just confused.

"Harry it's four in the morning and you're not supposed to be here. What's going-" I was almost running towards her, grabbing her face in my hands and crashing my lips onto hers, not letting her finish her sentence, knowing full and well what I was doing from now on. I was going to fight to be in Jensen's life, no matter what it took.

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yesssssss they finally kissed. i really am loving writing this