Collide (Impact Book 2) | h.s. | complete

6. Family Affair

~Tori~

"I'm really sorry about that, I'm just so paranoid." I clutched a mug between my hands and sipped slowly.

"I understand," Tanner said, leaning onto the cool tile of the kitchen island. "Are you alright, Tori. I mean, aside from the basics, are you okay?" His eyes were tired and almost sad.

"I'm okay, I just miss him."

"Maybe in a few years we can go back and the baby can know him..."

"He'll never forgive me for what I've done." I said, staring vacantly into my tea.

"He will Tori, I'm sure he's at home right now, living his life and he understands why you've done all of this."

"He thinks I've just run away, he has no idea why."

"I'm sure he knows. Are you hungry?"

"Uh, a little." I smiled and Tanner nodded.

"I'll put the steaks on, you just have a rest, you had a big day." As he went outside to the barbeque, I stirred my tea slowly, thinking about Harry.

~Harry~

"What else can I get you, you haven't left your bed all week." My mother perched on the side of my bed and looked down at me, I could see her worry and the sadness in her eyes but it didn't come close to the sadness I felt, so I brushed it off.

"You stay in bed all week and you can't even call your sister?" Gemma's voice rang from the door and my eyes landed on her, her hair now a dark auburn.

"Hey, Gem." I croaked, sitting up and sliding my phone onto the bedside table. I was waiting for a check-in from the private investigator I had hired a few weeks ago and I was eager to hear what he had found.

"How are you?" She asked, sitting beside my mom.

"I've been better," I half-heartedly laughed and she frowned.

"I'm going to go put some tea on..." My mother said, then swiftly left the room leaving Gemma and I alone.

"I'm coming with you to London tomorrow." She said, watching me carefully.

"No you aren't" I threw back the covers, shaking my head and crossing the room to my dresser. I pulled out an old sweater and a pair of dark jeans and pulled them on as she watched me.

"Alright, I'll let you go on your own bu..." She paused, taking a deep breath... "I'm worried about you, everyone is...It's not right what you're doing to yourself..."

"Stop, Gemma. Don't you understand that I did this?" I said, buttoning my jeans then letting my arms fall to my side. "I did all of this. I made her run away, I drove her away." My voice cracked and I looked down. When my eyes lifted, tears had tumbled down Gemma's cheeks. We stared at each other for a moment, and when I looked at her, I saw the little girl who stood by my side as we watched our father walk out the door. I saw the little girl who cooked countless dinners, packed my lunches and held my hand all the way to school each day when our mother could hardly get out of bed. As I watched her, my phone lit up on the nightstand and I lunged for it.

"Hello?" I stammered, sliding from the room and into the hallway.

"Mr. Styles? It's Dennis Rhodes."

"Call me Harry," I said, wandering aimlessly down the hall and into the small study. I lowered myself into the wooden chair at the desk. "Have you found anything?"

"I have men in every corner of Los Angeles, London and all over Canada looking for her. There have been no charges to her credit card, no phone calls made or received from her phone or Tanner Rowland's..."

"What does that mean?" I asked, anger boiling within me.

"It means..." He began and I heard papers rustling in the background as my heart hammered in my chest. "It means that we're going to have to work a little harder to find her. The credit cards and phone logs are usually where our search ends with these types of situations..."

"These types of situations?" I said, angry, hot tears spilling over. "How hard is it to find a missing pop star?"

"Like I said, we just have to work a little harder. But with harder work comes..."

"Whatever it takes. Money is not an object. Call me when you have something." I said before pressing end. When I turned, Gemma was in the doorway.

"I'm coming with you, there is nothing you can say to stop me."

A/N: I am SO sorry that i haven't updated in a while. Impact reached 1K reads and I bawled my eyes out! So incredible so thank you! If you're enjoying reading this please send me a PM or comment or vote. I see a handful of reads on the story but only a few comments and I love to hear what you guys think good, bad and ugly! xoxo thank you so much!