Chapter 14

Two Days Later

Effie's POV

5 days.

5 days I had been here.

5 long days.

I had read through Catcher in the Rye, twice since Harry had given me the book two days ago- it was about the only thing I had keeping my sane right now.

My injuries were slightly better in the time I had taken letting them heal, through bed rest and being locked in Harry's hut all day everyday.

Harry had stopped taking me out with him- instead having guards surrounding the hut like I was a prisoner.

My check ups with Hardy had fallen through twice now and I had a feeling he had no idea Harry was keeping me guarded up in here.

Zac had visited once and he made me breakfast in the hut with supplies he had stolen from the kitchen. He sat with me for an hour kinda talking at me as I just listened- not feeling comfortable with him yet at all.

But I appreciated his efforts.

I hadn't seen much of Ross or anyone else round here and nor did I want to.
And as for Harry.

Well- he was leaving at 7am and not coming back to the hut till around 5pm from what the clock in the kitchen told me.
He had stocked the cupboards with basic foods for me to eat- not that I really used them anyway- but he  always brought back dinner for us without fail.

Not that I really ate it- but at least he did that.

He wouldn't say much- just hand me my dinner before showering and locking himself in his bedroom for the rest of the night.

Not that I was complaining- it was just something I had noticed.

He was quiet anyway- but the past two days he had become even more introverted than usual.

I knew I didn't know him well- I barley knew him at all- but it was easy enough to pick up on the slight change in him in the past few days.

But I liked being on my own.
People not bothering me.
Reading Catcher in the Rye.
Having time to myself.

Usually I just sat in the shower till it ran cold or I would snoop around Harry's book case seeing which book I was going to ask to borrow next- seen as I didn't look like I was going home anytime soon.

I had to bide my time.

As of right now I was sat on Hardy's examination chair for the first time in two days- as he checked up on my injuries and the stitches from my several wounds.

"Your heeling slowly.." Hardy says as he pushes his chair back taking his gloves off.

I pull my shirt back down covering myself again just as Harry sits on the end of the bed beside me, eating the end of what looks to be a banana.

"Have you been eating properly? Had enough to drink over the past few days?" Hardy looks down his glasses at me as I sort myself out.

I was still reasonably sore.
My ribs hurting the most.
The skin around them turning a blue black as it progressed.
Differing to my gun shot wounds that hurt only when I made sudden movements.

But Hardy didn't know about my ribs.
I was fine.
I needed to be fine.

"Y-" I go to reply as I sit up slowly- only to be cut off.

"Shes barely eaten" Harry says as he looks to me with a raised brow before back to Hardy.
"Two bites of a sandwich yesterday and a mouthful of soup this morning- that's it" He informs Hardy before taking a bite out of his banana.

What the hell?

I look to Harry with a frown- shocked by his revelation.

"Effie.." Hardy looks down his nose at me.

The fact that I had been caught was embarrassing enough- but for Harry to tell Hardy was even more embarrassing.

I didn't want their food-
Their hospitality.

I wanted to go home.

"I'm fine- Just not hungry" I shake my head as I take my time sitting up, trying to avoid the shooting pain rinsing through my ribs like wild fire.

"It doesn't matter, you won't heal quickly if you don't eat" Harry tells me just as Hardy comes back over to the table with half of what I think is a chicken sandwich, before he hands it to Harry without a word.
"Eat it" Harry offers it out to me with a stern look on his face.

I look up at him as I manage to sit myself up only showing slight discomfort, no one had probably picked up on.

I really didn't want anything of any off them.

I wanted to be alone.

I wanted to be alone and figure out some Fucking way of getting out of here without being killed.

"I don't want it" I push his hand away from me with the little energy I had left.

I didn't even understand why Harry cared.
Not like it mattered to him if I was here or not.

"I don't care what you want- eat it" He hands it to me again, pushing it further to my chest catching me off guard as I catch it in my hand.

I clench my jaw trying not to loose my temper before pushing it back to him with force making his eyes widen.

"I said- no." I state sternly before swinging my legs round to the other side of the chair climbing down trying not to show my discomfort as pain ripped through my ribs.

I suck up the pain as I head toward the door, trying to make my way out.

I could feel myself loosing control slowly and I wasn't careful I was going to loose it completely.

I didn't want to get in trouble with them- I wanted to stay low key so I could get out of here quicker- yet I had had enough.

"And where do you think your going?" I hear Harry's footsteps against the dirt floor as I nearly make the door.

"Harry leave her-" Hardy calls just as Harry grabs my wrist tugging me back with force.

"Answer me when I'm speaking to you" He snaps at me as I whimper in pain, feeling my ribs move around in ways they shouldn't.

But I wasn't hurt.
I wasn't hurt at all- only physically.

Now I was enraged- I had lost it.

"Don't touch me" I spit instantly using my other hand to rip his hand from my wrist.

He looked slightly shocked as I felt my hands ball into fists before shoving at his chest as hard as I could- knocking his back a few steps as he stood dumbfounded by my outburst.

"I am not your property. You have no right to touch me- nor tell me what to do. I will not answer to low life assholes like you- don't you ever lay a hand on me again, are we clear?" I state sternly as I try to contain the anger bubbling from inside of me.

As Harry opens his mouth to speak, the sound of what seemed to be slow clapping rang through my ears.

Clap.

I frown slightly.

Clap.

I turn my body toward the sound.

Clap.

My gaze immediately landing on the last person I wanted it to be.

Clap.

"Great control over this one then Styles, yeah?" Ross smirks laughing lightly as he stops clapping, entering the room behind me.
"Hardy" Ross nods to him as Hardy moves to leave the room, passing him by.

"Ross" Hardy nods back as he leaves, leaving me alone with Ross and Harry.

Ross turns his attention immediately back to me as his eyes rake up and down my body, filling the silence between us all I feel myself back up slightly into Harry by accident.

"Effemy right?" Ross smirks as he looks to me, eyes wild and wide as he steps up to me.

I back up against Harry, his hand moving to my hip to stop me as I now feel trapped between the two bodies.

"Feeling better sweetheart?" Ross pushes his hand up to my cheek, caressing me ever so softly- the sensation making me want to throw up.

I quickly smack his hand away without a second thought.

"Feisty as ever I see.." he laughs as he grab my wrist his other hand, catching me off guard as he raises a brow at me almost testingly.

I try to free my wrist from his grasp but he only tightens around me further, like a snake around its pray as I struggle against him.

"Ross-" Harry warns sternly.

I watch as his gaze moves from Harry to myself skeptically before he speaks.

"Was getting an axe thrown at your head not enough to put you in your place quick enough sweetheart?" He remarks as he steps up to me grabbing my chin in between his fingers.
"Or do we need to try again?" He spits sourly.

"It's f-" I hear Harry try to step in but I cut him off.

"Go for it" I spit as I slip my wrist from his grasp moving back into Harry as he drops my chin with a smirk.

"Ooooo!" He calls, shaking his head at Harry as he runs his chin.
"I like this one.." he shakes his finger in as he laughs uneasily with his stare buried deep into me.
"You got balls Bambi, I give you that" he laughs.

"Come on-" Harry tugs on my arms trying to pull me behind him for some reason.

"Styles leave her" Ross warns as Harry stops pulling on my arm, but still keeping a grip on me.
"She wants to play" He smirks stepping up to me again.

He was intimidating- I would give him that.
But he was intimidating enough to make me not want to stand up for the little bit of dignity I had left.

"She doesn't" Harry says sternly.

"She can speak for herself-" Ross cuts in quickly.

I didn't understand why Harry was so against Ross coming near me- but with every step Ross took, Harry would pull me back a step too.

"She sure had a lot to say to you right?" Ross goes on, pushing me more and more to the edge.

I was loosing my patience as he belittled me to my face.

I could feel my angry seeping through as I bit down on my lip, trying to keep calm.

"What's wrong sweetheart?" He laughs as I say nothing.

My eyes pierce back into his dark ones as threateningly steps up to me.

It was like he knew I was gonna bite as his devious smile twisted.

"Cat got your tongue?" He reaches up, fucking a strand of hair behind my ear- sending red rage through my body.

Before I could control myself I felt my fist collide with his cheek quicker than I could process.

His head snapping to the side as the force strikes him harder than I could of imagined.

My mouth falls agape as I realised what I had done.

Rage seeping into his expression instantly as I watch his tongue press against the inside of his mouth as his shakes his head.

"Effie-" Harry quickly pulls me back as Ross turns to me raising his hand.

"Bitch!" He yells as I catch his fist in my hand, finding my last bit of strength that I didn't even know I had.

I didn't know what had come over me but I was not standing for this shit- not off him- not off anyone.

Did he even know who the fuck I was?

"Never-" I look him dead in the eye.
"Raise your hand to a woman" I dig my nail into his skin causing him to wince at the discomfort.
"Ever" I spit through gritted teeth as I twist his arm causing him to cry out.

"You fuckin-" he launches for me as he spins out of my grip.

"Ross!" Harry pushes me behind him all too quickly as he presses Ross up against the wall with all his force.
"I can deal with it- just go!" He yells at him as Ross pushes him off him, his eyes not leaving my own as I compose myself.

He pulls a face, brushing himself off as he paces for a second, looking me up and down.

Like a predator would with their pray.

But I wasn't going to let him intimidate me.
My brothers would be embarrassed of me if I let him do that.

"Keep that bitch on a tight leash Styles-" Ross shakes his head as he starts to move backwards.
"And you-" he points to me as Harry steps in front of me, shielding me almost.

I watch as he steps up to Harry- Harry's hand pressing to his chest as he stops Ross.

Ross' jaw tightens as he looks over Harry's shoulder to me.

The same demonic smirk written all over his face.

"I can find a better use for that mouth if your not careful- the lads would have a fucking field day with you sweetheart" He whispers with spite to his tongue, his words meaning to strike like venom- yet I already was the venomous snake itself.

He just didn't know it yet.

I step up to him, Harry now sandwiched between the two of us as I get on my tip toes.

"Is that a promise?" I whisper back, letting my lips brush over Harry's shoulder before pulling up- Ross' eyes moving to my lips as they drag against Harry's skin teasingly.

The frustration takes over Ross' expression as he pushes against Harry again to get to me for mocking him.

"Just go!" Harry knocks me back causing me to fall to the floor as I look up at Ross fighting against Harry.

The victorious smile taking over my lips as Ross looks over at me after being shoved one last time by Harry.

I hold my middle finger up to him mockingly sending his rage further.

"A leash Styles!" He pushes Harry hard a final time in a last ditch attempt to get to me.
"I fucking tell you!" He warns before storming out the hut.

I roll my eyes as I move to stand up slowly, trying not move my torso so much.

"What the hell are you doing?" Harry grabs my arm pulling me up harshly causing me to whimper in pain as I feel my ribs crunch.

"Get your hands off me!" I snap pushing him off me as the pain knocks me sick.

I grab onto the edge of the counter trying to compose myself as the nausea fades in and out of my body.

"You have no idea what you have just done!" He yells at me as I screw my eyes shut trying to push away this uncomfortable feeling.

Having Harry yell at me was the last thing I needed- the only time he ever spoke to me was to ask me about a book or yelling at me, and I was getting pissed off with it.

He may be the boss of everyone else round here- but not me.

I don't belong here.

"You just rang a dinner bell over your head for Ross and all his asshole mates-"

"Don't pretend like you give a shit Harry- I can handle myself" I snap as I go to move past him.

"You know-" he grabs my wrist pulling me back.

His frame towers over mine in an instant and quickly feel intimidated by him.

The anger in his expression mixed with something else that I couldn't quiet out my finger on.

He didn't show much expression or emotion half the time so no wonder I couldn't read anything else but anger from him.

"To say I saved your life- Twice May I add- you don't seem to fucking care about living it" He snaps at me as I go to walk out the hut.

I stop dead in my tracks.

"You think you saved my life?" I turn to him calmly, feeling my rage only spark on the inside as I clench my fists fighting it on the outside.

He says nothing.

His expression the same.

The both of us just staring at each other seething with anger.

"Are you delusional?" I laugh in disbelief as I shake my head.

"You think this is a life worth living?" I ask rhetorically. 
"Here-" I open my arms up gesturing to the prison surrounding me.

He says nothing- his glare hard and cold.

"With people who treat me like an object- like a piece of shit? You think I'm happy here? Being treated like a prisoner? My freedom taken away from me within these four walls- having no one, as I sit here trying to 'get better'?" I snap stepping up to him as he stares back at me emotionlessly.

He says nothing.

"For who?" I laugh as my hands slap down against my sides in defeat.

He says nothing.

"Who am I doing this for?" I look up shaking my head as I feel my emotions begin to scrape my exterior.

"You think I want this?" I laugh feeling a glaze move across my eyes.

Angry tears.

Tears of frustration.

"I would of been happier if you left me in the city- because this feeling I have right now- here-" I look around, as his gaze never leaves my own.

He says nothing as I pause.

We say nothing.

I hold my own as his expression stays statue like.

"Feels like I'm already dead" I spit harshly as I push away the tears, not letting a single droplet fall.

I would not cry.

That's not who I am.

He still says nothing- yet this time, the expression in his gaze changed.

Softened- yet still cold.

Something I hadn't seen in him before.

"So go ahead- pin a target to my back or ring a bell above my head-" I laugh gesturing above my head.

He still says nothing.

I laugh in disbelief shaking my head at how pathetic I must seem to him.

He didn't care.

Nobody here did.

"Because you'd only be shooting at a shell of person anyway"