Even If It Hurts -H.S. AU

H -66

"Harry, are you serious?" Glen, one of the regional executives asks as I pack up my stuff to leave.

"I'm sorry, I just- I have to go." I rush out the door behind him, leaving ten very important people stunned in the conference room.

I knew I had a bad feeling when I woke up this morning, and I was right.

Cam texted me five minutes ago saying he had to cancel on Violet because his restaurant nearly burned down. He claims she agreed to reschedule, but I know her too well for that. She's not rescheduling shit.

I pull my phone out and call my driver to bring the car around to the front. He's been on standby all day just in case, since Violet has my Nova. I jam my finger on the lobby button when I get in the elevator and it descends at a much slower rate than I feel it usually does.

Ray is waiting for me at the curb with the door open and I immediately slide in. I tell him to go to Violet's apartment and step on it.

I'm sure she's fine. I know she's also meeting Collin, so someone else is there with her even if Cam isn't, but that doesn't soothe the ache in my chest or the way my stomach is twisting itself in knots.

Why didn't she call me?

She's so god damn independent and stubborn it drives me nuts sometimes. Unfortunately, that's also part of the reason I love her so much. This woman is going to cause me to go grey by the time I'm thirty.

We pull up to her place and nothing looks out of order. I spot my Nova parked in front of the building, so I know she's here. I open the car door, about to get out, when I freeze.

"-fucking coward! Just do it!" I hear Violet yell from up the stairs and before I can even think, I'm hauling ass towards her apartment.

"Call the police!" I yell back at Ray, who hasn't even put the car in park yet.

I climb the steps and twist the knob, but it's locked. I push my shoulder against the wood a few times, putting all of my body weight into it. Finally, the wood splinters and the hinges fly off the frame, allowing me access inside.

I don't even have time to register what I'm seeing before I'm grabbing Johnny by the shoulders and ripping him off of Violet. He was so consumed in what he was doing, he didn't even glance up when I broke the door down.

I throw him back against the wall and we stare at each other for a moment.

"If it isn't the street rat to save the day." He grins, his mouth full of blood. I know immediately that it's Violet's doing and pride fills my chest.

He moves to hit me, but I dodge him and my fist connects with his face instead. I don't give him a moment to breath before I grab him and pull him down, his abdomen connecting with my knee. He grunts and stumbles away from me, spitting blood onto the floor. I hear Violet cough behind me, telling me she's alive, and I exhale a breath of relief.

I watch Johnny's eyes flash to where she is on the floor behind me, and his face falls. He thought he killed her. Not even paying attention to me acting as a barrier, he tries to get to her again. He walks right into me and I shove him back into the wall.

His dark, soulless eyes find mine as he reaches into his back pocket, pulling out a switchblade. He lunges at me and I punch his face again. His nose cracks from the impact and blood pours down to his chin immediately. I grab the collar of his shirt and hurl him to the floor. I pin him down with my knees on either side of his torso and hit him over and over again.

His hand flies back, the knife still in it, but covered in blood now. I manage to get the weapon out of his hold and throw it across the room out of his reach. I grab his shirt again and lift his upper body off the floor just to slam him back down, his head bouncing off the hardwood. I do this so many times I lose count, until I realize he's no longer moving.