Fists and Knives (A Harry Styles Fanfiction)

Chapter 9

“I knew she was a fucking snitch from the moment she walked in this house,” Harry said, his grip around my throat.  Since my vision was fuzzy and fading in and out, it took me a moment to realize that he was talking to Louis and Arnold, both sitting in the living room with newspapers and magazines all around them.   When they saw Harry nearly choking me, both of them leapt up and shouted at Harry, but not before I kicked him straight in the groin with my foot.  His grip immediately released from my throat and he collapsed onto the ground, groaning in pain.  I was pleasantly surprised and when neither Louis or Arnold said anything to defend Harry, but both shrugged and returned to their comfortable positions on the couch. 

I rubbed my throat and looked down at Harry, still curled up on the floor.

“Grab my throat again and I’ll kick harder next time,” I warned darkly.  Harry didn’t look up at me.  I stepped over him, almost worried that he might grab my ankle and trip me, but he didn't.  I walked into the living room and looked at the papers and magazines all spread out around Arnold and Louis, each telling a different story about Harry, all negative publicity.  I dropped the magazine I had just purchased on the pile and sat down on the couch myself.

“You didn’t speak to the paparazzi, did you?” Arnold asked me, but I knew it was half-heartedly.

I shook my head. “I promise.  I haven’t even told my boyfriend who I’m working for.”

Louis was scratching his greasy-looking hair under his beanie.  For once, he looked tired and pale.  I could only imagine his and Arnold's job was ridiculously stressful.  “I’m sure it was Marcus.  Maybe he paid off that maid we hired three weeks ago to tell someone about Harry,” Louis said, exhaustion clear in his voice.

Arnold frowned.  “I thought the maid didn’t speak English.”

Louis shrugged.  “She could be pulling our legs.  I'mm pretty sure I heard her speaking perfect English to someone on her cell phone one day when she was leaving.”

“Why wouldn’t Marcus just tell the magazines himself?” I asked, glancing back over at Harry as he finally managed to sit up and glare at me.

Harry grunted and looked reluctant to tell me.  “He can’t admit that he paid me to lose and got his guys to beat me up.  It’s illegal.  He would be thrown out of the league for bribing.”

I nodded and chewed my lip as I looked back at Arnold.  His eyes were wide as he stared across the room at the wall, lost in deep thought.  “Fire the maid.  If it wasn’t Kennedy, it was the maid.  Don’t ask her anything, don’t tell her anything.  Just get rid of her.”

Louis nodded and disappeared into his room. 

I continued to watch Arnold as he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.  The numbers on my phone glowed 1AM, and I couldn’t help but think of Arnold’s wife.  How did she put up with him being gone like this in the night all the time?  I wondered if Arnold’s wife ever cheated on him while he was away.  “Harry, I think you’ll be able to go out of the house now.  There is no point in hiding anymore,” Arnold said, lazily gazing in Harry’s direction.

Harry’s face lit up as he heard the news.  Had it not been 1 in the morning, I’m sure Harry would have been out the door in a second.

“BUT-“ Arnold started, his face suddenly becoming serious. “You will tell the paps – if you decide to say anything - that you were jumped in an alley by 5 people after going out one night.  You don’t know who it was.  Someone just… cornered you, I guess.”

I frowned again. “Why don’t you just tell them it was Marcus?  Get him thrown out of the league?”

Arnold shook his head. “We can’t say that because we would be essentially admitting to accepting Marcus’ money.  We would be just as guilty Marcus and could get thrown out.” Arnold covered his face with his hands. “I wouldn’t have accepted the bribe if I knew Harry was going to get the shit beat out of him.”