The Assistant

Nora’s insides turned to stone. Every fear she ever had over this stupid mistake of a relationship was being realized in the blink of an eye. They were caught. They were caught and her world was crashing down on top of her.

“Liam,” Harry breathed, holding Nora tightly to his chest as she cowered against him.

“Harry, what are you doing?” Liam asked him sharply.

Seconds later, Louis came skating into the room, nearly crashing into Liam.

“Holy. Shit,” Louis said, looking absolutely stunned.

“Jesus Christ, Harry. Really?” Liam asked incredulously.

“Oh my god, this is classic,” Louis said, turning to walk out the door.

“Louis, no…” Harry started to say, trying to keep his mate in the room, but it was too late. He was off.

Nora whimpered against Harry’s shoulder blade, entirely mortified that not only did Liam catch them, but so did Louis.

“Preston’s coming,” Louis said, quickly peaking his head back in the door before disappearing again.

“Fuck,” Harry said, finally pulling out of Nora as he lifted her onto the couch beside him.

He zipped himself up quickly and Nora tried her best to duck away from him, smoothing out her own clothing.

“Where are my underwear?” She hissed at Harry in her lowest tone.

He shook his head, as if warning her as he sat up trying to act casual, just in time for Preston to step into the doorway of the dressing room. Nora couldn’t bear to look up at him. Preston paused, looking around at all of them and it was eerily silent. No one was speaking.

“What is going on in here?” His voice was sharp and authoritative. No one spoke. No one.

“Harry,” he snapped. But Harry didn’t reply.

Nora looked up briefly out from behind her lashes at what was unfolding. She could tell right away, just by the look on his face that Preston immediately registered that something was going on.

“What is going on in here?” Preston’s voice boomed as he stared down at the two of them on the couch. Nora felt his eyes staring at her and it made her want to throw up.

“Nothing—” Harry stammered.

“Somebody better tell me,” he demanded. Once again, no one spoke.

“Oi,” they heard someone from the hallway and Preston looked out the doorway.

“Is Harry in there with Nora?” They heard Paul ask. Shit, really? How did he know?

“Yes, he is,” Preston said sternly.

“I just overheard Louis spewing to all his mates that he just caught Harry and Nora together in the dressing room,” Paul said as he made his way into the room.

“Fucking hell,” Harry said under his breath, knowing they were in for it now.

Paul’s angry eyes found Harry and Nora immediately as they sat so guiltily on the couch. Nora couldn’t bear to look up. She couldn’t face the angry monster of a man as he condemned them with one look.

“WHAT. WERE. YOU. THINKING?” Paul growled slowly at Harry with so much hostility in his voice.

“God damn it,” Harry scoffed miserably under his breath and out of the corner of her eye Nora noticed that he too was avoiding looking directly at Paul.

“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?” Paul yelled more quickly this time.

“We fell in love, okay!” Harry shouted, shutting his bodyguard up at once.

Everything within Nora clammed up. What. The. Fuck. Did. He. Just. Say?

“We’re in love. And if you care about me at all, you’ll let this go,” Harry said, reaching over and intertwining his fingers with Nora’s.

Paul and Preston stood staring at them, mouths agape. Their shocked expressions showed everything Nora was feeling inside, but she did as best she could to keep it off her face. Even Liam stared at them in disbelief.

“No stupid clause is going to keep me from her, okay. I’m almost twenty years old. Do what you want to me, but don’t take it out on her. I made it nearly impossible for her to say no to me,” Harry said, standing up, tugging Nora to her feet with him.

Nora cowered at his side, her free hand tightly holding onto their intertwined hands. She felt light-headed, like she might pass out. It was all just too much.

“Nora,” she heard Preston say in a soothing voice. She immediately looked up to find his soft eyes.

“I think we need to have a conversation with Harry. Alone,” he said, sounding nicer than he should have after what he just found out.

Nora nodded at him, completely compliant to his request. Harry’s grip tightened on her hand when she tried to leave his side and she stopped as he pulled her back to him.

“It’s okay,” he breathed, bringing his hands up to the sides of her face, looking into her frightened eyes.

“It’s okay,” he whispered again, leaning down to kiss her lips softly. She nodded at him as he let her go. Dear god, he was a wonderful actor.

Nora made her way out of the dressing room as quickly as she could, her vision at her feet as she fled to the large gathering room, where none other than her parents were waiting for her. Her face blushed rapidly realizing she still wasn’t wearing her panties.

After Nora was excused from the room, Harry watched as Paul did a few angry paces, back and forth, in the small space. Preston’s expression was unreadable as he stood there staring at the floor. And Liam stood there looking annoyed.

“The contract was for your own good, Harry. There are things like confidentially clauses and other clauses for your benefit. Why must you always step over the line?” Paul asked, his heated gaze burning a hole right through Harry.

Rebellious by nature. Couldn’t be helped. Harry didn’t dare say the words. Paul wouldn’t find the humor in it.

“After last time – after the girl who threatened to take you down with her, Harry, you’d think you’d have learned your lesson,” Paul said, shaking his head in disbelief.

He was talking about one of the opening act’s dancers that Harry slept with from the last tour – a girl that had to be sent home because she caused a scene when he broke things off with her. She threatened to go to the media about their little affair. He had no idea to what lengths management and the lawyers went to shut her up, but it worked. She was never heard from again. Not by them at least.

“I suppose I didn’t,” Harry said bitterly, hating thoroughly being talked down to like he was a child.

“No, I suppose you didn’t,” Paul said, his words so sharp, they nearly sliced into Harry.

“What the hell do you want from me? Aren’t we supposed to go for what we want – to never hold back? Well, I fucking wanted her, okay. It’s that simple,” Harry growled at him.

“Harry,” Preston snapped because of his tone.

“You have a serious problem, Harry. Your mother did not raise you to be like this – like a deviant going after girl after girl,” Paul said, shaking his head at Harry.

“A deviant?” Harry chuckled darkly.

“Yes, a deviant! This is no way for you to act!” He yelled louder than he ever did before.

“I was raised just fine! You need to lighten up!” Harry snapped, feeling the anger swelling up inside of him.

“Lighten up? You better watch it, boy,” Paul scolded him.

Harry scoffed, feeling himself surrendering the fight almost immediately. It was no use arguing with him over this. There were more important things at stake – like Nora’s job.

“Don’t fire her because of me,” Harry’s voice came out at half the volume it did before. Paul and Preston both looked taken aback by his words.

“She doesn’t deserve to go down because of me,” Harry continued, unable to really process whether or not he truly meant what he was saying or if he was just saying what he needed them to hear in order for them not to let her go.

“She went against her contract,” Paul scowled.

“We’ll talk about it,” Preston told Harry, being more of the voice of reason.

“She shouldn’t get fired,” Liam chimed in, and Harry felt almost grateful that he was still standing there.

“It’s obvious he loves her. It doesn’t seem like the same situation as before,” Preston said to Paul.

Harry tried hard to not let his surprise show on his face. ‘It’s obvious he loves her’? Did his acting improve?

Paul huffed loudly, resigning from his angered stance. Harry knew Preston would get him on board. He had a persuasive nature. Harry and Nora were in the clear, he was sure of it.

“We’ll talk about it,” Paul said finally. But Harry knew in the end that Nora would stay. It was a done deal.

There was so much fear within Nora as she watched Harry come back into the large backstage band area, his head hung, his lips pursed tightly. She almost felt like she couldn’t look up at him, like if she did, she would be chastised for it.

Her parents sat next to her on the couch chatting contently with the rest of the guys. Nora was waiting for this day all tour – for her parents to meet them, but now she couldn’t enjoy it. Harry walked straight toward her, his eyes fiery, and didn’t stop until he swooped up her hand and started leading her out of the room.

“Harry, my parents…” Nora hissed at him as he pulled her out of the room, but he didn’t stop.

Nora could feel all their eyes on them – mouths dropped open at Harry’s public display. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to run away, screaming and crying. She wanted to curl up in a hole somewhere and die – never to be seen again.

They didn’t say anything to one another. Harry just tugged her along, down the corridor and out of the venue completely. He was leading her out to the bus. That much she was sure of. Nora stopped, pulling her hand out of his grasp violently and he turned to stare at her, knit brows and everything.

“What the fuck was that?” She shot at him.

“What?” He scoffed, scrunching up his face in disbelief at her outburst.

“We’re in love?” She choked out, almost unable to say it aloud.

“What the hell do you want from me? I told you I would do everything in my power to keep you from losing your job. And after that, it was literally the only way I could think to do it,” he argued.

“We’re in love?” She said again, the disgust for the situation heavy in her tone. She was completely unable to process the last half hour at all. Between getting caught and her parents showing up, it was a nightmare.

“Get used to it,” he smirked and bobbed his eyebrows.

“Oh my god,” Nora grumbled. Yet, a part of her was relieved to see a smile on his face rather than the grim look he held before.

“You better get used to the PDA, baby,” he said, grinning at her.

“Gross,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes at him, feeling her insides finally start to thaw at his playfulness.

“Come here,” he chuckled, wrapping his arms around her.

“Harry!” Nora shrieked as he comically tried to kiss her.

She wormed her arms between them and gave a strong push, sending him stumbling backwards, away from her.

“Aw, come on. That’s no way to treat the man you love,” he chuckled.

“I don’t love you. I loathe you,” she spat at him.

“It’s alright. You’ll learn,” he said with a smirk. She scowled at him, almost hating him more than she ever had.

“Oh. By the way…” Harry said, reaching in the front of his pants pocket.

“Here,” he smirked at her and dangled her black lace panties from his fingertip.

Nora’s eyes narrowed into slits as she ripped them out of his hand. He just chuckled, cocking his eyebrow playfully.

Now she hated him more than she ever had.

Notes