I let out a loud shriek and cover my mouth with my right hand. I back up slowly and look around for a phone to call the police.
"Ah ah ah! I wouldn't do that if I were you." The man says.

Frightened, I backed up to a wall and shut my eyes, hoping that when I opened them the whole situation would disappear. But alas, I was deathly wrong.
"Let me introduce myself," he started. "my name is Dennis. Dennis Cayden. A few nights ago, your boyfriend and I had a little... incident the bar. Or should I said, his fist became very friendly with my left jaw."
And just then, it all clicked:
When Louis had earlier told me about the fight Harry had at the bar, he must have been talking about Dennis. I could see a large bruise on the side of Dennis' face, exactly were he indicated Harry's fist had connected.
"W-what do you want?" I asked, surprised that my voice hadn't gone out.

"Ah, common question when a guy stands over your unconscious boyfriend, eh? Well, he's not dead; I didn't kill him. Well, not yet at least." He taunts. I cringe at the words and my cheeks feel hot and moist; I must be crying.

"Y-you didn't answer my question."

"Right," Dennis says, a sly, sinister-like smile forming across his face. "I want your boyfriend- Harry, to know who he's been messing with, and know not to do it again. And the only way do to that is to hurt him even worse than he hurt me." Wow does he know Harry's name?

I know he could sense the panic on my face, because he steps over Harry's body and walks over to where I stand frozen. He stands over me, awfully close, with one hand on the wall behind me and one hand forcing my chin up to look at him. I retaliate by shutting my eyes, thinking of anything that will save me from this moment. My mind wanders to the first day Harry and I met, lying on the rooftop of my favourite bookstore, watching the stars, finding constellations within them, and my hands wrapped in Harry's; a small sign that he will protect me from even the tiniest of discomfort in my life. And I will do the same for him.

"Don't worry, darling, you'll be seeing a lot more of me very soon." Dennis whispers in my ear.

My eyelids fly open and I fight back, willing to give up anything in order to protect Harry.

"You won't ever touch a single curl on his head." I sneer, mustering up any strength I still had in me, because I know that Harry would do the same if our positions were reversed. Dennis smiles again and strokes my hair, a gesture that would be comforting coming from anyone except him.

He chuckles then whispers, "Wanna bet?"

And with that, the last thing I feel is the impact of my head against the hard wall and my vision turning to pure darkness, everything disintegrating before me.

________________________

"Ember! Wake up! Oh, god- please wake up." I can barely hear a voice pleading at my side.
It takes everything in me to peal my eyelids open slightly. A moan escapes my lips as I feel the sharp pain in my head, and I move a weak arm up to caress it.

"Em! Thank god. Are you alright?" The voice- Harry, I realise- says from my side.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Dennis happened. I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. I'm so reckless; I should have known." Harry pulls me into his lap and rocks me gently, kissing the top of my head and whispering small apologies into my ear.

The events from earlier soon resurface my memories, causing me to sit upright.

"Harry- Dennis was here, he threatened you and you were unconscious and-"

"I know, I know. And I'm so sorry, it was my fault. I brought this on." He says.

"He won't hurt you- I want let him." I defend, even though Harry insists this is his doing.

"I'm not so sure about that; Dennis doesn't let things go. He'll get his revenge even if he has to slaughter the entire city to do it."

Harry could feel me tense at the words, because his face softened further.

"I will not let anyone hurt you, Ember. Ever. I will go to the ends of this earth to protect you. Always." He says.

I shutter.

"It's not me I'm worried about."

Notes

Sorry for the short chapter! I might update later tonight, but I make no promises!
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