Zero to Eighty

You've got to be fucking kidding me! King Cockface himself was not only in my house, but making his damn self feel at home. He sipped on a juice box, snacked on Calamari, and made small talk with my sister. He turned on his charm by 300 hundred percent, breaking out his dimpled smile, and even complimented my dad's docked boat. I understand that he's good friends with the boys, who happened to date my new gal pals, but to come into my home like we're buddies made me feel throughly uncomfortable.

"You okay sis?" Ella sat down on the bench next to me as I angrily eyed Harry laugh with the other lads. I slouched with my arms crossed over my chest, and I turned my head to meet Ella's optimistic smile.

"I hate him," I groaned.

"Kenzie," Ella sighed, giving my shoulder a rub, "hate is a strong word."

"I strong dislike to the point of murder?" I suggested. Ella chuckled, shaking her head.

"What am i going to do with you?"

"Drown me in the ocean if Harry continues to be here," I replied, deep sarcasm in my tone, though I was only half joking.

I wondered what it would take for the curly-headed boy to leave. I was actually enjoying myself before Styles decided to show up. He was a dick face. I knew it, the girls knew it, and I know the boys knew it, but for right now, he hid that dick face demeanor so well, it was as if he never had it in him.

I leaned forward, grabbing onto my cup filled with some kind of concoction that Liam had made up. It was surprisingly very good, and though he tried to convince everyone that it's because he slipped in a few drops of his jizz in it, I think it was the pineapple vodka that added a nice kick-- Liam is a fruity guy, and couldn't admit it.

As I chugged onto the cool, alcoholic cocktail beneath the moon and stars, I observed Harry interact with his friends through the bonfire that was still burning. Instead of that stupid scowl on his face, Harry had this goofy grin on his face. He laughed-- loudly. And despite this bad boy image he had going on, he seemed to forget about the reputation he chose to uphold. Harry and the rest of the crew had made their way to the private beach area and were pushing each other around-- it actually looked fun.

"Well look who decided to join us!" Perrie smiled as she saw me approach the group. Her hands were laced with Zayn who was smoking with his free hand.

"Yea, well, I thought why not get a little tipsy first? Then maybe I could stand to be within a couple feet of Styles," I teased with a fake smile.

"Ouch," Harry dramatically threw his hand to his chest, as if feeling some kind of blow to his nonexistent heart.

I downed my drink, "so, more alcohol anyone? We still have lots more."

"Should you be drinking any more?" Harry raised a brow.

"Says the one who isn't," I pointed out, "I don't think I even saw you take one sip of anything other than boxed juice. Scared to end up like your mother, Styles?"

Oops.

Maybe I shouldn't have said that, but at the same time I was glad I did. Harry said harsher things to me in the last 24-hours and it was only fair that I got onto the same level. He easily pushed buttons and I wasn't going to stand around to take the abuse. No one stood up to Harry, and unfortunately for him, I had the balls to do it.

"Oh, she went there," Liam quietly said to himself, looking to Danielle who looked back at him with a surprised expression.

The others were silent, watching and waiting for Harry's reaction. He just stood there for a moment with his arms across his chest. He let out a chuckle, then walked towards me. He stepped right up to my feet, towering over me, and staring at me with a glare that I couldn't read.

"Not that it's any of your business," Harry started, his hot breath fanning my face, "but no, I don't want to end up like her. Drink if you want, I'm not judging. But you don't have to do it to look cool."

Speechless.

I honestly didn't know what to say after that. I was fucking surprised. He had an answer that not only made sense, but had some depth to it. Maybe King Cockface wasn't a total derp.

"I'm going home," Harry declared, though his eyes were still on me. He finally stepped back and glanced around at everyone else, "I have work in the morning. But have a good rest of the night."

"Bye mate," Niall said, patting him on the back. Harry waved, walking backwards in the direction of the small gate. Everyone bid him goodbye as he unlatched the gate.

"Goodbye Mister Suarez," Harry called out to my dad who was cleaning off the grill with a beer in his hand.

"See you around Harry. Please come by anytime," my dad was fucking serious. He had a genuine smile on his face, and I already knew that my dad was entranced by Harry's charm. I was at least smart enough to keep my guard up.

"For sure! As long as your youngest daughter lets me," Harry laughed. I rolled my eyes.

"Don't worry about Kenzie," Dad stated. My jaw dropped and I swore my insides were about to plummet out of my butt hole.

Don't worry about Kenzie? Really dad? Really?! Harry's charm was more potent that I thought because he had both my dad and Ella to fall for his quirks. My dad fell harder, and I knew that Regan was face palming himself from wherever he was-- car heaven, I liked to think.

I could crawl underneath Kenzie's skin and it bugged the shit out of her. That's what I wanted though-- to annoy her. An annoyed and angered Kenzie would result in the possibility of her leaving Marlow Point, or maybe out of The Warehouse. It was a very immature move on my I part and I knew that I should've grown an extra pair and let it go-- like fucking Frozen.

I unlocked my car doors and slipped into the driver's seat. I stuck the keys into the ignition and as I did my eyes glanced over to my side view mirror. Out of his superior, expensive suit was Connor Kensington. He was standing a few yards away with a phone pressed against his ear and a stressed expression on his face. I don't know what came over me. I had this weird gut feeling-- actually, I always had this uneasiness when it came to Connor.

Quietly, I exited my car and crouched down to the ground. Stealthily, I inched closer and closer to the man that would soon be part of the Suarez family. I sat on the sidewalk with my back against someone's expensive Lexus and eavesdropped.

"Yes, I fucking told you. I took care of the money you sent," Connor hissed. He threw his hand to his face and rubbed it with frustration, "and I don't fucking know. I've looked and I can't find it. It's probably lost. It's been 3 years since Regan was murdered…"

Murdered?!

I fucking knew Regan's accident was no accident. He was too good of a racer to make a tiny mistake like he had the night of the big race. I always had the gut feeling that Connor had something to do with it and this conversation proved it. But running to the authorities on mere word without proof was going to be hard-- especially because it's Connor. He had the entire city of Marlow Point wrapped around his finger and trying to bring him down as some kind of shady son of a bitch was going to be ridiculously difficult.

As I sat there soaking it all in, trying to figure out how to pin Connor, I was too much into my thoughts to realize that I wasn't paying any attention to my surroundings. I looked up to find Connor towering before me with a raised brow and a nasty smirk. I quickly stood up from the ground and met him eye to eye.

"I always knew you were a snake," I stated cooly.

"I'm a banker. People trust me with their money. I couldn't possibly be a snake," Connor denied.

"I'm gonna fucking prove it Connor," I stepped closer to him, "there's something off about you and Regan's death. I know you've got something to do with it and I will find out!"

"And say you do 'find out'," he air quoted, "it'll be your word against mine."

"I know I can be a dick sometimes, but you take the win. You're playing everyone and I can't believe you're getting married… Can't believe she trusts you," I chuckled. Connor was in a league all on his own.

"Leave Ella out of this. What she won't know won't kill her… literally. I also suggest you butt out of my business. I have a lot of powerful, crazy people behind me and one wrong move Styles and I swear.." his words faded but his actions spoke for him. He took his finger and swiped it across his neck with a grin.

So he's gonna get me killed if I don't butt out? He's crazy, dangerous, and shouldn't be anywhere near the Suarez family. Kenzie pissed me off, and was always a tumor in my life since we were in our awkward years, but at the end of the day, Kenzie will always be Antoinette Mackenzie Suarez-- the happy-go-lucky girl who lost her best friend. I couldn't a prick like Connor ruin the Suarez family any more than what he'd already done by taking away Regan.

"Have a nice evening Mister Styles," Connor had a fake grin plastered on his face, turning around and walking up the Suarez home driveway.

I shivered, not because the weather was cold, but because Connor was.

Notes

Hey hey heyyyy!!

How are you girls on this fine Sunday? I'm doing quite peachy!! Chapter 14... Connor is a snake!! He's shady and Harry needs to do something about it!! Thank you all for reading my story. I hope you all are liking it so far! If you do, please vote, subscribe, and leave me feedback if you have any. Thanks again and have a wonderful rest of the day!

--Erica Jaine <33