Chapter 4

Pierce

I fall into my chair again, huffing in annoyance at work getting in the way. It's Harlow's first day here and I feel like I should be spending more time with her. But then another part of me thinks it's probably better that she has some time to herself to familiarize herself with the house without me interfering. 

I pull up the camera for the theater room on the extra monitor I use specifically to keep an eye on her. I see her laying on the couch wrapped up in one of the blankets. I know how much she likes comforting things like big blankets, soft pillows and oversized hoodies so I made sure to have plenty of them throughout the house. 

I'm glad to see her using the couch. Getting something like that to fit down the narrow hallway of a hundred year old house was a pain in the ass. I tipped the delivery guys a fortune after everything they went through, but seeing her enjoy it now is worth it. 

I watch as she flips through the options on the screen until she throws down the remote and drops her head into her hands. Her shoulders start to shake and I can tell that she's crying. A sharp pain crosses through me at the sight and I sigh heavily, rethinking everything I've done up to this point. 

I wish she could just see into my mind. See that I want nothing more than for her to be safe and happy. She deserves more than what this life has given her so far. She deserves to be the center of someone's world. For them to worship the ground she walks on. I know it will take time, but I'm determined for her to see that that person is me. 

After awhile, she wipes off her face and sighs a little, picking up the remote and turning on what I'm pretty sure is her favorite show. She burrows down into the blankets and pillows, pulling the soft fabric up close to her face and curling on her side as she watches the show. Now that she seems a little more settled, I pull up my work on my other screen and start in on the project I need to finish before my deadline. 

I work for a few hours, stealing glances at her every few minutes. She gets up once to use the bathroom and make herself a snack before settling back down again. Before long her eyes start to droop. I watch with a stupid grin as she falls asleep. I've always thought it's the cutest thing, how she fights sleep so hard before eventually succumbing. 

I work for another couple of hours and she's still blissfully asleep. Once I finish with what I need to get done and make a few phone calls I wander towards her, walking quietly down the stairs so I don't wake her up. She must sense me coming, because her eyes pop open and she sits up quickly, watching me carefully. 

"It's alright. I was just checking on you." I say gently, stopping before I get too close. I want to curl under the blankets with her. Hold her against me as she falls asleep in my arms, but I know right now getting her to trust me is more important. For her to see that I won't do anything against her will. 

"I want to go outside." she says, as if she was just waiting to tell me. A shot of dread shoots through me that she wants to run away, but I tamper down my panic to discuss this with her. 

"Why?" I ask. 

"Fresh air. Sunlight. Nature." she says simply. 

"You hate nature." I point out, but she just narrows her eyes at me. 

"I can't stay locked up in this house, Pierce. I'll go insane." she says firmly. Part of me wonders if she's just testing my boundaries. Seeing if she can figure out how to leave me. But the more logical part of me knows there is no way she'd stay in this house without even being able to walk through the garden. 

"Okay." I say. Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise and she scooches to the edge of the couch and stands before walking towards me. It's the first time she's moved to close space between us and it warms me up inside. 

"Really?" she asks. 

"Sure. Let's go outside." I say, turning towards the stairs and walking up them. 

"You don't have to go with me." she says quickly, but I just chuckle. 

"How else would you find all of the special secrets the garden holds?" I joke. 

I hear her huff slightly behind me and continue towards the front door. I put my thumb against it and the fingerprint scanner blinks green before the door swings open. She rushes past me outside, practically jumping down the stairs that go to the ground. When she gets there she looks around and stops, turning in a slow circle as she looks on with shock. 

"Holy shit." she murmurs as she eyes the intricately designed eight foot tall wrought iron fence with spikes at the top. She turns to look at me, her eyes narrowing in anger. 

"Really? You built this giant ass fence to keep me trapped here?" she asks, but I shake my head putting my hands in my pants and starting down the well worn dirt path that leads around the edge of the property. 

"No. My grandfather had that built when my dad was a kid. He had issues with young people breaking in and vandalizing it when it was empty. It was even used as a crack house for a few months I guess. No one has lived in it full time since my great great grandparents died until I moved in a few years ago." I say, continuing at an idle pace down the path. She follows behind me and I can nearly feel the agitation wafting off of her in waves. 

"Pierce..." she says quietly. I enjoy the way she says my name and I stop to turn and look at her.

"Yes, sweetheart?" I ask, waiting for her to catch up to me. 

"I need to understand why this is happening. Why me?" she asks. I scoff at her, shaking my head. 

"If only you could see yourself through my eyes." I say quietly. She goes still and looks at me for a long moment like if she waits long enough I'll physically be able to take a piece of my skull off my head and she'll be able to see into my mind. 

"You want me to start from the beginning?" I ask and she nods. We start our slow walk again and I take a deep breath of the warm afternoon air. I can see why my Grandma Etta enjoyed it here so much. It's peaceful. Like you can pretend you're the only person left in the entire world. 

"When you walked into my hospital room, I immediately thought you were beautiful. The pain meds they gave me fucked with my mind a little and it looked like you had a halo around your head. Like you were an angel." I admit, grinning over at her. "Then my mind cleared a little. You were still stunning, don't get me wrong, but you were also incredibly sweet, kind and patient. The more time I spent talking to you, the more I grew to like you. I looked for any excuse to keep you in my room, to start any conversation I could with you. When I was discharged, I felt myself missing you. It was strange, since I am normally so good at being alone." I say, looking towards the afternoon sun as it starts to turn the sky varying hues of orange and purple. 

"What happened after that?" she asks quietly as she continues to walk next to me, her arms crossed against her chest as she looks down at her feet. 

"Well, I started going to the hospital. Just to see if you were working. I would sit in the waiting room by the nurses station and read the paper. Not often. Maybe a couple of times a week. That was when I saw a different side of you. Not just the caring nurse, but the funny, sarcastic, quick witted woman behind that sweet smile and gentle hands. It was like with your co-workers, you were the real you. I became addicted to that side of you. I would daydream what it would be like if you were like that with me. How funny and warm and kind you would be." I say, getting a little embarrassed. She sighs a little and looks over at me. 

"That's nice and all, Pierce, but why go to these lengths?" she asks, throwing her hands in the air and twirling dramatically to point out our current situation. "Why not just ask me out on a date? Let me get to know you?" she asks. I huff a little, running my hand through my hair as frustration and a twinge of guilt burrow into my gut. I feel my shoulders tense, but I try to hold back any anger from my tone. 

It would be misplaced pointed at her. 

"You're right. I know you're right, Harlow. It's just... I'm not good at these things." I say. 

"What things?" she asks. 

"These things!" I say a little louder, motioning between us. Her face pinches in clear anger and I chastise myself for my tone. 

"Your inability to talk to someone like a normal person doesn't give you the right to steal me away from my life!"