AN: Not edited so I apologize in advance for any mistakes.  I tend to type really fast.

There was only one thing to do as I heard the slow beat of the sexual music surrounding me, surrounding us while Harry's cold, dark gaze remained on me.

I took a deep breath, refusing to look away from him as I took steady steps towards him while he kept his arms crossed over his broad chest.

He kept his green eyes on my face despite the others who stared mostly at my body, the other people around us disappearing and fading into the background while my racing heart fell in rhythm with the sound of my heels clicking against the floor as I approached him.

"You think she's gonna use the leg over shoulder technique?" I heard Cherry whisper behind me to the other girls in wonder.

"As a starter move? Of course not. She's gonna do the hip swing then grind." Maggie hissed back.

By the time I approached me he sat up with more interest, keeping his blank gaze on me and no longer slumping back.

Even though I saw no recognition in his piercing eyes, I wasn't scared as I sat on myself down on his lap, straddling his toned body and situating my hands firmly on his broad shoulders, our faces only inches away as we stared intensely at one another.

Harry made no move to touch me, no move to hold my waist as he even put his arms up against the back of the sofa, emphasizing how uninterested he was before I blinked at him one more time with a serious expression.

His challenging gaze flickered down to my lips, the only feature he could see on my face as I brought them up ever so slightly in a sad, tender smile, catching his attention before I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned forward, placing my cheek over his shoulder and hugging him.

I had surprised him, surprised everyone in the room as I felt their stunned stares on us but I didn't care.

Harry's body was tense under mine, obviously not expecting a hug as I held him tighter, my hands fisting the fabric of his expensive black suit in anxiety.

Remember me, you have to know it's me...

The first skin on skin contact made me jump a little before my body relaxed against his as I felt his large, warm hand over my bare back, at first lightly skimming my body before firmly pressing against it until his arms were fully wrapped around me, hugging me back.

There was a collection of gasps that sounded around the entire room, shocked that I was the first girl that Harry had touched since he arrived at the club as I closed my eyes, enjoying his warm embrace while he buried his face into my shoulder, breathing me in.

I swear in that moment, it was just the two of us.

He knew.

"What the hell is this? Harry wants a lap dance not a fucking hug what kind of stripper are you." The stranger who was seated besides us growled in outrage as I pressed myself further against Harry's chest, screwing my eyes shut with a frown when I heard the man stand behind me, getting closer knowing he was about to reach out to yank me away.

One of Harry's hands left my body, shooting out and immediatly grabbing the man's wrist before he could touch me, making me open my eyes at the sound of how hard he was gripping as I turned around to find the man paralyzed with fear.

Harry slowly brought his head up from my shoulder in an almost eery manner as he glared at the man with unblinking eyes.

"I want her."

The intense claim that left Harry's pierced lips made the man he had helpless under his grip absolutely speechless, shaking on his feet before he was brutally shoved away as Harry rose from the sofa, swiftly moving and carrying me bridal style as I peered up at him.

"W-what?" The man sputtered out, stumbling back a few steps as the bodyguards around us took a cautious step closer at the action.

"I said I want her." Harry repeated in a deeper, firmer voice that held all the authority as everyone gawked at us in shock.

Without waiting for a response he turned and left the crowd of stunned strippers and customers, continuing to hold me against him before he suddenly stopped, looking over his shoulder at the man who had insulted me with a calm expression.

"And she's not a stripper." Harry said with a tone of hostility, his voice so chillingly cold that I swear I saw half the people there freeze up at his tone before I turned my head to look at a shocked Candy, Maggie, and Cherry with all their jaws practically on the floor.

"I'm so fired..." Maggie trailed off while Cherry and Candy slowly nodded their heads on either side of her.

I gave them reassuring smile, promising to myself and them I would never let the get fired for taking care of me.

This time, I would take care of them.

Harry continued to walk off with me to the private bedrooms in the club, the ones with the nice smelling carpet, satin sheets, thick curtains, and mirrors above the bed.

He kicked the door down to the first one, breaking the lock as he stood in the entrance, still holding me while the couple on the bed paused their groping and grinding session to look at us.

"Hey, what's the big deal? Wait your turn!" The man snapped and I was just thankful him and the stripper on top of him were still clothed, not yet getting to the nitty gritty things.

Harry didn't respond, he just looked at them with a bored expression before taking out his silver gun and aiming it at the ceiling, holding me with one arm and firing a few shots without so much as a blink making the couple scream and scramble off the mattress, darting passed us in fear leaving the room all to ourselves.

Harry blew the smoke from the tip of the gun with a straight face, tucking it back in his holster before he shut the damaged door that looked like it was going to fall off its hinges any minute.

He brought me to the bed and plopped me down, not even looking me in the eyes and staying silent as he took his jacket off while I watched him, the tension thick between u-

I fell back against the bed when he suddenly threw his jacket at my face.

"Put that on and cover up. I can't focus enough to scold you when you're half naked in front of me on a bed." Harry muttered, sitting on one of the loveseats across the room from me as I sat myself up with a dazed expression before I brought his large jacket around me.

"Why are you mad?" I questioned with a lost expression, bringing my knees up to my chest and placing my chin on them as I frowned.

"Why are you dressed as a stripper?" He snapped, shooting up from his chair, his anger finally surfacing as his jaw locked in frustration.

"Well, I thought you were in trouble." I defended in a soft voice.

"Gesu Chrísto! You always want to stick your nose in my business, you're such a child!" He cursed, tugging at his hair in annoyance as I furrowed my brows and looked up at him.

"When will you stop calling me a child!" I raised my voice in defiance, gripping tightly onto his jacket.

"When you stop acting like one!" He countered, glaring down at me as my eyes narrowed on his handsome face, even if it was one that was filled with impatience and rage.

"Well I am not apologizing for caring about you." I said in a solid tone, meeting his gaze with my own behind my mask before I let out a small breath, lowering my head.

"I'd do anything to protect you." I muttered to myself, my voice so quiet that I knew that if we were in any crowded room he would have never heard me.

But we weren't.

We were alone in a room with just the two of us.

And he had heard me.

The sight of Harry falling to his knees in front of me shocked me for a second as he stared up at me, the look of utter affection and admiration in his green eyes freezing me on the spot as my breathing quickened.

I had never seen Harry look at anyone the way he was looking at me right now.

He slowly raised his hand, reaching out and untying the ribbon that was holding my mask to my face before it fell, his eyes solely on mine as I was revealed to him.

"Angelo assigned me to guard one of his friends for tonight- you might have noticed that man who was sitting next to me, his name's Victor Deen." Harry began, his voice unusually gentle before he slowly trailed his hand to mine, our fingers grazing.

"I had direct orders from our boss to comply with whatever my client wanted me to do tonight to get my mind off of you. As you heard, no one could attract my attention. They were boring." He shrugged, although there was something in his tone that made me think he rephrased his last sentence short notice as we brushed fingertips.

"They're not boring, they're really sweet and beautiful and they were trying their best." I defended, remembering how nicely all the strippers treated me and how they had put their all to please him.

"Are you attracted to any of them?" He interrogated, cutting me off with a wary look as my eyes widened at the concern in his voice.

I couldn't help but laugh a little, giving him a genuine smile as I reached out and cupped his chizeled face in my hands, making him blink at me with a slightly flustered look.

"No." I reassured him in a soft tone, running my thumb over his warm cheek as his mouth went slack for a moment.

Harry suddenly grabbed my hand, bringing it away from his face to place it over his chest as my mouth parted at the rapid pace of his heart beats against my palm.

"You feel that? It only does that with you neonata." He admitted in a breathless voice, tightening his hand over my own as he stared deep into my eyes with a determined and almost bashful expression.

I could feel it.

How unsteady and how fast his heart was beating.

"A naked woman could dance on me and I would feel no urge, no temptation or emotion whatsoever. But you, all you have to do is smile and this happens. It's frustrating." He bit out, his brows creased in slight irritation before he released an aggravated sigh, continuing to hold my hand to his chest as he rested his head over my lap since he was still kneeling in front of the bed that I was on.

He murmured something under his breath while I smiled down at him in a loving manner, running my fingers through his brown waves of hair before he brought his head up to stare at me.

"I said I give in." Harry said with a small, thoughtful grin, raising himself to press his forehead against mine, my hair brushing his skin while I smiled before he held my hand in his, intwining our fingers together.

"Malu! Come out wherever you are!" A familiar voice sang out in an off note key before the door to our room snapped off its hinges, crumbling and falling to the floor with a loud thud revealing a confused Spencer, his hand up in a fist mid-knock.

"I swear I barely touched it." He said when we looked at him, only for his brown eyes to widen in recognition at my face.

"Malu! I found you!" He celebrated, bringing his arms out.

"Spencer!" I called out to him in the same excited tone, raising my hands in the air as well making Harry roll his eyes and stand back to his feet.

"Malu!"

"Spencer!"

"I'm kind of mad at you right now because you never met me up!" I exclaimed, maintaining my cheery tone as he smiled.

"Well I'm kind of pissed cause I've been looking and calling you!" He shot back in the same joyful voice before we hugged it out.

His arms enveloped me and I was so happy to find someone who enjoyed hugs just as much as me.

"Great to see you're ok- and you're not wearing pants." Spencer noticed when we broke away, his large ring clad hands on the side of my arms before his wide eyed gaze travelled to my exposed legs.

Ever so slowly his face began to deepen in different shades of red.

"Your legs look so smooth.." He awe'd in a childish voice, bringing his hands to his face and admiring them as I nodded.

"I just shaved them. Look feel." I urged, mentally noting to myself that I should let Harry feel my just shaven legs as well because boy were they smooth as butter.

Before Spencer could touch my skin a large, tattooed fist advanced passed me from behind, nailing Spencer right in his jaw causing him to reel back in surprise making my eyes widen in shock.

"Sorry boss," Harry said with a low, sinister chuckle, emphasizing the last word in a bitter tone and peering over me, eyes trained on Spencer who worked his jaw as Harry cracked his knuckles with the flex of his fingers.

"There was a fly on your face." Harry shrugged, causing Spencer to rub at his bruised face in annoyance.

"You're supposed to slap it off not punch!" Spencer pointed out in outrage.

"You're completely right." Harry agreed with a straight face before raising his hand again.

"Stay still." He continued with a sadistic look in his eyes before I grabbed his wrist, stopping him and blocking his way to Spencer.

"No more please Harry. He's the one who told me you'd be here in the first place, you should cut him some slack." I protected him, watching a flicker of emotion appear over Harry's face before he returned to his normal stone expression.

"Fine." Harry grit out, pulling his hand away from my grasp as he sent Spencer one last fleeting look.

"I need to talk to Victor and get you out of here neonata. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." He instructed, nodding at Spencer who all but hid behind me before Harry walked out of the room, carelessly stepping over the broken door on the ground and exiting.

I looked behind me in surprise at the sound of Spencer's small chuckle.

"He really loves you doesn't he." Spencer sighed, straightening and placing his hands behind his head as we both stared at the entrance.

"Well, I'd like to hope so. All I know is that I love him no matter what. He may seem tough on the outside but inside he's a real softie." I spoke up for Harry, catching Spencer's attention as he gave me a sideways glance before a charming smirk appeared over his face.

"You know Angelo told me what he sent Harry to do once you left, that's how I knew where Harry would be." He explained, placing his hand over his broad shoulder and casually rolling it to relieve some tension in his muscles as I looked at him.

"Your old boss really wants to do everything he can to keep you guys apart, it's unbelievable." Spencer continued, taking on a serious expression that I had never seen on him as he ran his tongue along his lower lip in thought.

"My girl and I back then weren't supposed to be together before but we still made it work." He grinned at the memory, giving me a cheeky wink as I smiled at his playful attitude, his brown eyes gleaming at the mention of this woman.

"I'll be a good boss to you two, especially you." Spencer reassured, turning to me before he began to unbuckle his belt, causing the smile on my face to dim slightly in confusion.

Sliding his belt off in one swift motion he took his pants off, stepping out of them and leaving him in a pair of heart shaped boxers as he extended the item of clothing to me.

"Here, take it. I can protect you just as much as you protect me." He explained with a genuine, dimpled grin, offering me his pants as I blinked at him in surprise.

"What about you? I like your boxers by the way." I complimented, hesitantly taking the pants when he continued to insist on it as he scratched at his tossled, dirty blonde hair.

"Don't worry about it, lots of guys leave their clothes around here. I'll find something." He said, patting my shoulder in reassurance as I laughed before hugging him, catching him off guard.

"Thank you." I beamed at him, quickly putting it on in a clumsy manner, hopping about for a moment before I had the large oversized clothing on, the end of the pants dragging on the floor since Spencer was a lot taller than me.

"I'm going to check up on Harry, are you sure about this?" I tried to make sure, checking for his reaction as he gave me a nod, already looking around the room for pants for himself.

"Totally fine, I'll be there in a sec." Spencer reassured with a comforting grin, giving me a thumbs up as I smiled and left the room, rubbing my feet against the carpet like a choo choo train, making sure not to lift my leg up afraid to trip on the oversized pants as I held on to the waist line, still wearing Harry's jacket as well as I went back to the V.I.P lounge.

Victor spotted me first, looking up from his alcoholic beverage to send me a dirty smirk before Harry turned and saw me as well.

"Ah look, your little lamb came back for you." Victor cooed in a patronizing manner, leaning back against the couch cushions while Harry and I continued to stand on our feet, looming over him.

"She doesn't belong here. I'm taking her home." Harry informed with a stern voice, making Victor snap his black eyes to him with a vexed expression.

"I don't think so pretty boy." Victor spat in a venemous tone, swirling the drink in his scarred hand.

"I hired for you to protect me all night. Not until your little girlfriend over here comes and busts your ass. Don't forget that you listen to me until the New Years is over. I have people out there ready to slit my throat and I'm not going to be around unprotected." He growled out, the anxiety in his slightly shakey voice contradicting his unbothered glare as Harry and I exchanged looks.

There was nothing I could do, Harry was hired for the night and I couldn't intrude in his mission more than I've already had.

I turned to a disgruntled Harry, opening my mouth to let him know I'd be okay before my gaze suddenly caught a sight of a shifting shadow looming in the dark across from us, my eyes narrowing skeptically before I saw the gleam of a gun.

Harry noticed my expression before he looked over to where my gaze was trained on, the both of us moving to take action as everything slowed.

The dark, covered, stranger raised their weapon, aiming right at Victor as my body moved on its own accord before I could even think.

It was the same tactic Harry and I did on our first mission.

Harry would drag our client down to the ground for protection while I would run in front of them, using my body as a shield for the bullet.

But this time, it was different.

I heard the sound of the shot rang throughout the air as I stepped in front of Victor, only to be tackled to the ground by a strong, overpowering force.

A mixture of screams and cries shrilled through the club, a chaotic stampede of alarmed people running towards the exits while I blinked in a daze, a body over mine keeping me to the floor as my gaze immediatly went to Victor who was cursing in a panic, his shoulder bleeding from the bullet that had pierced his skin.

My wide eyes finally look back up to Harry who was on top of me, making me realize he had protected me first instead of our client as my lips parted in shock while he stared down at me in worry.

We were taught that the most important person was our client.

That we would always put our client's safety first before anyone else, even our own.

"Harry- you were, you were supposed to save the most important person in the room." I choked out in alarm, my chest heaving up and down as I blinked up at him with a confused and distraught expression while the chaos surrounded, his hold on my wrists tightening before he opened his mouth.

"I did."

AN: Sorry if you were expecting comedy on Malu's part in the lap dance scene and I disappointed you, but her character is a bit different to that of my other main characters in my other stories.

What if the only plot twist I have in this story is that there's no plot twist??¿?