Prologue

Harry's breath came out short and labored, the pounding of his heart ringing in his ears as he swung at his target again and missing by merely an inch. His trainer yelled at him again, fueling his already fiery anger. He swung again and brought his boxing gloves back up to his face to block his opponent's hit. The strength behind it rocked Harry on his feet yet he still carried on as sweat trailed down his forehead and into his eyes. 

     Harry lunged forward, making contact with his opponents gut, swiftly bringing his arm up again and striking his face. His opponent fell on the floor, but hit after hit still came. Harry was on top of him. He could hear faint yelling to stop and could barely control himself enough to get off the guy when the bell rang. 

     He stalked over to his corner of the ring, fresh water being splashed down his bare back as he chewed on his mouth guard.

     "Harry get your shit together! You're going to lose if you don't step up!" Mat screamed in his ear over the yelling of the surrounding viewers.Harry rolled his eyes, stood up and bounced slightly on the balls of his feet. His green eyes scanned the room and landed on one pair in particular. They were a light blue and had worry laced within them. He almost smirked, but settled for a wink instead. The girl blinked as if surprised and blushed furiously for being caught staring. 

     Harry walked back into the center of the ring, hopping on his toes again, amping himself up as he drowned out the hollering of his coach.

     Seriously Matt, just piss off, Harry mentally told him off. But the bell rang and he was back in action, glaring into the eyes  of his opponent as he eagerly took a swing. Harry noted how careless he was getting....the guy was beginning to get worn out. 

     Harry smirked. Perfect. 

     In one swift movement, Harry dropped to the floor and then swung his fist up knocking his opponent right in the jaw. His head flew back along with his body, momentarily hitting the floor before Harry was once again on top of him. His boxing gloves made hit after hit onto the older man's face. Harry started to see red again.  Like before, he barely had any  control over himself as the anger flew from his body into his fists. Before he knew it, he was being pulled off and his opponent was being check. 

     Harry didn't care. Harry never cared. Because no cared about him. 

Harry pulled his black shirt over his head, sweeping his mop of wet curls to the side since burying them with a towel took too long for them to dry. The tall boy slung his dufflebag over his shoulder and began walking out  of the locker room before coming face to face with his trainer. 

     "Harry, what the hell was that?! You almost cost us the match with that little stunt!" he spat. Harry slicked his tongue over his teeth, trying to keep from punching Matt in the face just to shut him up. "Are you LISTENING? I'M FUCKING TALKING TO Y-"

     "I know! Okay. Fucking Christ, Matt. It won't happen again, alright?" the younger male growled as  he pushed past his elder. Harry muttered curses under his breath as Matt hollered after him. He honestly couldn't care less at the moment. Or really ever. Matt's threats were always empty, anyways. 

     Harry walked outside to his car, hitting the 'unlock' button on his keys before throwing himself into the car to escape the cold, London night air. He couldn't help but notice a figure on the sidewalk near the street lamp.  Squinting, he saw it was the girl he winked at earlier. What was she still doing here?

     He debated getting out and going to ask why she was still here until she spotted him staring from his car window. Ultimately, Harry shrugged, not bothering to go and speak to her. What was the point, anyways? She was just some chick on the street and, in this part of town, probably a whore, too.

     Harry put his car into drive and pulled out of the small lot, heading down the road to his flat. It was probably going to be another lonely night in his home unless he got a text about a party or decided to go out and find one. As Harry contemplated how his night would go, his phone vibrated in the seat next to him. Being the careless person he was, he snatched his mobile from the seat and scanned the message he had received, a smirk hitting his lips immediately.

     He had a party to go to.

~

     After thirty minutes, Harry pulled up to the club.  He had taken another short shower and dressed in a black button up and a matching pair of black skinny jeans. He checked his phone and wallet in his pockets before heading to the door and skipping the line to enter. He saw a few girls smile flirtatiously but he ignored them and spoke to the bouncer.

     "Styles," was all he had to say. The bouncer nodded, stepping aside and letting him through. He heard the girls groan behind him and he sent them a curt smirk and wave, receiving a few wolf whistles in return. Nothing he hadn't experienced before and he honestly didn't care, anyway.  None of them thought of him more than a hot, one night stand and none of them were attractive enough for his time, either. 

     The beat of the music thumped in Harry's ears and bright lights hit his body every now and then as they circled the club from above. He pushed through the dancing bodies around him until he got the bar, immediately finding his friend, Louis, sitting there with a grin on his face and a beer in one hand.

     "Hey Harry! Glad to see you could make it out," the older boy grinned, handing his friend a drink. Harry smiled in thanks before taking a sip of the familiar tasting liquid. 

     Louis was one of the few people who really cared for Harry. He knew what the young boy had gone through and tried his best to be there for him, but Harry shut people out so much, Louis wasn't really sure if Harry could tell he cared at all.  But, he knew Harry thought of him more than just a friend.  They were closer than that and, as much as Harry denied it to himself, he knew Louis was his only real friend as well. 

     Well, sort of. He had others; he just didn't know it yet. 

     "Couldn't miss a night out and possibly a good lay," he replied, a half smile present on his pink lips that made all the girls swoon. He swept his hair to the side with the tip of his thumb as he scanned the club, looking for someone suitable to take home tonight if he felt up to it. Lately, Harry had been feeling a bit down. He was starting to fill it with more women and alcohol than he should have been. Not to mention his constant training. It was practically the only thing that kept his anger under control. 

     "So, how was your match?" Lou questioned, taking a swig of the beer in his hand. Harry brushed it off as nothing like he normally did. "Did ya win?" Harry nodded, and Louis congratulated him, although it wasn't like it was a surprise. Harry won nearly every match he had. And he was well known for it. Anyone in the boxing world knew of Harry Styles. Starting off at sixteen, he trained non-stop under his former coach, Levy. He was an older man,  nearly fifty, but extremely fit and, although Harry didn't know it at the time, extremely famous. 

     Levy had taken Harry under his wing, finding the lonely boy in need of guidance. He had taught him every trick in the book and sent him into his first match. When they young boy came out victorious and ran into the locker to tell him, Levy was nowhere to be found. Disappointed and angry Harry's urge to fight became stronger and he went on to become what he is today. A tough man but bitter and all alone.

     Harry's eyes fell back to Lou briefly. "So, who's the group you're with tonight?" Louis pointed to a group at one of the far off booths. It was occupied by about five people but only one stood out to Harry. It was the girl from earlier tonight. 

     Harry scrunched his eyebrows together, staring her down and wondering what the hell she was doing here. Stalking him?

     "Who's she?" Louis followed Harry's gaze to the small girl. She had curly brown hair and was about an inch shorter than Louis. She smiled at the man next to her but the uncomfortableness between them was evident and even made Harry feel a little weird. 

     "That's Cryssy! Off limits though. Apparently, she and Max are a thing," he sighed. Max was a 'hump and dump' kind of man and everyone knew it. Harry furrowed his eyes in confusion. The girl looked way too innocent to be having sex with such a sleaze. 

     "What's she doing with Matt? She's not his normal type."  By normal type, he meant slut. Louis shrugged.

     "Beats me.  I think he's only in a relationship to shag her, but she's been resisting, so I'm not quite sure how long it'll last."  Harry 'hmphed', shrugging it off. He knew Max came to his matches, so he guessed that was why she was there as well. 

     "Wanna go over?" Lou asked.  Harry shrugged in response, but Louis knew him well enough to know it meant yes, so he began walking over. Harry followed, weaving through the dancing bodies and waltzing up to the booth. He didn't necessarily 'greet' everyone there, but acknowledged their existence in some way. They all knew how Harry was; emotionless. So, they let him be.

     All but Cryssy. She could tell otherwise. Or at least thought she could. 

Cryssy's P.O.V.

     He was tall and lean, his eyes a vibrant green despite the low light and his hair sat in messy ringlets atop his head. I had the urge to say hello but his demeanor made me slightly scared to. 

     I felt Max's hand creep up my thigh under the table and I angrily swatted him away. "Stop," I hissed under my breath. Max rolled his eyes. 

     "Fuck Cryssy. You're no fun," I turned away, annoyed, as he slid out of the booth. "I'm going to get a drink. Stay here." I waved him off, knowing I'd get an earful later when he left.

     I was surprised when the boxer from earlier sat beside me. I felt slightly awkward knowing he had caught me staring at him twice this evening, but I guess when he was boxing it was normal; he was the center of attention, after all. I nearly hopped out of my skin when he spoke to me. 

     "Why do you date him?" he asked. His voice was extremely deep despite his slightly boyish smile.

     "You mean Max?" I asked. He nodded and I shrugged. "I don't know. . . I like him. . . that is why you date people, right?" I replied, trying to make a slight joke out of it. He didn't laugh, and, once again, I felt slightly awkward. 

     "I mean, he's a total pig and you're dating that?" I squinted my eyes at him.

     "And you're any different?" I asked. "I see you here night after night with different girls," Harry looked slightly taken back by the question. "Why do you even care?"

     "I don't," he answered smoothly. "I just wonder why someone so innocent would be with a sleaze like him." 

     I huffed a laugh. "The virgin and the skank. . . a tale as old as time," I muttered. Harry seemed slightly amused. 

     "Virgin, huh?" 

     "No, but I act like one occasionally. Especially when I'm not drinking," a slight smirk crossed Harry's features, revealing two dimples in his cheeks. 

     "Cute," I rolled my eyes. "Wanna dance?" I looked at him strangely. He wasn't the type to go after someone so innocent, at least from what I've seen. I shrugged and let him take my hand, leading me out onto the dance floor where the music was louder. 

     Harry immediately took me by the waist, guiding my hips to the rhythm of his own. My hands traveled up his arms, to his broad shoulders and chest.  I looked up, glancing at Harry. His eyes were focused on my face as the music blared around us. For dancing, he looked quite serious. I stared back, searching his eyes for some way to find out what he was thinking, but there were none.

     It wasn't long before I realized we were both leaning in. I didn't know why I was. I had a boyfriend and I didn't think of Harry as anything other than. . . well. . . a stranger, really. 

     "Cryssy." oh, fuck.

     I spun around on my heels, seeing Max a few feet away, fuming. "What the hell are you doing?" 

     "What's it look like, mate? She's dancing," Harry replied over the thumping music. 

     "Fuck off, Harry!" Max spat, grabbing my arm and dragging me toward the back of the club. "I'm your fucking boyfriend, Cryssy! What the FUCK?" he growled, slamming me against the wall. I flinched as my body made contact with the concrete. 

     "I-I . . ." Suddenly, there was a loud smacking noise and I felt my cheek begin to sting. My jaw dropped as I brought my hand up to cup the burning flesh. 

     "You were practically eye-fucking him," he hissed, pressing his body to mine. 

     "M-Max, stop." I stuttered.  He laughed as I weakly attempted to push him off. 

     "Oh no, you're going to pay for that now. You hear me?" he inquired, slipping a hand up my thigh and leaning his head down to the crook of my neck. I looked away, squeezing my eyes shut as he roughly sucked the sensitive skin. I whimpered as he began to nip at it, feeling the blood trickle down my neck until his presence was removed completely. 

     I gasped and opened my eyes to find Harry holding him by his collar before bringing his fist up and ramming it into Max's face. His nose made a loud crunching noise that I could hear even from where I stood. Max hit the floor in a heap, and Harry stalked over to him. He hissed something at him before walking the other way. I watched as he left, trying to find the will to move, but I couldn't bring my legs to work. So, instead, I stayed leaning against the wall, shaking, until Louis came over to me. He walked me back to his car after offering to take me home, for which I was grateful. I asked him to also tell Harry I said thank you. He saved me from God knows what Max was about to do in the middle of that club.