Crumbling Control (Helena Hawthorn Series Book 3)

by May Freighter

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “You will find out once we get there,” he replied as he knotted his boot strings.

  “Am I dressed for the occasion?”

  He assessed her for an excruciatingly long minute, saying nothing.

  “Give me something!”

  With a secretive smile, he stood and turned her to face the door. “Shall we go and find out?”

  “What if Karl and Hans show up? Don’t we have things to talk about?”

  “Let them wait. Tonight is for you and me.” Taking her hand, he led her downstairs where Alexander and Byron stood, grinning.

  She bit her lip, growing more nervous with their evident excitement.

  Byron gave her thumbs up. “Good luck!”

  Alexander and Lucious laughed, and she was desperate for one of those invisibility cloaks to save her from further embarrassment.

  As they left the house, Byron shouted after them, “Don’t take her to dungeons, or cemeteries…or dank pirate ships.”

  Helena shot the two laughing men a glare as Lucious opened the car door for her.

  “Please tell me we’re not going to a dungeon,” she whispered.

  “Get in,” he replied, nudging her with his hand.

  She sighed and climbed inside. Her hands couldn’t stay still, so she ran them over her jeans as they drove to God-know-where. They weren’t leaving London, which meant their date would be somewhere in the city. She studied the passing streetlights, visualising the worst-case scenarios. Byron’s cemetery idea made her shudder, and she felt Lucious’ hand squeezing hers.

  “Do you have so little faith in me?” he asked, feigning being offended.

  “I have faith in you when it comes to fighting, killing, drinking, and intelligence gathering but dates…” She blew out a breath. “I’ve no idea what to expect. Byron and Alexander, they pretty much freaked me out with all this talk that you’ve never been on a date.” She eyed him. “That’s not true, right?”

  “Yes. That’s the truth. I have never taken a woman out on a date, never had the time or the will to do so.”

  “Not even with Zafira?”

  “We weren’t in a romantic relationship. She led me on, teasing me with the possibility that I may get the truth about Anna’s death from her. As it turns out, she must have known my sire was alive. I am eager to question her as to why she kept this from me for half a century.”

  “Did you sleep with her often?” She regretted the words that came out but knew she couldn’t retract them.

  He assessed her briefly. “I never dated anyone, Helena. That does not mean I was celibate.”

  She accepted his words. The first night they slept together, he seemed to know exactly what he was doing. Knowing he spent nights with Zafira and possibly other women soured her mood. She folded her arms and pouted, suddenly desperate to get out of the car and take a walk somewhere.

  Lucious stopped the car in the traffic. He grabbed her forearm and pulled her in for a kiss that melted her heart and soul as his lips moved against hers. No matter how hard she tried to stay mad, her anger dispelled into the wonderful sensations his cool touch brought. She wanted him, badly. She balled her hands in her lap to prevent from pulling him closer.

  “Feeling better?” he asked, separating from her.

  “That’s cheating.”

  “Love is a battlefield, is it not?”

  She gaped at him. “Did you just quote a song from the 80’s?”

  “I have.” He turned up the radio where the presenter repeated the phone number for their station. Lucious smirked and lifted a phone out of his pocket.

  Helena covered her mouth, trying to hold in her laughter. He shot her a mischievous look and dialled. “Yes, I would like to request a song…”

  When Pat Benatar’s tune played in the car, she laughed so hard, her eyes watered. After a while, she sang along to the lyrics and enjoying the ride to their unknown destination.

  They stood on Regent Street in front of a building that seemed to be out of place with its medieval tavern-like exterior. Golden lights lit windows displaying mannequins mimicking everyday life. To her, this was more like a castle than a store.

  Nevertheless, Lucious offered her his arm and guided her to the double doors branded with old crests. He opened one for her, and a preppy sales clerk rushed to them. His golden nameplate read ‘Tony’, and Helena tried not to roll her eyes at the cliché.

  Blond, groomed to perfection, and in his thirties, Tony scanned their attire. His smile faltered for a second as if he wasn’t certain if they were genuine customers or bums off the street he should shoo away. “How may I help you?”

  “Please show us to your dresses,” Lucious said.

  The clerk nervously licked his lips and motioned for them to follow. “Is there a price range you wish to stick to, sir?”

  Lucious chuckled. “Please refrain from asking me stupid questions in the future, young man.”

  “You appear much younger than me,” Tony corrected.

  Before Lucious could give a reply, Helena squeezed his arm. “Play nice.”

  Lucious sighed, and Tony brought them to the second floor of the giant boutique. The centre of it had been left open, with abstract decorations hanging from the glass ceiling. She peered over the railing, seeing people strolling by on the ground floor. Even their leisurely pace was different to hers. She felt out of place, although Lucious seemed to fit in almost anywhere. Then again, if she lived for over a century, she would make sure to master walking in heels.

  Tony waved to the rack of colourful dresses as if he was revealing the world’s next wonder. “These are our current season’s designs. Would you like to try anything on or are you here to browse?”

  Lucious placed his hand on the small of her back and pushed her forwards. “Please help her find something suitable for dinner. Something formal.”

  “I will,” Tony replied and guided Helena to the changing rooms. “Please wait here while I find something suitable for the occasion.”

  “I could—”

  “One second, Miss.” With that, he pulled on the dark curtain.

  Forced to stay in the mirrored room, she sat on the plush pink stool. “I hate shopping.”

  Tony re-emerged with an armful of dresses. Sparing her a practised smile, he hung them on the hooks inside the changing room. “These are the ones I believe will suit your figure best.”

  “Thanks.”

  Once he was out of sight, she scanned the dresses, letting her fingers glide over the different fabrics. In the middle of it, she picked out a cream lace top dress. Her fingers stroked her bandages. It would cover them up nicely. As she prepared to strip, Tony’s hand crept into the booth, making her jump.

  “I’m so sorry,” he said from the other side. “Here are some options for matching underwear.”

  A blush burned her cheeks as she accepted the bras from the man. A minute later, he pushed in four pairs of heels with different designs and height. When she checked the labels, he got her measurements exactly right. Out of curiosity, she scanned the tags. There were no prices on any of the items. How expensive is this place?

  Without further distractions, she changed out of her clothes and into the lacy underwear the clerk had suggested. Studying her body in the mirror, she observed the harsh bruises on her legs and torso. Karl’s vampire blood had healed most of the burns on her arm. But, the remainder of that night lingered on her skin like a never ending nightmare, always ready to drag her back in.

  She slipped on the dress. The silk lining caressed her body like soft kisses. She tried her best not to enjoy this piece of clothing. So, placing a smile on her face, she yanked back the curtain.

  There, she found Lucious dressed in a black suit. A crisp white shirt peeked out from inside his buttoned jacket, and she held her breath. His lips stretched into a pleased smirk as he glided to her. Bending, he whispered into her ear, “You look beautiful.”

  “You don’t
look half-bad yourself.”

  Helena wanted to pull him in for a kiss to repay his words when Tony cleared his throat.

  Casting an annoyed gaze in his direction, she saw the clerk’s entire demeanour had changed. He grinned from ear to ear as if he got his Christmas bonus early. “Will that be all, Mr Ellwood?”

  “Could you cut the tags off her clothes?” Lucious said.

  The clerk obliged and removed the security tag attached to the hem of her dress and the paper labels on her back.

  “We should be getting to our next destination.” Lucious intertwined their fingers and led her downstairs.

  She scowled at his broad back. No one stopped them. No one even bothered to make sure they had purchased their clothes. “Aren’t we going to pay for these?”

  “I already have.”

  “Did you steal Alexander’s credit card or something?”

  He snorted. “I can manage to pay for this much.”

  “And just how much do you have? Because if you’re using your last resources to show off, I won’t stand for it.”

  Lucious turned the corner and pressed her back against the wall. “Helena, stop worrying about money.”

  “I can’t. I don’t want to put you out.”

  He muttered something under his breath, low enough for her not to make it out. “Trust me, I have not spent much in over a century. Alexander had invested my money from the jobs I did for Phil and, presently, I believe I am safe from bankruptcy.”

  She raised a brow, doubting his words. All this time, they had relied on Alexander’s private planes and financial aid. There was no way Lucious wasn’t pretending right now.

  He pinched the bridge of his nose. “With much certainty, I can say this proves you do not love me for my money.”

  “But Alexander—”

  “The last time I checked my balance was fifteen years ago. I believe I was somewhere in the range of ten million pounds, give or take a few.”

  That was a lot of money. Are vampires trading in gold bullion or something?

  “Well then, may we proceed with our date?”

  She bobbed her head as she struggled to stay afloat on her heels.

  Twenty-five minutes later, she sat opposite him in one of the most extravagant French restaurants in the Covent Garden. Blooming tree vines interlocked above their heads. An orange fire roared in the large red-clay fireplace at the centre of the room. Candlelight flickered around them, creating a cosy yet romantic atmosphere. If it wasn’t for the lingering server in the room, they would be alone, listening to the soft music playing from the hidden speakers.

  Lucious swirled the amber liquid in his glass, and she returned to scanning the menu. Changing the page, she studied the meat section before settling on the ‘Roasted Honey Glazed Breast of Goosnargh Duck’, whatever that meant.

  A waiter arrived at their table. His grey eyes twinkled with interest as he said, “Have you decided on your order?”

  “Could I have the Goosna…the duck, please,” she mumbled.

  Lucious stifled a laugh, and she kicked him under the table. She patiently waited for the waiter to leave with her order and said, “Did you purposefully bring me to such places to get a laugh out of me?”

  “Such a thought hasn’t crossed my mind,” he replied sincerely. “Yet, you have not failed to amuse me.”

  She sipped on her glass of water to pacify the dryness in her throat. “Why couldn’t we order a pizza and save us the hassle of learning the use of—” she picked up one of the forks spread out around her plate, “—a million pointy objects.”

  “Is that what you would prefer next time?”

  She pursed her lips. Although she did enjoy being normal and eating at cafés that had more grease in their food than a tub of butter, she couldn’t deny the fact she was having a little fun. Ever since they sat down, she couldn’t help being mesmerised by the pretty pink flower petals that reflected the soft orange light.

  Settling back in her seat, she breathed in the floral scent. “I have to admit, I do like the spoils.”

  “I’m happy you’re enjoying yourself, Helena.” He leant in, lowering his voice. “Because we are not returning to Byron’s tonight.”

  Her mouth became dry again, and she reached for her glass with a quivering hand. The intense desire reflected in his eyes caused another blush to paint her cheeks. She was thankful for the interruption when the waiter brought the appetisers to their table.

  “If you keep staring, my clothes will disintegrate,” she murmured.

  “Is that a challenge?”

  She raised a brow. “Why, Mr Ellwood, are you going to attempt such a feat without lifting your hands?”

  He chuckled. “Perhaps at a later time. I want you to enjoy yourself tonight.”

  Helena peeked over the rim of her glass at him. His light mood was infectious, and she couldn’t hide the joy she took from being together with him. Over the past six months, Lucious had become many things to her. He was her lover, her protector, her soul-mate. She had almost forgotten the times they were trying to outmanoeuvre one another with words to get what they wanted.

  The conversation over the meal flowed pleasantly. Lucious listened intently to the tales from school about Andrew and Laura. Though, she noted more interest in the topic of her guardian angel when she believed Michael was a figment of her overactive imagination.

  Once she was stuffed, she took a sip of her espresso that arrived a few minutes ago. “I don’t think I can eat anymore. I bet it must be nice never having to consume food and still look amazing.”

  Lucious raised a brow. “It is not like you consume much food. You forget to most of the time.”

  “It’s because there are usually a million things on my mind. Food gets pushed back.”

  “It won’t do your health any good if you continue such practices.”

  Her lips curved. “Does that mean you’re going to feed me?”

  “I am implying that I plan to take you out to eat more often. It would be a pity if you lose any more of your lovely curves.”

  She snorted. If she had Perri’s curves, she would agree, but she didn’t. She was almost as straight as a board in some places.

  Lucious rose from his seat and offered her his hand. “Would you mind coming with me?”

  “Where are we going now?”

  “It’s a surprise,” he said with a wink.

  “I’m seriously beginning to hate those.” She wiped her mouth with a serviette and dropped it on the table, next to her plate. Taking his hand, she followed him closely as they made their way to the lift hidden at the back of the room.

  Inside, Lucious slipped his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. Since the bond was no longer intact, his body temperature had dropped to mid-twenties. The warmth she enjoyed sharing with him wasn’t there anymore, yet her heart fluttered like the wings of a moth.

  The lift doors opened on the roof, and he brought her to the centre of the decorated rooftop. Twinkling green lights were wrapped around the potted trees, looking like tiny fireflies. Above them, the real stars showed off their perfection by dominating the clear sky. In the gentle breeze, music played from the small orchestra on the far side of the roof.

  Lucious bowed at the middle, offering his hand to her again. “Would you care for a dance?”

  She grinned and accepted his offer.

  To the welcoming sounds of the violins and piano, she was lost in the magical world he had pulled her into. Her love for him grew at the amount of thought he had put into their first date and the affection reflected in his eyes. She rested her forehead against his shoulder, allowing him to take the lead.

  How long they danced for, she wasn’t sure. Lucious leant in, closer to her ear. “Would it be an improper time for me to tell you how much I desire to hold you in my arms again?”

  She lifted her head to meet his eyes that burned with a preternatural blue glow. “I didn’t take you for an impatient man, Lucious.”


  “With you, my patience is drastically limited.”

  They entered the suite on the thirty-ninth floor of the towering skyscraper hotel in London. Helena held her breath at the majestic view of the city’s blinking lights beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass panes. But, before she could get more acquainted with it, Lucious’ hands wound around her waist, pulling her close. His mouth collided with her kiss-bruised lips, and she moaned as his fingers snaked up her back to her zipper.

  He tilted his head, deepening the hot kiss, and her heart soared.

  When her zipper slid down, she smirked and pushed him away. “What are you’re doing?”

  “I believe I was getting you out of that dress.”

  She slid out of his hold and kicked off her heels, padding along the hardwood flooring to the window. “I believe earlier you have accepted a challenge to remove my clothes with a single look, Mr Ellwood.”

  Lucious cocked a brow. “Are you playing games with me?”

  “Maybe.”

  Like a predator, he sauntered over to her. With the gentlest touch of his fingertips, he brushed her hair aside and left a trail of kisses along her slender neck. His cool breath invited a shiver to travel down her body. She clenched her jaw to keep her voice in.

  “Let me hear you…” he whispered against her skin then moved to stand in front of her. His tongue parted her lips, meeting hers.

  At first, she tried to avoid touching him, so she clutched the material of her dress. From a spark to a full-blown frame that the kiss ignited within her, no amounts of self-restraint could help her. She cursed inwardly and pushed him back.

  He collapsed on the L-shaped sofa. With a teasing smirk, he knotted his fingers behind his head, keeping them away from her.

  She groaned, suddenly feverishly in need of his hands roaming her flesh. She grasped his shirt and straddled him.

  “I think I like you on top,” he said.

  Her fingertips stroked the buttons of his shirt. “Touch me.”

  “I’m sorry. I believe I’m bound by my word.”

  “Please…” The soft word left her lips, and she undid his first two buttons.