Petal [h.s.]

Chapter 34

Violet.

"Gabriel would like to see you." Harry popped his head inside Eleanor and Louis' bathroom after knocking. 

Eleanor was doing something to my hair that I was mesmerized by, somehow making it full and voluminous while still straightening it. Despite the bruise on my eye, which she had covered with make-up as much as possible, I felt like I had never looked better.

"Me?" I asked with a small voice. I had spoken to Gabriel on the phone already, but meeting him in real life scared me slightly. 

Harry nodded quickly before his eyes darted over my body. I was wearing a sleeveless turtleneck black mini dress that hid the bruises on my throat, but exposed the ones on my arm. It was a choice I had to make, and I chose for a hidden throat rather than hidden arms.

"You look... wow." Harry muttered as I got up to my feet, balancing myself on the black stilettos as I brushed my hair out of my face. 

"Thank you. You look wow too." I smiled, looking up and down his body as he wore his signature black suit. He had shaved, his clean jaw looking smoother than a baby's butt. His hair was slightly tousled, it still being slightly too long.

"Dress fits you perfectly." He commented and I smiled. "Still a bit tight, but it's fine."

When Eleanor handed me the dress, I recognized it immediately and my eyes widened. "Eleanor... This is a Versace-dress." I had muttered as I let my hands glide over the soft velvet fabric of the black dress. She nodded. "I know, bought it a size up since I thought I was pregnant at the time. Ended up not being pregnant and I've never worn it." She explained without trying to sound offensive. 

We both knew I was larger than her.

"Let's go." Harry nudged his head towards the door and I nodded, taking hold of his extended hand and walking out of the bathroom before waving at Eleanor. Harry and I descended the stairs, and I could already see waiters walking around with trays of champagne glasses as Harry guided me through the foyer and some sitting rooms. 

My heels clacked against the marble as they elevated me to almost the same height as Harry. I felt a pit in my stomach when we reached large wooden doors and Harry knocked on them, still holding onto my hand.

"You'll be fine." He shot me a reassuring smile, but it didn't really convince me. I knew little to nothing about the relationship Harry and Gabriel had, but I knew that from Harry's point of view, it wasn't all that much.

"Come in." A muffled voice called from behind the door, and Harry opened it to let us both in. I noticed Gabriel immediately, him standing next to his massive desk in an equally black suit as Harry.

"Ah, Violet, welcome!" Gabriel smiled as he approached me, without a cane this time. He took hold of the hand that was previously in Harry's, shaking it before bringing it up to his lips and placing a kiss on the back of it in a formal manner.

"Hi." I smiled back.

"Voice is coming back already, right?" He gave me a wide smile as he stood in front of me, and I noticed we were almost the same height. He had to be in his mid-fifties, but didn't look a day older than 40. The only giveaway was his silver, short hair and the few wrinkles around his eyes.

I nodded at his question. "Yes, a bit better every day."

"May I?" He asked as his hand reached up to the neck of the black dress, ready to hook his finger into it. I glanced over to Harry who was looking at the interaction intently. He hadn't said a word, and had his standard furrowed browed and tense jaw-look going on. I couldn't tell what he was feeling, but he quickly nodded in reassurance of Gabriel's request.