Oscillation | [H.S]

Chapter 35

"Emma," Harry calling out my name made me look up from the book I was reading. He was standing in the doorway, wearing only a pair of sweatpants and looking very sweaty. His hands were wrapped in black bandages, indicating me that he had just been in the gym down the hall. My eyes found his, curiously. "Get yourself ready and put on a dress."

I simply nodded. I was used to the fact that he never stated where we were going. I put the book I was reading aside and went to take a shower. The warm water relaxed my muscles and warmed my skin.

Smelling nicely from the scrub and lotion I had used, I was quickly done. All that was needed was a nice dress, a bit of mascara and my hair to get dry. I took the long black dress with the high split again, that I had worn to the club some time ago. It made me feel elegant and beautiful. I let my hair dry naturally now that it was short and it only needed a quick brush.

I was done within half an hour and when I walked into the hallway to find Harry, he was on his way to my room. He was clad in a suite, smelling strongly of clean cologne and his hair hung in long curls around his face. I had to keep my mouth from falling over. Nobody would recognise him to be a gang member if they saw him like this. He looked like a prince. Even worse, a king.

"Are you ready?" He asked lowly to which I nodded. I followed him through the halls of the mansion to the car, where he held the door open for me and got in himself not a minute later. We drove away immediately.

"Where are we going?" I asked like I always did, knowing I probably wouldn't get an answer anyway. Maybe we were going clubbing with the others again. Maybe he needed me to show off at another party. Malevolent's reputation was still not as strong as it used to be and Harry was working days and nights to fix it.

It was hard to watch when he came home with bruises on his face again, or when he spent several minutes removing the blood from under his nails. Or when he came home, the first thing that he put on the table was his gun as he was carrying it non-stop now. I was lucky I had the good moments from my birthday to think about to distract me.

"For dinner." Harry responded to my surprise. I had never been to dinner with him before. To think about it, the only time I had seen other people than Harry or his gang was during clubbing. I wonder who we would meet at the diner. And why he had to bring me? He was always very careful not to involve into the gang life.

The car pulled up to a stand alone restaurant near the water, somewhere in the quieter parts of London. The name 'the Ledbury' shone in bright cursive letters on the exterior. It looked like a an old house for the royalty.

Harry got out in a fluid movement, his blazer moving with the wind while he walked up to my side of the car to let me out. He held my hand as I took the wobbly steps out of the high car on the heels I was wearing. A blush crept up to my cheeks. When I was stable on the ground, Harry took a step closer, cornering me against the post of the door opening.

"I am armed, Kitten." He whispered ever so softly instead of repeating the usual list when we went out. He pushed his hips against mine, making me feel the harsh, metal shape near hipbone. This one was scarier than his list of threats. I firmly nodded with my breath trapped into my lungs. The corner of Harry's mouth pulled up, his hand stroking back some hairs from my face while saying: "Good girl."

As if nothing happened, he stepped back and took my hand into his again. He closed the door, locked the car with a simple click before guiding me to the entrance of the restaurant. I had no time to observe the exterior much longer because the warm air engulfed us.

Not even inside for a second and an a man in his late fifties walked up to us, clad in a suit and a white towel draped over his arm. It didn't get much of my attention, since the smell was what had me captivated. I couldn't get enough of it. It was like I could taste everything that was on each plate in the whole restaurant. All the different spices and ingredients made my mouth water.