AN: In a very joyful mood today (probs because it's my brithday ha!) so I thought I would spoil you all! enjoy...
Chapter Sixty One - A lion's feast
From the moment Elizabeth's nude stiletto touched the ground the press swarmed in, cameras flashing every split second, the flash dancing off her jewelry as she stood up straight, allowing everyone to capture the beauty she held.
Her skin was elegantly draped in a floor length emerald green dress. The velvet material splitting at her thigh ensuring her toned, sun kissed leg was exposed in a tasteful manner. The cloth hugged at her curves, the perfect arch forming between her arm and body as her waist dipped in. Her one arm was laced in the velvet, the rich material dripping down to her fingers whilst the other arm lay bare, her skin exposed just like her leg. Elizabeth lifted her head and smiled gently. Her hair tangled up to perfection with only a few tousled stands framing her face, the gold tones of her necklace and earring offering the perfect compliment to her skin tone. She looked flawless. It was the kind of dress that she knew the media were going to label as 'that dress' but right now she didn't care.
Elizabeth walked confidently inside the building and smiled warmly as she greeted countless guests on her way in. Her staff and DS agents stood marginally behind her as she quickly scanned the room, a sea of people dressed in ball gowns, tuxedos, and military uniforms filtered through her senses, she took note of the vacant dance floor but full tables, glasses of champagne being poured from every angle and the low lights and soft music mixing with the chatter of all.
As she stepped further into the room, eyes instantly drew to her, the vision she beheld stunning them all. Elizabeth inhaled deeply as she felt the attention draw closer and continue, she felt the silence and frequent gasps of awe consume her. Blake stepped closer and lowered his head to her ear.
'You're doing great Ma'am' he whispered before stepping back in one swift motion. She glanced over her shoulder and flashed him a smile whilst he softly winked at her. As she turned her gaze back to the ballroom, her eyes drawing focus on the table occupied by Henry and Charlotte. An icy glare threw her way as Charlotte looked her up and down, green with envy. Elizabeth smirked a little as she turned to sit at the vacant table reserved for herself and staff.
'Can you believe her! She wore green!' Charlotte scoffed as she leant in to Henry.
'Huh? Sorry, what did you say?' He shook his head whilst cleaning his throat, his vision distorted as he looked at her, all he could envisage was Elizabeth. His body burning inside as his mind raced with thoughts of her, his fingers tapping on the table as they desperately wanted to reach out and feel Elizabeth's skin, his lips twisting as he swallowed his low level groan.
'She wore green' Charlotte repeated with a roll of the eyes.
``Oh Yes, urm, Maybe I should urm, I'll go chat to her about it.' He stood up, his eyes falling on Elizabeth, stealing a glance for his senses before he buttoned his tuxedo jacket and lifted his head high.
'Thanks Henrykins' she grinned wickedly as she watched Henry walk over to her, playing out the shakedown in her head, which she thought was about to happen.
'Elizabeth, Hi' He spoke clearly. All staff looking elsewhere, or pulling their drink closer to take a sip, trying to avoid the obvious scene before them as Henry looked down at their boss adoringly.
'Hi' she spoke in a hushed tone, flicking her head to the side to catch a better gaze, her loose hair falling behind her ear, exposing more of her beauty to him.
'Can I steal you for a moment?' He asked hopefully. His gaze never wavering from hers as he realigned himself with her baby blues.
'Sure' she nodded, she reached for her glass of champagne and took a sip for courage as she held her confidence and composure. With a flash of a smile at her staff she rose to her feet and led Henry out of the busy room, to a quieter area out in the garden grounds.
'Shall we sit here?' She pointed towards a wood bench in the distance, surrounded by dimly lit garden lights and rose bushes. A somewhat romantic setting but one of peace she thought. Henry nodded in silence and followed her for the final few steps before sitting next to her.
Elizabeth had taken a seat next and crossed her legs, her bare thigh and calf exposed as she hooked it over the other leg. Her hands resting in her lap. He cleared his throat and fixed his eyes on the hues of red and pink roses in front of him rather than allow them to cascade over her delicate, bare, smooth skin which flowed right up to her upper thigh as her dress lightly covered the roundness of her bum.
'Henry I am glad you asked to speak, I actually wanted to speak with you too' she started, her head tilting to capture his face as she spoke.
'Oh?' He questioned, her lips as read as the roses before him.
'I want to see if you are ok? Really ok?' She asked softly
'Sure. Why do you ask?' He lied, his tone a little more accusatory than planned.
'Because of Charlotte' she replied honestly, the blunt truth breaking through their moment. Henry sighed in response and shook his head, his gaze breaking from hers as she narrowed hers on his.
'Henry the kids knew and I didn't-' she hissed, stopping herself as she caught the glimmer of some press lingering outside in her peripheral vision. She turned to look at her DS agents, signaling them to move slightly and block the direct view of her and Henry from prying eyes. Something they both accepted without fuss.
'That's not my point' she corrected herself as she turned to look at Henry. 'Henry I am genuinely concerned, this isn't you. You don't jump into bed with random women, you don't move on from things that well, and quite frankly Henry I do not understand what you see in her, I mean what do you two even talk about?' She scoffed, a hint of jealousy running through her words.
'Like you said, I've changed' he shrugged, unable to face his truth. 'You've taken your ring off' he sighed heavily, his heart sinking.
'Yes, I urm, It felt like the right thing to do' she quietly admitted as he caught her off guard. 'Henry you've compromised everything that you are, I am not just talking about her either' she pushed the conversation along, chewing at her lip with the thought of the other woman within this equation.
'Charlotte' he corrected her
'So you've said' she dismissed his correction, her hand waving off his words, but her gaze never falling from his face.
'What about you? Are you ok? Something happened with Datu, but you won't say' he took his moment and turned the tables.
'No, we're not doing this. I thought I was the one who avoided topics, not you.' She mocked the irony hitting her as she too avoided a delicate subject. They both peeled their eyes from one another and sat back against the bench, the silence washing over them, forming a river of unspoken words that they both sat in, drowning.
'She just happened, it wasn't planned nor intended to be like this, there was a work thing and well, she's not really left since.' He sighed and rubbed his temples.
'I thought you looked unhappy earlier today' she whispered
'I was, I am' he admitted, his head hanging low as he chewed at his lips. Elizabeth pulled her leg from over the other and shifted a little closer to him, her arm gently wrapping around his shoulders as she provided him a slither of comfort, at a distance that was safe enough for her own heart.
'This isn't you Henry' she repeated, before Henry had a chance to respond the sound of Charlotte's shrieking voice danced through the garden and fell upon them, breaking them apart.
'Ohh Heeennrry' she called, giggling as she walked towards them. Elizabeth rolled her eyes at the sight of her, and then looked to Henry, trying to find some explanation as to why this had happened.
'Oh you're still chatting, did he tell you about the dress?' She raised a threatening eyebrow at Elizabeth as she addressed her, moving between the DS agents who were on high alert.
'I was just getting to that' he lied. Elizabeth's brow furrowing in confusion, she knew Henry was lying but had no idea what was going on. She watched the glances exchanged between them both, anger on his part.
'I'll do it for you honey boo' she hiccuped 'Green is my color, not yours, I told you that earlier and if you think you can walk in here in MY color and just try to steal Henry from me you can think again honey' her Texas twang slurring on words as the alcohol consumed her.
Elizabeth stood up, her stature towering over Charlotte slightly as she looked down at the younger blonde, her eyes wandering back to Henry who sat sheepishly glancing at them both.
'You only know that green is your color because of my daughter, and if you think what I am wearing is how Henry would be stolen from you then you really do not know him, nor do you deserve him' she paused, stepping a little closer and lowering her tone 'You can also stay away from me and my kids. You are not and never will be a McCord, stay in your lane, honey' Elizabeth glared, her baby blues tuning to ice as she reminded Charlotte and Henry just who she was.
Without a glance behind her she walked off and headed back inside, with a flash of a smile and a sharp nod of the head she signaled her departure to her staff.
As they stepped back outside the venue cameras flashed endlessly, her early departure from the event was clocked, something else she knew would be all over the news tomorrow.
'Mike Barnow?' She groaned as she slid inside her motorcade. 'To what do I owe this pleasure?' She asked sarcastically.
'Russell Jackson sent me, You can stop calling me in when you need me now, I am the newest, now official member of your staff-'
'What?' She scoffed
'Anyway, putting those exciting times aside, meet me tomorrow morning before work for a run. We have some business to discuss, personal business'
'What business?' She sighed
``My salary-' he joked
'Take it up with Russell he hired you' she quipped
'We also need to talk about Henry, and none of these little kittens are brave enough to do it, so Russell has sent in the lion,' he winked and reached for the motorcade door.
'What about Henry? And the lion, Really?' She raised an eyebrow at him
'It doesn't matter what animal I am, the point is Elizabeth you and I need to talk about Henry, meet me tomorrow. I'll text you the details' he confirmed as he exited, leaving her clueless as to what was happening, or had just happened.