Hawthorne

45 - One last dance

"My mother blackmailed me," I admit. "If I hadn't let her do as she wished at that party, she had a lot of explicit content from the both of us together that she threatened to expose to the press. To destroy you. I..."

I stop myself, unable to continue and she squeezes my hand, forcing me to look at her. For the first time, she's looking straight back at me and everything shifts. I had missed her so fucking much. Too fucking much.

"You?" She presses.

"I couldn't let her do that to you. I needed to protect you."

Without thinking, with the need for more, my left-hand presses on the small of her back, bringing her closer to me. Her back tenses but she complies, keeping on with the classic rhythm as if nothing had happened.

Her face seems pensive, far away from the present so, I take advantage to continue, "I know you. Having the paparazzi hunting you down like prey, your life, your privacy... Everything would disappear and I knew it would destroy you. Either I chose you but allowed you to keep your life as you like it, or I'd lose you to the world's humiliation when you had done nothing wrong...."

Camilla scoffs, "Isn't that cute?"

My lips press in a slim line as I fight the urge of old times when I'd explode every time something wouldn't go my way.

"How about being honest with me and letting me choose if I'd want to go through it or not? Maybe..." She pauses to take a deep breath as if the words coming out of her mouth next hurt her physically. "Just maybe, I would have been willing to go through hell and back for you. To be with you."

Fuck. Hearing these words...

Knowing she'd be capable to go through whatever it took just to be with me and I didn't even give her a chance to decide... It makes the tiny ember of hope extinguish itself. I didn't ruin my life, I detonated it.

"I didn't think." I sigh. "I just acted, tried to protect you the best I could."

"By breaking my heart and humiliating me was your way of protecting me? Quite ironic, don't you think?"

Yes... Now that I look back, I know how stupid I was.

"I truly am sorry," I say, not knowing what else to say.

"Where are those pictures now?" She changes the subject. "I can't imagine your mother witnessing all of this... Watching me robbing you and her of the titles you've worked for most of your life and not be preparing some kind of revenge."

"I know," I agree. "I haven't thrown her out yet because of that exact reason. I need to understand what it is she is planning to do. She's aimed for me to be King ever since my dad died. There's no way she'll stop now and it stresses me out."

"Why?"

"Because it has been near impossible to know what she might be planning. She has barely left her bedroom ever since and my staff can't find shit. Whatever the hell she is planning, it is well hidden."

"Where is she? I invited her too."

"She refused to come. I reckon she's home."

"Well," Camilla tuts. "If there is one safe place. It's the Palace. She won't be able to do anything here."

"I hope so," I whisper. "I couldn't bear something happening to you."

"It won't."

Camilla looks away, bringing back the distance that had disappeared as we talked about what happened and my mother's evil plans, and it squeezes at my battered heart. The realistic part of me knew I wouldn't have a second chance but that little part of my broken heart, still beating for her had hope. Hope that she'd understand and forgive me.

So, I repeat, "I am sorry. Truly."

"I know," Then she pauses, exhaling. "But now... It's too late."

Too late.

The anxiety eating away at my heart makes me act before I think, my arm pulling her closer to my chest as we keep swaying to the rhythm of the classic music reverberating through the hall. For the past weeks, misery has been my sole companion, but right now, anxiety was taking over. This nagging feeling that another shoe was about to drop wouldn't go away, even if I had tried to shake it off constantly.

"Vincent," she calls, her voice barely audible. "This is not appropriate."

"Let me have this moment," I beg. "I won't have any other opportunity to hold you."

"Just this last moment," she agrees with a shaky voice, leaning the side of her head against my chest, making it somersault inside my chest.

It finally clears the view, for me to focus on everyone around us as we softly sway, with the Queen in my arms, and everyone is still, almost like they're frozen in time. Except they aren't. They are focused on us, in shock.

The former heir and the current Queen, holding each other tightly as they dance off-beat to classic music. Quite eccentric, right? For them, at least.

To me, is the woman of my dreams. The love of my life... Giving me one final pity moment before I have to let her slip right through my fingers, all because I didn't hold on to her at the right moment.

Then suddenly, everything changes. The alarm starts blaring and a long line of guards barge in, scaring away everyone.

Acting on instinct I pull Camilla closer to me, as a stressed Joshua rushes to us. "The security has been breached. We need to go."

Camilla nods and unwraps her arms from me to hold his hand when a running couple forces them apart, sending Joshua flying to the ground. Chaos ensues as people realise it is serious, sensing Joshua farther away from us, when in fact, the goal was to take Camilla away from here.

"I got you," I whisper to her forehead as I fight against the sea of guests that try desperately to leave the hall.

Even not being a stranger to his complex compound, after all, I have been here quite a lot growing up and especially in formal events. Now, without being able to see the direction I am walking towards, it's hard to know I am taking her to the right place.

However, if security has been breached, everywhere might be safer than the ball hall.

"Here," I tell her as I reach a door.

It leads us to one of the long corridors, thankfully one that is empty of guests.

"This way," Camilla tells me after looking around us.

I let her guide me a few meters until we reach a huge mahogany wooden entrance, she opens the double doors, leading us inside to what looks like an office. Her exuberant office.

Though, I pay no mind to it, rushing to check on her.

"I guess this is what she planned," she chuckles bitterly. "Ruining my first formal event and making me pass as an inept monarch."

"You will be an amazing Queen, far better than I could ever be," I admit.

"Thank you," she mumbles. "I am safe now, you can-" she cuts herself off for a deep breath. "You can go."

"Oh ... Yes, of course." I start to turn around but stop myself. "Thank you for letting me come clean about everything... I really love you I just went wrong about it."

She comes forward, closer to me even if not touching. Her hand raises but hesitates, lowering again. With one step back, I understand the message and head to the door.

I explained myself, and she gave me a chance to do it. It's all I could ask for.

Now at least, I can live with the fact that I did all I could to win her back.

The knob twists under my hand, as I prepare to leave but her steps, coming closer to me once again, stop me. With one foot out the door, I wait.

Oh god, I wait for the words that will make me turn around and crash my lips onto hers.

Her voice drowns everything out as she says, "Thank you for being honest, but there is no going back anymore."

Her last words pierce through me, so much so that I can't answer, just nod weakly. Finally ready to leave.

Except...

"DEATH TO THE FAKE QUEEN!"