BXBX NOVEL Chapter 270: Dinner Date
But he had made sure to take precautions, being careful about every move he made. There was no chance anyone knew where he was.
He drove through the busy roads of Westside, slipping into a part of town where no vampire really paid much attention to. He pulled into an underground garage, parking in a corner that guaranteed no eyes or camera would see him.
Stepping out of the car, he made his way to the elevator, rising silently to the tenth floor of the building. When the doors slid open, the quiet murmur of a restaurant greeted him. The place was upscale, with low lighting and soft music playing in the background, designed for privacy rather than attention.
Ezra glanced around, taking in the atmosphere. Everything was in place, perfect for the kind of conversation he was about to have. A waiter appeared, leading him through the public area to a private room where Helena was waiting.
As they walked, Ezra caught his reflection in one of the large windows, pausing briefly to straighten his suit. He adjusted his collar, mentally preparing himself for the role he would be playing tonight. The plan was to turn this night into more meetings. And with that, get closer to Helena.
The waiter left after guiding him to the door of the private room, and Ezra entered, immediately finding Helena inside, already seated with her back to him. She rose to greet him, turning, her movements smooth and graceful.
When she turned fully, Ezra fought to keep his jaw from dropping. This wasn\'t the Helena he was used to. It was as if he was seeing her for the first time.
She wasn\'t in her usual white peacekeeper uniform. Instead, she wore a black, form-fitting dress that left her shoulders bare. Her blue hair, which was always tied back in a strict ponytail, was let down, cascading around her face and softening her entire demeanor.
Ezra blinked, pleasantly surprised. This wasn\'t the stern peacekeeper he was used to dealing with. It was as if the hard exterior she wore in her day-to-day life had melted away, revealing a different side to her.
"Ezra." Helena greeted him, her voice warm as she leaned in to kiss his cheek. "I\'m glad you came."
"Wouldn\'t miss it." He said with a smile, hiding the fact that he was still adjusting to this new version of her.
They sat across from each other, Ezra\'s eyes roaming over Helena. She seemed a lot more relaxed as she sat. His eyes couldn\'t help but linger on her figure, the dress highlighting her curves like a dedicated student studying on his beloved subject.
Helena smiled at him as she snapped her fingers and the waiters entered, placing covered dishes on the table. She held his gaze as they left before opening it herself.
Her smile grew as the aroma of the dishes escaped with the covers, revealing a spread of cuisine usually found in high-end restaurants. But what caught Ezra\'s attention was the unmistakable scent and sight of vampire food, rich in blood.
"H- how did you manage to bring this in?" he asked, clearly impressed. "I thought this was a human only restaurant."
Helena smiled, a hint of pride in her eyes. "I own the place. I had the food transferred, unopened, from one of Itachi\'s restaurants."
Ezra raised his eyebrows. "I didn\'t know you owned property."
Helena poured them both a glass of blood wine, her smile widening at his words. "As peacekeepers, we\'re supposed to stay neutral. We can own property in any territory, but we have to keep it quiet. Rumors of favoritism are the last thing we need."
Ezra frowned, swirling his glass. "Doesn\'t that all seem pointless? Everyone already knows you work with Yuri."
Helena took a sip of her wine before starting on her meal. "First City is different. In other cities, peacekeepers work closely with both the Arbiter and the City Lord. But Itachi\'s hands-off approach here means I mostly deal with Yuri. And that\'s how our relationship began."
"But when Itachi returns, we\'ll have to keep things quiet. If he finds out I\'m on Yuri\'s side, he\'ll have to get involved and break things off."
Ezra nodded in understanding, the clink of their cutleries on the plates filling the silence.
"Enough of that." Helena said, breaking the short silence. Her tone shifted as she asked, "How have you been handling the war?"
"I manage." Ezra gave a noncommittal shrug. "It\'s twenty four hours surveillance but it\'s what I\'ve gotta do."
Helena raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "And you still found time to be here? How do you manage that?"
Ezra chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Let\'s just say my wives don\'t know about this little dinner."
Helena laughed softly. "They wouldn\'t approve?"
"They don\'t know I\'m here," Ezra replied with a smirk, "and I think we should keep it that way." He winked at her.
She laughed, getting the message and the conversation shifted again, this time to Helena\'s work.
Before long, he\'d gotten Helena to open up, talking about the difficulties of leadership, the loneliness that came with it, and the heavy burden of responsibility.
He listened closely, offering empathy and building that personal connection between them. In an effort to be relatable, he even made up a few stories and shared them as his own struggles with the constant demands of his position as coven leader.
He managed to paint his wives as demanding and unappreciative, seeing the gleam in Helena\'s eyes as he laid the trap step by step. If this was not subtle enough to signal a man in need of outside comfort, he didn\'t know what will.
"You handle it well," Helena said, her eyes softening as she looked at him. "You have this way about you... composed, even when things are falling apart."
Ezra smiled, leaning forward as the conversation grew more personal. "You\'re not too bad yourself." He complimented her, his voice genuine. "Strong, beautiful, and far more capable than anyone gives you credit for."
The compliment hung in the air between them as they stared into each other\'s eyes. It was as if the world had faded away, leaving both of them in existence.
Then, Ezra looked away, breaking the moment.
They continued their conversation and eventually, they finished their meal. Everything was over but neither of them were eager to leave.
Helena leaned back in her chair, her eyes lingering on Ezra. "I\'ve enjoyed this," she said, her voice wistful. "It\'s easy talking to you."
Ezra stood slowly, his movements deliberate, as if trying to prolong the moment. "I\'m glad we did this."
Helena stood to leave, but the moment stretched, each one waiting for the other to do, or say, anything.
Helena stepped closer, her mouth opening slightly in hesitation, her eyes locking with his. For a split second, Ezra hesitated, but then he leaned in, closing the distance between them and pressing his lips to hers.
Neither pulled away immediately, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to stand still. Then he pulled away, breaking the kiss.
"Uh…," he scratched the back of his head like a man who just made a mistake, "I shouldn\'t have done that."
Helena smiled as she stepped back, her voice a whisper. "Don\'t worry. We\'ll keep this between us."
Ezra hesitated before returning her smile. "Agreed."
"See you again, Ezra." Helena said before turning and walking away, her hips swaying almost hypnotically.
As he watched her leave, Ezra knew he had made sure this wouldn\'t be their last meeting. They had crossed a line tonight, one that couldn\'t be undone. And both of them knew it.