Fearless by Kelly Goode

Author:Kelly Goode [Goode, Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-02-09T00:00:00+00:00

30

Helen woke to the welcomed warmth of sunshine on her face. She’d forgotten to close the curtains before she went to bed and wished she could grumble about lack of sleep, but in reality she’d slept soundly on a mattress that felt as if it had been designed especially for her. Tiredness had trumped Viktor’s rejection last night, but she covered her face with her hands as the embarrassment of her naked portrait session came flooding back. She couldn’t even blame the wine for the sudden bout of self-confidence. She should have said no. No to coming to his apartment. No to being his model. No to his kisses. But something compelled her to please him.

Stockholm syndrome.

Helen rolled out of bed and used the bathroom. She took her time under the shower in order to delay facing Viktor. She’d told him to stop kissing her, but she was just as guilty and needed to show an equal amount of restraint. She felt an intense connection to him, even though they came from different worlds.

She switched off the shower and used one of the fluffy towels to dry. She brushed her teeth and tied up her long hair, but rather than put Viktor’s T-shirt back on, she used the towelling robe which she found hanging in a closet. She unlocked the door and crept along the corridor to his art room. She needed to see her portrait one last time, before she insisted he paint over it or destroy it.

Helen eased open the door, but found the easel empty. She scanned the room and didn’t see the canvas. Anxiety built like an inferno, as she thought he might have already put it on display. She made a thorough investigation of the apartment, but didn’t find the painting or Viktor.

He’d left her.

No sooner had she thought that, the lift doors opened, but it wasn’t Viktor that stepped into the apartment. Instead, a small, grey haired lady with weathered skin and a large smile walked towards Helen. She carried several brown paper bags and left two of them beside Helen’s feet, and then took the others into the kitchen.

‘Good morning, Doctor Peters,’ she said when she returned.

‘Good morning,’ Helen replied. ‘Who are you?’

‘I’m the housekeeper. It’s usually my day off, but Master Viktor called me in today to tend to you.’

‘Tend to me?’

The woman smiled. ‘Don’t look so scared. I don’t bite.’

‘Are you...?’

Helen couldn’t bring herself to say the word. The woman looked human, but she would never take that for granted ever again.

‘I am a jaktten, yes. You can call me Hetti. Viktor asked me to bring you some clothes and fix you something to eat. Does that sound ok?’

‘Yes.’

Hetti gestured to the bags. ‘Start with the clothes. I hope they fit. He wasn’t very clear on the sizing, only that you were petite with some pleasing curves. His words, not mine.’

Helen picked up the bags and looked inside. Her face flushed as she found black lacy underwear.

‘Does he do this often?’

Hetti inclined her head.

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