Chapter 43 #2
Elijah’s entire body tenses. “No. No, no, no—STOP.” His voice cracks through the silence.
His hands grip my shoulders, not to hurt, but to anchor.
“Do you really think I would leave you? That something he did—something out of your control—could make me stop loving you? Ava, there is nothing in this world, not past, present, or future, that could erase how I feel about you. You are it for me. You are my reason. My every reason. And I will love you until my last breath—and beyond. Do you understand me?”
Tears blur my vision, and I nod.
He leans in, voice stern now. “Use your words, Ava.”
“Yes,” I whisper. “I understand.”
And then he kisses me—like he’s trying to undo the hurt, like he’s trying to burn his love into my skin, into my bones, deep into my soul. I melt into him, because in his arms is the only place that doesn’t ache.
“I love you, Ava,” he breathes against my lips. “And I always will.”
I pull back just slightly, my voice trembling. “But it’s just me…”
He cups my cheek, eyes burning with emotion.
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted. ,Just You, Just Me, Just Us.”
Elijah doesn’t let go.
He holds me there like I’m made of glass and gold at the same time—something precious, something fragile, something he refuses to lose.
His forehead rests against mine, and his breath is warm as it brushes my skin.
“You’re not just ‘enough’ for me, Ava,” he whispers.
“You’re everything. I need you to start believing that—not because I’m telling you, but because it’s the truth.”
I close my eyes and let his words sink into me, like they can stitch up something raw inside.
“I want to believe it,” I whisper.
He nods gently. “Then let me help you. Every day. Every night. However long it takes. You don’t have to carry this alone anymore.”
My arms tighten around his waist. The warmth of his body, the familiar scent of his cologne—everything about him feels like safety. Like home.
“Elijah… I was so scared. I thought I would never see you again.” My voice cracks, quiet and childlike.
“I know, baby. I know.” His hand cradles the back of my head, fingers weaving gently through my damp hair. “But it’s over. You’re safe now. And I’m not going anywhere.”
I want to stay like this forever, wrapped in him, away from the world and everything it tried to take from me. But I know there are things I have to face—truths I have to speak.
Still, for one more minute, I let myself sink into his embrace.
“Do you think they’ll look at me differently?” I ask, barely audible.
“No,” he says firmly. “You’re not broken. You’re not less. You’re stronger than you’ve ever been. You survived something awful, and now… now you get to take your power back.”
My throat tightens again, but this time it’s not just fear—it’s gratitude. For him. For this moment. For the fact that I was found. That I was saved.
“Can we just stay like this a little longer?” I ask, fingers tightening around his shirt.
“For as long as you want, baby girl,” Elijah murmurs into my hair. “For as long as you need.”
We don’t move. Not yet. Not until the storm inside me settles into something I can walk with.
And when I finally look up into his eyes again, I see no fear, no doubt—just love.
Love that doesn’t run. Love that stays.
By the time we pull apart, I feel… not whole, not yet—but steadier. Like I can breathe without shaking.
Elijah gently brushes a tear from my cheek and nods once, silently asking if I’m ready. I squeeze his hand.
“I’m ready.”
We walk side by side toward Kade’s office, our fingers still laced together. The hallway feels longer than usual, heavier somehow, and when we reach the door, Elijah pauses.
“You don’t owe anyone anything,” he whispers. “Whatever you choose to share—it’s on your terms.”
I nod. My throat is tight again, but I manage to keep my head high. “I know. But I need to do this. For me.”
He opens the door and we step inside.
Kade is seated behind the desk, looking every bit the calculating strategist that he is, but there's a softness in his eyes when they meet mine.
Gabriel stands by the windowsill, arms crossed tight over his chest, the tension in his jaw betraying the calm he’s trying to hold. But the second his eyes land on me, the mask cracks—relief flickering across his face like light breaking through storm clouds.
In a few long strides, he’s in front of me, arms open. The invitation is all I need. I slip my hand from Elijah’s and fall into Gabriel’s embrace. His warmth swallows me whole, his scent grounding me in a way I didn’t know I needed.
“I’m so damn glad you’re okay, sis,” he mutters against my hair, voice rough with everything he’s not saying. The words hit something deep in my chest, sharp and aching. He’s claiming me as family—as if I’ve always belonged here. A family forged in chaos and choice, not blood.
“Thank you,” I whisper, my voice barely holding together.
He presses a kiss to the top of my head, his breath trembling. “I’d do it again,” he says quietly. “As many times as it takes. But God, I hope I never have to.”
I nod against him, the weight of it all settling heavy between us.
Kai sits on the armrest of a chair, his eyes unreadable but focused.
The room quiets completely when we enter. No one says a word as Elijah guides me to the sofa and helps me sit. He stays close, with his hand resting on my thigh like a silent promise: You’re not doing this alone.
Kade leans forward, voice even but gentle. “Ava. I’m glad you’re here. Take your time. Whatever you can tell us—it helps. But if it’s too much, just say the word.”
I glance at each of them. These men—deadly, powerful, ruthless when they need to be—are looking at me like I’m something worth protecting, not something broken.