Page 80 of Bound By Threads
Elijah lingers in the doorway. “Are you going to stay?”
I nod.
He sighs, reaches into his pocket and pulls out a half-empty bottle of water, and sets it inside the closet. “You’re dehydrated. Try not to pass out.”
I give him a small, grateful smile. “Thanks.”
“One more hour then I’m dragging your ass out of here. I’ll be waiting out there.”
Then he pulls the door hallway shut behind him. The light fades and the silence returns.
I stay.
Because maybe this is what she needs to heal…
And maybe, it’s what I need too.
Chapter36
Elijah
The campus is quiet today, but my mind is elsewhere, replaying the events of the last week.
Confronting her.
The guilt.
Crew…
I wish I could shake off the weight pressing down on me, but it’s become a constant companion, and the nagging voice in my head tells me I need to speak to her.
Let her knowhe’sgone.
I round the corner near the library. He’s leaning against the wall, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips.
Archer.
“Elijah,” he calls out.
I stop in my tracks. “What do you want?”
He pushes off the wall and strides toward me, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and something much darker… something I recognize. “Lottie sent me.”
Before I can react, his hand shoots out, gripping my arm in a punishing grip.
“Hey!” I protest, “I’d come willingly if you just ask!”
He doesn’t say anything else until we reach a classroom door. Archer knocks twice, then opens it without waiting for a response.
Inside, Lottie stands there, her expression carefully blank. “Elijah,” she says, her voice calm. “Sit.”
Archer leaves, the door clicking shut behind him. The silence that follows is thick and suffocating, and I can feel the weight of her judgment on me.
She doesn’t sit. Instead, she stands there until I shift uncomfortably in my seat, unsure of what to say or how to tell her everything.
“For a man who was so demanding before, you’re awfully silent now.” Her eyes lock onto mine with an intensity that makes my throat dry.
“Is it my turn now?” I ask.
