Page 93 of This Ravenous Fate
Elise touched her chin and lifted Layla’s gaze to hers. “You were my salvation. You saved me.” The glint of fresh tears on Elise’s cheeks cleaved Layla’s heart. But she understood it was better to process her emotions now. To hold them in and keep them against her heart would only turn it cold. Layla could attest to that. For the first time in ages, she felt warmth now and it was all because of Elise. And this Saint girl had no idea.
“It was instinct. Though I cannot believe you jumped in front of a bullet for me,” Layla said softly.
A smile broke across Elise’s beautiful face. “It was instinct,” shesaid gently. “How are you feeling?”
Layla moved closer to Elise, her hand coming up to wipe her tears. “Better now. Better than I have in years.”
Elise nodded. “Good.” She reached forward to touch Layla’s jaw. “I wish we didn’t have five years of hate between us.”
Layla laughed. “It builds character.”
A soft sigh escaped Elise’s lips. “Right.”
“We can start over,” Layla offered.
To Layla’s surprise, Elise shook her head. “No. If you have never felt better than you do now, then I like where we are.”
The faintest tear in Layla’s heart mended at the whispered assurance in Elise’s voice. And in that moment, Layla tumbled hopelessly back into every emotion she had left behind for the five years they had been distanced from each other. New hopes sprung up around her and she welcomed those, her heart stretching to accommodate every part of her that wanted to love Elise Saint.
She had never felt so full. So right.
“You’re my best everything,” Layla whispered.
Smiling, Elise blinked more tears away. She touched Layla’s cheek, her hand warm and perfectly placed. And when her eyes dipped to her mouth, Layla’s heart leapt in her chest. “Saint,” she whispered.
“Say my name,” Elise murmured.
A smile broke across Layla’s face. “Elise. My Elise.”
Light spilled in from the window as Elise closed the distance between them. Her lips brushed Layla’s gently at first, tentatively,then as she drew more confidence from the answering stroke of Layla’s hand down her arm, Elise kissed her with more fervor. Layla was peacefully unprepared for the way kissing Elise Saint would make her feel. Warmth blossomed in her chest and unfurled in every aching, cold part of her body. Where she hurt, the sensation of Elise mended. The gentle pull of Elise was the only source of heat. And for once, Layla embraced it. She let Elise in. Once she opened up, there was no stopping. Elise poured into her in waves, with each stroke of her tongue and each whispered word against Layla’s lips. They were so fully each other’s by now, should they pull apart, Layla knew Elise would be imprinted in her like a tattoo on her heart. There was no escaping her feelings now. Elise had set Layla on fire. And Layla welcomed the burn.
By the time they pulled apart for air, Layla was on Elise’s lap. Layla’s hands tangled in Elise’s hair, and Elise’s lips moved down to Layla’s neck. Already, Layla was wanting more of Elise, and they had not even separated.
Elise glanced up at her, eyes heavy with bliss. “You’re my best everything too.”
Layla opened her mouth to respond, but the bedroom door flew open, and Analia Saint walked in. “Oh!” Elise’s mother covered her mouth with her hands. Layla stilled as Elise stiffened beneath her. But when Analia Saint dropped her hands, she was smiling. “I never thought I would live to see the day you two made up. I always thought you had the best friendship.” She paused with her hand on the doorknob. “I came to check on you, Elise, but you’re clearly fine. Let meknow if you two need anything.” Mrs. Saint was gone another second later.
Layla shared a look with Elise. Then they both burst into a fit of laughter.
“I cannot tell if it’s denial, or pure ignorance,” Elise managed to get out between laughs.
“It must be denial. It’s the only way she can carry on right now,” Layla breathed, still trying to tame her amusement.
“My father sent her across town because he knew what would happen today. At least he saved her.” Elise wiped at her eyes and moved away from Layla. Missing her, Layla followed her while she crossed the room to put on her slippers and robe. “I should check on her. I need to tell her that Josi is gone.” Elise’s voice broke.
Layla nodded. There had been no sign of Josi, even back at her lair. No one had seen Valeriya escape with her earlier. “I’ll go back to the lair. There are bound to be questions anyway.”
Elise waited at the door, one hand resting on the frame. “I wish you could stay. I want things to go back to the way we were before. When we were together all the time. I’m sorry for everything I’ve done to make this worse. And for what my father has done.”
The memory of blood spilling from Tobias Saint’s lips surfaced in Layla’s mind, and her heart thundered at the thought of him refusing to apologize for everything he had done that hurt Elise. Layla came forward and took Elise’s hand in hers. “Don’t apologize for your father. He doesn’t deserve any part of you.”
Elise’s jaw tightened. She looked like she wanted to cry againand that broke something in Layla. “I’m tired of crying. I just want this whole situation to be over. I’m not anticipating a happy ending. I just want an ending.”
Layla’s thumb stroked over Elise’s knuckles. “You deserve a happy ending.”
***
“I cannot believe any of this. I thought we… I thought your father wanted things to get better. Now he’s lying in a hospital bed, and our youngest is nowhere to be found. I won’t sleep tonight. Not while the police are out looking for her.” Mrs. Saint shook her head and pressed a handkerchief to the edge of her eye. Elise sat on top of a mound of pillows at the foot of her bed. It felt empty now without her father to take up at least half of it.
