Page 141 of Stolen Fate

His heavy breathing was the only thing I heard before the lock clicked out of place, echoing in the empty bathroom and the door was pushed open. Elliot stood there, hugging Wendy tightly in his arms, his eyes red and tear-stained. I made a small choking sound as the sob I was trying to hold in made its way from my throat and I leaned down on my haunches, opening my arms wide.

He didn’t hesitate as he flew right into my arms, and I squeezed him tightly around my body, kissing his head over and over again.

“Oh, thank God you’re okay. You got me so worried. I’m sorry for not watching you properly,” I cried out. Elliot buried his face in my neck and wrapped the arm that wasn’t holding Wendy around me.

“Come on, sweetheart,” I said, standing up. “Your dad’s here and he’s been really worried about you.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry. I know I shouldn’t have walked away.” His lips trembled as he looked up at me with big, wet blue eyes. “Are you mad at me?”

“That’s okay sweetheart. I’m not mad at you. Never at you, understand?”

“Yes. Is Daddy mad at me?” he asked worriedly.

“No, of course not. I know he’ll just be happy you’re safe. Understand?”

He brought his thumb to his mouth and nodded.

We walked out of the bathroom. The men were still there, and Jace was issuing some orders to both Jerry and Simon.

Jerry saw me first. His eyes lit up with relief when he saw Elliot, and he cleared his throat, interrupting Jace. “Sir.”

Jace followed Jerry’s eyes and turned. When he saw me with Elliot, his eyes widened in surprise. “Elliot!”

I put Elliot down and watched as he ran toward Jace’s waiting arms and buried his face in Jace’s chest. I staggered over to the wall nearby, bracing my weight against it. Now that Elliot was safely back to us, the adrenaline I had been feeling these past couple of hours was waning, and all I felt was shaky. I wasn’t even sure I could hold myself up anymore.

Simon walked over to me, his expression set in sympathy. “You know it’s not your fault, right?”

I looked at him, and I knew I didn’t hide my expression very well. “Yes, it is.”

I looked up when Jace moved, only to find his back to me as he walked out with Elliot in his arms. Simon wrapped his arms around my shoulder and pulled me up. I let him lead me out of there.

We kept our distance from Jace and Jerry up ahead, only enough that I could see them through the crowd, though they turned the opposite way of us once we got outside. Jace never turned around to see if I had been following him.

At this point, I wasn’t sure if he would even care if I packed my bags and left, and I honestly didn’t know if I still had a room in Jace’s house anymore—or if I still had a job.

“Come on, Evelyn. Let’s get you home.”

Simon pulled me from my musing and led me to his parked car, opening the passenger door for me to get in. I did so without saying another word.

The ride home was silent. I kept my head out the side window, watching as the cars on the street passed me by.

I could feel Simon’s eyes on me every once in a while, but he didn’t say anything. I was grateful for that.

We got home much too quickly and were only a few minutes behind Jace, because I could see his imposing figure carrying Elliot’s small form in his arms inside the house. I almost begged Simon to drive us away.

I didn’t know how to deal with Jace when he was this angry. And it was much worse than that, considering he was rightfully angry. I messed up. And the only thing I could do now was apologize and own up to my mistake, hoping he would forgive me.

I ignored Jerry, who stood by the car he had driven Jace and Elliot home in, and ignored Simon’s sympathetic gaze when he opened the car door for me. I didn’t want to break down in front of them. I didn’t want to break down in front of Jace either.

I didn’t want to break down, period.

And that was so close to happening, considering my vision was getting blurry from the tears building up, and my throat felt so clogged I could barely swallow without it hurting.

I dragged my feet up the porch and through the front door. By the time I had it closed and locked behind me, everything was silent in the house except for the soft murmur of Jace speaking softly to Elliot. I followed that voice all the way to Jace’s office.

I had never actually been in this room before. This was much more of Jace’s room than his bedroom since it was the place he spent most of his time in when he was home.

It was his sanctuary, and though he had never given me any reason why I wouldn’t be welcome there, I had always left that room alone. Until now.

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