Chapter 85: #EIGHTY-FIVE

NICHOLAS’S POV

I kept running until I was heaving heavily.

More than once I nearly tripped over roots sticking out of the ground, but I didn’t stop because stopping meant somebody could catch me. I didn’t want to be caught. I didn’t want to hear another promise that I was safe, and I didn’t want to return to the house.

Then I heard footsteps behind me and I looked back and saw Elijah.

He was coming after me, pushing through the trees with one hand moving branches out of his way, and the moment our eyes met, I turned forward and tried to run faster. I didn’t get far before Elijah caught up within seconds and reached for me, but instead of grabbing me roughly, he wrapped his arms around me and held me against him while I struggled weakly.

"Please, Nicholas, stop running from me for just a second and listen to me," Elijah said, tightening his arms around me when I tried to pull away but immediately loosening them when he realized I was uncomfortable. "I’m not here to force you anywhere. I’m not going to drag you back. I’m sorry for every part of this that I could have prevented, especially the things I should have noticed earlier. I should have told you what we were investigating instead of keeping things from you. I’m so fucking sorry."

My face crumpled. "You should have left me alone," I said, pushing against his chest as tears ran down my face. "All of you should have left me alone. Jayden said he cared about me too, and look where that got me."

Elijah didn’t interrupt me.

I kept crying, finally saying everything I had been holding inside because there had never been a moment when I felt safe enough to say it. "I trusted you. I trusted all of you, and I thought maybe I had finally found somewhere I could stay without having to lie about everything. Then I found out there were things being hidden from me, people were watching me, and nobody would tell me what was happening. I kept thinking that maybe I was the problem because I couldn’t understand what everyone wanted from me. Maybe you all only kept me around because I was useful to you, because of what I am, because you wanted something from me. I don’t know anymore."

Elijah pulled back enough to look at my face, wiping at his own eyes before speaking. "You are not something we brought into that house because we needed to use you, Nicholas. I know you have every reason to doubt that after everything you’ve experienced, but I need you to hear me when I tell you that your place in that house changed all of us. Before you came there, we barely spoke to one another unless there was something we needed to discuss, and nobody cared where anyone else was or what they were doing. You may not know it, but I can tell you that you matter to us beyond what you can give us."

I looked away. "I don’t know if I believe you."

"You don’t have to believe me, Nicholas. I’m not gonna push," Elijah replied, keeping his voice calm as he gave me some space instead of trying to pull me closer again. "You can be angry with us. You can tell us that we failed you. You can decide that you don’t want to speak to any of us when we get home. I’m not asking you to forget what happened. I’m asking you to come somewhere you can rest while we deal with everything else. If you don’t trust me enough to go back for us, then go back because your mother is there waiting for you."

My mother’s name broke the remaining resistance I had left.

I covered my face and cried again and Elijah waited.

After several minutes, I finally nodded.

He nodded and simply walked beside me as we made our way back through the trees, keeping enough distance that I didn’t feel trapped. When we reached the others, Cassian immediately moved toward us, but Elijah lifted a hand and stopped him from coming any closer.

"Give him some space," Elijah told them, glancing around at the others before opening the car door for me. "He’s coming with us, but he’s exhausted, so nobody needs to crowd him or start questioning him. Whatever we need to discuss can wait until he’s rested and has had time to decide what he wants to say."

Nobody argued as I got into the car.

Adrian wasn’t with us. He had already left in another vehicle with Jayden, and I couldn’t bring myself to ask where they were taking him. I wasn’t ready to hear what would happen to him, and I didn’t want to think about him at all. I sat quietly during the drive home, staring through the window while the city passed by.

Elijah remained beside me, occasionally checking whether I needed anything, but he didn’t force conversation.

When we finally reached the house, my mother was already waiting.

The moment she saw me step through the doorway, she stopped. For a few seconds, she simply stared at me as though she was afraid that moving would make me disappear again. Then she rushed forward and pulled me into her arms.

"My baby, I have been terrified," she said, holding me tightly while crying against my shoulder. "I kept thinking about where you were, whether you were hurt, and whether someone would find you before it was too late. I don’t want you explaining anything right now because I can see that you’re exhausted. Oh goddess, I was so scared."

I couldn’t say much, I just hugged her back and cried.

My stepfather approached also, his expression filled with relief and concern as he stopped a short distance away. "I’m grateful you’re back," he said, keeping his voice cool while his eyes moved over me as though checking whether I had been seriously injured.

I looked at him. And somehow, all I could remember was the fact that he had also had sex with me. That he had also used me.

I lowered my eyes. "I’m tired."

My mother immediately nodded and wiped her face. "Then go upstairs. You need sleep more than you need to explain anything."

Elijah followed me upstairs. When we reached my room, I stopped at the doorway.

The room looked different. Some of the furniture had been moved, the walls had been repainted, and the entire space had been rearranged. Elijah noticed me looking around and leaned against the door.

"We had the room inspected after everything that happened," he explained, gesturing around the room. "We’ve removed anything that shouldn’t be here, and we’ve had the entire area checked for surveillance equipment. There aren’t any hidden cameras in this room or the spaces immediately around it. We’re also changing the security arrangements throughout the house, so you won’t have to worry about someone secretly monitoring you again."

I looked around again. "You promise?"

"I promise that we had it checked properly," Elijah answered, walking farther into the room while keeping his hands visible and his movements slow. "And tomorrow, the security officers are going to come and speak with you. They already know you’re exhausted, so they’re not going to force you into a long interview tonight. They’ll want to understand what happened, especially because there are still questions about Jayden and the people connected to him. You can tell them what you remember, and if there’s something you don’t remember, you can simply say that. You don’t need to invent anything to help the investigation."

I sat on the edge of the bed. "Do I have to do it?"

"No," Elijah said immediately. "But I think it would help us understand what happened and might help them find whoever else is involved. You’ve already told me enough for us to know Jayden wasn’t acting completely alone. If you remember anything about the person he mentioned, the locations you were taken to, the vehicles, conversations you overheard or anything else that seemed strange, tell them. But don’t force yourself to remember things tonight."

I nodded. "I’ll talk to them tomorrow."

Elijah remained near the door.

"If you need anything, call me. You don’t have to come downstairs. Just get some rest."

He left after that, closing the door behind him and I stayed where I was for several minutes.

I looked around again, checking every corner, every piece of furniture and every place where a camera could possibly have been hidden.

Jayden had been caught. But that didn’t answer the questions that had been ringing in my head.

Who was his brother?