Page 49 of Hush

He turned to see Elise watching him warily. “Why are you so happy this morning?” she asked.

“Because your sister brought me some very good news.”

“My sister?” Elise replied, tilting her head curiously.

“Can we talk for a minute?” he asked her, barely able to control the grin tugging at his lips.

Elise rose, then slipped on her shoes.

“I’ll be right back, okay?” he told Jaden.

Elise led him to the quiet hallway. He closed the door behind them.

Ben inhaled a deep breath. “Ashley has a record of blackmail,” he said. “Caitlin found out that she pulled the same stunt when she was an undergrad, with her biology professor.”

Elise’s eyes narrowed.

Ben leaned back against the wall, then crossed his arms. “He fought her and won, but the university forced him into retirement. So, he sued her for defamation of character.”

“Did he win?” Elise asked, her pulse accelerating.

“To the tune of ten million dollars. She declared bankruptcy. Soon after, Ashley Cullen was born.”

Elise gasped. “So, what does this mean?”

“It means I can fight her.”

“Wow,” Elise said. “This is a lot, Ben.”

“I know,” he said, feeling his body still. He breathed a short, deep breath. “Elise, I’m going to our chief of residency to tell her everything.”

A fearful expression took over her face.

“I want to do it right this time.” He risked reaching for her hand, and she was relieved when she didn’t pull away. “I have a hard road ahead, and I want everything out in the open. Is that okay with you?”

Elise watched him carefully. “But won’t you get fired? I mean, we broke the rules.”

“I’m hoping I won’t,” Ben said.

“Can I help?” Elise asked.

A flood of relief poured into him, and a desperate form of hope filled his heart. “They might ask you some questions,” Ben said. “Just be honest. Can you do that?”

Elise blushed. “Do I have to tell them…everything?” she asked.

Holy heck is she sexy when she blushes like that, he thought. He so wanted to lean down and kiss her, but he’d pledged not to get sideways this time and meant it.

He smiled. “Noteverything,” he said.

Elise pressed her lips together to hold in her shy smile, but it didn’t work and a giggle broke loose.

“When it’s over, I want us to be together,” he said, keeping his voice low. “You, me, and Jaden.” The fear of losing Jaden during the surgery returned. “But I can’t fight her unless you’ll be here when the storm passes.”

Her bright eyes lifted to his, and he watched her take a deep breath. “I’ll be here,” she said.

Ben felt the shattered pieces of his heart rise and begin to dance.

* * *

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