Page 102 of Ruling Scar
“Promise,” she demands.
“Promise.”
“And tell Mom before it bites you in the ass.”
I sigh, but agree. “She’s the next person I’m going to tell. I promise.”
I’m not sure it fully satisfies her, but she takes it. “He’s really okay? Elijah.”
I nod, happy to confirm. “No one will believe it but he’s a total sweetheart.”
She levels me with a look but her voice is almost shy when she asks, “He hasn’t forced you into anything you don’t like?”
“No," I say evenly, but I understand why she asks. It shouldn’t be necessary, but unfortunately it is.
But I’m also not prepared to dish out all the ways he’s taken my body willingly. His dark voice curls my toes in a way that’s the very opposite of sweetheart. He makes me happy and she has the Instagram stories to prove it.
“Okay.” She picks herself off the floor. Her pale face looks ten years older than twenty-two.
“Thanks for checking on me.” I sling an arm around her shoulder.
She holds onto me, squeezing tight. “Go ahead and call me mom, but I don’t ever want anything to happen to you.”
I open the bedroom door, my heart ten sizes bigger.
“Is he watching hockey?” she asks confused. Two guys start wailing on each other, sticks flying. “Oh, no never mind. That makes sense.”
Elijah’s on the couch, watching a recorded game. He nods at Adeline but adds nothing. She narrows her eyes.
“Your body will be in the harbor if you do anything stupid,” she promises on her way out.
CHAPTER 23
Lennie
Ishut the door firmly and watch the security camera feed by the door to make sure Adeline exits safely.
The TV is off and the living room is quiet when I step back through.
“Elijah?” I call out.
Albert’s already curled up on the couch, not moving.
“Babe?”
I was only at the front for a second, but the kitchen’s empty too. The bedroom light is off and the moment I step into the room, my eyes are covered.
“Elijah!” I stumble backward into his chest.
He pulls a silk cloth over my eyes.
“I told you not to answer the door pant less, Leonora.” His voice skitters over my skin.
He ties me up sometimes, but I’ve never been blindfolded before.
“I told you once before there would be consequences,” he purrs darkly.
“C-consequences.” My belly tightens, though.
