Page 44 of Ruined By Protection
"Exactly." Evelyn reaches across the table to squeeze my hand. "Life rarely follows the path we plan. But sometimes the detours lead us somewhere better."
I'm not sure I believe that yet, but I want to. I need to.
Lucrezia returns, sliding gracefully back into her seat. "What did I miss?"
"Just catching up on family stuff," Evelyn says smoothly.
I take another sip of latte, watching them over the rim of the mug. There's more to Evelyn's story—much more—but for now, I'm just grateful she's here. That she instantly understood what I needed when I called her in desperation from Elliott's bathroom.
Some questions can wait. Right now I'm just trying to breathe through one day at a time.
I'm about to take another sip when Evelyn suddenly straightens in her chair, her eyes widening.
"Hazel! Did you call home yet?" she asks, alarm creeping into her voice.
The mug freezes halfway to my lips. "What?"
"Your family. Have you called them since you left?" Evelyn's expression grows increasingly concerned. "They need to know you're safe."
My stomach drops. The lawyer's words come rushing back to me—the warnings about Elliott, about protecting my family. In the whirlwind of escaping and meeting with Maria, I'd completely...
No. That's not true. I didn't forget.
I know she's right. I've known it all along. But the thought of hearing my mother's voice, of having to explain why I ran, of possibly learning that Elliott has already started making their lives hell—it makes my chest tighten until I can barely breathe.
"What if he's already been there?" I whisper, voicing my deepest fear. "What if he's already taken everything away from them?"
Evelyn reaches across the table and takes my hand. "That's exactly why you need to call. They deserve to hear from you first."
I nod, knowing she's right. With a shaking hand I reach into my purse and pull out the sleek black phone Maria gave me earlier. It looks nothing like my rose gold iPhone that Elliott monitored constantly.
"I'll give you some privacy," Lucrezia says, standing up. "I need another pastry anyway."
Evelyn squeezes my forearm once more before following Lucrezia to the counter, leaving me alone at the table with the phone feeling impossibly heavy in my palm.
I stare at the keypad, my mother's number so familiar I could dial it in my sleep. But my fingers won't move. What will I say? How do I explain that I've left my husband, that I'm filing for divorce, that everything I've sacrificed for the past two years might have been for nothing?
Daniel shifts his position near the door, his eyes constantly scanning the café, the street through the window. His presence reminds me that I'm not just hiding from an angry husband—I'm hiding from a dangerous man. A man who might right now be standing in my parents' living room, demanding they tell him where I am.
I take a deep breath and dial.
Each ring feels like an eternity. My heart bangs so loudly I'm sure everyone in the café can hear the drumbeat of fear. What if Elliott answers? What if he's there right now? What if?—
"Hello?"
My mother's voice.
"Mom?" My voice cracks on that single syllable.
Matteo
I step out of the shower, steam billowing around me as I grab a towel from the rack. My muscles ache in that satisfying way that only comes after pushing them to their limits. Two hours in the mansion's gym—boxing, weights and a punishing core routine—has helped burn off some of the restless energy that's been plaguing me since last night.
Since seeing her again.
I wipe condensation from the mirror and stare at my reflection. The man looking back at me is tougher than the one Hazel knew in Austin. More scars. More blood on his hands.
I dress quickly in dark jeans and a black Henley, rolling the sleeves up to my elbows. My stomach growls, reminding me I haven't eaten since breakfast. I check my phone—no messages from Daniel about Hazel, which means everything's going according to plan. Still, the lack of an update irritates me.
