Chapter 236 236

Chapter 236 236
Maya

"How did the meeting go?" I asked, remembering he'd left earlier to go meet with the hospital administrator. I looked at him eagerly awaiting his response because that would determine if we could safely move the twins out of the hospital or not.
Elias sighed and gave my fingers a light squeeze. "They don't recommend moving Kelsey and Kayley." He caught sight of the disappointment on my face and added. "But the reasons they gave are mostly logistics based, nothing I can't make happen. But it will take longer than a day or two, but don't worry, they'll be safe."
He reached out, pulling me into a hug. I let myself sink into him, breathing in his familiar scent, seeking comfort in the warmth of his arms. "I just want to move on, Elias," I whispered. "But right now, it feels like I'm still stuck in this dark place, full of pain and betrayal. And I don't know who to trust anymore."
Elias stiffened slightly before pulling back just enough to look at me. Concern flickered in his eyes. "What's wrong?"
I hesitated, glancing at the nurses nearby before shaking my head. "Not here."
I took his hand and led him out of the NICU, guiding him down the hallway to the stairwell. Once the heavy door shut behind us, I turned to face him, my heart pounding.
"It's Nat," I admitted. "She met with Noah last night."
Elias went still. "What?"
I nodded, wrapping my arms around myself. "She told me just a little while ago. She didn't want me to find out this way, but…" I swallowed, the betrayal still fresh. "She said he showed up and begged her to hear him out."
Elias's disbelief quickly morphed into fury. His jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists. "You're telling me Nat sat down with the man who helped your mother fake your death? The man who knew where you were while I was going out of my mind trying to find you?"
"She said she didn't know what he'd done until I told her," I said, my voice tight. "And she swore she was going to tell us."
Elias let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Oh, she was going to tell us? When? After he finishes whatever game he's playing?" He paced the small space, his fury barely contained. "She kept this from us, Maya. From you."
"I know," I admitted, my voice cracking. "And I'm furious, too. But Elias, you storming in there right now isn't going to fix this."
His head snapped up. "She lied to you. To us."
I could feel the anger and frustration radiating off Elias and felt a sliver of unease go through me. After my nasty experience with Margaret and Cam's own brand of taking out their anger on me, my anxiety levels shot through the roof. Scared, I caught myself in the process of taking a step back and forced myself to stay in place, mentally telling myself not to be ridiculous.
This was Elias, not Cam or Margaret. Deep down, I knew he would rather cut off his arms than hurt me, so being scared to see him express his anger was irrational. I dragged in a deep breath and unclenched my fists then took it a step further and took a step then another and another until I stood flush against him.
I heard Elias's sharp intake of breath at the contact and the hot press of his hands as they circled my waist, pulling me closer to him, my breasts crushed against his chest. I could feel the tension leave his body, feel him relax into our embrace with a soft sigh and my own anxiety lessens.
My fingers lightly stroked the soft hairs at the base of his neck as I felt him press a kiss to the top of my head before resting his head on my shoulder.
He drew in a deep breath and murmured, "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you."
"I know." I murmured against his chest, filling my lungs with his scent. "I get that you're pissed, I am too. But yelling at Nat isn't going to do much good but just make everyone even more upset and get nowhere."
He let out another grunt of dissatisfaction. "Yeah, I get it, but when I think about how she sat with him and let him talk, let him get away even though she knew what his sick family did to you." He raised his head and looked into my eyes and I could see the well of emotions in his eyes. "It makes me sick and I want to know what the fuck she was thinking the whole time."
"Umm," I mumbled and rubbed slow, soothing circles against his back. "I'll talk to her again." I winced as I recalled the misery on Nat's face earlier. "I'm sure she had a good reason and didn't mean to hurt me."
He exhaled harshly, his eyes dark with barely contained fury. "And what if she doesn't tell you everything?"
"She will," I promised, certain of that. I knew Nat, had known her for years and I believed I knew her heart, even if her actions right now had shaken my trust. After letting everything sink in, I realized that she hadn't meant to harm me or my babies. That didn't erase the hurt, but it gave me the strength to handle this differently. "I need you to trust me on this."
Elias ran a hand through his hair, and blew out a breath, exhaustion crossing his face. He was silent for a long moment, then finally exhaled, some of the fire in his gaze dimming. "I don't like this," he admitted. "I don't like you handling it alone."
I nodded, understanding his concern. "I know."
His lips pressed into a thin line, but after another tense pause, he let out a reluctant sigh. "Fine."
I smiled and rose on my tiptoes to press a soft kiss to his lips. It was meant to be a simple thank-you, but Elias didn't let it stay that way. With a low growl, he tightened his arms around me and deepened the kiss, his mouth claiming mine thoroughly. Heat coiled in my stomach as he pulled me flush against him, his warmth seeping into my skin, grounding me, steadying me. For a moment, the betrayal, the exhaustion, the fear—everything faded into the background.