The silence in the hospital room felt heavy after Silas
ended his call. He returned to find Elara picking at her cooling food, her
expression troubled.
"Your meal is getting cold," he said gently,
reclaiming his seat beside her bed.
She looked up, the worry evident in her eyes before she
resumed slowly sipping her soup. Silas watched her—the way her dark lashes
brushed her cheeks, the slight tremble in her hands. He reached out, covering
her hand with his.
"Steven Cohen hasn't been found," he said quietly,
deciding honesty was best.
The spoon clattered against the bowl as Elara set it down.
Her face paled slightly. "What if he's still alive? He's in the shadows
while we're in the light. What if he loses his mind and comes back for revenge
one day? I can't—" Her voice trembled, the memory of his teeth on her neck
still fresh.
"Elly." His voice was a soft command, pulling her
from the spiral of fear. He brought her hand to his lips, pressing warm, firm
kisses to her knuckles—once, twice, three times. The gesture was both a promise
and an anchor. "Look at me."
She met his gaze, finding not worry but unwavering certainty
in his dark eyes.
"Don't carry this fear," he murmured, his thumb
stroking her wrist. "I will handle this. Even if he somehow survived, I
will dig him out from whatever hole he's hiding in. He will never get close to
you again. We will be safe. Both of us. Do you trust me?"
The warmth of his hand, the intensity of his promise, seeped
into her bones, slowly melting the ice of her anxiety. "...I trust
you," she whispered, the words feeling true as she said them.
A genuine smile finally touched her lips as she changed the
subject. "Oh, Chloe arrives tomorrow afternoon. I've sent Ben the flight
details."
Silas took a tissue and gently dabbed a spot of soup from
her lip. "How long is she staying? Should we arrange her
accommodation?"
"No need. She said she has other plans and already
booked a hotel. She'll only be here two nights before leaving." Elara
shook her head, relieved to focus on something normal.
Chloe Smith was a woman of action. The moment she finalised
her business proposal, she boarded the first flight to Oakhaven. No sooner had
she disembarked than her phone buzzed with a vaguely familiar number.
"Miss Smith, I'm at the curb-side pickup. License plate
ending 817." The voice was as cold and clipped as she remembered.
Ben's sharply handsome, impassive face immediately sprang to
mind. She raised an eyebrow, manoeuvring her bulky suitcase through the airport
doors.
A black Maybach glided to a stop before her. The window
lowered, revealing that very same icy countenance. Their eyes met for a brief,
electric moment before he stepped out, wordlessly taking her suitcase and
storing it in the trunk.
"Get in please."
Chloe's gaze flickered between the spacious back seat and
the front passenger seat. A daring impulse made her open the front door and
slide in beside him.
Ben shot her a quick, unreadable glance but said nothing,
simply starting the engine. The moment her seatbelt clicked, he merged into
traffic with smooth, powerful precision.
She cleared her throat. "Ben, would you mind dropping
me at my hotel first? I just need to dump my luggage before heading to the
hospital."
"Okay." The single word was like a stone dropped
in water.
Her eyes drifted to his hands—broad and steady on the
steering wheel, veins tracing paths under taut skin. His nails were perfectly
trimmed. As he turned the wheel, the muscles in his forearms flexed, radiating
a restrained strength. Dressed simply in a black T-shirt and trousers, his
sharp features seemed even more pronounced, his aloofness a tangible force.
After a few appreciative glances, reality check. Right. This
iceberg already has a girlfriend. She sighed inwardly and turned her gaze to
the passing scenery.
The rest of the journey passed in a silence so thick you
could cut it.
When they pulled up at the hotel, Ben retrieved her
suitcase. She quickly took it from him, thanked him, and promised to be back in
ten minutes.
Leaning against the car with his arms crossed, Ben watched
her slender, retreating figure. A faint crease appeared between his brows. He
distinctly remembered this woman being far more... vocal.
In the hospital room, Elara had just finished the apple
slices Silas had meticulously cut for her when a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in." Silas stood, calmly wiping his hands
with a disinfectant cloth.
The door opened to reveal Chloe, who took in the scene with
wide eyes. The mighty Silas Thorne, playing nurse? She barely suppressed a
whistle.
"Chloe! You're here!" Elara's face lit up,
immediately pulling her hand from Silas's grasp and subtly shooing him away
from the prime bedside spot.
Seeing himself so easily discarded the moment her friend
arrived, Silas felt a wave of amused exasperation. A wry smile touched his
lips. He leaned down suddenly, capturing Elara's mouth in a soft, possessive
kiss that left her blushing.
"Darling," he said, his voice a low, intimate
rumble, "I've had dinner sent up. Chat with your friend. I have some
business to attend to, but I'll be back to keep you company soon."
Flustered by the very public display of affection, Elara
could only nod. "Alright, don't worry about me. Handle your business. Be
careful."
"Mhm." He smiled, ruffling her hair before turning
to Chloe, his demeanour shifting seamlessly to one of polite host. "Miss
Smith, it's good to see you. Thank you for coming to see Elara. Please, make
yourself comfortable. You must excuse me."
"Mr. Thorne, thank you," Chloe replied with a
polite, slightly awkward smile.
The moment the door closed behind Silas and Ben, Chloe
visibly relaxed. She rushed to the bedside, grabbing Elara's hands and scanning
her from head to toe.
"What happened? How did you end up in the hospital with
pregnancy complications? Are you okay? Is it serious? What did the doctors say?
How long until you're better?" The questions tumbled out in a worried
rush.
Elara squeezed her friend's hands, offering a reassuring
smile. She glossed over the kidnapping and the jump from the car, simply
attributing it to a bad fall. Some shadows were better faced with a partner,
but others... others she would carry alone, for now.