“Hey, look at me,” he says gently, his voice like a lifeline. “Breathe, baby girl . I’m here. I won’t leave you alone.”
Baby girl.After everything I did to push him away, everything I kept buried, he still calls me that.
He still comes. No hesitation.
God, how could I be so stupid?
“Ava, baby,” Elijah says softly, his hand against the door. “I’m gonna let myself in with my key, okay?”
I nod. That’s all I can do.
And just like that, he’s inside — wrapping me up in his arms like he’s never letting go
As soon as Elijah steps inside, I crumble.
The moment his arms wrap around me, the adrenaline drains from my body like someone pulled the plug. My knees give out, and he catches me before I hit the floor, holding me tight against his chest. I press my face into his hoodie, and the smell of him—clean soap, a hint of ink, and something warm and familiar—undoes me completely.
“I’m here,” he whispers, one hand cradling the back of my head, the other rubbing slow, steady circles on my back. “You’re safe, Ava. I’ve got you.”
That’s all it takes.
The sob tears out of me without warning, loud and messy. My whole body shakes with it. I try to hold it back, try to stay quiet, but it’s no use. Everything crashes down—fear, shame, the tension of pretending I’m okay when I’m not. And Elijah just holds me through it, not saying a word. Just being there.
My hands clutch his hoodie like a lifeline, and through broken breaths, I finally manage, “I was so scared.”
“I know,” he murmurs, rocking us slightly. “I know, baby.”
His voice is so gentle, it hurts. And the worst part?
I almost didn’t call him. I almost convinced myself he wouldn’t come. But here he is—heart wide open, no questions asked.
“I thought… I thought if I went out with someone else, maybe it would help,” I whisper, voice muffled against him. “That maybe I’d stop thinking about you. But the whole time, all I could think about was how much I wished it was you sitting across from me.”
He stiffens just slightly, but his grip on me never loosens.
He doesn’t respond right away. Just rubs small, calming circles on my back.
“I didn’t even let him kiss me,” I say. “It felt wrong. Like I was betraying something I hadn’t even let myself admit.”
Finally, Elijah speaks—quiet, steady. “You don’t owe me anything, Ava. But… I’m glad it felt wrong.”
I lift my head, eyes rimmed with tears. “I don’t want anyone else.”
He exhales slowly, forehead resting against mine. “You don’t have to say that because you’re scared.”
“I’m saying it because it’s true.”
His hands cup my face then, his thumbs brushing away what’s left of the tears. “Then let’s take this slow. No pressure, no fear. Just you and me. If you need space, I’ll give it to you. But ... I’m here, baby girl. I’ve always been here.”
Elijah exhales like he’s been holding his breath for days.
I nod, too overwhelmed to speak. He kisses my forehead—soft, reverent. Not asking for more. Just promising.
I lift my head just enough to look at him. His thumb brushes the tears from my cheeks like I’m something breakable. And maybe I am.
“I’m scared,” I admit. “You could break my heart.”
He nods, eyes locked on mine. “And you could shatter mine. But I’d still choose you.”
