Page 48 of Fated to Her

“You go ahead, I’ll be in soon. I want to speak to your father,” Cyrus says, and I see Maverick nod to Cyrus. Eli glares at his father before pecking Cyrus’s lips. His father looks away but says nothing.

Eli takes me to the spare room; it’s quite nice and has a huge king-size bed and an ensuite.

“This is fancy for a spare room.”

“Yes, Emery has a thing for the finer things in life. Every room has a bathroom. A bit over the top if you ask me,” Eli says as I climb onto the bed, sitting on the edge. It’s nearly 5 AM, and we will be getting up in a few hours.

“Eli?” Cyrus says.

Eli glares at him. “No, forget it, Cyrus.”

“He has a point, and you know it,” Cyrus says, sitting on the bed with me.

“I said no. End of discussion,” Eli snaps at him.

Sighing, I get up and follow Eli into the shower. All of us are covered in blood. The bathroom is all white and so bright with the lights on and has double sinks with vases on them and a reed diffuser.

I strip off my dressing gown and my ruined pajamas.

“I’ll go ask Emery for some clothes. And your father,” Cyrus says, reaching under the sink for towels, and placing them on the sink basin.

“I would rather walk around naked,” Eli growls.

Cyrus ignores him and leaves out of the room.

Opening the shower screen, I step in, and Eli pulls me to him and wraps his arms around my shoulders.

“Maybe it’s a good idea,” I whisper, his body trembling as fur grows on his arms at my words.

“No, it is a terrible decision. He can’t be trusted.”

“If Emery thinks he can be, maybe trust her, then,” I tell him, staring up at him.

“No!” he snaps at me. I shake my head, and he grips my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. “I said no.”

“But if Sam won’t go out there… Please, Eli, be reasonable.”

“You be reasonable. You don’t even know him and yet already trust him.”

“I know what he did, Eli. I never said I trusted him, but I’m sick of looking over my goddamn shoulder, waiting for him to pounce,” I tell him.

“You know what, who told you? Did Cyrus tell you? He is a fucking monster, Addie.”

“He is your father, and he seems okay. I don’t know him, you’re right, but he seems genuine,” I tell him.

He laughs, shaking his head. “You are all so gullible. It’s pathetic,” he says, pushing me away.

“People change, Eli.”

“Not him. He hasn’t changed, Adeline.”

“Only one way to find out, and I’m going with or without you.”

“You will do no such thing.”

“Watch me, then,” I tell him, grabbing the soap from the holder.

Eli growls, pushing me against the shower wall.