Up close, I can see the faint bruise along his cheekbone. Yellowing at the edges, half-hidden under his glasses.
Guilt slides into my stomach, knowing exactly how he got those bruises.
That’s from Zane and from when I ran away.
"You got hit because of ," I say quietly.
His expression doesn’t change, but his shoulders shift slightly.
"That’s not your concern, I was just doing my job ma’am ."
Ouch so we are back to him calling ma’am.
"It is." I say trying to ignore the hurt from him calling ma’am.
Silence.
"I’m sorry Aaron, for real" I say.
He finally takes off his sunglasses.
His eyes et mine fully now.
"For what," he asks.
"For running, for putting you in that position, for making it look like you weren’t doing your job."
He exhales through his nose.
"You did put in that position."
"I know and I’m sorry."
"You know Zane he doesn’t react well when he thinks he’s losing control."
"I know," I repeat.
There’s a pause.
The wind moves lightly through the trees lining the driveway. Sowhere in the distance a car passes.
"You scared him," Aaron says after a mont.
"I wasn’t trying to."
"That doesn’t change that you did."
"I was scared too."
He studies .
"I’m not your enemy," he says.
"I never said you were."
"You don’t have to say it, you kinda act it."
I look away briefly.
"When you left," he continues, "do you know what that did?"
"It caused chaos?," I admit.
"It caused risk."
I nod.
"And I had no answer to your disappearance."
His voice stays calm, but there’s sothing underneath it.
"Zane kept asking where you were."
My throat tightens.
"I didn’t know."
"I know."
"And not knowing where you were ant I couldn’t protect you, do you know how that feels?"
"I dint want anyone’s protection," .
"That’s not the point El." He says softly.
"Then what is?"
"The point is, if sothing had happened to you while you were out there alone, that would’ve been on and on my conscience."
I look back at him.
"I didn’t think about that."
"That’s clear and evident ."
There’s no cruelty in his tone... just clear honesty and sohow that makes it worse, I would prefer his anger to thi, anger I can handle..... this... this I don’t know how to handle.
I step closer.
"I didn’t an to cause you trouble, seriously."
He watches my face carefully.
"I know you didn’t an to," he says. "But aning and impact aren’t the sa."
I nod slowly.
"I’m sorry," I say again, not being defensive.
A long silence passes.
Then he sighs.
"I forgive you."
Relief flickers through , small but real.
"But don’t do it again," he adds firmly.
"I won’t."
He studies like he’s trying to asure whether that’s true.
"You promise?"
I swallow.
"I promise I won’t run from your protection again."
His eyes narrow slightly.
"Not from my protection," he corrects. "From his protection."
"I don’t belong to him."
"That’s not what I’m saying El."
"Then what are you saying?"
"I’m saying if you need space, you talk it out. You don’t disappear and yoi don’t turn yourself into a variable no one can account for."
I hesitate.
"You sound like him a lot like him." I say with a chuckle.
"Well it’s a given I work for him."
"That doesn’t an you have to agree with everything he does or says."
He holds my gaze steadily.
"I don’t." He says in an ominous tone that surprises , I’m about to start thinking about what he ant...when....
"But I agree with this," he continues. "You leaving without security puts you at risk. And whether you like it or not, you’re connected to things and people that don’t forgive mistakes mi."
I glance toward the gate
"You really think soone would co after ?"
"I don’t gamble with maybes."
I let out a quiet breath.
" well I need to see my sister."
"I know."
"She’s in the hospital."
"So I’ve heard."
"I can’t just sit inside that house wondering what’s going on... she... she really needs m ."
Aaron rubs a hand over the back of his neck.
"He told you to wait."
"He tells a lot of things."
"And most of them are to keep you alive."
There’s no accusation in it just facts.
"I’m not asking to go alone," I say. "I’m asking you to take ."
He watches for a long mont.
"You’ll stay close?"
"Yes."
"No detours?"
"No. None at all."
"No trying to slip away once we get there?"
I almost smile despite everything.
"No."
He considers that.
"Call him," he says finally.
I frown.
"For what?"
"So I don’t get punched again."
Despite myself, I let out a small breath of laughter.
"It was that bad?"
"Yes."
I pull out my phone.
He stops with a look.
"Actually," he says after a mont, "don’t."
"What?"
"If we’re going, we’re going. I’ll handle him."
I blink.
"You’re serious?"
He nods once.
"I can justify hospital. We went to the hospital just a Short trip."
My chest loosens slightly.
"Thank you."
He puts his sunglasses back on.
"Don’t thank yet."
He walks around to the driver’s side and opens the door.
I move to the passenger side but pause.
"Aaron."
He looks at over the roof of the SUV.
"I ant what I said," I tell him. "I won’t escape your protection again."
His expression softens just slightly.
"Good."
"And I’m sorry you got hurt."
He shrugs.
"I’ve had worse."
"That doesn’t an it’s fine."
He gives a look.
"Get in the car, Elaine."
I do glad his calling Elaine again, instead of ma’am.
As he starts the engine, I glance back at the house.
Part of knows this is going to cause another argunt but another part of knows I couldn’t stay.
The gate opens slowly and Aaron pulls out onto the road.
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