Ally's POV
"You're not safe here, Ally," Elliot says, "You need to rest somewhere hidden until Nathan... until he calms down."
I shiver, not from the temperature, but from the shock of his words. I never imagined he'd dare to step between us. He doesn't look at me with pity or affection; his gaze is determined, almost clinical. And it scares me more than Nathan's volatile temper.
"Rest?" The word comes out as a half-whisper, half-laugh.
Elliot stops pacing and turns to me, his eyes intense. "He won't find you. It's for your safety, Ally." His voice is firm. Not concern- Elliot has never shown that for me- but something else.
"Safe..." The word feels foreign on my tongue. Ever since Nathan claimed me, safety has been nothing but a cruel joke whispered in the dark. Hesitation wraps around me. Can I trust his brother?
Memories flood back to me, the loss of my child so profound it hollows out my insides, the abuse that painted bruises on my soul.