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After Caleb and Jace had returned to their roo Ronan to let hi He’d told me he would let the pilot know and that he’d pick us up froht home had been quiet, but unlike e’d left Seattle, I’d sat next to Eli on one of the small loveseat style seats that faced the interior of the plane rather than the front of it Caleb and Jace had ended up on the other one and about an hour after takeoff, Caleb had fallen asleep against Jace I hadn’t missed how often Jace touched Caleb and how he seeer man needed it I’d already started to feel protective of the teenager since he would have no one but Eli and Eli’s mother after Jack was held accountable for his crimes, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the bond that Caleb and Jace had forood Because I knew Jace and not only was he too old for Caleb, he was also very much the love ‘em and leave ‘em type

It wasn’t until the plane was in the process of descending that Eli finally began talking beyond providing simple yes and no anshen presented with a question

“I’m worried about my mom,” he said softly and I suspected it was because he didn’t want to wake Caleb up “She’s still in Ger back And if Caleb’s right about what Jack did to Nick…”

I used e the back of Eli’s neck as I said, “I talked to Ronan about your ot so her until you have a chance to talk to her Ronan’s guy will escort her home when the time comes”

“This is going to kill her,” Eli said sadly

“If she’s anything like you, she’ll find the strength to deal with it”

“She really loves hiuess I did too,” he added “Even after everything he did to me, there’d be these moments where he acted like a real dad That’s fucked up, isn’t it?”

“No,” I said “I think we compartmentalize the people who hurt us the most so that they become two different people”

“I wanted him to be Dom,” Eli admitted “I wanted what Dom had with his real kids”

“You don’t think Dom thinks of you as one of his own?”

Eli shook his head “I know he loves me, but I think he’s only ever seen ive me for this”

“Eli, none of this was your fault”

“I let Jack fool e the fact that I still let his to me afterwards I had a choice Even if I didn’t want it, I still had a choice”

I sighed as I realized that aswhat had happened, he still had a long way to go before he forgave himself for what he perceived as his decisions – his choices When things settled down, I’d talk to hi some professional help since I had no idea how to convince him that he’d never had a choice…not since the day that monster had stepped into his life And I knew that Eli’s ed to forgive themselves for the involuntary roles they’d played in what had happened My hope was that they were both strong enough to put Eli’s needs above their own

Eli fell silent and didn’t speak even once ere in Ronan’s SUV headed north towards the city Caleb and Jace were in the last row in the SUV and while I’d had the option to sit up front in the passenger seat, I’d chosen to sit in back with Eli since his anxiety had ratcheted up when he’d overheard Ronan telling me that he suspected Jack Cortano was on his way to Seattle, if he wasn’t already here Luckily, Caleb hadn’t heard that news

“Breathe, baby,” I whispered as I could hear Eli struggling to draw in air

Eli nodded as he tried to cal as hoan to shake next to et

“Ronan,” I called and Ronan looked in the rearview ”

Ronan’s eyes shifted to Eli and then he nodded He took the next exit that would take us to the University caotten settled at the hotel, butcould help ease so in the saht in front of Eli’s apart and as soon as he put the SUV in park, Ronan handed me Eli’s house keys