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"She went hoave her clearance to return whenever she wanted"

I had to leave a lot earlier than I planned; Mila and Ivan Aleksandrov were going to visit Mila’s great aunt I hugged Mila goodbye and walked out the front door, toon a concrete coluht up quickly We walked through the hidden path again I thought back to when Eli grabbed me and had spoken to me with such emotion He did care about ed from the opposite end of the path, Eli pulled oing?"

"For coffee"

"I thought we couldn’t be alone together?"

"It’s just coffee and it’s in public I’m not an animal"

"You said it, not me"

I followed Eli until we reached a cute brick house; it rerandmother’s house

"Is this your house?"

"Yes, awesorabbed a set of keys for his Audi Q5 that sat in the driveway

We drove down to the Sage shops and ordered coffee at the bakery Eli took e Sanctu before, I just wanted you to know there are people here for you," he confessed

"I know, thank you"

He exhaled in defeat I kneasn’t what he wanted to hear Eli wanted s on the table, but I couldn’t do it Even though he could feel the highs and lows of my emotions, I didn’t want him to know the cause of theh and that I felt instantly happy as soon as I saw hi alone," I mumbled "When I’m alone, I spiral into depression I feel like I’ve lost all hope, all strength, and all my emotions rain down on me I feel like I’ve fallen down a hole and I don’t have the strength or will power to cliive up all hope and let the darkness take over me I let it consury and sad at the same time I just… I don’t know"

Eli placed his hand on top of mine and we locked eyes His reflected the same despair mine did, he felt what I felt He had experienced so up to hi him into o and sat back as a woht us our coffee She smiled and flirted with Eli I also noticed she had pulled her shirt up a little, revealing her stomach I didn’t know you could ask soestive manner Eli smiled and declined politely When she left, she threw a bitchy glance at me over her shoulder

"Jealousy?" questioned Eli

"Hmm?" I looked at him with a puzzled expression

"I have never felt jealousy coh our bond before," he stated, with a rather aht up in embarrassar"

"Well, for what it’s worth, you’re way better than her," he said casually whilst sipping on his coffee

"How so?" I asked, trying to sound indifferent, but straining my ears to hear what he had to say

"She clearly tries too hard; wears way to et my attention You and I both know her shirt wasn’t that high e arrived"

"You were perving?"

"I was being observant, two coel has to be observant, no h," I replied

We finished our coffee pretty quickly and talked about classes An hour had passed before we jumped back in the car and head back to the school After a quiet car ride, we arrived at his house I unbuckled my seat belt

"Ruby, wait," Eli blurted, he looked like he regretted it as soon as he said it "Thanks for opening up to me at the bakery"

I smiled

"Well, it is Sunday, and we don’t have classes, so tellabout you"

"I love coffee," he proclaied his shoulder "C’ personal"

Eli stared out the windscreen, thinking "I ae Sanctum"

"I didn’t really have a choice You abducted me, remehed It was soat all, let ht or el, that’s what I’m here for"

"…Then kiss me"

"That’s not what IDon’t you want to?"

"That isn’t a necessity, and whether I want to or not is irrelevant It’s wrong" I leant over to him and he didn’t lean away froher poants? I know you feel it, too"

"Ruby, stop"

Our faces were only inches apart I could feel his hot breath on my face, he still hadn’t moved away from me

I opened the door and slid out of the car It took Eli a few seconds to co?" he called afterhall, sir," I said ly, with my back to him "See you there"

I walked quickly back to the student campus Mila said she would be back in tih, outside the dining hall stood Mila and Gabriel Noticing ed me with a wave

"Guess, what?" she squealed She didn’t even give uess

"Gabriel asked me on a date"

"Mila…"

"I know, I know, uncle blah blah blah, but Gabriel has already asked for my uncle’s permission and he said yes!" she interrupted

"He said yes?" I spat

That definitely wasn’t what I was expecting

"We’re going to dinner at La Hope this Tuesday night," she informed me