Chapter 381: The meeting.
Leilani.
"Leilani?" His voice came again, bolder and louder this time, but he made no move to come close. Hell, he didn’t even seem as though it was his intention to get anywhere near me.
The shock on his face also didn’t disappear. If anything, it seemed to increase in intensity.
And that sight... Something about that sight made my heart ache in my chest, especially as I watched him rub his eyes vigorously again and again... and again until they were quickly becoming swollen and red. But he didn’t stop.
It felt as if he wanted to rid himself of this sight— this sight that was me, his legs trembling as he took a step back from me, whilst looking more afraid than happy as he called out again; "Leilani?"
But because I didn’t know what to say to him nor could quickly think of anything that could make him feel better, I took a step back.
"Is this really you?" He asked softly in disbelief,
His voice and the way the words had cracked at the end of that question made my heart churn. My voice cracked just as a small sob slipped past my lips, and because I couldn’t immediately find my voice, I settled for nodding.
"It is?"
"Yes." I cried, "...yes, it is me."
"This is you?" He asked again, as if still unsure and I found myself nodding so hard, I nearly sprained my neck.
"Yes," I said again, firmer this time.
A couple of seconds passed between us with neither of us speaking. And when he finally had the courage to break the ice, the first thing he asked was;
"Why did you never come to look for me? For us? Why did you decide to hide, knowing fully well that Maya would never take your death lightly?"
At the mention of her name, my heart squeezed even more tightly in my chest. I took in a deep breath, lowered my head to hide the pain and the confusion in my eyes and said in a voice so inaudible, I feared he wouldn’t hear me;
"Because I was scared."
It sounded like an excuse but even the heavens knew that it was the truth. I had, however, made myself believe that he would never take me seriously until he voiced out his next words. He asked;
"Scared of what?"
I gulped.
"Leilani... talk to me."
"There are so many people after my life, Gavin," I cried out, "So many people who want nothing but my head. So many people who would do everything to have me out of the picture..."
"Like Chalice?" He cut in, his eyes soft, but his voice softer.
"Yes, like Chalice... but not her. She’s dead. Now, it’s Keisha and her cohorts. I do not know if Darius wants me dead too... but then I know about this girl at my work place, Yvette who..."
"Yvette, the beautiful girl who is always seen with different colors of hair?" He butted in cold, his voice so sharp, it could cut through glass.
I blinked up at him in surprise but then slowly nodded. And as soon as I did that, every iota of relief plus joy on his face slowly disappeared, replaced instead with a coldness I only ever saw on him all those years ago when he would pick Chalice over me.
I shuddered at the memory but quickly shrugged it off when his voice slipped into my head. He seethed; "Are you sure?"
"I am not," I whispered quietly, "...but I have my suspicions. The triplets do too."
Another couple of seconds went by before he finally snapped out of whatever haze he was lost in, and when he did, he came to wrap his arms around me, pulling me into the strongest, firmest hug anyone’s ever given me before.
For some reason, as soon as my body met his, it felt as though a large burden had suddenly been taken off my shoulders. I swear I tried but hell, I could no longer help myself and I burst out crying.
My tears, due to how loud it was, drew the attention of the triplets who then rushed over to find me in Gavin’s arms. They froze, said nothing and simply watched us both cry to our heart’s content, whilst pleading with each other not to ever leave the other again.
After a moment, Gavin finally pulled away from me. And holding me carefully, he turned to the triplets, eyed them and hissed;
"None of you deemed it fit to let me know that my sister is fine!" He barked at them, and at the sound of his voice, they all turned away.
"She didn’t want anyone to know." That was Zevran, the one who managed to speak after a moment of tense silence. "She was being attacked from every angle, and at the time, we all thought that keeping her secret would keep her safe."
"Did it?" Gavin hissed darkly, the veins on the sides of his neck popping perilously.
At his outburst, Zevran shrugged and then he hissed; "No. Keisha knows she’s still alive. She has tried kidnapping her once and may still be on the lookout for her."
"What about Darius?" He continued, and this time, it was Kael who answered. He drawled;
"Well, we don’t know anything about Darius for now. He’s been quiet for too long."
Something about those words made Gavin calm down significantly. He sighed, pulled me into another hug and whispered; "I am sorry, I didn’t know all of these."
"It is not your fault." I whispered back,
"Welll, can I tell Maya? She hasn’t been eating or living well ever since... you know... the news of your death reached us, and—"
"Tell her about it..." I snapped, interrupting him, "...and try to get Alpha Jarek to come here. I need to see him."
At the mention of Jay’s name, the triplets’ eyes all darkened but none of them said anything to me. They couldn’t. Not when I was eying them all as if daring them to refute.
And not when Gavin was casting them a knowing look— one that was both mocking and sarcastic.
Then he turned to us and said; "Oh, I forgot to add that Maya is outside. She has been waiting for me in the car until whatever this meeting that you called me for will be over."
I cocked my eyebrow as soon as I heard that then turned to cast everyone a glance.
"What meeting?" That was me asking, but then I was suddenly interrupted when Kael coughed.
He muttered; "A meeting. We want to make Gavin our beta."