Night of Destiny (Anastasia and Elliot) novel Chapter 66

Chapter 66

The downpour didn’t look like it would stop anytime soon. Looking over at the man on the couch, Anastasia offered, “I’ll get you an umbrella right away.”

However, Elliot eyed her in mild amusement as he said matter-of-fačtly, “I’m staying here for the night.”

Stunned, she blinked at him for a moment and asked, “Why?”

“Because Jared needs me.” As if to make a point, Elliot stroked Jared’s head with his large palm like he was some kind of guardian deity, and the little one looked up at him with an imploring expression and begged, “Mr. Presgrave, Mommy and I are terrified of lightning and thunder, so can you please stay with us and keep us safe for the night?”

Anastasia immediately interjected, “Absolutely not, Jared. I’m more than capable of keeping you safe during the storm.”

“But you’re terrified of thunder too, Mommy!” Jared argued, mercilessly calling her bluff.

“I am not. I’m just—” She was about to make her case when the universe, determined to prove her wrong, called upon yet another bout of lightning that slithered past the sky and tore through the night. As always, this was followed by another violent clap of thunder.

She shuddered, flinching as she clasped her hands to her ears quickly.

She waited out the thunder and looked at Elliot, and she did not miss the amusement glittering in his eyes. Flushing, she mumbled through gritted teeth, “Bottom line is that you can’t stay here. It isn’t the most convenient for any of us.”

“I’ll go as soon as the thunder stops,” he insisted.

At the sight of how tightly Jared was clinging onto Elliot, Anastasia nodded and said in resignation, “Fine, then. You can’t go back to your car anyway, what with the storm outside.”

She then left him in the living room with Jared and headed back into her bedroom. When she saw the undergarment that he had retrieved earlier, she was seized with the urge to kick herself. Of all the things to drop from the pile of laundry, it just had to be underwear!

The thunder was relentless, and the storm outside the window raged on. There was even a weather alert that urged everyone to stay safe because it was likely that the thunderstorm would go on for the rest of the night.

Anastasia thought grimly, Surely I can’t let the man stay here for the whole night? If everyone finds out that we spent the night together at my place, the rumor mill will have a field day churning out gossip!

More importantly, she wasn’t exactly staying at the most accommodating of abodes. With the apartment’s limited space, she didn’t have an extra room to put Elliot in, and the only beds here were hers and Jared’s.

As it got later and the thunder finally waned in its ferocity, Jared was dragged into the bathroom by his mother so that he could wash up for bed. A while later, Anastasia emerged from the room with a better part of her clothes splattered by bathwater. . Having settled Jared in the living room, she decided to hop into the bath herself.