Bound to my Enemy novel Chapter 209

Chapter 209: Chapter 209.

I watch her move around the kitchen, quick and familiar, like she’s done this a thousand times. And for the first time since I stepped back into this house..... i feel something settle. Not everything...especially not the mess in my head about Zane.

But this? This moment?

It feels... good.

"I missed you," I say quietly.

She pauses for a second, then glances back at me with a small, soft smile.

"I missed you more," she replies.

And somehow.... I believe her.

I don’t stay in the kitchen longer than I need to nor because I don’t want to but because if I sit there too long, I’ll start thinking again about Zane and I’m not ready for that spiral.

So after eating.....after Margaret practically watches me finish every last bite like I’m a child she’s nursing back to health....i head upstairs, change into something a little lighter, something that doesn’t cling to me like everything I’ve been through.

Then I leave to go see my girls.....i need something normal. Something that reminds me I’m still... m and there’s only one place I can think of.

The house is the same, with Same warm lighting fr a second, I just stand there, takin king it in.

Then....

"Elaine?!"

My head snaps up to see Tessa.

She’s already halfway out of her seat, eyes wide, hand over her mouth like she’s seeing a ghost and then she’s running.

"Oh my God...."

She crashes into me, arms wrapping around me so tight I stumble a little.

"Where the hell have you been?!" she half-yells, half-crying into my shoulder.

I let out a small breath, hugging her back.

"I’m okay," I say softly.

"You don’t look okay!" she pulls back immediately, hands gripping my arms as she looks me over. "You look...what the hell happened to you?"

Before I can answer....

"El?"

June’s voice this time, it’s quieter but just as shocked.

I turn.

She’s standing now too, eyes scanning me carefully, like she’s piecing things together in her head with Lila right beside her, already frowning.

"What happened?" Lila asks bluntly.

No filter, same as always.

God, I missed that.

"I...." I start, but I don’t even know where to begin.

Tessa grabs my hand and pulls me toward the table.

"Sit first," she says quickly. "You look like you might pass out."

"I’m not going to pass out," I mutter, but I let her pull me anyway.

I sit and they all sit around me.

And suddenly...:.I’m under inspection.

Three pairs of concerned eyes.

"You disappeared," June says gently. "No calls, no messages, no visits. Nothing."

"We thought something happened," Tessa adds quickly. "I went to your room like three times but you weren’t there, I asked around but no one will tell me anything ....." she stops, her face tightening. "Actually... something did happen, didn’t it?"

Silence.

I look down at my hands, at the faint marks still there thn back up at them.

"I got kidnapped," I say.

Just like tht, beecause there’s no easy way to say it.

Their reaction is almost instantly.

"What?" Tessa breathes.

June’s face goes pale as Lila leans back slightly like she needs space to process that.

"Kidnapped?" Lila repeats. "As in....actual kidnapped?"

I nod.

"Yeah."

The table goes quiet.

"What the hell, Elaine..." Tessa whispers, eyes already filling again. "Are you serious right now?"

I give a small, tired nod.

"Yeah."

June reaches across the table slowly, placing her hand over mine.

"Are you okay?" she asks softly.

That question..it always comes back to that.

I paus and Think about it, thn I shrug lightly.

"I’m here," I say.

It’s not really an answe but it’s all I’ve got.

Lila exhales sharply, running a hand through her hair.

"Who did it?" she asks.

I shake my head slightly.

"It’s... complicated."

"That’s not an answer," she presses.

"I know," I reply. "But it’s the only one I have right now."

Tessa looks like she wants to ask a thousand more questions, but she stops herself. Instead, she just reaches for my hand again.

"You scared the hell out of us," she says quietly.

"I know."

"And you didn’t think to call?"

"I couldn’t."

That shuts her up be ecause something in my voice makes it clear...i mean that.

Silence settles again, then Lila leans forward slightly, eyes narrowing just a bit.

"You look different," she says.

I blink.

"What?"

She shrugs.

"Not in a bad way," she adds quickly. "Just... different."

June nods slowly.

"I see it too."

Tessa frowns slightly.

"Different how?"

Lila studies me for a second.

"Like you’ve been through something," she says simply.

I let out a small brea

"Yeah," I murmur. "I think I have."

Another quiet moment then Tessa suddenly straightens.

"Okay," she says, clapping her hands lightly. "We’re not doing this."

I blink at her.

"Good luck with that." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

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