Do Not Fall For The Baseball Captains (Victoria and Elijah) novel Chapter 173

The Secret Is Out

Victoria’s POV

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He pulled me up from the couch and led me out toward the middle of the patio. A slow, romantic Spanish guitar track had just started playing from the speaker.

Elijah wrapped both arms around my waist, pulling my hips flush against his, and we began to sway slowly under the hanging lights.

For a few minutes, the rest of the world completely faded away. I rested my head against his broad chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, feeling safe and relaxed in his arms.

Eventually, the music transitioned. A fast–paced, high–energy carnival track kicked on, the heavy bass bouncing off the wooden pine trees, sending everyone back into motion.

The calm moment was over almost instantly.

Adele bounced over to us, grabbing my hands with a wide, infectious grin.

“Come on, Tori! Dance with me!”

I laughed, letting Elijah’s hands slip from my waist as Adele pulled me into a circle. We held both hands, laughing out loud as we started twirling around each other to the fast tempo of the song.

The spinning fast track made the string lights blur around us.

I was laughing, enjoying the sheer lightness of the moment, but as Adele spun me faster and faster, a sudden, violent wave of dizziness hit me right in the center of my chest.

The deck seemed to tilt beneath my feet. My vision blurred, a sharp flare of nausea rising up my throat so quickly it took the air right out of my lungs. My knees buckled slightly.

“Adele, wait-” I managed to choke out, my grip slipping from hers.

Before I could fall or hit the hard wooden deck, a pair of strong, familiar arms wrapped tightly around my waist, catching me effortlessly before my knees touched the floor.

Elijah had moved like lightning. In his rush to intercept me, his shoulder collided solidly with Adele, shoving her back a few feet out of the way as he gathered me against his chest.

“I got you. I’ve got you, Tori,” Elijah breathed out, his voice laced with immediate, razor–sharp panic.

He cradled the back of my head, holding me close as he gently lowered us both into a stable stance.

“Are you okay? Look at me.”

I leaned into him, closing my eyes tightly against the spinning deck, my hands clutching his t–shirt as I waited for the room to stop tilting.

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14:46 Tue, Aug 18

Do Not Fall For The Baseball Captains

“I’m okay… just dizzy.”

Elijah’s head snapped up, his face pale with adrenaline as he rounded on Adele.

“What the hell were you doing?” Elijah snapped, his voice carrying across the deck.

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He wasn’t shouting, but the anger in his tone was enough to bring everything to a stop. The music was still playing, yet nobody was dancing anymore.

Adele stumbled back, her hands flying to her chest, her eyes wide with total shock and confusion.

“Elijah… I—”

“Bro, chill!” Miles immediately stepped up behind Adele, wrapping a protective arm around her trembling shoulders as he stared at Elijah in disbelief.

“What is your problem? She was just dancing!”

Everyone’s attention was instantly locked onto our corner. Coach Miller paused near the fire pit, Natasha looked over with wide eyes, and Jace stopped mid–sentence.

Adele looked terrified, her bottom lip trembling.

“I’m sorry, Eli. I really didn’t mean to spin her that hard. I was just having fun.”

Elijah ignored them both for a second, dropping his gaze back down to me. He brought a hand up to cradle my cheek, his thumb brushing softly over my skin as he checked my pale face.

“Are you alright? Do you need to sit down? Do you need water?”

I offered him a tentative, reassuring smile, resting my hand over his on my cheek.

“Elijah, I’m fine. Really. It was just a fast spin.”

Miles stepped forward, his brow furrowed with genuine annoyance as he looked at the way Elijah was hovering over me like a hawk over a fragile piece of glass.

“Seriously, what is with you tonight, Elijah?” Miles demanded, his voice laced with slight frustration. “It was just a spin. Neither of them got hurt. You’re acting like Victoria’s made of glass!”

Elijah directed a cold, unyielding glare straight at Miles, his body shielding me from the rest of the group.

“I just want to make sure she’s safe.”

“Safe from what? A carnival song?” Miles scoffed loudly, stepping right up to the edge of the deck. “They were both enjoying it, Elijah! They’re adults. Look at her–Adele’s practically shaking over there because you just snapped at her like she committed a felony!”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Miles,” Elijah growled, his jaw clenching so hard the muscle pulsed along his cheekbone. “So back off.”

2/4

14:40 Tue, Aug 18

Do Not Fall For The Baseball Captains

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“No, you back off?” Miles shot back, his hands coming down to his sides as he stood firmly in front of Adele, blocking her from Elijah’s sightline.

“You don’t get to bark at people on this team just because you’re in a mood.”

Elijah’s eyes narrowed as his gaze moved from Miles to Adele, taking in the way Miles had instinctively shifted her behind him.

His hand rested against her lower back, protective in a way that felt far more intimate than simple friendship.

A knowing smirk tugged at the corner of Elijah’s mouth, though there was nothing amusing in his tone.

“That’s real funny coming from you, Miles. Look at yourself right now. The second Adele looks remotely stressed, you drop everything and jump straight into beast mode to play hero.”

Miles went rigid. “That is completely different-”

“Is it?” Elijah challenged, stepping forward until they were barely a foot apart. “You’re standing here lecturing me about overreacting, while you’re ready to throw hands with your best friend because Adele got startled by a tone of his voice. You’re doing the exact same shit I’m doing.”

Adele blinked from behind Miles, her cheeks flushing a deep pink as she looked at the back of Miles‘ neck.

Miles‘ throat worked as he swallowed hard, clearly caught off guard by the callout. He shifted his weight, deflecting the sudden focus on him with a defensive snap.

“I care about our friend, Elijah! Adele didn’t do anything wrong, and I’m not going to sit here and let you make her feel like garbage for taking a quick spin on a dance floor, man! Victoria’s fine!”

“She’s not just fine, you idiot! She’s pregnant, Miles!” Elijah shouted, his control completely snapping under the pressure.

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