Chapter 42: ❝ i'll find the places where you hide ❞

(unedited)

I'll find the places where you hide.

I'll be the dawn on your worst night,

The only thing left that I like.

Yeah, I would kill for you,

That's right.

"What You Wanted" –One Republic

I decided to visit Devon the next day. I was almost certain he already knew what had happened and while I was just as certain he agreed with Kaden on this, I was hoping he would help me convince Kaden not to ship me to LA. Or Australia. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up halfway across the world.

It didn't make much sense, and probably wouldn't work, but I wasn't sure what else I could try- I couldn't stay at the Sinclair's forever.

Devon didn't look particularly surprised when I walked in instead of his first client. "Does Kaden know you're here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No... Please don't tell him yet," I added when he reached for the phone on his desk.

Devon stopped, but didn't pull his hand away. "He's worried about you, Lena."

"I'm fine. I'll probably go back today," I said before he could open his mouth top start reprimanding me. "I need your help with something."

He sighed. "You're lucky I don't have a client right now," he grumbled.

I ignored him. "How do I convince Kaden not to pack me in a crate and ship me to LA?"

"LA?" Devon repeated, a wry smile on his face. "I'm pretty sure he's thinking a maximum security prison right now."

"That's not being helpful," I replied.

"You know, I usually get paid when I have to advise people how to solve problems like this," he told me.

"Yeah, but you love me, so..." I trailed off, giving him a beseeching look. "Please help me?"

"You shouldn't have left, Lennie," he scolded.

"It was kind of a spur of the moment thing, okay?" I asked.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Where have you been staying, anyway? Kaden tracked your credit and debit card, and you haven't made any cash withdrawals or checked into a hotel. You haven't bought anything either and I doubt you had that much cash on you."

I nodded. "Five-dollar bill and a Canadian quarter."

He gave me a flat look.

I shrugged. "Where I stayed isn't important."

He continued to stare at me with a flat expression while staying silent.

"It was just a friend's house," I replied, in an attempt to try and get him to let it go. I mean, at least now he knew I wasn't whoring myself out for a place to stay or something.

"You don't have friends, Lena," he said dryly.

"Hey!" I exclaimed.

"Was it with one of the Elite?" he asked. Damnit. I swear, him and Kaden both have some sort of freaky annoying all-knowing power. Though, I guess it wasn't too hard to guess. Devon was sort of right, I didn't exactly have very many friends, being the anti-social person I was. The Elite- well, some of the Elite- were the only people I could kind of count as my friends.

"This wasn't exactly what I came to you for," I pouted, attempting to change the subject.

"You know it's just gonna make Kaden angrier when he finds out you could have stayed with someone who wants to kill you," Devon said.

"You don't even know who I stayed with!" I protested.

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, and you don't even know who wants to dice up your body and mail Kaden the pieces."

I wrinkled my nose. "That's gross."

"I'm quoting Kaden," he said.

"I'm fine," I repeated. "So evidently if I stayed with the killer, they decided not cut me into tiny pieces." I tried to be offhanded about it, though the thought did creep me out immensely. I had stayed with the Sinclairs, who I had thought were pretty safe, but after discovering the syringe in Ashton's car, I couldn't be sure.

Maybe it didn't mean much, maybe he was just holding evidence for Kaden or something- though that didn't make sense because I was pretty sure if Kaden had gotten a hold of a Methanonel syringe he would've made sure he kept hold of it. Maybe there was some other explanation to it, like someone putting it there so Ashton would look suspicious- though I wasn't sure how that person could be certain that someone would find it since it had been hidden under the seat.

On the other hand, maybe it really was Ashton.

I didn't really want to believe that though, since I had spent two nights at his house.

"You're going to get yourself killed with that attitude," Devon told me. "You're walking into a shark tank and smiling about it.

I sighed. "Kaden trusts the shark," I replied, finally giving up. I knew he wouldn't let it drop until he found out, and I Still needed his help in convincing Kaden not to send me away.

"So it was Ashton, then," Devon said. "I think Kaden's going to be even angrier."

I threw my hands up. "So I can't win. We've established that. Now please help me."

"You'd be safer in LA," he told me.

I knew he would agree with Kaden, but I wanted to keep trying anyway. "Devon," I whined.

He sighed. "Just stop getting involved with the Elite. He won't send you away if you do." This was turning out a lot worse than I expected. So far, I had ended up revealing that I had stayed at the Sinclair's and hadn't gotten any sort of advice or information that might be helpful.

"That's kind of impossible," I said. "Next, please."

"They're dangerous, Lennie. Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he asked quietly.

I glared at him. "Don't use that tone. I'm not one of your clients. I don't need fixing."

For a moment he was silent. "Don't you want to know why you're so curious about everything?"

"Not particularly, no." I didn't want to get psychoanalyzed by him about why I was the way I was. Yeah, I didn't really understand myself, but I was perfectly fine with that. I'd prefer if things stayed that way, since it probably had something to do with my past, and I didn't want to dip into that.

"You're curious because you want to know things," he said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't everybody?"

"Yeah, but most people wouldn't mind not knowing something in exchange for staying alive." He gave me a pointed look. "You don't like not knowing things, right?"

I nodded slowly.

I was both bothered and excited by mysteries. Mystery was my favourite genre when it came to books and/or movies, it gave me a kind of rush, trying to figure out what was going on and guessing the culprit, or reason, or whatever well before the ending. I liked finding out the reasons why the characters had done what they did even if they weren't real.

But mysteries always bothered me. The unsolved ones. I hated not knowing what had happened, who had done what, why they had done it- it was why I usually avoided the news and books that were part of a series. Devon had that right- I hated not knowing things. Not so much things that I wasn't involved it, like unsolved crime outbreaks in international cities didn't really matter to me. But things I had spent time on, or around, like The Elite, or Kaden's job, not knowing those kinds of things bothered me.

More so when people, quite obviously, tried to hide things about it from me.

"Finding things out is your way of being in control," Devon said.

I blinked at him. "What?"

"You work harder to find things out because it tells you what to expect. You never stop asking questions and never let anything go because not knowing everything makes you feel unprepared," he explained.

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to tell me why I don't like feeling unprepared now?"

He shook his head. "That part's easy." He leaned back in his seat, watching me closely. "Blake and Avril's death was unexpected, and you still don't know what happened to them."

"Lots of people's parents have died without a reason," I pointed out, forcing myself to sound calm and unaffected.

"You blame yourself for their death never being solved. Don't even try to deny it," he said when I opened my mouth to interrupt. "I think, as well as being prepared, you want to also be able to solve the mysteries, at any risk, to feel like you're making up for it."

I stayed silent. This was why I didn't want to be psychoanalyzed by Devon. Blake and Avril's death, accident, murder, whatever you wanted to call it, had been the one mystery I had been willing to let go unsolved, mostly because it had been my fault it couldn't be solved.

Maybe it wasn't a hundred percent respectful to them, but I liked to keep the memory of it all behind a locked door in the back of my mind.

"But Lena, you have to let it go. Being like this isn't good for you, especially when it involves something as dangerous as the Elite. Blake and Avril wouldn't want you to put yourself in danger, and you have to stop blaming yourself," he told me.

"I'm not one of your clients," I repeated, forcing myself to keep my tone steady.

"I'm trying to help," Devon replied. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

I didn't reply.

He sighed. "I know it might not just be that. I know you might care for some of the Elite-"

"I didn't come here to get lectured," I said, cutting him off. "Can you help me with Kaden, or not?"

He shook his head. "Not when I support him a hundred percent. I'm sorry, Lena."

So I had gotten an unwanted digging through my head and accidentally revealed where I had stayed after I had 'ran away' but not anything that could help me convince Kaden.

What an awesome start to the day.

♡ the trouble with love ♡

I went to school after.

There wasn't much point in hiding any longer since Devon would probably tell Kaden I had visited him. If Kaden was as angry and Devon had made him sound -and he probably was, there wasn't any reason for Devon to lie to me about how mad Kaden was- then it would be better if I stopped hiding now, instead of later.

I got there at the beginning of lunch. Instead of going to the cafeteria, though, I went to my teacher's classrooms to find out what work I had missed in the past two days. After I got all the assignments I had to catch up on, I headed to the cafeteria.

A couple people turned to stare, but not as many as before. Everyone has gotten used to, you know, my existence and semi-friendship with the Elite, and progressed to talking and worrying about other things. Like the winter formal, for example, which was in a week. Since it was Blaire Academy, the dances were all-out. There were posters scattered all around the school.

I bought a small chocolate bar from the lunch bar, using my credit card to pay. I knew Kaden well enough that he was probably tracking my credit and debit cards so it was basically worked as a huge 'I'M HERE' sign.

Then I made my way over to the Elite's usual table. I didn't know who would be here or not since I had left the Sinclair's mansion before either of them woke up.

Yeah, yeah, rude, I know.

Only Keira and Nathan were missing, which I guess wasn't all that surprising. Keira was still being held at the police station as a suspect, the Winston's hadn't been able to get her out so quickly. Nathan was probably with her.

I watched them for a moment. So many people had repeatedly told me how dangerous they were, yet watching them now, they just looked like a group of privileged teenagers. I knew Devon was right; it wasn't good to be curious about them, with the risks. Normal as they looked, one of them had killed someone.

One of them wanted to kill me.

And I have no idea who it is.

"Hey," Skylar said, glancing up at me. "Where were you the past couple days?"

"And this morning?" Ashton added. He, of course, knew where I had been -his house- but I hadn't informed him of my morning plans.

I shrugged. "Just dealing with some family problems. It's all sorted out now."

Ashton raised an eyebrow. Before he, or anyone else, could question be further, though, the intercom system buzzed. "Elena Evans, please come to the office to be signed out."

"Or maybe not so sorted out," I said with another shrug. "See you guys later."

I have them a wave then headed out of the cafeteria. Just barely five minutes. That was a new one for Kaden. I headed to the front and saw Kaden there, a part worried, part annoyed expression on his face. More parts worried than annoyed, though that definitely didn't mean he wasn't mad at me.

"Hey," I greeted him hesitantly.

His mouth pressed into a grimace and he didn't respond, instead just pulled me towards the door. "Don't ever do that again," he said harshly once we were outside.

He led me to his car and waited until I got inside before speaking again. "If you're mad," he continued in a freakishly calm and quiet tone. "Then you can scream, throw things, punch holes in the walls, I don't care. But don't run away."

I glanced down. "Sorry," I muttered.

"And if you need space. At least tell us where you'll be. We can give you space, Lena," he told me. He shook his head. "Do you have any idea how worried Raine and I were?"

I winched. "Sorry," I repeated.

He sighed. "Don't do it again, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay."

Kaden was silent for the rest of the drive home, which kind of scared me. I had expected him to be a lot angrier. I was glad he wasn't -or at least didn't seem like it (yet) - but it was making me nervous. What did he have planned? Was I getting shipped to a strict all-girls boarding school overseas or something?

"We'll talk more about this later," he said once we pulled into the driveway.

What?

I found out the reason why a couple moments later when we walked in. Raine was entertaining surprising guests- Nathan and the detective he had hired.

What the hell?

Why are they here?

Nathan looked up, giving me the same sort of questioning look his brother had just twenty minutes earlier. I shrugged in response, since I didn't know if Devon had told Kaden about me staying with the Sinclairs. Kaden brought them into his office, before Nathan could silently ask me anything else.

Raine embraced me fiercely as soon as they were out of the room. "Don't ever do that again," she said, sounding choked up. I even felt wetness soaking through the sleeve of my thin t-shirt.

"Are you crying?" I asked.

She pulled away, swiping at her eyes. "I'm hormonal and about to grow bigger than a whale. I'm allowed to shed a few tears."

I bit my lip. "Sorry about making you worry."

"Sorry about trying to force you to move to Los Angeles," she replied, giving me a soft smile. "Even though I'm not sure that plan has changed yet."

I sighed, and decided to let it drop for now. "Why are Nathan and that detective here?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Detective Fallon has been asking for Kaden's help in solving what's going on," Raine answered. "And Nathan Sinclair is here because he's angry."

"Nathan's angry?" I repeated. "Why?"

She glanced me. "I don't think I'm supposed to be telling you this."

"I know Keira got arrested," I told her. "Ashton already told me."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you two close now?" she asked.

"We're... Friends." Sort of. I wasn't really sure what to call Ashton and I. He had kissed me. And admitted he liked me. Whilst being drunk. But not really drunk, according to him. Our relationship had involved nothing even close to romantic since then.

Raine tilted her head, examining me closely. "Somehow I doubt that," she said. "Have you guys kissed?"

Against me will, a blush crept onto my cheeks.

"You have!" she exclaimed, breaking out into a wide grin.

"You can't tell Kaden," I said quickly. Kaden probably wouldn't be happy. I mean if LA had been his reaction to finding out I was starting to become friends with some of them... Yeah that strict, overseas all-girls boarding school would probably become a very real possibility if he found out that Ashton and I had kissed.

"Do you like him?" Raine asked.

I hesitated. "I don't know."

Her smile dimmed a little. "Leading people isn't nice, Lena."

"I know," I said. "I'm just... Not sure yet. And besides if I do go to LA, then there's not really much of a point..." I didn't tell her I was considering it. Worrying about me, and Kaden, and the baby, and a multitude of other things was probably taking a toll on Raine. And if Kaden didn't have to worry about me getting killed, would he be able to solve the case faster?

I didn't really have a reason to stick around. I was just curious. And I shouldn't be curious. It wasn't right to be so curious in a situation like this.

And what if I messed things up again?

Raine pulled me into another hug, yanking me out of my thoughts. "You know long distance can work if you want it to."

I rolled my eyes. "Not all of us are you and Kaden." Then I shook my head. "Hey, you never told me why Nathan was angry."

"I thought we agreed I wasn't allowed to tell you," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"I told you about me and Ashton," I protested. Sort of non-existent me and and Ashton, but you know, it had still been slightly embarrassing.

Raine sighed. "Nathan's mad because Detective Fallon was the one who tracked down the receptionist. Essentially, he got Keira arrested trying to solve the case."

At that moment, the door to Kaden's office opened and Nathan walked out.

Speak of the devil.

Though by everyone else's terms, Nathan was supposedly the angel of the Elite, the good guy, so maybe that saying didn't work so well.

"Are you going?" I asked, when he headed to the door.

He nodded. "I'm gonna go see Keira. They can continue without me."

Detective Fallon cleared his throat from behind us. "Kaden, do you mind if I use your bathroom?"

"First door on the left down the hall," Raine told him.

"Bye Nathan," I said. He waved as he slipped out the door. I locked it behind him, then turned back to look at Raine and Kaden.

Oh, and now they're kissing.

Okay then.

"You okay?" Raine asked, after pulling away.

Kaden nodded, letting out a small sigh. "Just tired."

"I'll go," I blurted out, interrupting their moment. It wasn't just to interrupt though. I could tell the case was stressing both of them out a lot more than it had to with me being part of it.

Both Raine and Kaden turned to stare at me. "What?"

"I'll go to LA," I repeated. "But on one condition."

Kaden gave me a wary look.

"I finish my exams first." My last exam was about two weeks from now. It was the last day of the second last week of January, right before my time would be up with the Elite. I had time to say goodbye and everything, I guess, but I'd be gone before anything could happen.

For a moment he didn't speak, considering the idea. "Fine. But don't tell any of them before the day you leave."

I opened my mouth to protest. So much for saying goodbye.

Kaden cut me off, shaking his head. "I don't want the killer striking early."

-- ♡ --

Teaser: "Elena Evans will you be my date to the Winter Formal?"

QotC: What do you think is going to happen if Elena goes to LA?

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