Page 3 of Endurance

Stefan’s face was unreadable as he listened. “As much as I want to whisk her away to somewhere safe myself, she won’t want to be excluded. Not from this.”

Jameson scoffed. “I don’t want her to have any part in this. She’s been through enough. This is something we need to take care of.” The determination in his voice was infectious.

“And you think she’ll let you make that decision for her?” Stefan snapped with narrowed eyes.

“Look at her!” Jameson exploded.

“We’ve already asked Kiara to take her and Brenna to Boston,” I said. When we'd found out yesterday that she was to be discharged today and she'd had yet to show any improvement, we'd known we needed to act. “She’s looking for a house for them to stay in and Jameson has asked his uncle Aiden for extra security to send with them.”

Stefan sighed frustratedly. “I know my daughter. She won’t go.”

“Then we’ll make her,” Jameson snapped.

“No,” Maura whispered. All three of us looked in her direction. She was propped up by a stack of pillows and she was glaring at her lap.

Jameson squeezed her hand. “Maura?”

She yanked her hand free from his. “Get out.”

I was so shocked and happy that she was speaking that her words didn’t register right away. Not until her glare moved from her lap to Jameson, then me. “I’m not going to Boston.”

Jameson tensed up. I knew her shooting down his new sense of purpose was adding heat to his already burning rage. After having our baby ripped away from us and Maura almost dying in the process, I understood his desperation to keep her safe because I felt it too. I couldn’t lose her.

“Youaregoing to Boston,” Jameson said firmly. “You—”

“Get out!” she screamed, startling us all. “I don’t want you here! Either of you!”

“Maura,” I pleaded, hoping to defuse the situation.

“Get the fuck out!” she roared, making me reel back. I wanted to lash out at her. I was desperate for it. But what good would that do?

I left the room and paced in the hall. I heard Jameson continue to argue and, unsurprisingly, Maura refused to back down. I should have felt happy she was acting like her stubborn self again. Instead, I was back to feeling helpless.

“Jameson,” I heard Stefan bark. “Go back to the house.” He said more but I couldn’t make it out.

A moment later Jameson came storming out. He barely glanced my way as he passed. I followed him and we made our way out of the hospital to the parking lot. I watched as he angrily ripped open his car door and instead of getting in, he banged his fist on the roof, cursing. “Only with her do I go out of my fucking mind.”

“It’s because you love her.”

He released a heavy sigh and rubbed his hands down his face. “I know,” he said, his eyes meeting mine for only a second before he climbed into the car.

I banged my fist on the front door of the guesthouse, where Maura had been hiding out with Brenna and her security. All of whom had blocked every attempt Louie and I had made to talk to her. The door swung open, revealing Asher. His giant form blocked the way in.

He greeted me with a frown and folded his arms over his chest. “She hasn’t changed her mind.”

“I just want to see her.” I hated that I had resorted to pleading, but I hadn’t seen her since the hospital.

Asher didn’t budge. “Do you still want her to go to Boston?”

I snapped my mouth shut and fought not to show how pissed off I was. Maura was being stubborn and refusing to hear us out. She wasn’t safe here. Stefan had canceled family meetings and barred everyone else in the family from the manor. With the help of my uncle’s security firm, we’ve been investigating everyone who worked at the manor, from security to house staff, to see if there was anyone who had a connection with the Aryans. Once they were cleared, we would branch out to the rest of the family.

Asher uncrossed his arms and went to shut the door. “You know I can’t let you in.” He closed the door, and I was left standing there again fuming and struggling to keep my rage under control. I was tempted to kick down the door.

My phone beeped, notifying me of a text. I pulled it from my pocket and saw that it was from Stefan, telling me to meet him in his study. I shot one last glare at the guesthouse’s front door before heading back into the main house.

Louie was seated in front of Stefan’s desk when I entered the study. I took a seat in the chair next to him and stared across the desk, meeting Stefan’s eyes.

“Any updates from Aiden?” he asked.