Page 45 of Ugly Truths (The Veiled Truths Trilogy #2)

Elena

T he basement lights cast a harsh glow over the grappling mats and mirrored walls, reflecting our movements as Jeff and I spar.

Every hit I land on the pads is harder than usual.

Jeff picks up on the intensity of my strikes, but he says nothing.

Instead, he adjusts his stance, absorbing my blows without pushing back too much.

The clatter of footsteps announces Natalie’s arrival, though she doesn’t even glance in our direction. A small smile creeps to Jeff’s mouth before he speaks, “Nice of you to grace us with your presence.”

Without missing a beat, Natalie throws back, “God forbid anything take precedence over training.”

Jeff’s eyebrows raise before looking back at me. I give him a single, subtle headshake.

Natalie and I haven’t seen each other since Silas called a meeting with Davey, Cillian, her, and me. They all thought we were there to agree on the details of the plan he and Natalie had already put in motion. No one expected me to take control of the conversation.

I tried to stay rational, laying out my concerns about how involved Silas and Natalie planned to be if William didn’t comply.

Davey looked like I’d handed him an escape hatch, his shoulders sagging with relief.

Even Cillian nodded quietly in agreement.

Silas sat with his fingers threaded through mine, giving me the space to share my thoughts.

I thought I’d gotten through to them until I made eye contact with Natalie.

My sweet, thoughtful friend looked at me with such contempt that she might as well have slapped me across the mouth.

The conversation didn’t get much better after that.

No matter which way I tried to explain it to her, she was stuck on the idea that I thought she couldn’t handle it.

I had told her so many times over that the concern was for both of them, that a decision like this could damage anyone beyond repair, but she didn’t want to hear it.

By the end, Natalie realized she was outnumbered and secluded herself in the corner of Silas’s study while we discussed logistics.

She didn’t even stick around for the phone call from Steven and Lloyd, who had been in Sierra Blanca for several days, to give us an update on their surveillance.

When she left without a word, with Davey following behind her.

That was three days ago, and I’ve been giving Natalie the space she clearly wants, even if it hurts like hell to have her so angry with me after just gaining some of her trust back.

Jeff acknowledges my silent plea, and we resume our training.

Instead of the gym buzzing with our usual chatter and jokes, the only sound that echoes is our quick breaths and the slight squeak of Natalie’s shoes as she starts her warm-up.

Her movements are already more refined than when she began working with Jeff weeks ago.

When it feels like I’m about to set a good rhythm with my hits, I can see Jeff’s focus slip. His eyes flick back and forth between Natalie and me, trying to gauge whatever is going on between us.

“This is weird, you know? Both of you acting off won’t lead to a good session.” Even distracted, he catches my next strike with infuriating ease. “If you guys can leave it off the mat, great, but it doesn’t seem like you’re going to.”

The urge to drive the edge of my foot down onto his is so sudden and sharp that I have to physically restrain myself from doing it.

That nosey son of a bitch can’t help himself .

Natalie is quick to respond. “Why don’t you ask your precious protégé what’s going on then?”

My heart sinks a little, but I keep my focus on the pads. Under my breath, I mutter, “Can’t you ever just keep your mouth shut?”

I know Jeff’s heart is in the right place, but his timing can be so catastrophically bad that it’s like he does it on purpose.

“Yeah, Jeff. Poor little Natalie can’t handle confrontation,” Natalie’s snips, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jeff’s eyes widen before releasing a low whistle, a sound that fills the gym and fades just as fast.

I turn to face Natalie as she stretches her hamstrings on the floor.

“Jeff has already done enough for me, and he doesn’t need to be wrapped up in anything else we have going on,” I tell her, trying to keep my voice even.

Jeff shoots me an annoyed look as he wipes the beading sweat from the side of his shaved head with the back of his forearm.

Natalie rises to her full height, her eyes flashing dangerously. “ We are in this mess because of you ,” she clarifies, and though the lines on the corner of her mouth tell me she wants to take the statement back, she doesn’t.

Her echo the same doubts and self-blame that have been screaming in my own head. I wince.

Jeff moves to step between us, but I stop him with a gloved hand on his arm. “It’s alright,” I say quietly, forcing a calm I don’t feel.

When I look back at Natalie, she’s coiled like a spring. The raw edge of anger in her posture is visible, all the way down to the set of her jaw.

“I don’t want to fight with you, Nat,” I whisper, shaking my head.

“Why? Is it another thing I can’t handle?” she seethes.

“You’re capable of handling just as much as the rest of us.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Her voice is all broken edges.

“That you’re incredibly strong,” I start, loosening the gloves. “But we all have limits.”

She wants to unleash her frustration, to fight it out, but I’m not going to be the one to give it to her—she’s too important for that .

I soften my stance, shaking off the gloves onto the floor before letting a slow breath. “Nat, I love you in a way I never thought I could again after losing Drew.”

She blinks in surprise, but I press on. “I never want you or Silas to experience that type of pain with someone you care about. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.” My voice thickens. “I had to say something before it was too late.”

She shakes her head. “It’s not the same. You had nothing to do with her—”

“But didn’t I?” I cut her off, my head tilting to the side. “I’m the reason she is gone. It’s something I have to live with for the rest of my life, even if I wasn't the one holding the knife.”

Jeff sucks in a breath behind me, but my gaze remains on my friend.

“I don’t want this for you,” I say.

Natalie’s shoulders slump just a fraction. “That’s not your decision to make.”

I nod. “You’re right. You can do whatever you want, but that won’t stop me from telling you what scares me. I don’t disagree with the consequences,” I continue, glancing briefly at Jeff. “But the way we get there matters. This will change who you are.”

Natalie blinks rapidly, her defenses waning as tears threaten to spill. “It has already changed me,” she admits, her voice cracking slightly.

I nod again. “I know, and I’m sorry,” I pause. “Davey seems worried about this, too. Have you asked him how he feels?”

Natalie’s expression shifts, shoulders falling more as she turns away to hide her face from the shame. She doesn’t have to respond for me to know the answer.

I close the distance between us before carefully wrapping my arms around her. She tenses as I whisper close to her ear, “No one thinks you’re weak.”

Her breath hitches, body trembling slightly against mine. “You don’t have to agree with me. That’s fine. But I’d rather be wrong and you hate me for a while than lose another friend.”

Natalie stifles her tears, her arms hesitantly coming around to hug me back. She doesn’t speak, but her grip tightens until I have all of her weight pressed into me. My chest seizes, wishing more than anything that I could take these heavy, immeasurable decisions away from her.

“I don’t hate you,” she breathes, squeezing me tighter.

Despite everything, I chuckle. “I’m glad.”

Only when she takes back some of her weight do I start to pull back, her eyes red-rimmed and cheeks splotchy. My lips turn up in a small, reassuring smile, and, through unshed tears, she returns it.

Jeff clears his throat.

“Is the therapy session over? Can we get back to work now?” His tone is teasing, though when I turn back to him, there’s only warmth behind his gaze.

We laugh, the sound echoing off the mirrored walls. I nod at Jeff, a small, grateful smile playing on my lips, then glance towards Natalie with a playful glint in my eye. “Why don’t you take out some of that frustration out on Jeff?”

A wry twist appears on her lips as she retorts, “Oh, I plan to.”

Jeff grins, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet as he ditches the strike pads from his hands and tosses them onto the cement floor. “Let’s see what you’ve got, champ,” he taunts, inviting her to step onto the mat.

And she does.