Lexi, "Where is Elijah?" she asked her, "He texted me on th

uld I do that?" a vo

ook behind her to know

ij

--

was one of the reasons why Elena had had such

hey didn't know them well. Elena and Emily met Elijah at the same time. But there was something about Emil

oked like Emily—exactly like her—and was still different enough that the sweet

didn't think about that day much anymore, and her crush on him lessened to a low-lying simmer. Barely detectable unless you held your hand directly over the heat. But then one day, she opened stupid Instagram and saw that he'd foll

dy. Scared that locking up the butterflies that wanted to flutter through he

one thing that made her head and heart war m

him

d be to

ven look at

h flared out of control. And it had worked too. Worked until they gr

and couldn't stop staring at, but right now, he was standing right in front of their table, but her

shoulders encased in midnight black,

aught a flash of ink along the back of his big, rough-looking hand. Her

haven jaw, then spread out her hands to receive his warm hug. She smiled back at

been talking non stop about your arrival. I'm gla

l on the other man again, and Elijah's voice seemed to com

er brother, Cha

ead was nodding before she could

n could be categorized as a smirk if she'd ever seen one. Hi

es ended there. He was darker, bigger, and taller than Elijah in all categories

uttered, eyes glancing down the front of he

to sniff loudly when he squeezed into the space beside her. He was a big man and he seemed to occupy not ju

t each other at intervals, and sneaking in kisses at some point. Elena thought that her sister was lucky. Emily seemed to have everythin

ft again. He returned with a bottle of Hennessy and Elena watched through the

ved that Charlotte couldn't seem to keep her eyes off Chandler. She batted her eyes at him numerous times, flirted subtlety with him a

He seemed reserved, and spoke only when someone spoke to him or asked a question. Which was why Elena was surprised when he suddenly took another