~Heart of Steel~

The Beginning of Conversations

Chapter 7:

Isla woke up to the sound of a firm knock on her door. It wasn’t loud, but enough to stir her from her sleep. Groggy, she heard Elias’s voice through the door.

“Get up,” he said. “We’re going out.”

Still confused, Isla sat up in bed and blinked a few times before calling back, “Where are we going?”

“Food. Clothes. Be ready in ten minutes,” Elias replied, his tone as flat as ever.

Isla got dressed quickly, trying to shake off the sleepiness that clung to her. She wasn’t sure why he wanted to take her out, but after everything that had happened, she wasn’t in a position to argue. She grabbed her things and headed downstairs, where Elias was already waiting, his arms crossed and his face showing no emotion.

“Let’s go,” he said, turning and walking out the door without waiting for her response.

The ride was quiet at first, the hum of the car filling the silence. Isla sat nervously, glancing at Elias every now and then. His face was as unreadable as ever, but there was something different in his demeanor. He wasn’t angry, just distant.

Feeling the need to break the silence, Isla finally spoke up, “So, what exactly do you do at work?”

Elias didn’t look at her but answered, “I run things. Keep everything in line.”

“Like a business?” she asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

“Something like that,” he replied shortly.

Isla could tell he wasn’t interested in sharing much, but her curiosity got the better of her. “Do you like what you do?”

There was a pause before Elias responded. “It’s not about liking it. It’s about doing what needs to be done.”

His words, though simple, seemed to carry a weight that Isla didn’t fully understand. She hesitated but then decided to ask another question. “What about your past? What was it like before... all this?”

Elias’s expression hardened, and he didn’t answer. The silence stretched on, and Isla could feel the tension in the air. She knew she had crossed a line.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly, retreating into her seat.

After a moment, Elias broke the silence, his voice softer than before. “Don’t be afraid of me,” he said, still staring at the road ahead. “I don’t hit women. Especially if they’ve done nothing wrong.”

Isla was taken aback by his words. It was the first time he had said anything even remotely reassuring. “I wasn’t sure,” she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.

Elias didn’t respond immediately, but his grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly. “You don’t have to be afraid,” he repeated, as if trying to convince both of them.

They drove for a few more minutes in silence, the tension easing just a bit. Isla glanced out the window, her mind racing with questions, but she didn’t want to push too far.

Instead, she asked something simple, hoping to keep the conversation going. “How old are you?”

Elias raised an eyebrow, glancing at her for the first time during the ride. “I’m turning 20 in six months.”

Isla nodded, grateful that he answered. “I’m 18. My birthday was two months ago.”

Elias gave a small, almost imperceptible nod but didn’t say anything. The conversation trailed off again, and they both fell back into the silence that had become so familiar between them.

For the rest of the ride, Elias remained cold and distant, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere. Isla didn’t mind too much; she had gotten more from him than she expected. There was something comforting in the fact that, while Elias was distant, he wasn’t cruel. It was a small relief compared to what she had been through before.

As they neared the house on the return drive, Elias spoke again, his voice firm but calm. “There’s going to be a lot of people at dinner tonight.”

Isla looked at him, unsure of what to say. “What do you mean?”

“You’ll have to meet them,” Elias said, his tone making it clear that this wasn’t a suggestion but an expectation.

Isla’s heart sank a little. She didn’t like the idea of being paraded in front of strangers, especially after everything that had happened. But Elias gave her no room to argue.

The car pulled up to the house, and Elias cut the engine. Without looking at her, he added, “Just do what you’re told. It’ll be easier that way.”

Isla nodded silently, feeling a pit of anxiety forming in her stomach. She followed Elias back into the house, her mind racing with thoughts of what the evening would bring. As they walked inside, she realized that, despite her fear, the conversations with Elias had started to shift. It wasn’t much, but it was something. He was still cold, still distant—but he had shown her a small glimpse of the man behind the wall he had built.

And that, in itself, was enough to give her hope.