Forever You - Evening the Score // Book Two

Chapter 25

It was a good thing Elena slept like the dead, because after his altercation with Gemma, Harry wasn't about to get any sleep that night. He lay on his back, his arm thrown up and against his forehead, while the London cityscape twinkled outside the window. All he could think about was what Gemma had said.

Harry knew Gemma was right. Every single word she'd spoken was spot on. Harry had been stuck in this anger and betrayal since the day he'd seen those pictures. But the anger had changed. Elena's lack of explanation for what she'd done had become a thorn in his side. But seeing her with Joey had definitely cooled him off. Less than 24 hours in and she was already a phenomenal, loving, protective parent. The one he always knew she would be.

Harry didn't understand. No one seemed to understand his point. Had Elena just felt like she couldn't talk to him about what was going on with her? He'd always prided himself on being Elena's sounding board on everything. So why, when it came down to something that affected both of their lives and was supremely important had she gone silent?

The idea of facing the undeniable facts was more than he could handle.

He felt like everything he knew was wrong. Everything he knew about himself, Elena and their relationship was wrong.

The thought scared the hell out of him.

So much had changed between them. He didn't even know if they knew each other anymore. And after all of this, he didn't know if they knew each other at all.

He lifted his head when he heard Elena stir. Once she calmed again he let his head fall back onto the pillow.

Gemma had one thing right that Harry couldn't deny. He did want to be with Joey as much as possible. Harry wasn't a novice to connecting with people. He and Elena shared one so intense he swore he could feel her even when they separated by an ocean. But he never knew it was possible to feel that linked to another human being. And protective. Harry found himself suspicious of anyone who walked through Elena's door until he knew who they were.

Harry's thoughts were momentarily interrupted when he heard Joey stir in his crib next to Elena's bed. He was just pushing himself onto his elbows when he saw Elena push herself out of bed and walk over to Joey's crib,

"Don't cry, Precious. I've got you." She said as she picked him up.

Elena shuffled back over to her bed. She sat down on her bed with him safely cradled in her arms.

Harry was mesmerized by the entire thing. Elena pressed her lips gently to Joey's forehead while the baby looked up at her like she was his entire world,

"Are you hungry, Angel?"

Harry might have felt odd watching Elena pull the arm of her gown down but honestly it was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. Joey quickly latched onto her while his tiny fingers wrapped around her index finger.

Elena smiled down at him. Harry laid back down, keeping quiet while he listened to her talk to Joey as if no one was listening.

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Harry would wake up to a very different scene at 7:34 am the next morning. When his mother had arrived, he had no idea, but she was sitting on Elena's bed with her legs dangling off and Joey comfortably cradled in her arms. Elena was pacing back and forth in her nightgown, her robe open. She was chewing on her thumbnail nervously while she stared at the white tiles under her feet.

Harry looked at his mother, obviously confused. Anne lifted her finger to point at Elena as she mouthed the word "talk to her".

Harry pulled his legs out from under the sheets. He ran a quick hand down his face. He cleared his throat,