Elena's POV
“Mommy!” Darius’s voice pierced through the hum of the hotel lobby. My head snapped up, my gaze locking onto him as he stood beside Xander, his small hand clasped in his larger one. A cold dread seeped into my bones. Xander. With Darius.
I sprinted, my heels clicking a frantic rhythm on the polished marble. Every step was a prayer, a plea that Darius was okay. He threw himself into my arms the moment I reached him, burying his face in my shoulder. I squeezed him tight, my hands running over his back, his head, checking for anything, any sign of hurt. He felt solid, warm. Unharmed.
“Darius, baby, are you okay?” My voice was thick, a raw, strangled sound I barely recognized. If Xander had laid a single finger on him…
“I’m fine, Mommy,” he mumbled into my coat. “I just went to
