Elijah shifted, moving to sit on the floor beside her, fingers slipping away as he did, though he remained close enough for his shoulder to brush against hers, his subtle cologne filling the air between them.
He paused a moment , tongue darting out to moisten his lips before he spoke. "Mourn Jackson. He was a good man...someone worthy of you. Someone who loved you as much as I do." They'd certainly had their differences, but Elijah had respected that the wolf had put Hayley first. For the most part, anyway.
"I'm here as your family," he advised. "And only that. Make no mistake, Hayley Marshall-Kenner...my feelings for you remain unchanged. But I'm not here asking anything except that you let someone help you through this. It doesn't have to be me, I'm merely the person offering."
He risked a glance over then, offering the hint of a smile. "As strong as you are...you don't have to be an impenetrable fortress. Repressing your emotions will only lead to very big explosions when the pressure becomes too much." He certainly had the experience to back that statement up.