Page 130 of Chasing Shelter

“No. I haven’t heard from him at all.”

Gabriel glanced to his right, sharing a silent moment with Anson before returning his focus to me. “And what about your ex-fiancé, Bradley Newbury? Can you walk me through the ending of that relationship and how he took it?”

I stared down at my hands, one still linked with Trace’s, the other balled into a fist, the knuckles bleached white on both. As much as I wanted to speak the truth in a room full of people who cared about me, I couldn’t take in their faces while I did. But I told myself that was okay. The important thing was that I spoke, even if my voice shook and I couldn’t look at anything but how Trace’s fingers melded with mine.

“Bradley’s and my relationship was never a good one. I can see it more clearly now. It started small. How he would make his displeasure about certain friends or things I wore known. How there would be little punishments if I didn’t toe the line.”

My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth as I swallowed. “Nothing huge. But he’d stay out until all hours if I went against his wishes. Or not hold me as we went to sleep. He wouldn’t kiss me goodbye. He’d embarrass me in front of his parents or my father, retelling the story.”

I forced my free hand to straighten and pressed it flat against myjeans-covered thigh. “It wasn’t anything I could’ve named as more than unkindness. But looking back now…”

“It was manipulation.”

The voice that spoke wasn’t one I’d expected. I lifted my head to find Anson’s dark blue eyes staring back at me. Pissed-off understanding blooming in those dark depths.

“It was a manipulation to get what he wanted. And my guess is that escalated.”

I gripped Trace’s hand harder but didn’t look away from the ex-profiler putting together all the pieces. “Yes.”

My brother made a sound low in his throat, but I couldn’t look at him. Couldn’t look at anyone as I spoke the next words.

“When I told him I couldn’t marry him, he hit me. Backhanded me so hard it left me with a black eye.”

Movement sounded then. Rustling and then a door slamming. I looked up to see Linc disappearing out onto the back deck and the darkness looming there. My gaze collided with Arden’s, and she gave me a sad smile. “I’ve got him,” she said quietly.

I knew she did, but it killed something in me that I’d been the one to cause my brother pain. The one person who’d been there for me growing up. But hiding this from him wasn’t a kindness either.

“It’s the right thing,” Thea said softly. “You have to tell people. Even if it hurts them. Even if it’s the most terrifying thing you’ll ever do.” Her green eyes glittered with unshed tears. “You tell them so they can be there for you. So they can help you untangle all the lies you’ve been told about yourself.”

I battled with my own tears. There was a kindredness between us I didn’t want to share with anyone. Because I didn’t want another soul to feel the hurt I had. But still, I spoke the words I needed to. “Thank you.”

Trace’s lips pressed against my temple. “So damn brave.”

Gabriel’s expression looked a hell of a lot more pissed off now. “I have officers from the NYPD going to interview him, and put a call in to some prison officials at your dad’s facility.”

“He’s also checking into Jasper’s whereabouts,” Trace added.

There were some sounds of surprise around the room, and I realized that not all the Colsons knew Trace’s father was out of prison.

I twisted and turned to look at him. “Do you really think he’d do this just because he’s angry with you?”

Trace’s jaw worked back and forth a couple of times before he spoke. “He was outside the elementary school today. Made more threats. I honestly don’t know. Hehatesme.”

I pulled myself into Trace, grasping his hand even harder. Because all of this was weighing on him two-fold. Fear for me and hurt and anger regarding his father. I looked up and brushed my lips across his. “We’ll figure it out.”

But Trace didn’t look like he believed me.

38

TRACE

I steppedout onto the back deck, softly closing the door behind me. Thea was having a quiet word with Ellie, and I wanted to give them that. Because each understood the path they’d walked like no one else could. It didn’t matter that the circumstances were different, the digging-out was the same, and I couldn’t give Ellie the gift of understanding. I was glad Thea could.

Through the dark, I could just make out Linc and Arden sitting on the deck’s steps, leaning into one another. Arden turned at my footsteps. “How is she?”

“Strong as hell. Thea’s with her now.”

Arden nodded, a sad smile of understanding on her lips.

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