Page 165 of Chasing Shelter

My heart hammered against my ribs as I struggled to breathe.My face felt as if someone had exploded a tiny bomb just under the surface. But I had to pull it together. I had to fight.

With everything I had, I forced myself to straighten. “You won’t get away with this.”

“Oh, darling. I already have.” Helen’s face went completely cold. “Now, start running.”

I knew what she wanted now. To paint a scene that fit her narrative. But I wouldn’t give it to her. “No.”

“Excuse me?” Helen’s tone went shrill, full of the entitlement borne of the rich and spoiled.

“I said no. I’m not making this any easier on you.” I braced, waiting for her to move just slightly. If I could get the right angle, I could knock her back into the massive boulder to her left.

“Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, lower your weapon,” Beth called through the trees.

My heart seized, relief and panic warring in equal measure. But Helen moved faster than I’d ever seen her move before. In a split second, she was behind me, and the barrel of her gun was pressed to the underside of my chin.

“Lower your weapon,” Beth ordered again, stepping out from between the trees.

Helen started to laugh. “You came alone, little girl? Such a mistake.”

“Not alone,” Anson said, stepping out of the woods to my left.

Helen cursed and gripped my hair harder, making tears flood my eyes. “You sniveling little bitch. You ruin everything. If you think I’m going down alone, you are sorely mistaken.”

“Don’t.”

The new voice nearly had my knees buckling.Trace.If there was one voice I wanted to hear before I left this planet, it was his.

“You,” Helen growled. “She would’ve gone back where she belonged if you hadn’t come along.”

Trace stepped in from the right, his weapon raised. “There’s only one place Ellie belongs.”

Helen let out a low scoff. “Let me guess? With you.”

“No,” Trace said. “Wherever shechoosesto be.”

“Chief,” I croaked.

“Love you, Blaze. You showed me what love means,” Trace rasped, his dark green irises swimming with unshed tears.

Helen gripped my hair even tighter. “You don’t get to love anyone but my Bradley,” she cried.

A crack pierced the air. Pain bloomed. And then chaos erupted.

53

TRACE

Regardless of howmany hours had passed, it was nearly impossible for me to take my eyes off Ellie. It didn’t matter that she’d been checked over in the emergency room and miraculously had nothing more than a mild concussion from Jasper’s assault, and bruised ribs from her fall. Still, I feared if I took my eyes off her for more than a handful of seconds, she’d disappear in front of my eyes all over again.

But there my girl was. Sitting on my couch piled high with pillows and colorful blankets. Keely was tucked against her on one side, Grem between them. Linc and Arden were curled in a chair on the other side. Rhodes and Fallon sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the coffee table as Sutton and Cope helped Nora in the kitchen. Thea and Shep were doing a puzzle with Luca at the dining room table while Anson took a call out front, and Lolli made a grocery run.

Everyone was sticking close, wanting to make sure Ellie really was okay. Simply needing to be in her presence. The only one missing was Kye. Which wasn’t like him. But maybe too many demons had been stirred up for him this time.

And as my gaze moved to the French doors that led to the back deck, I knew he wasn’t the only one. Dex stared out into the yard, but I knew he wasn’t actually seeing anything.

“He’s still out there?” Anson said, moving to my side as he slid his phone into his pocket.

“Yeah. I still can’t believe he made that shot.”

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