Page 45 of Chasing Shelter

I lunged again, and Gabriel cursed as Jasper strode down the street. Blood roared in my ears as I fought against my best friend. He got up in my face, giving me a hard shove. “Get it together. You want to give that bastard exactly what he wants? You in a cell or worse?”

My heart hammered against my ribs as I struggled for breath. Gabriel was right. Jasper might be an asshole, but he wasn’t as stupid as he looked at first glance. He’d known exactly what he was doing showing up here today.

“I would’ve killed him,” I rasped.

Sympathy washed over Gabriel’s expression. “You wouldn’t have.”

I ran a hand through my hair, tugging on the ends of the strands. “No. I would’ve.” I could see it clear as day. And it was because, as much as I tried to prove we were different, there were ways we would always be far too similar.

“Trace—”

“I need to go check on Keely.” Saying the words aloud was like a hot poker to the chest. After everything I’d done to keep my daughter safe,Iwas the one putting her at risk.

“Okay,” Gabriel said softly.

“Can—can you check on Ellie?” My throat strangled the words, but Gabriel understood.

He clapped me on the shoulder, not letting go. “I’ve got your back. Always. No matter what.”

I struggled to swallow, and I sure as hell couldn’t speak, but I managed a nod before stalking off toward my SUV, trying to ignore the truth of whose blood flowed through my veins.

12

ELLIE

“One heirloom tomatoand mozzarella panini and a lavender lemonade for you, Deputy Fletcher,” I said with a grin as I slid the plate in front of him.

He looked up as he rubbed his hands together like a little kid. “This looks amazing, and I told you, call me Harrison.”

“Harrison. Right.”

He studied me for a moment, a little of that smile slipping. “You holding up okay after yesterday?”

I tried to fight the sour twist of my lips at the question. It was kind of him to be concerned, but I didn’t want to remember the incident at all. Or the fact that my father had put me on a most-hated list. “All good.”

“Trace has everyone looking for the car. We’ll find them.”

I just shrugged. Maybe they would, maybe they wouldn’t. It wasn’t like I was going to press charges for a drive-by egging. I just wanted to move on. “Flag me down if you need a refill,” I said, turning to walk away. I didn’t want to give him a chance to talk about it any further.

I was shoving that down with the rest of the shit currently swirling around my life and leaving room for only the good. I rounded the bakery display case to a grinning Thea. “He likes you.”

I scowled at her.

“What?” she asked with faux innocence. “I can’t point out someone looking at my new waitress with stars in his eyes?”

“And some drool on his chin?” Walter cut in as he stuck his head out from the kitchen.

“Who’s eyeing up my girl?” A new voice joined the fray with some grit and a healthy dose of skepticism.

I turned to send Lolli an exasperated smile. “No one. My virtue is safe.”

She scoffed. “I’m all for a little virtue defiling, but that pipsqueak over there barely looks old enough to have his driver’s license.”

Thea choked on a laugh. “I think Harrison’s a year older than Ellie.”

Lolli glared at her. “Whose side are you on?”

Thea held up both hands in surrender. “I didn’t know there was a war happening.”

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