Page 55 of Chasing Shelter

I turned to face him, giving him my greatest shame. “I stayed in situations I shouldn’t have. Just for a flicker of affection and acceptance. And I let myself swallow all their lies because it was easier than looking for the truth. Maybe if I hadn’t, none of this would’ve gone as far as it did.”

Trace’s expression turned as hard as granite. “You wanted your family’s love, and that makes you a monster?”

“The day our mom died, Linc and I promised we’dneverbe like them. And that was exactly what I became.”

“Bullshit,” he spat.

“You cursed, Chief.”

“Don’t give a damn.”

“That’s number two.”

He pinned me with a hard glare. “You’re nothing like them. You may have the good parts of your mom, but your dad? You think he’d be crawling around on dirty pavement trying to save an abandoned dog?”

The image was so opposed to anything my father would deign to do that I almost laughed.

“Didn’t think so,” Trace said. “You think your dad would give a little girl the bracelet off her wrist just to make her feel accepted, special?”

My dad gave nothing unless it benefitted him in the long run.

“Taking that silence as a no, too,” Trace went on. “And I sure as hell don’t think he’d jump in to help Thea tackle tables when she was swamped when he didn’t even work there.” Trace arched a brow. “Yeah, I heard about that.”

I pressed my lips into a hard line.

“You’re nothing like him. Wouldn’t be surprised if you sprang from nothing but magic and fairy dust. Because that’s what you leave in your wake.”

“Oh.” My lips formed the shape right along with the word.

“Yeah,oh. And if you keep talking down about yourself, you and I are gonna have problems.”

My mouth curved the barest amount. “That so?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Chief.”

“Good.”

I couldn’t hold back the full grin that formed. “Only you could saygoodlike you’re still pissed off.”

Trace shook his head. “No one can piss me off quicker than you.”

“I’m taking that as a compliment.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“I still am,” I said, sliding out of the SUV.

“Go inside. You’re grounded.”

I couldn’t help but laugh then. It was the last sound I thought I’d make after sharing what I felt was my shame. But Trace gave it to me anyway.

15

TRACE

I stayed for too long,watching Ellie get inside with the dog and her bags. Some people would think I was an asshole for not helping her. Hell,Ithought I was. But I knew if I let myself get behind a closed door with her after everything we’d just shared, I wouldn’t be able to hold myself back from her any longer.

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