Page 33 of Trig
Her head whipped up and her eyes widened. “They’re here?”
She ran around me, headed straight for the door. She was completely freaked, just like when my family showed up for dinner the night before. It made sense now. She hadn’t panicked because of them. She panicked because she thought her father and Trout had found her.
“Trig!” Lainey shouted, then smacked me on the arm.
I blinked, then ran after Ellie. “Where are you going?” I asked her.
She turned a little, but didn’t look at me. “I told you I couldn’t stay. They’re why. They can’t find me. If they do then–Now, you’re mad and you have every right to be but I need to go before they–”
“Stop talking,” I snapped.
“Trig!” Lainey smacked me again.
“I don’t want you to get hurt!” Ellie shouted.
My eyes flared. “Me? Hurt?”
Tears filled her eyes and she nodded.
“You are not goin’ anywhere, sugar. Ever. I’ll tie you up if I have to and I’m real good with a lasso. You need to tell me the truth. I deserve it, don’t you think? I mean, you might be carrying my baby.”
Lainey gasped. Ellie flinched, then started to cry.
“You are an idiot,” Lainey said to me, coming to stand right in front of me. She had to tip her head way back to look in my eye, but she let me have it. “You made her cry. A Wilder doesn’t let his woman be alone like she is.”
“She’s not alone. She’s right there!”
“You just barged in here and accused her of being engaged and made her feel like shit because she might be having your baby, which is scary because you’re a moron. Have you asked her what the hell is going on instead of stomping around and shouting like a caveman?”
I pointed right in my sister’s face. She was the perfect height to do so. “You’re the one who’s shouting.”
Lainey glared.
I glared back, then sighed. I was going about this the wrong way. All Ellie wanted to do was be my good girl and I was giving off every single vibe that screamed she’d never be that again. That I was disappointed in her. That she’d done wrong.
I made her cry.
Putting my hand over Lainey’s face, I gave her a brotherly shove out of the way.
“Hey!”
“Go make yourself scarce,” I said, walking over to Ellie.
I didn’t wait to see what my sister did, but I heard her bedroom door quietly shut. I dropped onto the couch beside Ellie and pulled her into my lap so her legs dangled off one side.
With my arms wrapped around her, I held her tight. Let her cry.
Her arms went around my waist and she held on. I stroked her hair, her back. Kissed the top of her head.
Whatever the fuck was going on was bad. No way in hell my sweet Ellie was engaged to that fucker Trout. When he’d said that Ellie belonged to him, I got a chill down my spine. And it wasn’t from the fucking cold weather.
I’d said the same thing to her. That she was mine.
She hadn’t liked that and told me she didn’t want to belong to anybody.
She meant Trout.And me.A stranger. At least, at first.
I had no idea how long she cried for, but it was a fucking long time. She finally ran out of tears and I tipped her face up. Used my thumbs to swipe at her damp cheeks.
