Set Me Free (A Fugitive #2)(7)

"But whatever-your-name-is, if you're endangering him in anyway..." He raised his finger at me.

My head was shaking before he could finish. "I don't want him to get hurt any more than you do."

"You broke his heart when you split like that. I've never seen him so effected. Why do you think Jaeda wants to kick your butt out the front door. He was hurting...big time."

I wrapped my arms around myself and looked to the floor.

Elliot shuffled closer to me, his lanky frame reminding me of a giraffe. He cocked his head and studied me with those pale, brown eyes of his. "You're back now and I think it's a good thing. But..." He clicked his tongue. "You need to figure out a way to set things right and make it safe for you to stay. I don't know exactly what that looks like for you, but if you hurt my friend again, that cop's not the only guy you're gonna be running from."

My skin must have gone from white to grey, because Elliot blanched and whipped a hand through his hair. "I'm not—I didn't mean I was going to kill you. Sorry. I just wanted the threat to, you know, have some impact."

"It did," I whispered.

"Yeah, I mean I could never physically hurt you or anybody. I just...I wouldn't like you very much and I definitely wouldn't forgive you." He pointed at me, his raised eyebrows adding extra force to his statement.

A smile whistled through me, but I couldn't make it form on my lips. I totally got why he and Zach were best buddies.

"I understand." I nodded.

"So we're good then?" His sticklike fingers spread wide as he lifted his hand towards me.

"Yeah, we're good." I forced the smile to appear. "Except you need to stop being so nice to me. They're already trying to figure out what's up."

His lopsided grin appeared. "Not a problem."

I snickered and crossed my arms, shooting him a droll look.

Flicking his thumb over his shoulder, he gave me a pointed look. "Now get your butt back down to that kitchen before I eat your pancakes."





Chapter 4





ZACH





Worried by Lucy's pale complexion and the sudden realization that Elliot had slipped from the room, Zach made his way upstairs. He found his girl sliding past his best friend and out the door.

"Everything okay?" He touched her shoulder as she passed him.

"Mm-hmmm. Just going to eat." With a swift kiss on the cheek, she descended the stairs.

Zach's eyes narrowed as Elliot sauntered towards him. "Is everything really okay?"

"Yeah." Elliot sighed. "She knows I know."

Zach closed his eyes, dropping his chin to his chest. "Is she mad?"

"No, I think she gets it. I promised her I haven't told anyone else."

"I hate that I broke my promise to her, man."

Elliot slapped Zach's arm. "Get over it. She's here and I don't think she's going to run again."

"I just wish I knew why she ran the first time."

"To keep you safe, you know that."

"Yeah, but from what. I mean this guy must have done more than kill her parents to keep making her so scared, she must have encountered him somewhere else. There's got to be more to it."

"Have you asked her?"

Zach gave his friend a droll glare. "You've seen her, right? She's a sack of bones with black bags under her eyes. She's exhausted."

"Where's she been?"

Zach's jaw clenched. "Homeless, just walking around, eating scraps and sleeping in dumpsters." His gut ached as he pictured her frail and alone. "I just want to take care of her. She needs to recover and then we can deal with this."

Elliot pursed his lips, lightly kicking the bannister with the toe of Converse. "Just don't leave it too long. If the threat is real then we need to act sooner rather than later. You guys have no hope if this doesn't end. What she gonna do? Follow you to Arizona? We both know she hasn't graduated. Is she gonna fake her way through college too? You can't live your life looking over your shoulder and that's exactly what you'll be doing if you stay with her."

"I'm staying with her." Zach's voice was hard and sure, although Elliot still looked skeptical.

"I want you to have a life, man. A good one. You deserve it."

"I'm not ditching her."

"I'm not asking you to. Just don't sit on your ass all summer. Find a way to help her get out of this mess."

"I will."

Elliot nodded. "I'm here for you; whatever you need. I want in on this."

Zach's eyes narrowed as he looked up at him. "You're not falling for her too are you?"

"Get real." Elliot rolled his eyes. "I just admire her, you know. Most people would have buckled, but she just quietly survived. I think that's kinda cool."

"So you get why I fell for her then?"

Elliot rolled his eyes again. "I knew the second I saw her you'd be a goner. You're so lame."

"I love you too, man." Zach slapped his best friend's arm with a grin before jumping up and pulling him into a headlock. They tussled their way down the stairs and exploded into the kitchen, making everyone jump.