Page 7 of Shattered By the Currents

She frowned, and for a single second he thought she might tell him something real and tangible. Something that would give him just a little bit of insight into what had just happened.

But then she blinked and visibly retreated, shaking her head.

He shouldn’t be surprised. Trust didn’t come easily to her. He knew that without knowing her well.

Still, disappointment kicked at his gut. People didn’t have panic attacks for no reason, and he wanted to know that reason even though it was none of his damn business.

The door burst open, and Raven shot to her feet as the older woman stepped in.

“Raven.” A fake smile crossed the older woman’s mouth. “Just wondering if you’ll be assisting me with the set up? There are some tables that need moving. Or are you too…busy in here?”

Who the fuck was this woman and what was with that judgmental glare?

“I’ll be right out, Lottie,” Raven replied, her tone a hell of a lot kinder than Connor’s would have been.

“Hm.” The lady shot him a glance that was probably meant to intimidate him. It didn’t. She stepped out.

Immediately, Raven pushed the chair under the desk and inched away. “I’m so sorry about that.” She touched her hair like she was trying to pull herself together. “You barely know me and you just come in here and save me.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about.”

“I’m luckyyoustepped in. Lottie would’ve kicked me while I was down.”

“I grew up with three sisters. You either learn to be calm in the chaos or you don’t make it. And I think you’re right about that woman.”

She smiled, but it didn’t last long enough. With a glance at the phone on the desk, those shadows in her eyes returned.

“I should get out there and help Lottie.” She lifted her phone, and he didn’t miss the small shake in her fingers.

She stepped around him and into the hall.

He followed to see the older woman sending a strange look their way. “Are you two?—”

“Connor was just helping me with something,” Raven interrupted the woman, before turning to offer him another small smile. This one didn’t reach her eyes though.

And that was his cue to go.

He didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay. To make sure Raven was okay and build a bit more trust between them.

His phone vibrated and he pulled it out to look at the screen.

Ryan: Zac and I are heading back to the firehouse.

The old firehouse was their SAR base, and yeah, he needed to get to work too.

Zac: You can either join us or, if you prefer, go back to Bloom and have a front-row seat to Joel getting his ass chewed out.

Connor: They looked happy when I left.

Ethan: That was before Joel made the mistake of telling Polly she wasn’t allowed to access her root cellar anymore.

Zac: He actually used the word ‘allowed’. Stupid bastard.

Connor chuckled. Thatwasstupid. Polly hated being told what she could and couldn’t do, especially by a man.

But at the same time, that cellar hadn’t proved to be the safest place for Polly in the last few months. Twice she’d been locked down there. And the second time had almost proven fatal.

Connor: I’ll skip the fight and head to base.