Page 198 of Chasing Hope

Caleb frowns. “Why?”

Fucking hell.

My eyes flick to Evie to find hers already locked on mine, her ocean colliding with my forest. “I think some time away and fresh air will be good.”

Caleb looks down at Evie before blowing out a breath and facing me again. “Okay, I’ll come.”

Dipping my chin, I give him a smile, hating that this is thereason we’re talking after weeks of near silence but still rejoicing that my best friend is talking to me again.

I’m about to ask if they care which mountain we head to when I’m interrupted by a sound that makes dread coil in my gut.

Knock, knock.

Evie stiffens, her hand tightening around the blanket. Caleb frowns at me as he asks, “Did you invite anyone else over?”

Shaking my head, I get to my feet, making my way to the door. An uneasy feeling slithers down my spine, settling low in my stomach. No matter how much I pull on it, no matter how much I try to shake off the horrid sensation, as I place my hand on the door handle and turn, I have the overwhelming urge not to open it.

I should have listened to my gut.

Standing on the other side of the door are two police officers.

“Are you Caleb Ellington?”

My spine straightens. “No. May I ask what this is about?”

The one officer, who can’t be more than forty, peers past my shoulder. “Is he home?”

Caleb suddenly appears beside me, eyes red-rimmed as he looks from one police officer to the other. “I’m Caleb Ellington. What’s this about?” he asks.

One of the police officers takes out the handcuffs at his side. My eyes widen at the movement and Caleb stiffens beside me.

“Caleb Ellington, you’re under arrest for the battery and assault of Marcus Ellington. You have the right to remain silent, and anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.”

Shock strikes my nervous system.

As my best friend is turned around on his heel, his arms pulled back roughly, I snap out of my stupor and bark, “Don’t say a fucking word, Caleb.”

The anger in his gaze rocks me to my core, yet it’s nothing compared to the utter fury running rampant through my veins. It all but boils my blood.

Especially as Evie comes running, a cry escaping her lips as she watches her brother be escorted down the hall in handcuffs.Quickly wrapping an arm around her waist, I catch her in one fell swoop but she struggles against me, hands outstretched for her brother.

“No! No, no, no!” Evie screams. “He didn’t do anything!”

The younger officer runs a hand through his hair. “He’s under arrest for assault, ma’am. Security footage corroborates Mr. Ellington’s story.” At the last word, the officer’s eyes flick to me, his lips thinning.

I can read him like a book.Why am I not being arrested right alongside Caleb? Why isn’t Marcus pressing charges against me too?

Because Marcus plays games. He always has, moving us around like pieces on a chessboard. It isn’t until now that I realize how much he’s been calling the shots, how much he’s been in everyone’s ear…how controlling he has been of Evie.

And now he’s retaliating because he lost her.

What better way to punish her than to make her suffer by watching Caleb get arrested?

Fucking sick bastard.

“He was only defending me. He was protecting me!”

Evie’s screams have turned to shrieking pleas, her body quivering as she begins to hyperventilate in my arms.