Page 111 of Chasing Your Ghost

“Are you sure you don’t need a doctor or something?” Noah asked her. “You don’t look too good.”

“Don’t talk to me,” Ella snapped, whirling around to face Riley’s stepbrother with that ferocious glare she saved especially for him. “Don’t pretend you give a damn about me. You got what you wanted, so back the hell off.”

Noah didn’t look nearly as shocked by her outburst as the rest of them, who had stopped in their tracks to watch the interaction. “I’m just trying to help,” he defended himself.

“Well, don’t,” she shot back. She let out a loud, irritated sound and turned back to the house. “I didn’t give myself this nosebleed breaking through whatever block was in place so we could stand around talking. Asher is in there, so let’s go get him.”

“Where exactly in the house is he?” Riley asked.

“The basement.” Ella paused before adding in a much softer tone, “It’s bad, so prepare yourselves.”

Riley had been too excited at the prospect of finally finding Asher to give much thought to the terrible state they might find him in, but Ella’s words were a brutal reminder—however gently it was delivered—that Asher’s physical body had been put through hell even if the signs weren’t there on his spiritual form.

It was one thing Riley had always been grateful for: that ghosts never showed any of the physical harm their bodies may have endured.

If they had, she was sure she would have been unalterably damaged by the things she would have seen over the years. But now, it had come at a cost. She had no idea what to expect when they walked into that basement. She had no idea how bad it would be.

Asher’s fingers tightened around hers as though he knew she needed the small comfort. “It’s going to be okay,” he told her.

“I should be the one telling you that,” she whispered as her feet started moving again.

His thumb started rubbing circles on the back of her hand. “Nah, I already know it’s going to be alright.”

Her heart had started beating faster now that they were mere steps from the front door. “How?”

“Because I’ve got you on my team.”

She had to bite back a smile. “You’re being ridiculously cheesy,” she informed him.

He chuckled. “I know. It’s just awful, isn’t it?”

“Disgusting, really.”

They stopped in front of the door, and Asher slowly spun to face her. His teasing smirk had disappeared, replaced by a seriousness that couldn’t be hidden behind jokes or smiles. “Whatever we find in that house, I want you to know that you’re the only reason I’m still here. Without you keeping me company and keeping me sane, I would have stopped fighting weeks ago.”

There were so many things she wanted to say to him. So many things she needed him to know, but the others had stopped right behind them, so she settled for nodding instead, accepting his words even if she wasn’t sure she deserved them.

“I’m guessing whoever owns this house didn’t leave the front door unlocked,” Chris said, his words slicing through the moment like a well-sharpened knife.

Riley cleared her throat. “I’m guessing not.” She checked it anyway, unsurprised when it proved to be locked. “I’m also guessing there won’t be any unlocked windows we can climb through.”

“We should go around back,” Ella said. “There’s a door to the basement that looks easy enough to kick in.”

“Have experience kicking doors in, do you?” Chris asked drily.

Ella sent him a frustrated glare. “You’ll see what I mean,” she replied impatiently before stalking off.

They didn’t have much choice but to follow her. An older couple walking their two Dachshunds was coming in their direction, and Riley was sure they would be able to sense they were up to no good, but Ella waved at them like she didn’t have a care in the world as they passed, and the couple smiled and waved back, none the wiser.

“Come on,” Ella said, gesturing for them to follow her around the side of the house, where only a waist-high wooden fence with a gate that had a flimsy-looking latch stood in their way.

She slid the latch open without pause, and they all walked through the gate with an air of calm that was entirely feigned. Riley closed the gate behind them.

“You okay?” she asked Asher in a whisper.

He’d waited for her while she’d slid the latch back into place, but he’d shifted on his feet the whole time, looking ill at ease.

“Yeah,” he replied unconvincingly, taking her hand in his again like it was the most natural thing in the world. “I feel a bit weird. Like my skin is crawling.”

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