Page 8 of Crossing Lines

I didn’t argue, though I wanted to. I put her in the car and watched them pull out of the parking lot. I moved to Drew’s car.

“I’ll call the shop and have AJ come get your truck,” Chip said, his phone already to his ear. I scrubbed my hands over my face and tried to calm the rage and fear building inside me. It was almost enough to drown out the utter shock and confusion.

Almost.

“Let’s go. I need to know what in the fuck is happening here.”

I’d known Stella for a long time, and I’d never seen her this far gone. Anger at others I could handle. She was dynamite when we were on cases. The bad guys didn’t stand a chance. She was passionate, strong-willed…but this...I didn’t even know how to categorizethisStella. She had simply lost her damn mind.

Something deep down told me it was more complicated than that.

I just hoped it was something we could come back from.

Chapter 4

Stella

My mind raced,replaying the look of worry clouding Trace’s eyes when he’d closed that car door. He hadn’t even tried to come with me.

What did that say?

Was what I’d done…did I ruin what we had?

I was such a fucking idiot.

Shelby was talking to me. I heard Dani Lynn say my name too, but I couldn’t focus on any of that now. I’d hurt Trace. I’d hurt the man I loved simply because I couldn’t handle the news that we were going to have a baby. News that, if I were a sane person, would be great news. To me—it felt like a death sentence. It sure as hell had been for my mother. I bit down on my bottom lip harder, trying to get my head wrapped around all of this. I knew I’d hurt him; I’d seen it in his eyes. That dam closing put a wall between us.

He deserved better than the likes of me. I was just a crazy girl who had apparently lost her damn mind. Yelping, I pulled my hand away from Shelby. It felt like sandpaper was scraping across my open palm.

“What the fuck, heifer!” Realization slammed back into me when I looked around the exam room.

Oh, yeah. This place again.

“Sit still. I need to look at your wounds. Dammit, Stel! You’re a mess,” Shelby scolded. Worry was written all over her face too. “Dani Lynn, grab that suture kit from the cabinet, please.”

“Do either of you plan on filling me in here? What the hell happened to set you off, Stel? You trying out to be the next Sarah Conner, or the Terminator?” Dani Lynn asked when she came back with a small package wrapped in blue. She, too, looked worried.

Before I could answer her, the exam room door opened, and Carter flung himself at me. “Sissy!” A grunt escaped me as his arms locked around my sore body. Helpless tears started again, and I let him squeeze the air from me as I cried against his shoulder.

My little man.

“Hey, bud, she needs air,” Dani Lynn said gently, squeezing his shoulders. “Come on. She’s okay, just a few cuts.”

He was crying, his eyes bloodshot. I’d only seen him this way a few times. The last was when our dad had been hurt while on a camping trip with Robert and Gabe. That had been a very hard time for all of us. Having the men of the family lost for a time, only to find them hurt and broken—It had been gut-wrenching. I’d been part of the team that had gone in and helped to take down the assholes responsible. It had felt good to deal out some good ’ole revenge—justice.

Dad had come out of that encounter no worse for wear, with only a few bruises and a broken hand. His ego was fully intact, though. Those asswipes had no idea who they were messing with. It wasn’t that easy for the family, though. We all processed the incident in our own ways. Carter, who had been part of the team to go in and search for the dads, had completely lost his shit when they were found. It’s been a year and a half, and we were still coping. Dad had flashbacks at times, which put us allon edge. He was adjusting with the help of a doctor who dealt with PTSD. I’d never wanted Carter to experience something like that again. Now I’d done the same to him. I’d made him worry only to come in and find me a bloody mess.Fuck!

“I’m sorry,” I apologized, kissing his head. I squeezed my eyes shut so the tears stayed in. “I’m gonna be okay.” I couldn’t let him go yet. I just needed to squeeze him a little more.

“What happened? Who hurt you?” he asked, venom coating his words. I shook my head. He pushed back from my tight grip and frowned. Always ready to kick ass for me. Trevor and Peter had taught him well, for sure. I really did love my brothers.

“No one; I did this,” I started. I couldn’t tell him why, though. “It was an accident.” Not the full truth, but not really a lie, either. I hadn’t meant to hurt myself.

“What? How is that even possible?” He wiped at his face, glaring at me. He didn’t believe me. I wanted to laugh, but it wasn’t funny. I couldn’t tell him why I’d done what I did. No, he didn’t need that stress in his life.

“Stella, fuck, baby. Are you okay? Tell me what in the hell was that about?” Trace came in, all but pushing Carter to the side. The kid glared at him, but he didn’t see it. Trace cupped my face in his big hands. “I don’t know whether to kiss you right now or spank your ass.”

“Don’t you threaten her, you big goon!” Carter shoved at Trace, who didn’t budge.

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