Page 140 of Exes and Oh Hell No

He’s already moving.

“I’m going after him.” He sprints toward the back door. “Stay here with Harper.”

“C-Connor!”

“Stay inside. Both of you!” he yells as he disappears into the yard, tearing across the grass and into the trees.

“Shit.” My breath stumbles again. “I-I’m s-sorry.”

Allie cups my face. “Stop it. No apologizing. Ford and Connor have this. They’ll be okay.”

“Allie, Ford willkill?—”

A wave of dizziness crashes into me.

“Harper, he’s smart. Protective as hell, yeah, but Ford’s not stupid. Do you really think he’s gonna throw his entire future away?” She bites her lip, glancing at the open door. “Those guys may be crazy as fuck, but they’re smart. They’ll be okay.”

I blink at her, disbelief twisting my face. “I can’t believe you’re saying this.”

Her gaze meets mine, sheepish but certain. “Me either.”

We giggle.

It doesn’t fix anything, but it steadies me.

“You couldn’t have stopped Ford, even if you’d chased him,” she says gently, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “He loves you, Harper. Worships the ground you walk on. Do you think he’s gonna risk losing you after everything he’s done to get you back?”

I hesitate.

The words make sense.

But Ford doesn’tdorational when it comes to me.

“He tampered with my birth control.” The words slip out before I can stop them.

Allie’s jaw drops. “Hewhat?”

I sigh. “I know. Unhinged.”

She shakes her head, but a small, knowing smile plays on her lips. “Girl, if he’s trying to knock you up, do you really think that man’s gonna go to prison andnotbe there for you and his kid?”

A reluctant smile tugs at my lips. “Maybe.”

“Maybe?Please.” She waves a dismissive hand. “Connor will get the team to dispose of the body. No one will be wiser.”

Her eyes flick to mine, more serious now. “I didn’t want to interfere too much, but something about Jeffrey made me uneasy. I wasrelievedwhen you ended things. If you hadn’t, I was gonna intervene.”

I frown. “I didn’t see it.”

“Of course not. You were looking for Ford, trying to find him in someone else. Jeffrey was his opposite. Both men are unhinged, but Fordlovesyou. Jeffrey wanted toownyou.” She shivers. “The dude lacks empathy. I’ll never forget when I ran into him outside your house. I’d been digging in my purse, wasn’t looking where I was going, and slammed into him.”

Her expression darkens.

“He looked at me like I was a disease. Never asked if I was okay. Just barked, ‘Watch where you’re going,’ and shoved me away.”

I gasp. “Allie! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t need to. He was on his way to the café where you dumped his ass. Why dwell on something that was already over?”

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