Page 73 of Ellie 3

Fine, I was a duffer but at least she was smiling and hopefully the awkwardness was over. If nothing else, the food was bloody fantastic, everyone saying so.

“The caterers are all companies or restaurants owned by women Amanda’s Hope has saved,” Ellie told us with a smile. “None of us had ever thought about that. Aurora did. She said it like it was a given to brag about how far women can come with the right help instead of being bought and sold like mares. She immediately saw the wasted potential of this party.”

“She’s making her own point now that she’s being supported,” Mum praised, sharing a look with Ellie that I didn’t understand. “Well done to her.”

“Yeah, I’m glad.” She let out a slow breath. “I don’t know if I can ever really and truly forgive her for what she did and be what we were before I found out… But hundreds of years suffering is a penance I’m not sure she deserved either.”

I reached over and squeezed her hand. There wasn’t much else I could do for her or help her with on the topic. I just had to be there for her.

Gladly.

The event wrapped up well. Ellie wasn’t involved enough to stay after and help clean up or with the closing up details, but she was shaking alotof hands now that everyone knew she was the founder.

Geez, if they knew she was the founder of ASH, our lives would forever be her shaking hands and kissing babies with meon her arm. I mentally shivered at the idea. We weren’t those types of people besides here and there.

No, Ellie and I were people who liked to jump in and get right at the problem. It was what we did best.

And support each other. I smiled at the thought as I escorted her outside to the valet station. I squeezed her hand and went to look at her over my shoulder.

I didn’t get to though, her hand ripped away from me and I felt magic as I was shoved hard enough to throw me off balance. I faced forward as I fell so I could catch myself easily… And had a front seat for what I thought was my worst nightmare.

But that was before the gun went off.

She’d shoved me out of the way to deal with a man who’d pulled a gun. I saw her grab him as I was falling. I caught myself and went to push up to help her but froze at the gunshot, horror filling me as I truly processed what was going on.

I had a split second of relief when the man froze, but Ellie kept moving, snapping the man’s neck while holding the gun.

Then she turned towards me and blood was flowing down her pretty dress.

“Ellie!” I roared as I found my feet and pushed others away.

“I’m fine, pup,” she lied, her breath in a wheeze. “Protect your family. She had other family.”

“Stop talking,” I ordered as I lifted her up in my arms. “Da, we need a—”

“Ha-joon, here!” Ha-yun bellowed, waving her arms… Standing next to a few cops waving us to hurry.

Perfect.

I glanced at the valet who I’d given my keys to and nodded to Da. “He’s going to take my vehicle and follow us.”

“Yes, good, right,” Da agreed, getting everyone to hurry into my SUV. “Ha-yun, go with Ha-joon.”

“Got it!” she called back.

“I’m fine,” Ellie told me. “I’ve had—”

“If you tell me you’ve had much worse right now as you’re bleeding from a gunshot, I will lose it and shift when I love you, you fool,” I warned her as I got us in the back of the police SUV. “I might have amazing control, enough to pass being a doctor, but I am not without flaws.”

“You are so handsome when you’re in doctor mode,” she muttered. “I’ll tell you when it’s bad. I promise. I’m just going to close my eyes and—”

“Don’t you dare!” I growled, pressing a towel Ha-yun got from somewhere against Ellie’s chest. “Don’t you dare sleep, Ellie Reed. You know—”

“Not sleep,” she interjected. “Being in the back while they drive crazy and the lights make me nauseous. Gonna close my eyes for that.”

“We’ll make it as best as we can, Ms. Reed,” the officer driving promised as his partner called into dispatch with an update.

“Can you get information directly to ASH so they know what we’re coming in with?” I asked, but then realized I was being dumb and could call directly. I handed my phone to Ha-yun after putting in the code. I told her who to call.

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