Shadows of You (Lost & Found #4)(33)

My back teeth ground together. “I could get Law to put a squad car on the house.”

She snapped her mouth closed.

“You’re staying?” Cady said hopefully, chocolate smeared all over her face as she popped up behind Aspen.

“Depends on what your mom says.” I arched a brow in challenge.

Aspen glared at me, only it didn’t have the desired effect. It only made her green eyes burn brighter and her lips purse in a way that made them look too damned kissable.

“I want a slumber party with Mr. Grizz!” Cady said as she hopped up and down. “Slumber party! Slumber party!”

“Cady…” Aspen warned gently.

“It’s all the sugar. They turn into little fiends,” I quipped.

Aspen shot me a death stare. “Yup, Mr. Grizz is staying, and he told me he really wants a glitter manicure.”

“YEEEEEESSSSS!” Cady yelled as she skipped toward the hall. “I’m getting my stuff right now.”

My eyes narrowed on the too-gorgeous-for-her-own-good redhead. “Glitter manicure?” I gritted out.

Aspen shrugged. “Payback’s a bitch.” She shoved a bite of ice cream into her mouth. “And you don’t get any ice cream,” she mumbled around her bite.

A little of the chocolate dribbled onto her lip. My gut tightened as images of me licking chocolate off all sorts of places filled my mind.

“I’m trying to help,” I growled.

A bit of that anger and frustration melted away, and Aspen’s shoulders slumped. “I know. I’m sorry. I just—we’re used to taking care of ourselves. Having someone in our space isn’t normal.”

An invisible fist ground against my sternum like a mortar and pestle. I hated the defeated cast of her words. I’d take her fire any day. “We can’t always carry our own load. Sometimes, we need help. It doesn’t make us weak. It makes us human.”

Those green eyes connected with mine. “What about you? Do you let someone help carry your load?”

My ribs tightened around my lungs, making it hard to breathe. “I have.”

Aspen arched a brow. “Why am I finding that hard to believe?”

Because she saw way too much.

Aspen sighed as if disappointed that I wouldn’t let her in, but she let me off the hook. “How do you know the podcasters haven’t left?”

I shifted in place. “Did a little digging. Found out where they’re staying. Took a drive.”

“Digging?” Aspen pressed.

“I know a thing or two about computers.” It was a skill I kept quiet about, but it had come in handy more than once.

“Legal things?”

My lips twitched. “Doesn’t matter if no one knows you’re doing it.”

Aspen grumbled something under her breath. “The last thing I need is you getting arrested because you’re trying to look out for me. Your family would never forgive me.”

“My family would pat me on the back and tell me good job.”

She frowned. “You really think that?”

“I know that. They get that sometimes you have to color outside the lines to do what’s right.” Hell, they’d help if I let them in on what was going on.

Aspen worried that spot on the inside of her cheek. “Just don’t get caught, okay?”

“I’m too good to get caught.”

She rolled her eyes. “Men. Always so cocky.”

“There’s cocky, and then there’s knowing what you’re doing.”

Aspen’s eyes flared, filling with liquid fire.

Oh, hell. That was not what I needed to see. I forced my gaze away to break her hypnotic spell and cleared my throat. “Didn’t see any signs of Steven and Tyson packing up.”

Aspen toyed with the hem of her flannel shirt. “They’re going to publish the podcast.”

“I’m talking to Lawson first thing tomorrow. He’ll give them a more forceful warning. He might want you to get a restraining order, as well.”

“That won’t stop the media from spewing bullshit. Trust me, I know.”

That grinding feeling was back in my chest. I understood a little of what she’d been through. Knew what it was for people not to believe you. To turn against you. But I didn’t know what it was to be caught up in a media storm on top of it. To have unstable people grabbing hold of the story and coming after you.

I hated what she’d endured. And even more, I detested that she’d had to go through it alone. Aspen couldn’t be much older than twenty-six or twenty-seven. Five years ago, she would’ve been barely past college age. And she’d taken on a kid and a vicious court battle.

“Law has a way of bringing people around to his way of thinking,” I assured her. And if he didn’t, I’d be there to help.

Aspen bobbed her head in a nod, but I could see the anxiety eating at her. And I understood it. People’s morbid curiosity was far too easily reignited. I’d seen it time and time again.

“Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it.”

Aspen swallowed hard. “Thank you. I don’t know why you’re helping me, but I’m just going to say thank you.”

“You’re a good person. You don’t deserve this. If I can shield you a bit, I’m happy to do it.”