Fuck.
TWENTY-ONE
SCARLET
Ellis followsme like he's scared my stalker will snatch me off the street if he allows so much as an inch between us.
It's total overkill, but at the same time, it absolutely makes me feel safer. Not that I’ll ever tell him that. His head’s already big enough.
I glance over at Fefe, who’s snoozing peacefully in her carrier. I’m trying to be calm, but after everything last night and today, it’s like someone put all of my worries under an amplifier.
What if Fefe is traumatized from last night? What if she doesn’t settle in well at Ellis’s?
My girl's... persnickety and isn't one to hide her displeasure. One time, I brought her to my mom’s, and she absolutely lost her shit. The last thing I want is for her antics to put Ellis out. He’s doing me a massive favor by letting me stay with him. Even if he literally demanded it.
Ugh, I know I should tell my mom about all of this, but she'll be horrified, and insist on coming home. Then again, if I tell her I’m staying with Ellis, she’ll be elated and it will more than likely cancel out her worry.
On second thought, I’ll wait until she’s home. I’d never forgive myself for ruining her trip.
More pressing is the whole Atlas situation. Ellis says he'll handle him, but how pathetic would that make me? The sentiment is nice—more than nice, really. If I'm being honest, it's downright swoony—but I need to fight my own battles.
At least the ones I can. I may be out of my league with my stalker, but I can handle my jackass of an ex any day.
But first I need to text his angel of a fiancée and let her know shit has officially hit the fan. Don’t get me wrong, I understand why Atlas doesn’t like me. Who wants their ex around all the time? I guess I thought he felt the same way I did about us—apathetic at best. And maybe he did, before Nora was taken.
Nora’s always been the peacekeeper of our group, and until recently, I thought her efforts were in vain. But here I am, essentially playing house with Ellis freaking Wilder. These are strange days, that’s for sure. Especially because I agree with Ellis—Atlas absolutely went too far.
I was ready for Ellis to side with Atlas. Hell, I wasexpectinghim to. They're best friends after all. So, imagine my surprise when he jumped to my defense...
If I'm being honest, I'm pretty sure I have whiplash from how fast things have been changing between us.
In the span of a week, we’ve gone from being at each other’s throats, to cuddling when we sleep, sharing secrets, and Ellis being willing to literally put his life on the line for me.
My brain can hardly process it.
File all of this away for later, Scar,I think as the end of Ellis's long, tree-lined drive comes into the view.
I park in the same spot as last night, leaving room for his beast of a truck, which pulls in right behind me. “Welcome to your new home, Ms. Fluffington,” I murmur, as I unbuckle my seatbelt and grab her carrier before exiting my car.
“I'll get you a key made later today,” Ellis says, striding past me toward the front door.
“Thanks,” I whisper, suddenly shy.
“C'mon, I'll show you your room.”
“My room?” I rush to keep up with him. “You mean I’m not sleeping on the couch.”
“Nah. There're three bedrooms. One is a home gym and the other's a guest room.”
I don't even know why I'm surprised. His house is neat, tidy, and well-decorated. It's a far cry from the messy, man-cave, bachelor pad I expected it to be.
But I guess that's just Ellis... full of surprises. He’s kind of like an onion—layered.
I crack up at my own dumb analogy.
“What's so funny, Princess?”
“I was comparing you to Shrek in my head,” I blurt out before I can think better of it.
