Chasing Miss Conner •NEW VERSION•

XXXII

Thirty Two

Never Let You Go

By: Keenan Te

I breathed in the cool winter air, my hair whipping around my face, a chill skittering down my back at the sharpness of it, how it cut through my clothes. The stitches in my cheek pulled and itched uncomfortably as I huddled into the thick scarf around my neck that was underneath the even hardier overcoat. I soaked in a few more precious seconds of freedom before Beck's disgruntled sounds at my back demanded my attention. I turned to her with a huff, taking in the female officer, forever intimated by her. She wore her darkest sunglasses, even though it was almost dark out, and her full lips pursed with annoyance, her arms loaded with what few belongings we had gone back to my house for. The back of her suburban was loaded with crap from my house, and since Genny and I had done the packing, she was just now seeing it.

"I'm sorry, can I help you?" I rose a brow and fought the urge to flinch when a muscle in her jaw ticked.

"I said pack light, Shay. Did the bullet take your hearing when it passed by your head?"

"No, maybe it was when your heavily loaded ass nearly crushed me to death!" I snapped back. "Don't lecture me. Not right now." I blew past her and stomped through the police station's front doors, relieved that it was still fairly busy even at this time of night, but knowing she'd be pissed at my resilience all the same. The thought of staffing had no sooner occurred to me when I stepped through the doors of victims services, and Juliette was standing right there.

For a moment, I thought I was having a heart attack at the mere sight of her, because my breathing shortened and my hands went numb. It had been four days of settling into Beck's apartment, yes I was technically living there for the time being. She'd determined that it was no longer safe for my mother or myself to stay at our house, so Mom was staying with Dr. Robbins for now, and I was staying with Becks, who would also be escorting me to and from school every day. She will also be sitting in on my classes with me. The whole situation was still a huge shock, so seeing Juliette standing in plain view in her official FBI tactical gear no less, didn't exactly help.

It didn't take but a second for her gaze to find mine, and I inhaled sharply as the muscles of her arms, muscles I'd stupidly never noticed, strained against her black shirt. The badge around her neck gleamed threateningly, mockingly, bringing the reminder that I no longer knew her. She was a stranger to me, and now I knew for sure, it hadn't been a horrible nightmare like I'd desperately wished for.

She'd been speaking to a fellow officer when I'd walked in, and broke eye contact with me to mutter an "excuse me" before she was moving in my direction, a fiercely protective look in her eyes. Her dark glare sent fear down my spine until I realized she was glaring behind me, at Becks.

"Why did you bring her here?" She immediately snapped at her, her shoulder brushing mine as she blew past me. "Are you trying to get her killed? She was just shot at, Cassandra."

"I'm well aware, Juliette," she calmly stated back. "I came to pick up a few things. We are coming back from Shay's house, if you cared to know." A dry note entered her voice on the last word, a hint to the aggravation she was feeling. I sighed, casting a sidelong glance at Becks, unwilling to listen to another bitch fest.

"Go on, I'd like to speak with her for a moment, outside." She looked reluctant to leave me but didn't argue, shooting Juliette a glare on her way in. Not bothering to say another word, I slid back outside, once more huddling into my coat. I heard the door swing open behind me, but I didn't turn, closing my eyes.