It was the only one on the long, gravel path. A hundred feet below it was a shallow, rocky creek bed. If Elle had fallen over the drop-off near the bridge’s edge…
Sonofabitch.
“Thankfully, Elle managed to keep control of the bike long enough to get herself to the railing,” Jenna continued. “Otherwise, she would’ve gone off the edge of the trail and fallen down that steep-ass embankment to the creek below.”
He ran his fingers through his hair and thought a moment. “Okay, I’ll agree she was damn lucky, but bikes blow tires all the time, Jenna.”
“They do.” The petite redhead agreed. “Lord knows I’ve had my fair share of flats over the years. The thing is, this was different than any other ruined tires I’ve seen in the past.”
“How so?”
“Elle called me after she got home. She tried to play it off, but I could tell she was still a little shaky. I stopped by her place to make sure she really was okay.” Jenna licked her lips nervously. “I looked at the bike, Gabe. The tube inside had clearly blown out, but there was a small, almost perfect hole in the sidewall. The edges of it looked melted, like something hot had punctured it.
Small hole. Melted edges…
His heart slammed hard against his ribs. “You think someone took a shot at Elle?”
Jenna gave a slight shrug, but he could see the answer behind her emerald eyes. “I don’t know what to think. But you know Elle better than anyone. She’s one of the most cautious women out there, and in a few days’ time she’s had two ‘accidents’.” The woman made air quotes. “And either one could’ve easily been fatal.”
When he didn’t immediately respond, Elle’s friend tilted her head as if to study him a moment. “Is that why you came so quickly? Did you already know someone was after her?
Shit. The last thing he needed was for Jenna to worry even more than she already was. That happened, and she was bound to say something to Elle before he had the chance to explain what was going on.
Not that I even know what the hell is going on.
But he would and soon. No one fucked with his woman and got away with it.
She’s not…
“I got a call saying my wife was in a fucking car wreck,” he interrupted his own pointless thought. “The nurse said Elle was hurt, and she’d been taken to the hospital.That’swhy I’m here.”
Jenna’s lips curled into a slow, knowing smile.
“What?” Gabe asked, confused by her reaction to his gruffness.
“You called her your wife.”
“We’re still technically married, Jenna.” He blew her comment off.
“Only because you don’t have the balls to sign the papers,” she unabashedly called him out on his bullshit.
Another similarity the woman had with his…with Ellena.
“And”—she added with a knowing expression—“there’s never been anythingtechnicalbetween the two of you, and you know it.”
Well fuck.“She uh…” Gabe cleared his throat. “She told you she filed for divorce?”
“Of course.” She grinned. “Elle tells me everything.”
The corners of his mouth turned upward. “Glad to see some things haven’t changed.”
“If you look closely enough, I think you’ll find there’s a lot that hasn’t changed.”
Gabe stared back at the sassy woman. “And here, I thought Elle was the shrink.”
Jenna chuckled. “Maybe being friends with her all these years has caused some of her shrinkness to rub off on me.”
“Yeah well, don’t get any bright ideas about the two of us. I’m just here to make sure she’s okay. Besides, I’m pretty sure she’ll try to kick my ass out of her room the second she sees me.”
