Chapter Four

Ezra sighed. “You’re an irritating shit.” He moved over to the trash bin, scraping the plates in his hands.

Josh shrugged, not looking at all apologetic or offended. “I prefer to think of it as being tenacious. Now, why won’t you help them? They’re your friends, and they’re in trouble. They came to you out of every other place in the world they could go. That means they trust you. So, why turn your back on them, not to mention that little girl?”

“I suppose you wouldn’t leave me alone if I just told you it wasn’t any of your damn business.” Ezra dumped the dishes into a washtub to clean up later as he turned to face Josh, hands on his hips. “Why the hell do you even care? This doesn’t concern you.”

Josh nodded. “You’re right; it doesn’t, but then again, I’ve never let that stop me before. These people need you. That little girl needs you. You can’t just walk away from that.”

“I can bloody well do whatever I want,” Ezra snapped, his bear roaring within him. Closing his eyes, he took a beep breath to calm himself. When he opened his eyes, he glanced back over at the dark-haired man sitting in his only chair. “Look, I know you think you’re attempting to help, but really, your help isn’t needed or wanted. You don’t know the history behind their request. If you did, then you’d understand why I can’t help them. That little girl is safer without me near her.”

Josh cocked an eyebrow at that. “Are you the compromise they mentioned?”

Ezra felt his eyes go wide. “What the...? How dare you, you little...” He moved to throttle the man where he sat, but Josh didn’t move. Instead, he just sat there, shaking his head and laughing. Ezra growled. “You really should leave now.”

Sighing, Josh pushed himself out of his chair and walked over to Ezra, handing him his plate. Ezra almost threw up at the look of pity on the other man’s face. “It’s sad, really, to see such a brawny man like you so scared. You had the guts to save Lainie when Miles tried to kill her, so I know you care about people and doing the right thing. I just hope you decide to do it again before someone aims a bullet at that little girl.” He glanced at the plate in Ezra’s hand. “Thanks for breakfast.” He then simply turned and walked back into the woods the way he came.

Ezra stood there, the plate clutched in his hands as the man’s words rang in his ears. Josh didn’t understand. He couldn’t understand. Helping the deputy had been easy; Ezra risked no one but himself. The idiot trying to kill her was also not very bright, which made it even easier. Ezra just had to hurl himself into Lainie, knocking her out of the way of the bullet. Of course, he also wound up taking that bullet in his right shoulder, but with his shifter healing, the pain didn’t last long. Hoyt however, was different. He was clever. Methodical.

Evil.

And that pain lasted forever.

No, that little girl—Erin, Colton had said—was better off without Ezra protecting her, and Para-Force was better off without a liability such as him.

He walked over to the trash and scraped Josh’s plate. Such an irritating, obnoxious, stubborn, nosy, son of a... Ezra sighed as he glanced over to where Colton and Liam had stood with the little girl. How old is she? Nine? Ten? She didn’t even look scared. Where were her parents? His brows pinched over his nose. Shouldn’t they be with her? Why weren’t they here? He sighed. Probably dead like the rest. She’s alone now.

Ezra shook his head. Stop. I’m not getting involved. I can’t.

He moved over to his washtub, poured water into it, and started cleaning up the mess the others left behind after eating his food. A small price to pay for people to leave him alone again. Although, he somehow doubted that Josh would leave him alone. Everyone needs someone, Josh had told him a few days ago when the panther first wandered into the camp. Whether or not we want to admit it. That may be true for others, but it wasn’t true for Ezra. He didn’t need friends, didn’t need people in his life. Food, water, the shelter of his tent. That’s all he needed, the bare necessities of life. He didn’t need companionship. Or to be responsible for others. His last mission taught him that.

He stacked the dishes beside the washbasin, then turned and stared at his camp. Now what to do with the rest of his day?

Boring, isn’t it? he heard Liam’s voice in his head.

Turning, he glanced up and saw the capuchin monkey in the tree above his head, the monkey’s head tilted almost sideways as he stared at Ezra. Ezra sighed. “I thought you went with the others.”

He felt Liam give a mental shake of his head. Colton can handle the arrangements. I’ll catch up a little later. I just wanted to see what a day in the life of the brooding Ezra Havlin was like. He twisted his head in the other direction. You’ve eaten, done the dishes, cleaned up a little. So, what’s next? Wait. Let me guess. A nap? That was an exhausting morning.

“It’s not working, Liam,” Ezra said, exhaling a frustrated breath. “I’m not helping. Just leave me alone.”

Liam leaped from the branch, reaching out to another and swinging around, launching himself into the air to land on the back of the camp chair. I’ve missed you. So have the others. Julian still refuses to replace you, hoping you’ll return.

Ezra shook his head. “I’m not returning. He should find someone to replace me.” He motioned around the small campsite. “This is my home. Everything I need is right here.”

Liam leaped from the back of the chair to the table Ezra had set up with his cooking tools. He snatched a remaining piece of bacon from a paper plate. That’s true if all you need is bacon. He tilted his head around and stared at Ezra. Of course, you did burn the first batch. I hope you don’t cook like that all the time.

Ezra just ignored him. Liam could talk forever. That part, Ezra didn’t miss.

Look, you big grizzly, we need your help. You’ve hidden out here for months with no one finding you. You can do it for a few days longer. We just need you to do it with Erin. Once she’s safe and Hoyt is behind bars, we’ll leave you alone to go back to your brooding, if that’s what you really want. I think it’s stupid, mind you, but if that’s what you truly want, we’ll promise never to come back and pester you again. He turned, staring at Ezra with his head tilting first one way, then the other. Erin needs you.

Ezra sighed as he stared at the monkey. He knew Liam meant well, but there was no way he could keep his promise. If Ezra gave in this time, they’d assume he’d give in again. A crisis always waited for them; there was always someone who needed rescuing, protecting, taken down. Evil existed in the world, with no way to end it all. Ezra had seen that evil up close and personal and swore never to permit it to get close to him again. He didn’t think his heart could take another loss like he experienced.

“Wash the plate when you’re finished this time,” he said as he walked toward the trail at the front of his camp. “And good luck. I’m sure you’ll do fine without my help.” He stepped out of his campsite, into the woods, doing his best to ignore the fist squeezing his heart, the pounding in his head.

I need to find a new campsite.