My breath caught.
Jasper asked quietly, “You mean living in that shelter?”
My heart dropped.
Slade exhaled sharply. “Yeah. She lived in a damn shelter with two kids. She was barely making it. I’m not letting her drive something that can barely make it up a hill. It’s the least I could do.”
The words sliced through me.
Like confirmation of the one fear I didn’t want to name.
He pitied me.
Of course he did.
Why wouldn’t he?
Before I could stop myself, I pushed the door open.
Ryder and Jasper froze.
Slade turned.
His entire posture shifted when he saw me.
I stepped inside, my voice small but shaking. “So that’s why you did it?”
He blinked. “Aspen—”
“You bought me a car because you pitied me? You found out I lived in a shelter and thought I would make a good charity case? Is tha
