Chapter FOUR ANDRES

I heaved a sigh, slightly annoyed at the interruption.

Not that I was doing anything.

Well, anything other than obsessing over Ellie.

Glancing down, I exited the security feed I’d had paused on my cell phone.

Ignoring the sudden urge to get a screenshot of the zoomed in image of her elfin face, I swiped up to close the app and checked the ID of the caller.

Unknown?

My heart stuttered beneath my breastbone as I pressed the green button.

“Hello?”

I knew Ellie had been given an untraceable burner phone upon entry to the shelter, and she was the only person with an Unknown Caller ID who had my phone number.

I’d made sure of that.

“Andres? It’s me.”

Her voice sounded tinny through the cheap phone, but I closed my eyes on the wave of emotion that filled me at hearing her say my name.

Ellie called me.

She called me.

“Yeah, it’s me. Is everything okay?” I asked, clearing my throat a little.

“Yes. Well, not really,” she replied.