Page 123 of Bad Wolf

And yet even though I know I shouldn’t, I say it anyway.

“You know what? I haven’t been able to put my finger on it, but today when I watched my worst nightmare play out, I knew what it was. If it came to me and your dad, I think you’d choose him all over again. I just…” I can’t finish my thought, I just blow out a long sigh instead.

“No. Please, carry on. I want to hear you say it.”

I groan as the shutters start to come down around me. I try fighting them, begging them not to slam shut.

Shut her out.

I blurt the words anyway, “I don’t know if I trust you when it comes to your dad.”

Her lip wobbles and she nods. Her eyes pool with tears and I reach for her, but she steps back.

“I think I should go.”

“No, you don’t have to go. I’ll go. I’m too worked up for this shit,” I say, rising to stand.

“This is exactly what I meant in the beginning. We just dove headfirst into this.”

“No. Fuck! I love you and that’s all that matters. I just need to get out of here.” How many times I can I say this?

“Knox, it’s not all that matters. It didn’t six years ago, and it’s not going to now.”

That’s it. Any sliver of self-control I had vanishes in a second. I stride out of that room brushing past Scott. All four of them follow me, and even though I have more space, it doesn’t help.

“Only if you’re gonna choose him,” I say, pointing at the door her dad would have left through. “If it came down to it all over again. If he’s comin’ to you because he needs help. Needsyou. Would you leave me all over again?”

“I—”

It feels like my chest is caving in.

“He’s not a good man, Baby. Why can’t you see it? Look what he did to us. Look what he did to you. Your scholarship. The education you worked so hard for. He made you give it all up,”

“He didn’t, I did all that to myself.”

What kind of bullshit is that?

I blanch. And so do my brothers. They’ve been stock still until this very moment. Silent bystanders watching this epic shit show unfold.

“Can you hear yourself? Who puts their kid in that position, Wren? Who does that?”

“Not everyone can be Jack and Jilly Madden, Knox. Some people have their issues. Some people can’t fight their demons.” She winces and I guess she’s wishing she can take those words back. Bringing my parents into it was unnecessary.

Casey opens his mouth, but the words are leaving mine.

“No, Wren. Some people are just weak.”

She looks around the room and then sobs, shaking her hands like she’s trying to will the tears and the anxiety away.

“God. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, but I don’t even know what he’s doing here. I still need to see him.”

“You’re onto something really good here. You have a job you love, friends. Me! And he’ll find a way to ruin it all.”

“I never said I would take his side. I’m done bailing him out. But he’s come this far. He doesn’t even gamble on college sports now. It was a one-time blip. He’s not even betting on NHL games he’s—”

“Fucking hell,” Scott groans and I shake my head in disbelief.

“How can you believe that? What just makes someone stop? There are programs he’d need to get into. Steps he’d need to take. How much money has he taken from you over the years. Fuck, Wren. Why. Is. He. Here?”

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