Page 125 of Bad Wolf

I leave Scott’s place, my brothers flanking me protectively in a show of solidarity.

My head falls back against the mirror in the elevator as it descends away from the apartment and away from Wren.

“That was...Bro.” Scott shakes his head. “She’s so naive when it comes to him.”

All I can do is nod.

I couldn’t do any of this without Wren. Now that I’d had her again. Loved her again. There would be no going back.

No locking her away in a box in a corner of my heart. No burying her in the back of my mind.

And even though Wren’s parting words sounded like goodbye, I’ll put my heart on the line and pray she meant that yes. This is me trusting her to not leave me again.

This is the defining moment.

The moment that makes or breaks us.

CHAPTERTHIRTY

WREN

Ugh,what a mess.

Still crying, I lower myself down on the couch, feeling like I’m being pulled in two different directions. Blowing out a breath, instead of screaming like I want to, I count to five and then breathe again.

This morning was utter perfection. Knox telling me he loved me. The way hemadelove to me. It was everything.

And now, an hour later, I’m mortified. And I am fucking mad.

At my dad. At Knox. At myself.

I reach for the little bottle of bubbles that I left on the coffee table yesterday and get to work on calming down.

I know what this looks like from the outside of course. What self-respecting twenty-four-year-old turns to soapy water for a pick me up?

I can’t even tell you. Honestly, it’s something I’ve brought with me from my childhood.

A memory of me dancing and twirling with my mother in what felt like a yard full of bubbles that I’ve clung to since the day she left for reasons unknown.

Maybe Dad’s always had a gambling problem. Maybe it was the catalyst to his addiction. Who knows.

I never asked him why she left me at four years old, and never returned. I’m sure I did when I was younger, but somehow, someway, I just accepted the fact. Yet another thing to add to the long list of questions I have for him.

I get to the point that there’s no longer enough solution to coat the wand, but it’s enough time to have me thinking clearly.

Knox was all worked up and my emotions got the better of me. I just needed time to formulate my sentences. Instead, I got all stutter-y, while he became defensive.

I receive a text from my dad asking me if I’m okay and telling me where he’s staying. I grimace when the first thought I have ishow’s he gonna pay for that?

I really do want to talk to him. I have every right to do that, but regardless of what I just told Knox, it can wait. After all, I’ve been patient all these years. It’s Dad’s turn to show me the same grace.

I reply, thanking him for the update and asking him to meet me tomorrow.

Then I sit on the couch some more. At first, I weigh up everything that was said during that highly embarrassing fight we just had.

And in front of his brothers too. It was like a train wreck.

But those few words,You’re coming to live with me,have me formulating a plan that has me questioning my own sanity.

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