Page 134 of Bad Wolf

“Come on, let’s get you back home.”

That word.Home. It finally has meaning.

Home wasn’t some shitty fourth floor walk-up. Home wasn’t a city I hated. It wasn’t bailing out a man who constantly let me down. Who chose to flit his money away like he was playing a game of monopoly.

It wasn’t bricks and mortar, or ice rinks, or dance studios, or libraries.

Knox was home.Ismy home, no matter what.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-THREE

KNOX

Wren’s heartwas too big. She was too compassionate.

Like my sister. Always putting everyone else before herself, and he would take advantage of that. Of her love for him. I just knew it.

And that’s why I told her deadbeat dad to go do whatever he wanted with his money, but to leave Wren out of it. We exchanged a few heated words but in the end, he agreed to stay away. He was practically high. But that’s when I saw it. He’s never going to stop. Never going to change.

She’s mine to take care of. To protect no matter what.

And it’s time to move forward. To let go of our pasts and the weight of it that hangs over us even as she clings to me now.

I kiss Wren’s hair as we navigate the busy sidewalk, my grip on her unrelenting, even as people try to walk right through us.

I pull her jacket, the jacket I gave her on her sixteenth birthday, bundle it tight to keep her warm, and with my arm wrapped around her shaking shoulders, I lead her back to our apartment.

Jason had cottoned on the minute he’d seen her in the lobby last night and hadn’t grumbled when I’d confirmed she’d moved in.

Hollywood hadn’t minded either, and when he’d texted telling me if I ever wanted the condo we all lived in from him, he’d sell it to me. My mind has been racing ever since with thoughts of us building a life together.

For the time being, I’m happy to continue paying rent until Wren is ready to either say yes to me buying it, or look for someplace else.

Since I’m in this for the long haul, I have no doubts about us eventually moving onto the street my brother and sister live on. Callan, and now Hollywood are there too.

Plus, Jason is spending more and more time over there anyway. But this apartment is perfect for now.

Her father showing up couldn’t have been worse when it comes to timing. I still need to travel with the team, and we head out to Boston tomorrow afternoon.

In the grand scheme of things, the distance is short, but leaving Wren alone in the apartment doesn’t sit right.

“I think you should come on the road trip with me tomorrow.”

She stops abruptly and looks up at me for the first time since I pulled her into my arms.

Her expressive color-changing eyes are rimmed with red and yet she’s still the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.

“How would that work? I can’t get on the same flight as you, can I?”

I shake my head. “I don’t think so. It’s rare for family members to fly on the team jet, but I can ask who’s going. I don’t think Coralie will be, but Anna might. I’m sure Chloe is coming this round.”

She sniffs and blots at her face again. The tissue she found in her pocket practically disintegrating. I hold her face in my hands and swipe at her wet cheeks.

“I think it would do you good. You can bring everything you’d need for work and take some downtime too. I wouldn’t be able to do any sightseeing, but I’m sure some of the girls will be.”

She gives me a small smile. “That sounds nice. I just want to spend as much time with you as I can. Plus, Anna said she was going to travel as much as she could before she gets to her third trimester.”

“I’ll speak to Case,” I promise as I open the door and guide her through and into my apartment building. My hand takes up most of her lower back and my heart tugs at how tiny she looks right now.

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