“I just want what’s best for my daughter.”
I nod again. “Believe it or not, so do I.” Both Wren and Vicky stare at me like I just grew horns. “I know that wasn’t the case in the past, but it is now. I want to make sure Wren is protected, and I can do that best at my house.”
“You are not like your father,” Vicky states, surprising me.
“I’m nothing like him,” I agree.
“Good… and I believe you.” Vicky turns to her daughter. “I think you would be safer with him too. No one is going to mess with the Westons. I can’t protect you here. Look at what they did to your car.”
Wren sighs deeply before looking from her mom up at me. “Okay, I’ll come with you.”
Relief seeps into my skin, calming my nerves. Now I just have to keep my promise and make sure Wren is safe.
Chapter 27
Wren
If someone would have toldme two weeks ago that I’m walking into Briggs’s house for my protection, I would have told them to fuck off. Yet, here I am, stepping into the lavish entry hall of his place.
“My dad is not here, and Tia is still in school,” Briggs explains as he leads me further into the house.
Last time I was here, I rushed in and out so quickly I didn’t have time to appreciate how nice his house is. My old sneakers squeak as I walk across the pristine tile floor, past the entry table with a large arrangement of fake flowers. I look up at the modern glass chandelier and admire its beauty.
“You have a nice house,” I mumble, feeling out of place.
“It was my mom’s dream home…” Briggs says, surprising me. This is the first time he’s mentioned his mom to me. I look over at him and catch surprise flickering over his gaze as well, as if he can’t believe he just casually talked about her.
“I’m so sorry you lost your mom the way you did,” I whisper, so softly I’m not sure if Briggs hears me.
He clears his throat and starts walking toward the elegant, rounded staircase. “Let’s just go to my room.”
I nod in agreement, following him up the stairs and into his bedroom, remembering the last time I was here. It wasn’t too long ago, yet things seem so different today. Before, I thought I only had to worry about Briggs hurting me. Now I realize there is someone scarier out there who actually wants to kill me.
Briggs slips out of his shoes and plops down on his bed. He sits with his back against the headboard. My nerves don’t allow me to join him. I start pacing in the center of the room instead.
Chewing on my lip, I think about my dorm room and my car. How cansomeone hate me so much that they would do this to me? I’ve never hurt anyone. Why are they after me?
“I can hear you thinking from over here. Why don’t you sit down, and we can watch a movie or something? To take your mind off everything.”
I scoff at the idea of doing something as domestic as watching a movie with Briggs. “I’m too wired to sit down.”
“Want a brownie?” Briggs offers, making me come to a stop.
“The kind we had last time?”
“Yes, it’s an edible. It will calm you down.”
“I don’t know…” I say, feeling torn. I want to calm down but also, I’m worried about not being worried. I should feel scared and, while getting high, I will surely let my guard down when I need it to be up.
“You can always take a bite or two. It won’t get you high, but it will be enough to calm your nerves.”
I think about it for a few moments before I decide to take him up on the offer. “I’ll take a bite.”
Briggs reaches into his nightstand and pulls out a ziplock bag with two pieces of brownie inside. He opens it and breaks a small piece off one of them. I cross the room and sit down on the edge of the mattress. He hands me the morsel, and I put the whole thing in my mouth.
“Are you not going to eat any?” I ask after I chew and swallow.
“Nah, not right now.” He closes the ziplock bag and places it back in the drawer of his nightstand.
