We arrived at his room and Brooks walked in first. When I heard Ripp’s raspy voice greeting his brother, my eyes instantly burned. I didn’t want to cry . . . I refused. I had to stay strong and focus on the task at hand.
A curtain was blocking Ripp from view, and when I stepped around it, I had to hold in my gasp at the sight of him. His leg was covered in a white cast from his thigh down to his ankle and was propped up. I wanted to run to him and fling my arms around his neck, but there were so many bruises marring every inch of skin I could see.
“Wren,” he murmured, wincing in pain when he tried to smile.
Once at his side, I gently took his hand and squeezed. “You’re going to be okay.”
He swallowed hard and let out a sigh, his eyes growing heavy. “I never should’ve left the house. I know you didn’t want me to.”
The last thing I wanted to do was spend our few minutes together saying I told you so. There would be plenty of time for that when I return to California.
“You’re alive,” I said. “That’s all that matters right now.”
He glanced over at Brooks and then back at me. “I saw the guy who ran me off the road, Wren. He had a patch over his left eye.”
My teeth clenched as I held back my anger; I had to save it for the right time. “I know who he is. He was at the meeting at the hotel.” I looked over at Brooks. “His name’s Jagger.”
Brooks nodded. “I know who he is. I have files on all of Nikolai’s guys.”
“What happens now?” Ripp asked, his voice tired. This was the part I wasn’t looking forward to.
Brooks met my gaze and sighed. “Do you want to tell him or shall I?”
A low growl rumbled through Ripp’s chest. “Fucking hell, just say it. I could tell that something was going down the second you both walked in here.”
Still holding his hand, I moved closer to the bed. “Your parents are on a private jet right now. They’re coming to take you back to California.”
Ripp’s eyes blazed. “Fuck no, I’m not. I’m staying here with you.”
I jerked my head toward his broken leg. “You’re hurt, Ripp. There’s nothing you can do.”
That was the wrong thing to say to him, but it was the truth. He couldn’t protect me even if he wanted to. His anger was palpable as it filled the room.
“I’m worried about you, Wren. This is too much to handle on your own.”
“I’ll be fine,” I promised, averting my gaze to our clasped hands. “When you’re released from here, all your things will be on the plane.” My throat started to close up. “I’m also sending Parker’s ashes with you. California was peaceful for him, not here. I don’t want him here.”
Ripp’s pleading eyes bored into mine when I looked at him. “Come home with us.”
Shaking my head, I let his hand go and gently kissed his forehead. “Heal. Get better. I’m so sorry for everything.”
“It’s not your fault,” he said. I could hear the desperation in his voice, and it broke my heart.
“I’ll see you soon,” I whispered.
The second I stepped back, he tried to grab my arm and hissed in pain. “Wren, don’t you dare go.”
I turned to Brooks and he nodded toward the door. “I got this. You do what you have to do. Just be careful.”
Without another word, I hurried out into the hall and Ripp yelled for me to come back. I didn’t turn around . . . I kept walking.
CHAPTER25
WREN
On the ride back to Seth’s, my throat was so tight I could barely speak. However, I was able to tell Seth what Ripp saw: that the guy who ran him off the road was Jagger.
The rest of the ride was just a blur of muffled voices and trying to keep my anger from exploding all around me. I felt like, at any moment, I would go insane. The pain in my chest was excruciating. All the grief I’d suppressed within the depths of my soul wasn’t far from bursting through the wall. I was afraid of what I’d do. Never have I felt so out of control.
