I smile down at Wren, wishing I could thank him. He inadvertently gave me a family.
“It was stupid for you to attack Pete,” Tria says, prompting my eyes to come up as tears waver on her eyelids. “But thank you. If you hadn’t gotten me away from him…”
Her voice trails off like she can’t continue, and I nod in understanding. There was no way in hell I was just going to run inside while she was beaten to death.
Wren squeezes my hand and stirs, but he doesn’t wake. The action draws my eyes down to his hand again, but with more light filtering through from the rising sun, I notice dark, purplish bruises on his knuckles.
“Did he get in a fight?” I ask, worried as I look up.
She smirks. “Apparently he hit Billy the day the paper went out because he thought it was him who was the ‘family source.’ But he found out it was his cousin. Billy brought Keith here last night, and Wren broke his nose with one punch. Or so I’m told. I didn’t get to witness it. Kode was mad because he wanted something or someone to hit. I feel bad for Jax—his trainer—when Kode goes to see him. I’m afraid he’s going to be subjected to the pent up frustration.”
I frown as I look back down at Wren’s hand, wishing like hell I hadn’t run off after seeing him with Erica.
“This is my fault,” I say, blowing out a breath.
Tria snorts. “Are you kidding? If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. Pete came after me, not you. If I had been alone and if your house hadn’t been proofed by Ray Capperton… I can’t even think about it.”
“It’s not your fault either,” I point out quickly, and she forces a smile.
Silence falls between us, and I resume staring down at Wren as I run lazy fingers through his dark strands.
“Does he know I saw the video?” I ask her, but my eyes stay down.
“No. I didn’t even think to mention it with all the chaos.”
His eyelids flutter like he’s dreaming, and he frowns in his sleep. He really isn’t sleeping peacefully.
“What are you doing out of bed?” Kode’s deep rumble of a sleepy voice draws my eyes toward the door as he walks in.
Tria turns around, smiling up at him. He leans down and gently presses a kiss to the side of her mouth that isn’t hurt. Then he scoops her up, cradling her to his chest.
“Don’t sneak out on me right now,” he says, nuzzling his face against hers very carefully, while holding her without strain. “I would have freaked out if Rye hadn’t been outside the room and told me where you went.”
She kisses him chastely before gesturing toward me. “I needed to check on Allie.”
He meets me with intense eyes, acting like he wants to say something, but he seems to decide against it since he looks like he’s on the edge of breaking.
“You good?” he asks instead.
“Yeah. Fine. I can’t believe Bella and Wren stayed. I was only out because of the meds, and she would have known that.”
Kode snorts out a laugh. “She said she didn’t trust some of the bitches in here anymore, so the security guard posted outside your door was only allowed to let certain ones in. She was awake until about an hour ago. Wren hasn’t even been out that long, according to Rye.”
I smile over at my best friend. Her head is drooping to her chest. She’s going to be as sore as I am.
“I need to get you back to your room so they can get us out of here.”
Tria nods, but she looks back at me. “Are you sure you’re okay? Do you need anything?”
My daughter—I need to hold her and feel her safe in my arms.
“I’m fine,” I say, knowing I don’t want Angel to see me in the hospital, and they’d probably bring her if I said what I needed aloud. “When will—”
Wren jerks awake, blinking as he looks around, seeing Kode holding Tria, then his eyes dart to mine. A heavy breath falls between his lips as though he’s expelling a year’s worth of stress, and he releases my hand to caress my cheek.
Kode and Tria slip out, and Wren leans up to brush his lips over the uninjured side of my forehead, pressing a sweet kiss there. I have to look as bad as I feel, and I want to get out of this stupid gown. I’ve never liked these damn things.
“You okay?” he asks, and I nod, trying not to cry. Why am I suddenly emotional?
He frowns as he stares down at me, running his eyes down the length of my body. He studies the sheet that starts at my waist, and he pulls my hand up to his lips to kiss my knuckles.