“I don’t know.” She answers.
“Can I help?”
“I think you put me in this mess, Wren, I was doing okay, ya know?”
The words shatter my heart, “I’m sorry, Rory, I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“But it happened, and that’s, I’ll survive.”
“Rory…”
“They raped me, Wren.Rapedme. Countless times. Over and over. I was choked. Beaten. They chained me up and spread me open so one, two, three men could come in and do whatever the fuck they wanted and then I find out that the man who had me kidnapped in the first place isyour father. He watched. He watched it happen. And every time he watched he spoke about how this was going to happen to you. How all of this was going to happen to you, and I couldn’t bear it Wren. I didn’t want this to happen to you, so I tried to tell them we didn’t know each other. That we weren’t that close but then you went and did that stupid fucking thing and gave yourself up. To what? Protect me? Why!?”
“I’ll always protect you, Rory.”
“What did they do to you?”
I suck in a ragged breath, “Enough.”
“Wren, I’m sorry. If it wasn’t for me, maybe you wouldn’t be here either.”
“Don’t!” I growl. “Don’t you fucking dare!” My voice goes up a pitch as emotion clings to my every being, threatening to overtake me but I will not allow Marcus Valentine to have any more of me, even if he is not here to see it. “None of this is on you. I will protect you no matter the cost, there is nothing you can do about it.”
Lex’s hand wraps around my shoulder, a calming presence to settle the rising storm within me. It works, I fear it’ll always work. I scoff inwardly, how things have changed. I met a monster only a few weeks ago and yet it is the same monster that settles the demons brewing inside of me.
His breath strokes my neck, warm and scented with smoke and whiskey but not unpleasant, “Easy now, little bird.”
“Is this him?” Rory asks.
“Yes.”
“This is your fault,” she hisses.
Lex stiffens behind me but stays quiet. I know it’s for me, but I can’t help but feel defensive over him. He is my demon. My devil. His sins are my own. When I whisper to the darkness, it’s his voice that answers.
“Rory, there is a lot you do not understand.”
“Please leave.” She suddenly requests, “I don’t want to talk anymore.”
“Rory...”
“Please,” her voice cracks, “now I know you’re alive and okay, I can sleep.”
“Okay,” my own emotion clogs my throat, making it rough and raspy, “you sleep, Rory. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
She doesn’t answer me so Lex steers me from the room, guiding me out the door and then closes it softly behind him before locking it.
“You’re keeping her prisoner?” I hiss under my breath.
“No little bird, she is a danger to everyone and herself, she needs to be kept here until we can be sure she is safe.”
“Why?”
“Because she means something to you, Wren, and what you care for will always be important.”
I fall into his chest, trying to stop the tears from falling but failing. I don’t want to cry. I don’t want to feel anything but this much emotion is too much to stifle. Marcus Valentine doesn’t deserve this and yet I do it anyway, crying into Lex’s chest like he’s my lifeline, the only thing keeping me afloat in turbulent waters.
His hand smooths down my hair, his other arm holding me as close to his body as physically possible.