Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Wren pauses, and I give her a few moments before she continues.
“He would touch my chest and sometimes between my legs while touching himself,” she explains, her voice so small and scared. All I want to do is find this fucker and end him. “He always touched me over my nightgown. It could have been much worse.”
“Don’t do that. Don’t downplay what happened to you.” I hate how she looks at me right now. Like he still has a hold on her.
“What’s his name?”
“Steven,” Wren finally says. “Steven Walters is his name.”
Steven Walters, you are a dead man.
As soon as the person behind the notes is found, and I know Wren is safe, I’m going after him. But for now, I’m simply glad Wren told me.
I wrap my arm around her, and she cuddles into my side. Her hand rests on my stomach as she silently cries into my chest.
I used to want her tears more than anything, now I want to do anything to stop her from crying.
31
WREN
Iwake up on the silky soft bed I’ve come to love in this past week. My arms come out on their own, stretching the sleep away as I blink open my eyes. When I don’t find Briggs lying next to me, a jolt of disappointment rushes through me, followed by a slither of fear.
Sitting up quickly, I glance around the room, looking for Briggs. I don’t find him anywhere in sight, but when I notice the shower running in the attached bathroom, I breathe a sigh of relief.
I still can’t believe somewhere along the broken road that is our relationship, Briggs became somewhat of a security blanket to me.
In school, he takes me to every class and picks me back up, making sure no one bothers me. When we’re at his house, he keeps me in his room, and away from his father, who still gives me the creeps. No matter where we are, he makes sure I’m fed, either buying me food when we are out or bringing it to his room when we’re at his house.
Wherever I go, he is there by my side, protecting and taking care of me.
Throwing the comforter off my legs, I hop off the king-sized bed. I’m wearing nothing but one of Briggs’s shirts as I make my way to the bathroom.
I slowly push the door open just as the water turns off. I enter the room as Briggs steps out of the shower. He is completely nude, water dripping from his muscular body as he reaches for one of the fluffy towels on the rack.
“See anything you like?” Briggs asks with a grin when he realizes I’m ogling his abs. He wraps the towel around his hips.
Looking away, I clear my throat, feeling like I was just caught with my hands in the cookie jar. “I was looking for you.”
“Well, you found me.”
“Well, good,” I say awkwardly, standing in the bathroom without knowing what to do.
“Let’s get dressed before I fuck you again,” Briggs tells me, making me remember all the times we’ve had sex over the last week.
He walks past me into his room, and I follow him like a lost puppy.
“What are we going to do today?” It’s Saturday, and we have no classes to go to.
“I actually need to go and see Paul Wilder.” Briggs walks over to his closet and starts to pull out clothes to wear. He goes for a pair of dark jeans and a gray shirt.
“I want to come with you,” I protest.
“I need you to stay here with Tia,” Briggs tells me.
“Oh, really? I mean, you trust me with your sister?”
Briggs raises an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t I?”
“What? No. I mean yes, of course you can! I’m just surprised, I guess.” I don’t even know why I’m so shocked. I’m still not used to Briggs actually liking me, let alone trusting me.
“Then it’s decided. You stay here with Tia while I go talk to Paul.”
I get dressed in a comfortable pair of shorts and a yellow shirt while Briggs pulls on his socks and shoes.
“Come on, let’s find Tia,” Briggs offers, heading toward the door.
I follow him to the living room, still feeling a bit out of place in this huge, fancy house.
We find Tia sitting in the middle of the oversized sectional, wearing bright pink pajamas with unicorns on them. Her eyes are glued to the TV, where some kind of cartoon is playing.
“Did you eat breakfast yet, nugget?” Briggs asks.
“Not yet. Can I finish watching this before, though?”
“Sure, finish the episode, but then eat some cereal or something.”
“Okay!” Tia says excitingly.
“I have to go somewhere for an hour or so, but Wren is going to stay with you,” he explains.
Tia simply gives him a thumbs up while she keeps watching her show. I walk across the room and take a seat next to Tia.