Page 75 of Dirty Monsters

Wren was supposed to be discharged from Beachside. The first day she’d be able to make her own decisions, do whatever she wanted. Fuck, I made it sound like she was getting out of jail.

Rehab wasn’t jail. You could leave when you were ready. But not for Wren. She had shit hanging over her head, and even though I could have told her to call her father’s bluff, to demand she be set free, I really wanted her to stay.

She had been safe, at least I had hoped so. Some good people worked at Beachside, and I knew they actually did care about her well-being. What more could I have asked for?

After Tom filled me in on Wren passing whatever tests Lisa threw at her, I knew her check-out date would be a week later. Now I stood on the beach barefoot, waiting for her to see me and come to me.

I didn't know any other way to approach her. I was taking a risk, but I had talked myself into this, and I was sticking with it.She needed to come to me.

My head was tilted down, trying not to glance back at Beachside. I had my hands tucked into the pockets of my jeans and my leather jacket on. I had ditched my boots next to my bike so I could kick at the water, but it was doing very little to distract me from why I was there.

Lip was the only person who knew where I was. He said he would be patiently waiting with a bag of weed to mend my broken heart. Fuck him. He had no faith in Wren forgiving me. But how could he? He only knew what he saw, and on the surface, we were toxic and bad for each other.

Inside, it was right. No two people would ever be able to understand and connect with us. In the past few months, I had been incredibly thankful to the Carringtons for sending Kane and me away when they did. Not only did it protect Wren from a horror I didn't realize at the time, but it also kept us from remaining siblings, remaining in a place that would make it unrealistic for us to end up together.

From the moment Wren was born, I knew she was special, and I knew I was meant to be in her life. Thank fuck it wasn’t as her brother.

Hell, I was a shitty brother. I didn’t protect her when she needed me the most. It was reason enough for her not to show up today. Forget the fact she probably hated me for leaving her. I was shit from the start.

Yet I still waited for her, kicking up the water and rubbing the sore spot on my chest.

“It’s too hot for a jacket.”

I turned around quickly, the words sounding angry but still music to my ears.

“You came,” I whispered.

“You think I would miss the opportunity to tell you to fuck off?”

“I deserve it.” I nodded aggressively, unsure what else to say.

“Why are you here, Ro? One last chance to shove your dick into my mouth like your brother did?”

Fuck, that hurt. But it was exactly what I did to her, wasn’t it? In the pool? How was I supposed to prove to her I was different from him?

“You know I’m not Kane,” I said deeply, her words making me a little angry.

“You’re right. You’re better than Kane. You left me alone.”

“I didn’t want to, Wren. I didn't want to leave at all. I was escorted out with a security guard.”

“Mrs. Tessier said you left voluntarily,” she replied.

“I admit, I didn't put up a fight. All I wanted to do was what was best for you. After all the shit you had been through, I wanted you to heal.”

“I needed you,” she cried. “I needed you to save me. You left me.”

“That’s just it, Wren. You needed me to save you, but I needed you to save yourself. I was so goddamn worried I was your next addiction, your next fix.”

Her mouth hung open like I had slapped her for a minute before turning and walking away, back toward Beachside.

“Where are you going?” I yelled, almost a plea.

“There is a car waiting to take me to the airport. I’m out of here.”

“So you are leaving me?”

“You left me first!” she yelled without turning toward me.

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