Page 22 of Journey

“Tired, too, huh?” She nods so I continue. “Why don’t you let me tuck you into bed so you can get some sleep?”

“But then you’ll leave,” she says almost frantically. “And if you leave, he can get to me.”

“I won’t leave.”

“Promise?”

“I thought promises were bad.”

She shrugs. “You said you aren’t a liar so I guess it’s okay if you promise.”

“Then yes, I promise I won’t leave.”

“Okay.”

I lift her into my arms and carry her down the hallway until I reach an open door. A quick glance tells me it’s her bedroom, and when my legs hit the mattress, I gently lay her down.

“Will you sit with me until I fall asleep?” she asks, rubbing her eyes with her fists.

Um…

“Sure.”

As I crawl onto the bed next to her, she pulls the covers over herself, and I’m careful to stay above them. I should stand up and walk out immediately, but I can’t bring myself to move. I made a promise, afterall.

Time seems to stand still as she tosses and turns, and before I know it, I doze off. And then I’m rudely awakened by a sharp elbow to my stomach.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

I blink several times to clear the sleep from my eyes and turn to face Wren. Rage and confusion war in her expression, and when she raises her arm to elbow me again, I grab her hand mid-air.

“Hit me again, and there’ll be consequences,” I snarl, rattled by her behavior.

“Answer my question,” she retorts as she swings her legs over the edge of the bed, yanking the blanket with her, and stands.

“You asked me to stay,” I blurt. When her forehead wrinkles with confusion, I go on. “Well, you, but not you.” I rub my hands over my face, trying to find the right words. “I think it was you when I got here, but then something happened. I, uh…”

“Fuck,” she mutters harshly.

I hurry to my feet and face her. “Wren, it’s okay, really. I, um, was happy to stay.”

“Who asked you to stay?” she demands.

“What?”

She walks around the bed and comes to a stop a foot in front of me. “Who asked you to stay last night? You said it wasn’t me, so who?”

“Annie.”

Her entire body stiffens. “You need to leave.”

“What?”

“Go,” she snaps. “Get out of my apartment before I call the cops.”

“Wait a damn minute,” I bark. “Why the fuck would you ca?—”

Wren’s entire demeanor shifts from angry confusion to distraught. Her shoulders slump, and she twists to plop onto the mattress.

---