Page 51 of Journey

Wren crawls off my lap and moves to sit so she can face me, curling her legs beneath me.

“I was really scared this morning at the prison,” she blurts.

“I know you were, but you did great.”

“I did, didn’t I?”

“How is it that you turned out to be as amazing as you are?” I ask, genuinely curious. “You could’ve easily let all of the obstacles you’ve faced weigh you down, but you didn’t.”

She shrugs. “I never really thought about it, I guess. Nothing can erase what he did to my mom and brother or change how my mind chose to cope, so I deal with it the best I can.”

“Stone was right about one thing.”

She stiffens. “What?”

“You sure do have a brass set on you,” I say with a grin.

“I wanted to slap him when he said that, but you beat me to the punch… literally.” Wren takes a few deep breaths. “Did you notice that I didn’t switch?” she finally asks.

“I did.”

“Why do you think that is? I mean, that whole visit was one giant trigger.”

“Why doyouthink you didn’t?” I counter.

She rests her head on the back of the couch and thinks for a moment. “As scared as I was, I knew you wouldn’t let anything bad happen. And if you couldn’t stop it, Crow would’ve.”

“We will always have your back.”

“We really could work, couldn’t we?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” I jest, tapping the tip of her nose.

“I can’t promise you won’t have to keep telling me.”

“I can do you one better. I’ll keep showing you.”

“Do you think my dad will make another move soon?” she asks, getting serious.

“Honestly, I don’t know. I think he’s cocky enough to try, but smart enough to wait for the perfect time.”

“Which is when?”

“Never,” I assure her. “We’re ready, Wren. Whenever he chooses to strike, we’re always gonna be ready.”

“What if he tries something here? He knows where I live.”

“He might.” I level my gaze on her. “Maybe you should move into the clubhouse with me.”

I expect her to think about it, but she immediately shakes her head. “No. I can’t, Journey. Don’t get me wrong, everyone is great, but it’s a lot for me to try to deal with on a daily basis.”

“I could move in here, if that would make you feel better,” I suggest.

“I love my apartment, but it’s too small for two people.”

“Sounds like you’re not opposed to the idea of us living together.”

“I’m not, not really. It just needs to be the right circumstances.”

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