Page 29 of Wrath

“So, how’d it go?” Peyton looks excited as I get back into the truck.

“Exactly as I thought it would.” I fire up the engine.

“Wait, we’re leaving? You drove me out all this way and I don’t even get to meet your father?”

“Believe me, darlin’ ya wouldn’t want to.” I skid the hell outta there and head for home.

“Morning sleepy head.” I gently nudge Aaron where he’s laid out on the floor, with the toe of my high heel.

“What time is it?” He yawns, cracking his neck as he sits up.

“Almost 8.”

“You’re lookin’ fancy.” His voice comes out groggy when he looks up and sees me in the pencil skirt suit I’m wearing.

“It came from a thrift store, but it will do.” I shrug, moving over to the mirror so I can fluff my hair.

“Don’t ya think it’s a littletoofancy to be wearin’ around here?” He chuckles to himself, as he stands up and lifts the pillow and blanket from the floor.

“For here, yes, but not for work.”

“Work?” he checks he heard me right.

“Yes, Aaron, work. I have to take back control of my life. I have projects I’m supposed to be working on and presentations to prepare. I need my workspace.”

“You're not seriously considerin’ goin’ back to your office?” He scrubs his hand over his face as if I’m exhausting him.

“It’s a studio,” I correct him with a clever, little smile. “And since Mark is holding my business to ransom, I’m assuming he’s still paying the rent.”

“Eden, it’s not safe out there. We spoke about this last night.”

“I’m heading for Beverly Hills, where I can assure you things are very safe. I’m going to work.” I go to lean forward and kiss his cheek, but think better of it and smile awkwardly, instead. “Have a good day, Aaron.” I strut out of my room and onto the balcony.

“It’s Wrath!” I hear him yell after me, as I shut the door and walk toward Peyton's car. She said I was welcome to use it while she’s away with my brother, and I’m trying not to think about the fact that right now she’ll be getting to meet my father before me. What I think about instead, is how good it felt to sleep beside Aaron, and how he shifted our positions just so his arms could cling around me during the night. I shouldn’t have let myself enjoy it, but I did.

I know I’m being followed as I make myself toward the studio, but it doesn’t bother me. If Aaron is prepared to waste an entire day watching me work, then it’s his choice. I can’t see it lasting long, especially since my brother’s away and he’s the one left in charge. Bad traffic means it takes me a good hour to get to the studio, and when I pull up outside the building and see the shutters are open, my heart drops into my stomach.

“No.” I get out of the car and slam the door, reading all the cruel names that have been sprayed in big, black letters across the glass windows.

Slut. Biker Bitch. Whore. Tramp.Cum Dumpster.

My legs go weak when I think of all the people who could have seen this. I locked up here last Thursday night. I’d pulled down the shutter myself and there are only two people who have the keys to open it. Myself, and Mark.

I know what I did really hurt him, but this… it’s just not like him.

Taking out my cell I scroll to the first number in my contacts and hope that after all these years he still has the same one.

“Eden, what's wrong?” I look down the street and see Aaron’s pulled in five cars behind. Jimmer gave me a burner phone whenhe dropped me off in Utah and, despite all his instructions to move on from the life I knew before, I stored Aaron’s number on it straight away. His number has been the first one I save every time I’ve gotten a new phone, despite the fact I know it from memory.

“Eden, what’s happened?” He keeps the phone pressed to his ear as he gets off his bike and starts matching toward me.

“I…I.” I must sound so weak and vulnerable, everything I’m trying to prove that I’m not, and when he stands beside me and sees what’s in front of us he hangs up his phone and looks ready to commit murder.

“I don’t know what to do.” I’m still speechless and my hands shake as I cover my mouth with them.

“What the fuck is this?” He looks between me and the window.

“I don’t know how it got there, but the shutter was down when I last–”

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