Page 4 of Wilde Abandon

This would be so bad.His dad would kill him.“T-told her n-not t-to t-tell.”Anger filled his voice and he grimaced as a wave of pain—physical and emotional—hit hard.

Something warm was draped over him.Until he felt the heat, he hadn’t realized how cold he was.

“This will never happen to you again.”

Fox didn’t believe him as he drifted in and out.

My dad’s going to kill me.Maybe he already did.

A little while later, there were lots more voices around him, people talking about him, how cold he was, how many injuries he had.A blast of pain went through him when they gently moved him, and Fox thought,Doesn’t matter what Dee did.I’m never going to survive to see her again.

It should have been a relief when she walked into his hospital room the next day.But all it did was ignite the fear that at any moment his dad would walk in the door in a rage, looking to punish Fox for everything.For nothing.He didn’t really need a reason.

Pain, sharp and aching, radiated through him as he lay in the hospital bed.Fox could barely move without something hurting, but seeing Melody’s eyes filled with sadness and pity…he lost it.

“This is your fault.You told them.You promised you wouldn’t tell.He’s going to kill me.Get out!I hate you!”

Alarms started going off.He couldn’t catch his breath.He felt blood on his stomach.He’d pulled the stitches from his surgery.He didn’t even know why he’d needed surgery.The cast on his arm made sense.His dad had broken his wrist several days ago.Again.

Melody’s lips trembled.Tears poured down her cheeks.“I’m sorry.”

“Get out!”He didn’t want her to see him like this.He didn’t want anyone to know.

Mr.Wilde held up a hand.“Son, you need to calm down.She only wanted to help.”His voice was so familiar.

The man who’d found him curled up in the barn.Melody’s dad.

Mr.Wilde took her hand and pulled her toward the door as a nurse rushed in, ordering them out.

The last he saw of Melody, tears were running down her face, and she was saying over and over again, “I’m sorry.I’m sorry.I’m so, so sorry.”

He didn’t care in that moment.But he would later, when he discovered his parents were in jail, he was never going back to them, and he was safe.Because she saved his life.

And all he wanted was to find a way back to her, so he could make things right.

Chapter one

“I’msorry.I’msorry.I’m so, so sorry,” Melody wailed.

Fox woke up in a rush, his hand reaching out and catching nothing but air as he shouted, “Come back.”The words he should have said all those years ago.Because when she left, all the joy she’d brought into his world went with her.

A hand clamped onto his shoulder.“Man, you’ve got to stop falling asleep at your desk.”Dean set a cup of steaming black coffee in front of him.

Fox dug the heels of his hands into his tired, scratchy eyes.“What time is it?”

“Time to put an end to this shit and get the fuck out of here.This place is messing with your head.”

Fox had been back in Blackrock Falls for several weeks and the memories—nightmares, really—made him feel like that lost and broken boy all over again.He didn’t like the feeling.In fact, he’d worked damn hard to make something of himself under some really tough circumstances.Six different foster homes, two group homes, several school transfers, aging out of the system, and feeling abandoned and inconsequential yet again.

But he’d done one thing right.The only thing he had control over in his life.He took his education seriously.It was the one piece of advice he’d received that made sense to him.The smarter you are, the better you’ll do in life.Do well in school, you’ll get a better job.You’ll make more money.

He didn’t rely on anyone.After all, he’d just been passing through those foster homes.Always a guest.Never family.

He didn’t have one of those.Not anymore.

Even if he was back in this town to take care of his sick mother.

Well, that was his excuse to come.

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