Page 77 of Wandering Closer

Gross. Dad said he will be in the hospital for another day before being released. Need me to drive over and pay him a visit?

Jake :

I knew there was a reason I liked you. Count me in.

Thoren :

Sit your asses down, we don’t need another lawsuit on our hands.

Jake :

Worth it

River :

So anyone want to tell me why the group chat name changed?

Jake :

Nope

Thoren :

Don’t know what you’re talking about.

River :

Fuck you very much for always leaving me out of shit.

River :

…give Lily a hug from me.

The moonlight, filtering through the window, illuminates the sleeping beauty beside me, emphasizing the flutter of her lashes as she dreams with quiet breaths. There is no sleeping for me after the events of today. When I drove up and saw an unfamiliar car parked on the road, anxiety flooded my senses. It was nothing compared to the fear that followed seeing her cowering in the doorway where he had her pinned and was shaking her.

I honestly didn’t think that prick had the gall to come after her, or I never would have left her alone. White hot anger coursed through me as I heard his bitter and cutting words to her. I have never dreamed of speaking to a woman that way, and hearing it come out of his pathetic mouth aimed at Lily broke something in me. Everything from then on is hazy as I acted on blind rage. All I remember is Lily’s scared voice begging me to stop, and like I told her before, I will do anything she asks.

Flexing my still swollen knuckles, I relish the ache in them. I’m not a violent person, I never have been, but beating the hell out of him was cathartic. My dad called me earlier this evening to let me know Tyler had a broken nose, three stitches in his eyebrow, two on his lip, and a cracked rib. Overall, he got off lucky and I am not remotely sorry about it. Part of me wishes I let Jake have a go, but that would have landed him an overnight police stay at least. He doesn’t typically start fights, but he always ends them.

Seeing the bandage on her arm as she snuggles into me cuts me. I should have kept her safe. She’s mine, and I will always protect what is mine. There’s no way in hell she is moving back into her place, even if I am there with her at night. I’m ordering a security system for my place first thing in the morning,something I never thought I would need out here. I didn’t want her to move back out the first time, but now I don’t think I can let her go, even if it’s what she wants.

I know that’s her cabin, and it was the symbol of her strength and perseverance when she moved here. She doesn’t need to prove that to herself anymore; she is strength personified. I have seen so many changes in her in the last few months. One of the greatest ones being that she has learned strength doesn’t always mean doing it all on your own. Lily has learned that leaning on others and accepting their help shows as much strength as doing it alone.

I even have the perfect plan in place so she can keep her cabin and have that reassurance to herself. Jake admitted today he was grateful for the gas leak at his apartment. Turns out he’s been wanting to get out of that place for a while and he is taking this as his sign to finally move. Lily’s cabin would be the perfect place for him to rent, and I would never complain about him living so close and that extra set of eyes around to make sure my girl is safe.

Around four, I give up on the pretense of trying to sleep, and decide on a gym session in the garage. I sent off a text to Jake for him to join if he’s up. Unsurprisingly, he comes strolling in the garage fifteen minutes later.

“You couldn’t sleep either?” I ask, putting down the dumbbell.

“I got some. It’s so quiet without sharing your walls.” He walks over to the squat rack and starts loading the bar with weights.

“Funny you should mention that. Want to move into Lily’s place?”

He stops, the forty-five pound weight plate hanging from one hand like it weighs nothing. “She’s selling? Michele said I can’t buy anything if I want to be approved to get a storefront.”

“You’re getting a storefront? What the hell? Why didn’t I know that?” I pick up the dumbbell again, starting on another round of curls. “But no, she’s moving in permanently, so hers will be open to rent.”

He eyes me suspiciously, but says nothing while he goes through his first set of squats. “Does she know that?”

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