Page 95 of Wild Side
A sense of dread surges inside me, slow and steady. Each entry is like a big breath into a balloon. The feeling presses against me as I flip the pages hungrily. It’s as though I can feel the impact coming but can’t take my foot off the gas.
She mentions Tyson more and more. Going out is mentioned more and more. Rhys taking care of Milo becomes a given, an afterthought—an expectation. And the dates on the entries match up with when she started leaving him with me more often too.
Nights out turn into weekends away.
A social beer becomesa few too many highballs.
The highballs are a gateway, and though she never puts it in writing, I know in my gut what she and Tyson were doing when either Rhys or I were taking care of her son.
Her reflective tone shifts, and suddenly she’s casting blame on everyone else.
I’m both furious and fucking devastated as the change in her persona unfurls.
She wasso close.
I blink at the page beneath me. A wet dot bleeds out into the paper, the pen stroke becoming slightly blurred.
It can’t be.
One furious swipe at my cheek, and I stare back at wet fingers, my lips popping open into a silentOshape.
Then I decide not to fixate but to keep reading.
Tyson has run into some trouble. All the nights out and extra-special treatment he’s given me havecaught up with him. I didn’t realize he was treating me so extravagantly. He wanted everything to be top of the line, but he couldn’t afford it.
The least I could do was help him out. But it’s not enough. I gave him so much that I couldn’t make rent. Luckily, Rhys was understanding. I promised him I’d pay it back, and I fully intend to. I wish everyone had as much faith in me as he does.
The dealership is giving me fewer shifts, and when I asked why, they said they had to hire another receptionist because I was taking so much time off. Which is bullshit. It’s only been a weekend here and there. I know I can’t ask Tabby for help again, or she’ll be all fucking over me.
But this time is different. It’s not because I’m in trouble. I’m just taking care of Tyson—my family. It’s exactly what she’d do in this situation.
Alarm bells sound. I want to reach into the pages and shake her. I want to scream at her, “This guy is not your family! He’s your downfall!” But she’s not here for me to make her see reason.
Another tear tumbles from my lashes as I watch my sister’s life crumble right before my eyes.
When I told Rhys my shifts were slow, he didn’t hesitate to offer a rent break. And the way he’s been so overly helpful financially got me thinking. I finally looked him up, and my eyes about popped out of my head when I saw his reported salary.
That’s why I asked Rhys to be Milo’s guardian in the will I finally got around to doing. He seemed taken aback at first, but said yes.
It was an immediate relief. At least if something happens to me, Milo will land somewhere with a good security net. Plus, Tabby has been so fucking nosy with her questions lately, pushing back when I ask if she can take Milo for another weekend, and it ticked me off.
She’s been on my ass about a will for years, so when I drop Milo off in Rose Hill, I’ll let her know she finally got her wish.
She chose Rhys to spite me. And for his money. My stomach turns hard and fast.Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Tears fall with each curse that flies through my head as I piece it all together.
It’s only when I read through the final entry that everything finally clicks.
Things have been extremely stressful, so I lied and told Tabby that Rhys evicted me, and I needed to go look at new places to move into so that Tyson and I could take a much-deserved weekend together. Naturally, she swooped in to help—zero questions asked.
My head throbs, and my heart shatters.
The grudge I’ve been carrying against Rhys this entire time evaporates on the spot. The one he’s been letting me throw in his face, even knowing it was unfounded.
And all that’s left in its wake is an all-consuming agony. I should have noticed the subtle changes in her. I should have swept in sooner. I should have known better.
