Page 37 of Wild Hearts

I close my eyes after hanging up from my best friend, returning to that bedroom and begging my memory to pick up any identifying details of the person who opened the door. Massaging my temples, I let out a small growl of frustration. For all I know, it didn’t even happen.

Whatever Drew had slipped in my drink had kept me lucid enough to know what was going on, but confused enough to blur what was reality and what was a drug-induced illusion – another reason the detective had given for being an unreliable witness...

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Brady

THE FOG STARTS TO LIFT, and I groan as my eyes flutter open. I blink. Once. Twice. I let out a sigh of relief when I realise that I’m in my own room and not at the hospital. I turn my head to the right to check the time on my alarm clock only to come face-to-face with the concern etched in my sister’s forehead. She sits up straight on my desk chair that she’s brought over to my bed. Lachy leans up against the wall behind her.

“Jesus, Ivy. Let a guy wake up properly before you get up in his space, why don’t ya?”

A snort of laughter sends my pulse skyrocketing as I swing my head around to see Wren perched on the edge of my desk. Colour spreads slowly up her cheeks as she drops her gaze from mine, but I can’t tear my eyes off her. The only time she has ever been in my bedroom was the night of Ivy’s birthday – when I pressured her to tell people about us, resulting in pushing her away for good. God, I wish I could take it all back. Having her in secret was better than not having her at all.

Ivy pokes me in the ribs and I turn back to her, narrowing my eyes.

“What the actual hell was that last night? You scared the shit out of us, Brady.” Her eyes are shining, sending a pang of guilt straight to my gut.

“It’s not like I meant to dislocate my knee.” I shake my head, closing my eyes as I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“Are you sure it was an accident?” she murmurs.

“What?!” My eyes snap open as my stomach recoils from her words. I can’t help but glance over at Wren, but she’s picking at her fingernails, her lips pressed tightly together.

“What are you asking me, Ivy?” I can’t look at my sister. I don’t want her to risk seeing the truth in my eyes.

Her eyes dart to Lachy before fixing back on me. “Harley said it looked like–”

“I don’t care what Harley said it looked like,” I snap, not ready to hear the words out loud. “It was an accident. I didn’t realise how close I was to the rocks. I tried to turn and dislocated my knee. Simple as that.”

Wren lifts her eyes, surprised to find me still watching her. She studies my face, chewing on her lower lip. My stomach swirls as I think about sucking that lip into my own mouth, capturing her quiet moans. I close my eyes, wondering why she’s even here. One minute she is doing everything she can to avoid me, the next she’s texting me, phoning me, coming over to check on me. I wish she’d be honest with me, tell me if there’s anything I can do to make things right between us. I want to know what I can do to get her to give me a second chance.

I open my eyes, ready to ask my sister and her boyfriend to give us a second to talk, but she opens that beautiful mouth before I can.

“At least you’re okay,” she says, ducking her head once again.

I stare at her. I’m far from okay. How does she not see that? I scoff, nodding down at my swollen and bandaged knee. “Yeah, I’m great, Rookie. Absolutely fucking fantastic.”

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