Page 84 of Wild Hearts

“I threw myself into my studies trying to distract myself.” Wren’s soft cadence pulls me out of my thoughts. “My friend, Airlie, she kept me sane.”

She smiles – a real smile that lights up her eyes and sends my stomach into a fluttering mess. I send out a silent thank you to Felicity’s cousin for being there for her when I couldn’t.

“She organised movie dates, trips to the mall, and mini golf. She even gave up one of her weekends to go on a photography retreat with me. Anything she could think of that would help take my mind off you. Sometimes it worked.” She chuckles softly. “And other times, it just reminded me of what I was missing out on with you.”

I know how she feels. I’d spent the last twelve months trying to distract myself to no avail. As Jordan and Ivy and the rest of my friends had so eloquently put it: I was a walking, talking, mopey mess. They all put it down to everything that was going on with my parents, but no one knew about the sassy, vivacious blonde that had stolen my heart.

Only, that’s not the girl who’s sitting next to me. This girl has a darkness around her that wasn’t there before. As much as rehashing our past is killing me, I know there’s more to this story. Even Felicity and Ivy had hinted as much.

Wren is silent. She told me not to speak, but I need to know what happened to her. I need to know why Tarshia’s brother felt the need to apologise. What happened that made her face turn deathly pale when she saw him?

I lean over and brush my lips over her temple, breathing in her familiar scent of cherries and coconut. “You can trust me,” I murmur, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. Her body tenses, but then she relaxes into me, resting her head on my shoulder.

“I wish things had turned out different for us,” she whispers. “I wish we’d found a way to make it work.”

“We still can.” I press my lips to the top of her head, wincing when she starts to shake it.

“No, we can’t,” she says, her voice hitching.

“Rookie, what happened?”

“I was sexually assaulted after my year twelve formal.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Wren

IWAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTEDafter my year twelve formal.

Brady’s body goes rigid as my words hang in the air between us. My stomach is in knots. I have no idea what he’s thinking. His arm is still wrapped around my shoulder, my head still rests under his, but he hasn’t said a word.

I run my fingers over my hip where my tattoo lays hidden under my dress. Airlie went with me to get it just before I moved.

After what feels like an eternity, Brady gently shifts away and climbs to his feet. My stomach churns as he walks down to the water, clenching and unclenching his fists.

Tears slide down my cheeks and I quickly brush them away. I knew he wouldn’t be able to look at me once I told him. That’s exactly why I hadn’t wanted to say anything. I stand up and wrap my arms around my stomach.

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