Page 236 of Unravelling The Beast

“I’d never judge you; I’m here to make you happy, no matter what, and you can always be yourself and talk to me about absolutely anything, I promise.”

He glances all around my face, taking in my features as he slides his warm hand around the side of my neck until it’s on the nape before guiding me to his lips and we open up for each other, allowing our tongues to collide.

Arlo is at work, and I am in the living room with Cree when he calls out to me.

“Wrennnnn, can you get me my green train, please?”

My eyes soften and I stand up from the couch before looking down at him.

“Would you like the TV on?”

“Yes, please! Paw Patrol!”

I give him an affectionate smile before bending down and taking the remote from the coffee table, aiming it at the big TV on the wall. I skip down the channels until I find it, then set the remote back down before heading upstairs.

When I get to his bedroom, I walk over to his bed to search for his favorite train toy, and I soon find it buried beneath his pillow. I smile before returning downstairs with it in my hand.

As I come into Cree’s view, he smiles and points his finger in the direction of the TV as he calls out to me.

“Look, Wren, it’s daddy, grandad and uncle Cash!”

My brows furrow in confusion as I proceed forward until I reach the doorway, where I come to ahalt when I can see the TV. It’s security footage from outside of the house, and it’s early evening, not quite dark yet.

Arlo is standing at the end of the path that leads to the front door with his dad and Cash, but something is off. Arlo is wavering, and his posture isn’t what it should be.

He and his dad appear to be in a heated argument, and suddenly Arlo storms up the pathway, towards the house, on wavy legs. When something doesn’t look right to me and worry sets in, I glance at Cree and call out to him.

“Cree?”

He quickly looked my way.

“Yes?”

I give him a soft smile.

“Go upstairs for me, sweetie, and I’ll meet you up there to put Paw Patrol on.”

He begins to protest.

“But—”

I speak a little more firmly.

“Please.”

He gives a small, disappointed nod before jumping off the couch, and as he walks past me, I stroke his curly hair. As I return my eyes to the screen,. I can hear his little feet walking up the stairs behind me. When the camera shifts to the back of the house and I see a young, blonde woman crouching down by the pool, as if she’s de-weeding or something, I take a step forward.

My eyes stay fixed on the screen, and as soon as I see Arlo approaching with a gun in his hand, down by his side, I slap my palm over my open mouth.

She stands and faces him when he gets close, rubbing her hands down her long, pretty summer dress, but they are soon clearly arguing. He suddenly grabs her wrist and pulls her towards the house and she struggles against him, but he just keeps going until they are no longer visible and the video stops.

I stand there in utter fucking shock, staring at the blank screen. My heart is pounding in my chest and my eyes are welling up with tears as I realize what this is. As I close my eyes, I pull my phone out of the back of my jeans and shakily search for Arlo’s number.

I’m in my office with Jasper and on the phone with my hacker.

“Your plan appears to have worked, Arlo, since the cops have suspended him pending an investigation. They also appear to have finally figured out that this is revenge on his behalf, but they are having difficulty proving it right now.”

I sigh before I respond.

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