Page 127 of Unravelling The Beast

I give him a little smile.

"Thanks."

When I peek back over my shoulder towards the house, I see my mom finally enter and close the door behind her.

When my gaze returns to his, I speak quietly.

"What are you doing here?"

"You know why the fuck I'm here. What the fuck are you and Lil up to? Arlo is going out of his fucking mind!"

I stand taller because of his stern words.

"He is?"

"Of course he fucking is!Look, I don't know what the fuck you and him were, but he is determined to speak to you."

I step around him and stroll towards the car door while I speak.

"Well, tell him I've made up my mind and it's done."

"Nothing is done until Arlo says so; what don't you understand about that, Wren? Didn’t you learn anything while living with him?"

I hesitate, my hand on the door, as I mull over what he said, and he continues.

"And because you and him aren't working out, me and Lil have got to be separated. Why?"

I instantly turned to face him.

"It's complicated. If I can't be involved in this, Lil can't either. I don't want her around your family."

He narrows his eyes.

"And why did it take you this fucking long to realise this?What the hell happened or changed? This can't possibly be because of this Savannah bullshit."

Becoming agitated, I respond firmly.

"Why can't it? Do you honestly believe I should be second in line while he's fucking engaged to someone else?"

"No, but—"

"No, no buts! I deserve better than what I'm getting from your warped family, so keep the fuck away from me and mine."

I pull on the car door handle and step inside as he continues, leading me to halt once again.

"He won't stop, Wren, not until he talks to you, and there's absolutely fucking nothing anyone can do about it, and I'm not giving up on Lil."

I draw a deep breath before taking my seat, and just as I'm about to shut the door, he stops me.

"He knows you're here."

I give him a side look through the crack in the door.

"So, why isn't he here himself?"

"Because he knew he'd be dragging your screaming ass out of here and he didn't want to give your folks a bad impression."

I try not to smile before I speak.

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