Page 88 of Push My Buttons

Chapter 33

Wren

Iwaketothesound of arguing. The voices filter through the fog of sleep, pulling me reluctantly toward consciousness.

"They let this happen!" Maya's voice, sharp with accusation. "How can you possibly think she's safe with them?"

"Maya, please—" That's Jace, his voice strained with exhaustion.

"No, you don't get to 'Maya, please' me. She almost died yesterday!"

I force my eyes open, blinking against the harsh hospital lighting. The pain in my head has dulled to a manageable throb, and my thoughts feel clearer than they have since I collapsed. The room gradually comes into focus—sterile white walls, beeping monitors, and four people who haven't noticed I'm awake.

Maya stands near the foot of my bed, her finger jabbing accusingly at Jace and Theo, who look utterly destroyed. Their shoulders slump with exhaustion, their faces haggard. The officer Detective Rivera promised stands just insidethe doorway, looking uncomfortable at being caught in this domestic drama.

"She was safe with us until we screwed up," Theo says, his voice hollow. "We know that. Trust me, we know."

"Oh, you know?" Maya's laugh is bitter. "That's great. Really comforting. You know you failed her, but hey, why not give you another chance? No, she can stay with me from now on."

The devastation on their faces makes my chest ache. They look broken, like they're carrying the weight of what happened to me on their shoulders. And maybe they should—they did lie to me. But the naked guilt in their expressions tells me they're punishing themselves far more effectively than Maya ever could.

"I'm… staying in… my own… apartment," I say slowly, my voice still rough and unfamiliar, but stronger than before.

All four heads whip toward me, eyes wide with surprise.

"Wren!" Maya rushes to my side, taking my hand. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"

"Better," I rasp, then switch to signing when the effort of speaking becomes too much."Much better. And I heard what you were saying."

Jace and Theo approach cautiously, as if afraid I'll order them away. The hope and fear warring in their eyes makes my heart twist.

"I'm staying in my apartment,"I sign again, my movements deliberate."I'm not going to let him take my independence away from me. Not again."

"Him?" Theo asks, his voice careful. "You mean the stalker?"

I nod, then immediately regret it as pain lances through my skull."I remember everything now,"I sign."I told the police yesterday."

"They questioned us too," Jace says, his fingers doing that anxious tapping against his thigh. "About the evidence we collected, the security footage. They're taking it seriously."

"Good,"I sign."Because I'm not running anymore. I'm not hiding."

Maya frowns, her protective instincts clearly on high alert. "Wren, be reasonable. After what happened—"

"After what happened, I need to reclaim my life,"I cut her off, my signs sharp and definitive."I need to be me again. Not a victim. Not someone who needs constant protection."

"But—" Maya starts.

"I don't want to talk about him anymore,"I sign, frustration making my movements jerky."I've spent almost two years of my life defined by what happened to me. I just want to be normal. Or as normal as I can be."

Jace and Theo exchange a look that speaks volumes. I can see the struggle in their faces—the desire to protect me warring with the recognition that I need my autonomy.

"We understand," Jace says quietly. "Whatever you decide, we'll support you."

Maya makes a sound of disbelief. "You can't be serious! After everything that's happened, you're just going to let her—"

The door opens, cutting her off mid-sentence. Dr. Reynolds enters, eyebrows raised at the volume of the conversation.

"I can hear you from the nurses' station," he says, his tone mild but firm. "If you can't keep it down, I'll have to ask you to leave." His eyes focus on Maya. "The patient needs rest, not stress."