Page 26 of Vengeful Melodies

“Fuck,” I hiss, catching myself against the wall before I fall.

“I’m using the spare bathroom, so my room and bath are all yours, baby girl,” Wren says quickly as he heads toward the bathroom by the living room.

“Okay, I’ll see you in a bit,” I call, closing the bedroom door behind me and heading to the en-suite, shirt in hand.

I toss it onto the sink, eyeing the reds, oranges, and whites in the flame design. I decide to wear the flame-split skirt Wren got me for my birthday last year.

I dig through the boxes, searching for the matching shoes I bought for a lunch I had to cancel — with Wren — because Bradley said I couldn’t go.

That should have been the first red flag, when he found every chance to go out with Craven and thou who shall not be named, anymore. But I was blinded by the idea I loved him.

After twenty minutes, I find both shoes, snatch up black lace underwear and the matching cross-back bra.

I lay everything on the counter next to my makeup and hairbrush.

I pause to look at myself.

I don’t feeloldertoday. Honestly, I don’t feel much ofanything.

I pull my hair free from the messy topknot and start slipping rings from my fingers, then lift the necklace my brother left me.

I place the jewelry in a neat pile on the counter, taking a long, steady breath.

Fuck it. I need a minute.Before my time is no longer mine.

I close my eyes and breathe in slowly, holding it steady before exhaling.

You’ve got this. You have to.

There’s no choice anymore.

The past stays behind once I board that bus — no longer a weight around my ankles.

I remind myself to finish packing everything I’ll need into the four duffel bags Wren bought yesterday. That’s all I can bring. The rest goes to the storage unit he arranged.

Turning the water dial left, I watch steam curl out, fogging the mirror and hiding my reflection.

I step in carefully. The hot water reddens my skin, each drop pounding away the noise around me.

All my worries drain down the grate.

I will make it. I will survive.

This is right. I need this — to take my life back. To escape Bradley

Chapter Ten

Bash

“Why didn’t you tell me about her?”

Grey turns toward me, grinning like the cat that got the cream. That smug, all-knowing expression makes me want to knock it right off his face.

Christ.Couldn’t my best friend be ugly for once? Just once? It’d make staying pissed a hell of a lot easier if I wasn’t staring at someone who looks like trouble dressed in leather.

When we agreed to hire Dreya, I had a picture in my head: someone harmless. Forgettable. The kind of girl you could pass on the street without looking twice. Not… this. Not someone who walks into a room and shifts the gravity so every fucking thing in me tilts toward her without my permission.

“What would I have said? What exactly are you mad about, Bashy?” Grey asks, tilting his head like he’s holding cards I’ll never get to see.