Page 6 of Vengeful Melodies
Wren sits quietly beside me as I try to process everything I’ve been through today. My belongings are stacked in neat piles in the bed of his truck. When I got home, Bradley had already thrown everything to the curb. I wouldn’t be surprised if the already-bruising side of his face is a souvenir from Wren knocking him down outside the tattoo parlor.
The small urn holding my father's ashes rests in my lap. I clutch it tightly, trying—and failing—to steady my shaking breaths.
“What am I going to do?” I whisper, eyes fixed on the road ahead. “How do you go on after something like this?”
“You’re strong, Jupey.” Wren’s voice is soft, full of hurt on my behalf. “That relationship was never meant for you to stay trapped in. He was sucking your soul dry, shaping you into someone you’re not.”
His calloused hands cover mine gently.
“You can stay with me for as long as you need,” he continues. “Tomorrow, we’ll call the leasing office and get your name off that place. We’ll file a restraining order on that cheating bastard. I’ve got you.”
He brushes his thumb beneath my eyes, probably smudging away what’s left of my makeup.
“I can’t believe that two-timing piece of shit had the audacity to call someone else to move my things out. Like he couldn't even face me after what he did.” My voice cracks. “And to leave my father’s ashes beside the road like trash... I could’ve lost him forever. Bradley knew that.”
I swallow hard, the lump in my throat nearly unbearable. I swore I could spend my life with that man. Even if we weren’t getting married anymore…I wasn’t the one who cheated.
“I promise you’ll never go through this again,” Wren says, voice low but firm. “The next person who wants to be in your life? They’re gonna have to earn it. You deserve real love, babygirl. Now… let’s get you home.”
I nod, too numb to speak. I rest my head against the passenger door, about to close my eyes when my phone buzzes with the loud, obnoxious ringtone I’d set for Frieza’s Diner. Of course.
Groaning, I answer with my best fake-happy voice. “Hello, Steven.”
Steven’s nasally breathing is the first thing I hear. Instant dread coils in my stomach. And I swear… I can hear Bradley barking in the background.
“Ms. Lorena,” Steven begins. “It’s come to our attention that you’ve been improperly entering your till totals at the end of your shifts. Witnesses claim they saw you pocketing money. We don’t condone theft, and effective immediately, your position with us is terminated. You’re also banned from entering therestaurant. If you so much as look at the front door, we’ll call the police.”
His voice sharpens.
“We’re very disappointed. We thought we could trust you. But clearly, you lack the ethics we expect. Goodbye, Dreya.”
The line goes dead before I can say a word. No defense. No explanation.
I stare at the screen, stunned.
“I just got fired,” I whisper. “For stealing.”
Wren stiffens beside me.
I've never stolen a thing in my life. Not even a piece of twenty-five-cent gum from the corner store. And now, I'm jobless.
I’veneverbeen without a job. Working was the only way to survive the house I grew up in. After my mom left for a new life—with new kids and a new husband—it was just me and Dad. My brother refused to help take care of him. So at sixteen, it fell to me. I worked two jobs while finishing high school, just to keep the lights on and get Dad the meds he needed.
And now?
No job.
No home.
No plan.
“This is the first time in years I haven’t had somewhere I pay rent for,” I say, barely above a whisper.
“Dreya,” Wren murmurs, his deep Southern drawl wrapping around my frayed nerves, “Iknowyou. You’ve never stolen a damn thing. Hell, I still remember when Jackson and I dared you to swipe a candy bar in middle school and you cried.”
He reaches for me. “Screw them. They’ve got no proof. That diner sucks anyway—and you’re the only reason I ever stepped foot in there. You’re gonna be okay. Job or not, you’ve got me. We’ll figure it out. Together. Okay?”
Fuck… did I make a mistake?