Page 25 of Dirty Monsters

He hummed, reluctant to answer in fear of this being a normal conversation, but finally, he relented a little. "For as long as I've worked at Beachside."

I wrinkled an eyebrow. "And how long has it been?"

How deep into these rules was he engrained?

He shrugged nonchalantly, “A year or so.”

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Well, do you like working here?" I coaxed him for more information, anything.

"It's a job, so it works." His eyes were darting everywhere behind me. As if he was trying not to make eye contact. Almost, like he didn't want to be here with me.

I couldn't understand why he was being so cold to me. There was something there. Maybe it was sexual tension, or maybe it was something more, and I wanted to find out, but clearly, it was the last thing on his mind.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked him point-blank.

"You shouldn't be out here. You need to go back to your room so you can get packed for your move later today. I'll be there around lunchtime to help you move into the Orange House."

Crossing my arms, I huffed at him. Making sure my disapproval was duly noted. "Okay, fine."

"Good. See you then. And Wren... don't get any crazy ideas. You're my patient, and I'm the nurse who takes care of you. I see what you’re trying to do. So don’t."

I turned to leave, but the smile on my face told him I didn’t give a shit.

Poor Ro didn’t realize that I had nothing better to do.

That this was fun for me.

A different kind of high.

* * *

Lunchtime had come and gone, and Ro still hadn’t shown up yet. I found it weird, and after an hour, I started to worry something had happened. Walking out to the front, I studied the lobby as if it could somehow tell me.

The receptionist caught my eye and called me over. “Something I can help you with, Wren?”

I shook my head. “No, I guess I believed I’d be moved to Orange House by now.”

“Oh, no one told you?”

“No one told me what?”

“There was an incident at Orange House this afternoon. You won’t be moving until late afternoon at this point.”

“Oh.” My heart dropped before my worry returned to Ro. “Is everyone okay?”

“Yep, it’ll be later.”

She wasn’t going to spill any more information. My mind raced, wondering if it was something to do with Ro. If my influence on the beach this morning had done something.

Theories raced through my mind one by one. My heart rate steadily increased, and the overwhelming urge to kill the feelings inside me hit hard. I wouldn’t be able to get my white powdery friend, so I needed to do something else.

The urge to use hit me repeatedly. I wanted to vomit, but instead, I turned and made my way down to the lounge area, hoping to find a few of my new friends. Maybe some air hockey and monopoly would get my mind off things.

Things started spiraling, and spiraling fast.

Had I realized Wren didn't know I was a blast from her past and kept my mouth shut, none of this would have happened.

Had Wren never shown up here in the first place, none of this would have happened. The common denominator for all the shit coming my way right now was Wren fucking Carrington.