Page 97 of The Curveball
They look at me like they’re torn between fist bumping me and following their sister. In the end, they do what’s right and follow Wren.
“We’ll tell her, Griff,” Parker says. “We’ll—”
“We’re pressing charges, Marks,” Grant shouts as he helps Clay straighten.
“Do you see blood? Do you see a bruise?” I shout at him.
Grant studies Clay, brow furrowed. I don’t have time to convince the man to see what is right in front of his face and turn to Parker. “I need to talk to Wren.”
“Griffin,” Ryder reaches for me. “What happened?”
“I-I-I was trying to get him to leave.” I point at Clay and Grant. “He’s someone Wren didn’t want around, and . . . and he said a bunch of crap, and I pushed him into the wall.”
“Dude, you’re shaking.” Ryder holds one of my wrists.
I pull away and try to get my nerves under control. “I didn’t touch him. What’s his angle?”
“To get to you,” Parker says. “No doubt he’s coming at you because you came at him. Who is that guy?”
“An idiot if that’s what he’s doing.” Dax blows out his lips, annoyed. “There are cameras everywhere. We’ll know exactly what happened.”
A rush of relief fills my chest. Okay. Okay. We can deal with Clay’s psychotic attempt to frame me, but right now I need to get to Wren and explain.
The look in her eyes burns like acid in my gut. The word. What started as a joke became ammunition. She’d had enough, she wanted me to back off, to go away.
She wasafraidof me.
For a moment she looked at me like I might break all my promises and touch her in a way that hurts. A cruel way.
I have to stop and brace one hand against the wall the idea sickens me so much.
“Griffin.” Skye runs out of the main banquet hall, practically skidding to a stop. She glances at Parker, reading his frustrated scowl, then grabs my arm. “Are you okay?”
“Have you . . . have you seen Wren?”
“Yeah. She was sort of freaking out. Alice took her home.”
“I’ve got to talk to her.”
“Come on, you’re not driving.” Parker claps me on the back. “Griff, you look like you’re going to throw up. I’ll take you.”
“No, stay. The foundation—”
“Will be fine without us. You’ve always had my back. I’ve got yours. Let’s go.”
The drive ends up being Ryder, Dax, Skye, and Parker. I do my best to rehash what happened, leaving out as much as possible about Wren’s past. It’s her story, and I don’t know how much she’d want me to tell. Skye keeps assuring me it will all be fine, but it doesn’t feel fine.
Her phone is turned off.
Parker has barely stopped his truck in my driveway when I jump out and sprint for the front door.
“Wren!” I race to the door in the hall, type in the code. Her half of the duplex is dark. Empty.
I spin around and run back to my side. In the kitchen, a single light is on. A tiny lamp next to a pad of paper, and a pen over the top.
I swallow hard and look at the notepad. Two words. Two words with the power to break my heart.
Need space.