Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 115534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
She sucks in a sharp breath, and all I want to do is find her and hold her to me.
“Tomorrow,” she whispers, and the phone goes dead before I can say another word.
Chapter 33
ALLIE
So, because I’m twisted and want to know why this woman is such a bitch to me, deliberately hurting my child in the process, I decide to look her up. Her Facebook, her twitter, and her Instagram. She doesn’t have her Facebook set to private, which means anyone can take a look. Surprise. Surprise.
I almost wish I’d denied the temptation when I see it. A picture of her and Wren is her profile picture. His smile isn’t the same one I see. The smile in the picture seems forced and posed. But no one smiles naturally for a camera.
Her background picture is from their wedding, and he’s standing next to Tag, laughing at something, while Erica is holding his arm. He seems distant toward her even in the pictures. But then again, I might just be seeing what I want to see.
But her status has me cringing when I read it:
ERICA PRIZE
Wren and I are deeply warmed by the public outcry. However, we ask that you not target Allie Thrash because she could take his daughter away from us. The paternity test did indeed confirm she was his daughter. As her father, Wren has rights, and we will pursue them, but we need everyone to please calm down. That’s Angel’s home that was vandalized, and I’m thankful the windows weren’t broken.
This doesn’t give anyone the right to resort to violence. Please remember there is a small little girl involved, and she’s terrified right now. She doesn’t know what her mother has done.
You have to understand that Allie is slightly unstable and a little in love with the father of her daughter. I understand. It’s hard not to love Wren. But right now he’s trying to appease her so that she doesn’t run off with his child, and the public reaction is strongly hurting his attempts to keep her in Sterling Shore until we can legally attain custody.
Wren and I are seeing each other today before going to a lawyer. I can assure that we’ll handle this matter together. Like we’ve handled so many other obstacles in the past. As much as I appreciate your support, I can’t condone the violent actions some have taken. Thank you and I love you all for your prayers and concerns.
My gut twists at the mention of our home. Thank God Ray Capperton put in that security system. Five people were arrested, and no one was able to break through the windows. His security team stormed in and limited the damage.
More importantly, I’m glad Angel, Bella, and I weren’t there.
“She’s so full of shit,” Bella says, her head over my shoulder as she reads the same crap I just read. “Like he’s meeting up with her. Wren doesn’t want to be in the same room with her right now. He’d kill her if he was. And look at her trying to seem all sweet and shit, making it out like they’re in this together. She even had the audacity to tag him!”
I nod, but I’m confused as to why he didn’t respond and call her out on her bullshit, since she did in fact tag him. Maybe he hasn’t seen it yet.
“What time are you and Wren meeting up?”
“I sent a text to see if lunch at Melanie’s would be good, but he said he has something to do then. So we’re meeting around five instead.”
“What’s he got going on?” she asks, her eyebrows furrowed in thought.
“I don’t know. I didn’t really think to ask. Besides, it’s not my business. This slam job has probably left him crazy busy with phone calls. He keeps swearing he’s going to make it right.”
She sighs while leaning up. “Well, I hope he gets it sorted soon. Someone is going to pay for fucking with our house. And we’ll need clothes, too.”
I nod, agreeing. It’s sad that our once incredibly safe home is now spray-painted with death threats and other malicious shit. And I just pray I don’t fall apart on Wren when I see him later.
Strong, Allie. Stay strong.
Chapter 34
WREN
“You’ve got it all set up?” Tag asks on the phone.
I look around the semi-empty restaurant. This place is usually a little more crowded, but there’s enough people to keep Tag’s assistant from being noticed. Her purse is placed on the table not too far from us. The view is unobstructed, and will remain that way, thanks to a generous donation to the staff.
If you look close enough, you can see the camera lens just barely visible in the small circle near the bottom of her purse. And a powerful wireless microphone is in the small floral centerpiece.