LOGINMy best friend had one rule: stay away from my brother. But what he didn't know was that his brother kept me up all night. Wren Mercer had spent years being just Ross's best friend. Fine with holidays at the Calloway house, years of watching Dani, Ross's older brother, move through life like nothing could touch him, fine with the fact that he never once looked at her like she was worth the trouble. So she did what any sensible girl would do, she found someone else. Blake Hendrix was everything that made sense on paper. Charming, attentive, and most importantly, not Dani Calloway. She told herself it was moving on. She told herself it was working. What she didn't know was that Blake had his own reasons for getting close to her, ones that had everything to do with the brother she was trying so hard to forget. When Ross invites her to move into their off-campus apartment, she tells herself it's still fine. She has Blake. She has a plan. Dani barely registers her existence anyway. She can handle proximity. She's wrong. Because Dani does notice her. He always has. What starts as tension becomes stolen moments, a secret neither of them planned, and the slow terrifying realization that this is the most real thing either of them has felt in years. But Ross is right there. Blake is closer than she thinks. And secrets don't stay hidden forever. She fell first. He fell harder. And what breaks between them might not be fixable.
View MoreWren"Forget Ross for a second, Wren! Listen to me!" Ryan was shouting over the line, his voice bursting with wild, unbelievable excitement. "I got it! I fucking got it!"My breath caught in my throat. "Got what?!""I managed to get remote access to the security footage from the Shell gas station off the highway!" Ryan yelled, the sound of keyboard clacking loud in the background. "At ten-fifteen PM last night… the exact time the medical examiner says Emily was being beaten in that alley four miles away, Dani's car pulled into the Shell station!"Tears sprang into my eyes. "Are you serious?!""He's on camera, Wren!" Ryan laughed hysterically. "High-definition video! He walks inside, buys a bottle of water, and you can literally see him showing the female cashier a picture on his phone, asking if she's seen you! It has a certified, tamper-proof timestamp right on the screen! He couldn't have been beating Emily four miles away when he was buying water and looking for you at ten-fifteen!
WrenBy the time Anna drove me to the central police precinct, my clothes were damp and my mind was racing in a million different directions. The station was loud, smelling faintly of stale coffee, industrial floor cleaner, and damp wool.We paced back and forth in front of the heavy wooden front desk until a tired-looking detective with graying hair finally called my name."Are you the girl who was at the scene?" Detective Miller asked, holding a yellow notepad."Yes! I'm Wren, you know me," I said frantically, leaning over the counter. "Where is Dani? You have to let him go! He didn't touch Emily! He was looking for me last night, he wasn't anywhere near her!"Detective Miller held up a weary hand, stopping my flood of words. "Miss, calm down. The victim, Emily, was found unconscious in an alley four blocks from campus at midnight. She has a fractured skull and severe internal bleeding. She is in a medically induced coma right now at Saint Jude's."My heart sank into my stomach. A c
WrenThe flashing red and blue lights sliced through the dark night, painting the wet pavement in harsh, rhythmic pulses. The air felt thick and cold, heavy with the sharp smell of rain and exhaust."Get your hands off him!" I screamed, my voice cracking as I lunged forward.Two officers immediately stepped in front of me, their heavy boots slamming against the concrete. They held up their hands, creating an immovable wall between me and the police cruiser."Ma'am, stand back," the older officer commanded, his face set like stone."You're making a huge mistake!" Tears burned behind my eyes, blurring the sight of Dani being forced toward the open back door of the squad car. His hands were bound behind his back in cold steel handcuffs. "He didn't do anything! He was with me! He didn't hurt Emily!"Dani turned his head as much as the officer holding his neck would allow. His face was pale, his dark eyes wide with a mixture of fear and fierce protection. "Wren, stop!" he shouted over the
DaniMy hands were shaking violently as I reached for her. I grabbed the edge of the duct tape and ripped it off her mouth, then pulled out my pocket knife, frantically slicing through the thick ropes cutting into her wrists.The very second the bonds gave way, Wren didn't hesitate. She collapsed forward, throwing herself straight into my chest. She sobbed hysterically, her slender arms wrapping tightly around my neck, clinging to me as if I were the only solid thing keeping her grounded."Dani! Oh my God, Dani!" she sobbed into the crook of my neck, her body shivering."I’ve got you, baby," I whispered, my voice thick and trembling. I buried my face in her damp hair, pulling her flush against my chest, holding her so hard my own arms hurt. My whole body shook with the sheer, crushing weight of relief. "I’ve got you. You're safe. I’m never, ever letting you go again."Looking over her shoulder into the dark corners of the warehouse, a cold, ruthless thirst for vengeance settled deep i
Wren’s POVThe doorbell pulled me out of sleep.Once. Twice. Then continuously.I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling.Footsteps in the hallway. Ross’s door. Ross on the stairs, moving fast.Then his voice as he opened the door, stripped of its composure, “Get the hell away from this door.”A
Wren’s pov“You’re drunk.” It was the only reasonable thing to say, the only thing that made sense given Dani was leaning close to me like that.“A little.” He admitted, like it was nothing, like he didn’t just ask if he could kiss me.“Then you should move… I’m your friend, not some random girl yo
WRENScreams and cheers erupted in the arena.Everything had happened within seconds, everyone had risen to their feet, both teams trying hard to stop them from throwing punches, I stood there with my scarf still wrapped.“I bet Blake feels inferior getting beat by Dani’s team, he really can’t acce
WREN “Damn you, Dani.” I turned around and literally sprinted to my room, my cheeks flustered. Did Dani just wink at me? I dropped my plate on the nightstand and plopped on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I slapped myself lightly wondering if this was a dream but from the slight sting I coul






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