“Fuck!”I yell, punching the wall behind me and leaving a hole behind.
Regardless of if I want to be with Wren or not, I never wanted her to be hurt because of me.She’s pregnant with my child and the last thing she needs is to be upset or stressed out.I remember that much from when Bronwan and Kelsey were pregnant.Gramps gets out of his seat and walks away from me without saying another word.I can see the disappointment in the way he’s holding his body as I slump down in the seat Fury pulled me out of and look at my bloody knuckles.It’s not even noon and I’m ready for the day to be over with.How the fuck did things get this bad so quickly?Oh, yeah, I’m a dumbass who said shit I had no business saying because Wren is more than a damn hole to fuck.She’s a great woman and I can admit that even if I can’t admit to anything else.
Chapter Seventeen
Wren
WALKING AWAY FROM theclubhouse is so much harder than I thought it would be.I’ve come to really care about more than a few people there.However, the pain of leaving them doesn’t even begin to compare to how it feels knowing I’m leaving Tristan and Zach again.Those two don’t deserve me leaving with no note or word to them.They’re great guys and I know they care about me.That’s what makes it so damn hard.Tristan would have tried to talk me into staying like he’s been doing since the first time I told him I was going to leave.Zach will take my walking away much harder.He’s the more sensitive of the two and I know I’ll break his heart because this time I’m not telling him goodbye.I’m not willing to risk myself for him.It’s not right or fair to either one of my foster brothers.Still, I can’t stay any longer.Not when the risk of seeing Judge is too great.It’s his club after all and so I need to be the one who leaves.
After packing my bags and enjoying a snack from the collection Tristan and Zach got me, I laid in bed and took a nap.The only thing I could think of was being awake when it was time for me to leave.I’m not sure how long I managed to sleep, but I felt exhausted once I woke up.Probably because even in sleep I was crying.Anyway, the second my phone turned to three in the morning, I grab the bag I packed containing the clothes Zach and Tristan have given me.Opening my door, I look down the hallway to ensure no one is out there.When I can’t hear anyone moving around, I leave the room and close the door behind me.I’ve already left the keys on the stand next to the bed.I don’t have to worry about the stairs creaking and giving me away because I haven’t heard it happen yet.Still, I move very carefully with deliberate steps until I’m in the common room.
Rationally, I know there’s no reason for me to be sneaking around as I leave the clubhouse.I’m not being held prisoner here.Fury invited me to stay because I had nowhere else to go.Still, I carefully move through the room, swerving around tables and chairs and avoiding stepping on anything that may have landed on the floor at any point of the night.There’s only one dim light on, casting the common room in shadows.It feels like my heart is pounding out of my chest and I can hardly breathe as I finally reach the door and look around again before slowly pushing it open.No noise fills the air as I step outside the second I can squeeze through the opening.The only place I might be fucked is at the gate.Tristan has said a Prospect is out there around the clock.Whoever is on duty tonight will definitely catch me.
Tears fall from my eyes as I take each step.I can’t do anything to stop them right now.This is one of the first times in years I’ve cried and allowed myself to feel something.Ever since that day, I’ve cried more than ever before over the last five years.The last time I cried was when I pulled away from Mrs.Smythe’s home and watched Tristan and Zach as I left them behind.Now, I just try to focus on putting one foot in front of the other instead of heading back inside and up to the room Judge put me in.
“Wren, is that you?”I hear a guy ask when I get close to the gatehouse.
“Yeah.I’m sorry it’s so late.I need to go get my car.Can you tell me which way to go?”I ask him, looking to see Wyatt standing in front of me.
“Yeah.When you leave the compound, go left and it’s about a mile down the road.Are you sure you don’t want a ride?”he asks me as he steps back and lets me move closer to the gate.
“No.Everyone is finally asleep.I can’t sleep and I’d prefer to have my car with me,” I say as he points to the door I didn’t notice before.
“Okay.Call Tristan or Zach if you need help.Be careful, Wren,” Wyatt says as I step through the gate and turn left at the end of the short driveway.
I wasn’t planning on walking a mile, but that’s okay.I’ve walked further.Granted, I wasn’t still healing and pregnant when I walked that far, but I’ll still be okay.I’ve got snacks and drinks packed if I have to stop and rest.I’ll figure out how to apply the cream in a few hours.I can reach part of my back and it will have to be enough for now.The rest, I’ll figure out as it comes up.
***
Getting my car waseasier than I anticipated.The garage doesn’t have a fence around the entire lot like the clubhouse.There’s a fenced area where cars are parked, but mine isn’t behind it.It’s parked on the side of the garage.I got in and started the engine right up before pulling out after getting a snack and drink out to enjoy as I drove.With the music blaring and my window down, I wiped the tears away and left.
I’ve been on the road for about two hours now and I have to take a break.I need real food and a bathroom.My bladder has been screaming at me for the last hour so it’s time to pull over.Looking at the signs on the highway, I find one where there’s a diner instead of all the usual fast food spots.I take the exit and easily find the diner that’s open all night long.Pulling in the empty parking lot, I shut off the engine, grab my money out of the bag I packed at the apartment which feels like an eternity ago, and head inside.
A bell rings when I open the door as I take a look around.The place has that fifties diner feel to it with the white and black checkered flooring, a counter with a white top and the metal around the outer edge.The stools in front of it are chrome with a deep red cushion.Most of the pictures on the wall are black and white.Tables fill the middle of the room while booths line the wall.There’s small jukeboxes on each table that I’ve never seen before in person.
“Take a seat anywhere,” a female says as I startle and look around for her.