myself than anyone else ever had. Bella’s parents rented a house for us that was near them, and we stayed there together through college. I had government grants and various scholarships, so I managed to escape without student loans. Her parents didn’t feel comfortable helping with Angel, because they didn’t condone my behavior . They thought I was a bad influence on Bella.
“Unfortunately, that created a rift between her and them. I hate that. It’s one of my biggest regrets, but Bella says they’ll come around one day. We’re from a very religious community, so pregnancy before marriage is frowned upon no matter what the circumstances.”
Sighing deeply, I lean my head back. “So I didn’t just impact your life that night, but Bella’s as well. Christ, Allie, I don’t know what to say.”
She puts her hand on my arm, drawing my eyes open as my gaze moves to her. “I’m not blaming that on you. I wouldn’t lose Angel for anything. Bella was her own person by then, and they would have eventually disagreed with her own chosen lifestyle. Marrying a sweet boy and settling down isn’t high on her priority list. She enjoys her freedom. She’s said more than once that having Angel in her life keeps her from doing something too stupid. She gets to walk the line between wild and reserved. She loves her life.”
She can put a good spin on anything.
“Mom loves her. You know? And she’s never one to judge. In case you haven’t noticed—not that she has a right to judge you. That’s not what I’m saying. If anything, it’s me she’d judge, never you. But she’s a good person. She took in Tag when his father ended up being a piece of shit. She only dated him for a while because of Tag. Once she basically had him, she let his bastard father go. Tag was essentially living with us. She always fights for us. She’s never going to let you down. Just want you to know that.”
The way she looks at me always slays something within me. “I think she’s great. Can I ask why she still uses Prize? She said your dad left when you were little. Just like mine did.”
I grind my teeth discreetly. I never speak about that greedy bastard, but after all she’s shared, I can’t just drop it.
“She wanted to keep the same last name as her sons, and she’s never remarried. She also didn’t want to change our names, so she turned the Prize name into something admirable. My dad wasn’t a skilled conman like Ray is, but he was a con who used her and her millions. He took as much as he could before he broke her heart. But Mom’s so damn tough that she went on just fine. It made me stay tougher for her. That’s why… It sickens me to know I did someone the way I did you—the way my dad would have done someone.”
She leans into me as a new show starts, and I absorb her touch. “Then that makes you better than him, because he never apologized to you.”
Taking a calming breath, I slip my arm over her shoulders and get comfortable. “Thanks for that.”
She nods, trying to keep her attention on the TV, and I lean back, ignoring how heavy my eyelids feel as she continues to talk. We settle into comfortable, less heavy conversations. And I find myself riveted by every word out of her mouth.
Chapter 13
WREN
“I put a cover over them,” Angel says, though it barely registers that anyone is speaking.
“Come on. I’ll get you to the bus. Let your mom and dad sleep,” Bella says, making me almost positive I’m not dreaming.
The door shuts, prompting me to open my eyes and register the light pressure on top of me. Strawberry blonde hair is smoothed back, and soft lips are lifted in a pretty smile despite her sleeping. Allie is going to kick my ass for this.
“Allie,” I whisper, trying to wake her, but she moans and shifts on me, forcing me to turn my body when she moves on top of my early-morning arousal. She moans again, this time making it sound like she’s in the middle of something
“Unfortunately, that created a rift between her and them. I hate that. It’s one of my biggest regrets, but Bella says they’ll come around one day. We’re from a very religious community, so pregnancy before marriage is frowned upon no matter what the circumstances.”
Sighing deeply, I lean my head back. “So I didn’t just impact your life that night, but Bella’s as well. Christ, Allie, I don’t know what to say.”
She puts her hand on my arm, drawing my eyes open as my gaze moves to her. “I’m not blaming that on you. I wouldn’t lose Angel for anything. Bella was her own person by then, and they would have eventually disagreed with her own chosen lifestyle. Marrying a sweet boy and settling down isn’t high on her priority list. She enjoys her freedom. She’s said more than once that having Angel in her life keeps her from doing something too stupid. She gets to walk the line between wild and reserved. She loves her life.”
She can put a good spin on anything.
“Mom loves her. You know? And she’s never one to judge. In case you haven’t noticed—not that she has a right to judge you. That’s not what I’m saying. If anything, it’s me she’d judge, never you. But she’s a good person. She took in Tag when his father ended up being a piece of shit. She only dated him for a while because of Tag. Once she basically had him, she let his bastard father go. Tag was essentially living with us. She always fights for us. She’s never going to let you down. Just want you to know that.”
The way she looks at me always slays something within me. “I think she’s great. Can I ask why she still uses Prize? She said your dad left when you were little. Just like mine did.”
I grind my teeth discreetly. I never speak about that greedy bastard, but after all she’s shared, I can’t just drop it.
“She wanted to keep the same last name as her sons, and she’s never remarried. She also didn’t want to change our names, so she turned the Prize name into something admirable. My dad wasn’t a skilled conman like Ray is, but he was a con who used her and her millions. He took as much as he could before he broke her heart. But Mom’s so damn tough that she went on just fine. It made me stay tougher for her. That’s why… It sickens me to know I did someone the way I did you—the way my dad would have done someone.”
She leans into me as a new show starts, and I absorb her touch. “Then that makes you better than him, because he never apologized to you.”
Taking a calming breath, I slip my arm over her shoulders and get comfortable. “Thanks for that.”
She nods, trying to keep her attention on the TV, and I lean back, ignoring how heavy my eyelids feel as she continues to talk. We settle into comfortable, less heavy conversations. And I find myself riveted by every word out of her mouth.
Chapter 13
WREN
“I put a cover over them,” Angel says, though it barely registers that anyone is speaking.
“Come on. I’ll get you to the bus. Let your mom and dad sleep,” Bella says, making me almost positive I’m not dreaming.
The door shuts, prompting me to open my eyes and register the light pressure on top of me. Strawberry blonde hair is smoothed back, and soft lips are lifted in a pretty smile despite her sleeping. Allie is going to kick my ass for this.
“Allie,” I whisper, trying to wake her, but she moans and shifts on me, forcing me to turn my body when she moves on top of my early-morning arousal. She moans again, this time making it sound like she’s in the middle of something
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