Chapter 14 Wren
Chapter fourteen
Wren
Iwas in deep. So very fucking deep that I couldn’t say when I decided that little heart shaped faced writer was going to be mine.
I’ve never wanted anyone to be mine before.
Watching the way she laughed and her shoulders held no tension, like Cardinal was offering a distraction kills me.
I physically feel sick at how enraged it makes me.
I’ll be honest, it’s fucking scary. This anger isn’t aimed towards a deadbeat father, bullies trying to bring my best friend down for his sexuality at school or even at Corbin for the fuckery of it all.
No. This swelling pit of nausea that’s making me see red, is because I want to be the only distraction for her.
I want her laughs, her smiles. I want to give her peace like she’s never known and the only reward I’d need was knowing she was mine.
In fact, I don't think this feeling is anger at all; it's jealousy. That sets my world off kilter because I don’t get jealous.
Had I not been jealous of all the times Phoenix would spend with Robin though?
Before I even knew such a beautiful soul could exist. I’d been a fool to put so much distance between us.
It was childish. Now as she walks towards the patio, all I can think about is ways I can convince her to give me a chance. To choose me.
Sliding my sunglasses down my face, I step out into the scolding heat, walking towards the sun loungers as both Willow and Lily slink past my arm. Both in bikinis, carrying what seems to be fluorescent cocktails packed with fruit, they claim the closest loungers which puts me on the end. Fantastic.
Robin and Cardinal step up onto the patio and I watch the way she nervously runs her fingers through her curls, from behind the tinted lenses so she's none the wiser. Yesterday was too much for her and I can see how we got off track. I mean, I stewed over it all night, but today I’m going to rectify everything.
My eyes never leave her, watching the close proximity between their bodies and trying to push down the urge to punch him square in the face.
God damn it, I needed to speak to my fucking therapist.
“Romantic stroll?” Willow asked them, moving her own large sunglasses down her nose.
Her swimwear is tiny—a little too tiny to be around friends—which doesn’t surprise me because I’ve seen her cry over tan lines before.
Something about her mother threatening to cancel a shoot she’d really been looking forward to.
Considering her olive skin was flawless, I maybe could have made her feel better by telling her that.
I’d never felt compelled though, not like how I want to shower Robin with every compliment I can think of.
If I knew other languages, I’d compliment her in those too.
“We were right behind you.” Her eyes flick to me, then to Lily before she seems to harden herself.
“You ran off before we could tell you we found your secret.” Cardinals scowls.
“What was it?” I ask, not really caring but wanting Robin to pay me even a slither of attention.
I want her to look at me, but to my shock she looks down at her feet.
She stutters a little and without thinking I’m out of the sun lounger and stalking towards her.
“What was the secret?” I ask again, aching to grab her chin so that she looks at me, but instead I rub my tattoo palm over her bare shoulder.
“If it’s about that guy paying for my trip to France, I paid him back, so no one really got hurt.
It wasn’t my fault he didn’t tell me about his girlfriend.
” Willow starts speaking behind me, but I zone her out completely as I manage to get those pools of caramel to look at me.
I push my sunglasses up with my free hand and let it fall onto her other shoulder.
He watches my hand stroke her shoulder and I have to repress letting out a caveman style snarl, and lifting her over my shoulder. Getting the hint from my glare, he moves towards the spare lounger I had occupied.
“Can you not?” Willow sighs, not hiding the disdain in her tone.
“What’s wrong? Realised you can’t leech anything from me?
” Cardinal quips and to my horror he's actually smiling.
It's terrifying. Her eyeballs look like they're trying to escape from her skull, as she sits forward and holds out her cocktail for Lily to silently take.
The blonde is enjoying the drama, which is nothing new.
“She can still leech your soul.” Roo whispers for only me to hear and I can’t hold in my laugh. It’s the wrong move, because not only does her head slowly turn to me, but Cardinal’s eyes turn almost black staring at me too.
“So you’re above me now are you? Pretending to be the white knight for her and that means all the women before are just trash?
” Her shoulders shake. My mouth hangs open, because it’s genuine hurt in her eyes that makes all the fight leave my body.
I wasn’t a monster, I didn’t think there was anything wrong with liking sex–hell I’ve even hooked up with guys.
I like the soul attention that comes with it, the connection you could dive into for that one night and then go your separate ways.
I’d always imagined my future alone. The media was wrong about me having an incredibly large amount of partners, but they weren’t wrong about how little I committed.
Willow just never seemed to get that message and the one night we spent together probably hadn’t helped.
Turning back to look at Robin, she takes one small step backwards leaving my palms cold and empty. I fucking longed so badly for this women, but my past was coming back to completely screw me over.
Shoes catching on stone turns all of our attention, as both detectives step out of the house onto the patio.
Merle follows behind them, looking pale, with a tightness in his jaw.
Dark circles grew nearly purple under his eyes, but that wasn’t what frightened me; it was the fear tightening his features.
“Ah Miss Osbourne. We’d love to speak to you.” Starling said, with his hands in his pockets and a shadow of a smirk under his moustache.
“Oh Detectives,” Lily started to wail, “Is this all necessary?”
I almost forgot she was even here, quietly knocking back champagne, but everyone deals with grief differently.
“Unfortunately it is. Your brother's murder is a very serious matter and we still have lots of questions that need answering.”
“Murder?” She splutters and sways as she stands.
Starling steps further into the circle of guests and with a slight theatrical flourish, I think he’s weirdly enjoying this.
“Yes, Murder. In the early hours of Saturday morning, we believe someone met with Mr Claythorne and an altercation took place.
We found two glasses with a bottle of champagne that was part of those served at the dinner party.
He didn't have any defensive wounds, so right now we’re assuming he didn't fight with the assailant because he didn't deem them as a threat.
He probably didn't see the hit to the back of the head coming.”
His eyes linger on Robin for too long and my stomach drops. He's asked way too many questions involving her relationship, but he couldn't possibly think the tiny thing could murder someone? Even if she had the right weapon in her hands, she’d never hurt them, not even him. She's good.
I make a small move to block his line of vision to her, crossing my arms and not caring if I come off as some over stepping dickhead.
“What if somebody came onto the property and attacked him?” The guy was hated enough that he had enemies, but I don't say that, not when his sister looks like she’s close to sobbing again.
Her eyes constantly move between each detective and the house.
Neither answer, but Merle shifts uncomfortably next to them. “Not possible. The cameras we have on the front gates and hotel shows no one came or went all night.” He says, rubbing his palm down his shorts.
I frown. “Are there no cameras in the gardens or pool house?”
He continues to fidget and it starts to make that nervous pit grow inside me. “Those and inside the house cameras all seem to have been turned off Friday.”
Robin pushes my shoulder lightly so I have to move, but she rests a tiny hand on my forearm. She's not an idiot, she probably knows I'm trying to put space between Starling asking her questions. “Did you or Phin turn them off for the weekend?”
He grimly shakes his head. “It wasn't us. The last footage we have of inside the house and gardens is just before you all arrived. They’ve been off all weekend.” We all look at one another and I think it's starting to dawn on us what that means. Cardinal has been quiet this entire time, but I know he’s been assessing the group.
DC Goldie hasn't taken his eyes from him and it could be because he's a big guy, way more muscles than any of us that you can see now he's out of the suit he turned up in.
He's not as broad as Bran, but definitely looks strong enough to say, smash someone's head in.
Should I be mulling over a murder this casually? It's probably not healthy.
From the sun lounger Cardinal sits forward and rests his hands against his knees. Goldie tracks the movement and so does Willow, moving her sunglasses up to swallow his entire form unsubtly. “So you think it's one of us?” He asks with a stoic expression that gives nothing away.
“We’re not at liberty to confirm anything right now. But, Miss Osbourne, please follow us into the library.” Starling stretches his hand towards the house, directing her to step away from me.
Letting her go alone just feels wrong, but everyone starts to move; Robin and the detectives towards the house, the others rising from the loungers whilst Merle nervously flutters. Grabbing her hand before she leaves, I move too so I can see her face.