Chapter 1
WREN
The persistent gray sky and canopy of lush trees accompanied me as I pointed my car for home on a typical overcast day in Portland, Oregon. When I’d moved here for school just over three years ago, the near constant rain and dark skies had felt downright oppressive. Now, they were merely a burden I accepted, a reward of sorts for when the sun finally shone for those scant summer months.
I pulled up to the one-story bungalow Olivia and I shared. For a while, it had been an ideal situation; after all, Liv and I were like sisters and lived well together. It wasn’t by accident we’d decided on the same school. Our house was walking distance to downtown and had plenty of space.
It would have been perfect with the exception of the weird packages and letters that had begun arriving for me around six months ago. At first, they had started off small, a simple poem or quote or a small bouquet of flowers. But recently the gifts had become a bit more extravagant, including jewelry and clothing. It was seriously creepy.
I shed my ever-present rain jacket and boots upon entering our living room before heading for the kitchen. After a day of back-to-back classes, I was ready to eat and sleep, in that order.
The house was quiet as I rummaged through our fridge in search of an easy dinner.
“Hey,” Livie’s soft voice greeted. “Hungry?” She laughed at my focused attempt to dig through the fridge.
“Aren’t I always?” I replied dryly.
“True,” she agreed, leaning against the doorway, watching my ministrations. “Class okay?”
I shrugged as I moved to the counter to prep a sandwich. I was too hungry to come up with anything more creative. “You know me, school isn’t my favorite thing, but I’m making it through.” We were in the midst of finals, and my stress level was at an all-time high.
She nodded knowingly.
“How are you? How was your day?” I wanted to know.
“Fine,” she replied. “I think I did okay on that test.”
No doubt she’d aced it. Unlike for me, school seemed to come naturally to Livie.
“I’m sure you did,” I assured her. The silence stretched between us as I debated asking her the question I dreaded the most.
There was no need, as was typical between us, she read my mind without my having to speak. “Nothing today,” she murmured quietly.
My breath of relief was short lived.
“I, um, may have mentioned the deliveries to my dad,” she shared with a grimace.
I just barely saved the glass I nearly knocked off the counter in my haste to whirl around toward her. “For shit’s sake, Liv, do you want them coming down here?” I demanded. We barely kept our fathers and the rest of the Knights at bay as it was. It had been hard on our overprotective families to have us so far away. The fact we were together appeased them some, that and the fact that my dad, a security specialist for the club, had rigged the security in our house to a ridiculous degree before we’d moved in. He’d said it was a requirement for me to go to school here.
“I’m sorry, Wren, but that shit is seriously skeeving me out. I think they should know about it. It’s been going on a long time.”
I rummaged in my bag for my phone, which I’d had on vibrate through class, and groaned at the amount of phone calls and texts I’d missed. “Dammit, Liv!” I chastised her as I saw that my dad had called three times and Tatum once. But it was the missed call and text from Max that had my heart lurching.
What the fuck is going on? Call me back.
Max checked in on me now and then, but for the most part, I kept him at arm’s length. After the way we’d left things, I didn’t understand why he checked in at all.
I curled up on the sofa with my plate of food as Liv plopped down beside me.
“You’re not gonna answer him?” she pressed.
“Nope.” I shook my head, taking a giant bite of my sandwich.
She sighed in aggravation but didn’t press.
“We going out tomorrow?” I asked.
She made a grumbling noise at the subject change but nodded nonetheless. “Sure. Jilly’s?” she suggested.
It was our favorite bar within walking distance from the house.
“Sounds good,” I agreed, flipping on the television and scrolling to our latest dramedy addiction.
****
The next night, plied with much needed caffeine after a full day, I stood next to Liv as we got ready for a night out. I’d chosen my standard black jeans, a loose-fitting green sweater, and boots. Portland was perpetual sweater weather, and I’d begrudgingly embraced the look, though I missed the strappy sandals and sundresses I’d worn at home. Despite being a tomboy at heart, I’d never dressed like one. I left my long black hair down and loose around my face. With a swipe of eyeliner on my blue eyes and some gloss on my full lips, I was ready.
Livie was dressed similarly, though where my figure was tall and lean, Liv was curvy with an ass I envied on a frequent basis. She’d swept her blonde hair up into a loose bun, her only makeup a swipe of mascara on her gorgeous brown eyes.
“Ready?” she asked with a raised brow.
“Ready.” I nodded.
I linked my arm through hers as our boots hit the wet pavement in a rhythmic splash that had become a soundtrack of sorts since we’d moved here.
Once we posted up at our favorite bar, we relaxed over a few drinks and some good music. It was one of those nights where nothing specular was happening, and that was part of the joy of it—special in its simplicity.
“Holy shit. Is that Jared Waters? From high school?” Liv’s eyes were squinted across the dimly lit bar.
I swiveled to follow her line of sight. “Looks like it,” I replied, spotting him by the entrance. “I didn’t realize he went to school here.”
“He probably followed you since he’s so in loooove with you,” she teased, making a kissy face.
I rolled my eyes. “Right. And he’s coming over.” I sighed. I so wasn’t in the mood for small talk.
“Hey, Wren, Olivia,” he greeted, looking surprised to see us. “I didn’t realize you guys went to school here.”
“We were just saying the same thing.” I nodded, delivering what I hoped was a friendly smile. Just because I’d never returned his feelings didn’t mean I should be a dick.
“I transferred in this year,” he explained. “Can I get you girls a drink?” he offered with a raised brow toward the bar.
“Su—” Liv was about to agree as I cut her off abruptly.
“No, thanks. We’re good.” I didn’t want to lead him on, and frankly, I wanted to spend the evening with Liv, not some guy from high school I barely knew.
He shrugged easily enough. “All right, well I’m sure I’ll see you around. Have a good night.”
“You too,” I said in parting before turning back to a glaring Liv.
“What the hell, Wren?” she growled, or tried to. That was the thing about Liv, she couldn’t pull off angry very well. She always just ended up looking like an adorable little bunny rabbit when she scrunched up her nose. “He’s cute and nice and has always been into you. Don’t you think it’s time you gave another guy a shot and stopped holding out for Max?”
“I’m not holding out for Max,” I protested. “I was just never interested in Jared.”
She raised a brow. “Or any of the other guys who have asked you out.”
I shrugged. “Or them either,” I agreed.
She sighed in consternation and took a swig of her drink. I knew I drove her crazy, but at least she loved me and would ultimately support me no matter how much she might want to challenge me.
After all, that was what friends were for, right?