AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Their firstborn?” I was only half-joking.
He belted out a laugh, leaning back in his high back chair.
“No, no, I don’t like children.” Ezekiel walked around the desk and gestured to the sofa, taking a seat. “Why do you ask, Alexander?”
I mulled over his words, taking a seat across from him in the large brown leather chair.
“Where do you see me in this mix? You offered me a job. I’d like to know what that entails.”
“How strong is your moral compass?”
I weighed his words. Younger me wasn’t on the straight and narrow. I broke rules and laws. I lived by just keeping my mother happy. What she didn’t know didn’t hurt her. I snuck out at night and went to parties, drank too young and tried my fair share of weed. I never wanted to stress her out more than she already was, so I just made sure she never knew. She did her best for me, and I had always known that. Even though there were times I was resentful for being the poor kid. I wished for name-brand clothes and nicer things. I always felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb in my hand-me-down clothes and Goodwill shoes.
It wasn’t until Wren came into my life that I looked at life from a different perspective. I learned that things could be worse, and she showed me that there was beauty in simplicity. Ma provided us with the bare necessities because that's all she could do.
I could go back and work for Dan. Although it was long and hard days, he paid a livable wage—but I wanted more.
I wanted to give Wren more than she had before.
I had blood on my hands now. . . I didn’t regret it. I didn’t lose sleep over it. My moral compass pointed straight at Wren. Whatever benefited her, I would do.
I didn’t care what it was, as long as it helped her.
He pursed his lips as he watched me. “I like you, Alexander. You have done a lot for me. You protected my brother when you had no reason to, but you don’t know everything about Nikolas or I. And if you did know, I’m not sure you would want to be around us, let alone work for us.”
I stared at him. There was weight in those words, and something told me I should ask him to explain. I should find out what he really meant by them, but I decided not to. Going against my better judgment.
“As long as you never hurt Wren, whatever business it is that you run, it never hurts her. Then whatever it is, I can get past it.”
He had talked to me about a job before, and I hadn’t taken him seriously on the offer. I was here for one thing—Wren. When I had finished, I hadn’t expected to stay in town. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but now I knew I was staying.
My phone chimed and I pulled it out, a smile pulling at my lips when Wren’s sleeping form lit up my screen. I had snapped a picture of her this morning. She slept on her stomach naked. The sheet was down by her hips and her hair was a mess on the pillow.
It was the most beautiful I had seen her.
I swiped my thumb across the screen and opened her text.
What are you up to?
I typed back quickly.
Talking with Ezekiel about my job.
The bubbles started and stopped a few times before her message came through.
Invite him to dinner tonight. I want to meet him.
“As long as Wren is safe, nothing else matters.”
Ezekiel and I came to an understanding, and I passed along the invite. I looked at the clock; it was noon and I missed her. I opened my phone and sent her another text.
What are you up to?
Her response was immediate.
Running errands in town. About to go to the department store and do some shopping.
A slow grin formed, and I stood up. “I need a ride.”
