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I can do this. I have to do this.
Look past Winton, Elodie. Search for Rome. Winton isn’t going to hurt you again.
I pinch my eyes tight, bringing the shadowy figure into the light.
There he is. My knight in shining armor who now has a name. Rome.
A sense of calm washes over me now that he’s appeared in my memory.
“I see him,” I say out loud, eyes still closed. “He’s picking up the pipe.” My eyes shoot wide open. “He picked the pipe off the ground,” I say again. That’s not something I remembered from that night until just now. I assumed that Rome came with it, but he didn’t.
“That’s helpful,” I tell Wilder. “It’s proof that Rome didn’t come here with malicious intent. He picked up the pipe in self-defense.”
“That’s great,” Wilder exclaims. “When you give your witness statement, tell them that. Because you’re right. It does prove he was just defending himself, and you.”
I nod my head frantically as I jump up, all those feelings of dread vanishing in an instant. "I’m doing this,” I tell Wilder excitedly. “I’m going to my mom and telling her everything so I can save Rome’s future and his reputation.”
Wilder pulls me in for a hug. It’s warm and safe and gives me a whole new perspective on who Wilder is as a person. He’s not this cold monster I created in my head. Just because Rome and him are brothers—twins, rather—doesn’t mean they hold the same anger in their hearts. For once, I truly believe Rome isn’t heartless either. He’s just hurt.
As we exit the park, I turn to Wilder, feeling immense gratitude. “Thank you for going with me.” My hands are still shaking, but I feel a sense of relief and accomplishment for coming here and facing my fears.
“No problem. I’m glad it was helpful.” His smile is warm when he looks at me. When we first moved in with the Cromwells, I really did think it was going to be nothing but torture, but maybe having a brother isn’t so bad. Brogan has always been on my side, but having Wilder on my side too makes me feel untouchable.
Not only was today helpful for Rome’s case, but in some strange way, coming here was good for my healing process. Looking back, I feel a sense of pride for how hard I fought back against those guys. I’m proud of myself for not cowering immediately, even when I felt so hopeless. It gave Rome time to get to me.
When I walked into that park the first time, last year, I was weak and scared. But I walked away unscathed because of the strength I didn’t know I had. And a guy who was willing to put himself in danger for me.
That night changed me—it changed a lot of us. But it also built me into something new. I can only hope that something good comes out of this for Rome. Regardless of my anger toward him, he saved me, and I do owe him one.
We go back to Wilder’s car, and once we’re inside, I pull out my phone to text my mom and let her know I won’t be home for dinner tonight. She responds by asking me if I have a date and adds a winking emoji, causing me to chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” Wilder asks, pulling out of the parking space.
“Just my mom. I’ve got plans to go to a movie tonight and being the nosey person she is, she’s asking questions.” I pocket my phone and look out the window.
“Movie plans, huh? Like a date?” Wilder glances over at me, studying my reaction.
I scoff. “Not you too?”
Wilder drapes his wrist over the steering wheel and sinks back in the seat once we’re on the main road. “Just looking out for my little sister.”
“Ugh,” I grumble. “Don’t call me that. Besides, we’re both eighteen.”
He lazily looks over at me with all the confidence of a playboy. “Rome and I are a month older than you, so technically, you are our little sister.”
Just hearing Wilder refer to me as Rome’s sister makes me want to throw up. Siblings don’t do what we did. They don’t treat each other the way we do.
“I’ll claim you as my brother, but claiming Rome is a big no.”
Wilder chuckles, fixing his gaze back on the road. “He’s not as bad as he seems, I swear.” He looks at me with a fractured smile on his face. It’s sweet that he’s defending Rome, but he doesn’t know half of what he’s done. “He’s just had a rough year.”
“Rough days and years do not make rough lives. Rome acts as if I’d destroyed his entire future.”
“Well,” he drawls, pausing briefly. “You sort of did.” My eyes pop wide and he holds up a hand. “I’m not saying it was intentional, but that arrest really did fuck things up for him.”
“I know,” I say softly. “I wish I could just go back and change everything.”
I’m staring out the passenger window, looking at the sun that’s setting behind dark clouds, and guilt consumes me once again. If I wouldn’t have gotten lost in that park, none of this would have happened.
