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“Wren?”
The familiar voice grounded me. My chest ached from labored breaths as the bright light shifted to the side, clearing my vision. I was in the park, the metal bench beneath me. The sound of the river broke through my senses.
“Wren?” He said my name again and my wide eyes met those steady, caramel-brown ones. “Are you all right?”
“Atlas?” I whispered, my lungs so tight I could barely breathe.
He stepped toward me, as if being careful not to spook me. Like I was a scared animal or something. “Are you injured?” he asked, an edge of anger in his voice.
I blinked and shook my head.
“You’re bleeding.” His lips thinned with disapproval.
“What?” My brain was slow as it processed through the shock. What was he doing here?
Atlas lowered himself onto the bench, holding what I now realized was a flashlight. He reached toward me and ran his thumb over my chin. It came away smeared in red.
“Oh.” My hand flew to my mouth as I registered the taste of blood and pulsing pain on my bottom lip. I must’ve bitten through it in my sleep. “It’s okay.” I touched my lip, wincing. My fingers came away wet with blood. “I’m okay.”
Atlas’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure about that?”
I stared at the blood on my hand, words failing me. My lip wasn’t the problem. It hurt but would heal quickly. The real problem was…me. My soul. My very being. I didn’t know if that would be okay. I didn’t know if it would ever heal.
When I didn’t answer, Atlas leaned forward. The scent of clean soap and peppermint drifted over me, making my muscles relax. As if my body believed I was somehow safe in his presence.
“What are you doing out here, Wren?” he asked quietly.
I let out a slow breath, glancing away from his piercing gaze, and noticing there was a police car idling near us. My mind reeled. Another shock of panic spiked through me.
My gaze snapped to Atlas, and I took him in fully. His face was the same as always but instead of wearing his casual jeans and T-shirt, he was suited up in a police uniform.
My stomach plummeted. Atlas was a freaking cop. The blood drained from my face. How had no one told me Atlas was a police officer?
As if I needed yet another reason to stay as far away from him as I possibly could, this had taken priority.
Was he here to arrest me?
My back pressed into the armrest at the end of the bench as I tried to lean even farther away. I wasn’t sure what to do. Would he chase me if I ran? Atlas didn’t seem like the chasing type, but obviously I didn’t know much about him.
“I accidentally fell asleep.” I finally answered his question, my voice tight and guarded.
Atlas’s brows bunched. “In the park?”
I shifted on the metal bench, wanting to get away, but forcing myself to stay. “I was walking home from work. It was late since I helped close tonight. I was tired and I stopped to rest and…fell asleep.”
A muscle in his jaw popped, and I had the feeling he wasn’t buying it. Then, he stood up so suddenly I jumped. “Come on, my shift is almost over. I can give you a ride home.”
He gazed down at me expectantly, but I shook my head. “No, that’s okay. I can walk. It’s not far.”
Something flashed in his eyes. “I am not letting you walk alone in the middle of the night. It’s not safe. You shouldn’t have ever been walking alone in the dark, Wren.”
“I’m perfectly capable of walking by myself.” I didn’t know why I felt the need to defend myself, because he was probably right.
Atlas leaned over me, placing one hand on the back of the bench and the other on the arm, caging me in. His face was so close to mine his breath caressed my skin.
“I wouldn’t recommend anyone walking around town alone in the middle of the night, no matter who they were. This is usually a safe place, but every town has its shadows. I wouldn’t want to lose you to one.”
He stood up straight, leaving me flustered and confused as he held out his hand. “Besides, the park is closed. I can’t leave you here. So, you can either ride in the front with me, or I’ll throw you in the back.”
My heart squeezed, and he must’ve seen the alarm in my expression because he quickly added, “I’m joking.” He tilted his head, eyes scanning me. “At least about throwing you in the back of the cruiser. But I can’t leave you here, Wren.”
I gazed at the hand he held out to me; his fingers twitched.
“Please,” he said, voice soft, almost pleading.
I clenched my teeth. There was nowhere for him to take me, yet the look in his eye was determined. I wasn’t going to get him to go away. Maybe I’d be able to think of a better way out of this while we drove.
Cautiously, I took Atlas’s outstretched hand. He let out a relieved breath, pulling me slowly to my feet. On shaky legs, I followed him to his police car and prayed the place he ended up taking me wasn’t a jail cell.
