Page 20 of Love is Blind

I watch the flames dance in the late-night sky a few seconds longer than the others. Forcing myself to turn away, I whisper a promise to the wind. “Run and hide, Adrian, but your time is almost up.”

It doesn’t take long to get back to the house. I’ve been working on calming my anger since we left the last address, but nothing is helping. All I can see is the wall of hundreds of pictures of Wren. Someone was able to get close enough to take them without one of us noticing. Which is honestly just another kick to the dick. How could we let that happen? Let Adrian play this little cat-and-mouse game with us. And why the fuck haven’t we caught this fucker yet?

I’m still loathing in my own self-hatred when Mav pulls to a stop in front of the house. Glancing out the window, I spot the light on in the den. Meaning Wren is probably there waiting for us. A part of me wants to rip open the door and run to her like something out of an old romance movie, but I force myself to not move.

A hand slapping my chest has me snapping a glare over to Mav in the driver’s seat. “Look, Jax. I know, seeing that wall was… well, overwhelming, but you’re not the only one beating themselves up because of it. We underestimated that prick, but I think tonight’s message was loud and clear.” He lets out a heavy exhale as if the world was on his shoulder. “Wren is in there waiting for us. She may not be able to see your grumpy ass look, but I bet you a hundred bucks she will sense it. So you need to get over whatever is making you this way, and fast. There is way too much going on to be stressing Wren out more with your PMSing attitude.” I shake my head at him. He just doesn’t understand. I’m the unofficial official enforcer. It’s my job to keep an eye out and protect my family, and I missed someone following Wren. “Jax, I love you, man. You’re my brother, but I’m not afraid to beat your ass if you upset my angel. Now grow a fucking pair and get your ass inside. Our woman is waiting.” He doesn’t wait for my reply this time, simply exits the SUV and heads for the front door. I can see the men from tonight are unloading all the evidence and taking it in through the garage. Smart. Wren doesn’t need to hear some of the things we found.

I think what pissed me off the most about the wall were the pictures not from the past two weeks. Pictures of when Wren could see and her bright blues were full of life. Those are the ones that got under my skin. Images of her half naked and tied to a bed, looking like she just wanted to disappear. I think the sick fuck wanted us to find this place. To play with our heads.

Deciding that Mav is right, I drag my ass out of the SUV and up the steps to the front door. Taking a deep breath, I roll my shoulders and try to release all my built-up anger. Wren deserves better, and Mav is also right about her and her sixth sense. She’s always been able to sense moods and I don’t need her to feel like I’m upset with her when really it’s me.

I’m about to turn the knob of the handle when the front door flies open and there in the doorway stands Wren. She stares blankly at me, but it penetrates my soul all the same. “Princess.” The moment the nickname leaves my lips, she rushes me. Throwing herself into my arms, and like she was always meant to be there, my hands reach under her ass and lift. Her thighs instantly take their place around my waist, as her arms band around my neck and her face nuzzles my jaw line. This is home. This time, when I inhale, I try to breathe in Wren. Her scent of fresh flowers and old books is a balm to my heart. Even when she doesn’t go to the bookshop, her scent of books and ink is present and so unique to Wren.

“What took you so long to come in?” Her voice is muffled, with her face still tucked into my neck. I spy Xander and Mav at the corner of the entry of the den. That attention stealing mutt sitting at their feet with what I can only describe as a glare point in my direction. Xander raises a brow in my direction before shaking his head and heading back into the den. Mav just shakes his head like I’m an idiot and follows after. Ares continues to watch me as I carry Wren back to the den, still wrapped in my arms tight. It’s like she knows I need this, her touch, her warmth.

I make my way to the couch and take a seat, letting Wren get more comfortable in my lap. The mutt, Ares, finds that it’s the perfect opportunity to jump up and make himself comfortable as well, with his head in my woman’s lap. Xander glares at the dog, while Maverick smirks. I make eye contact with both men sitting across from us. Xander lets out a sign before nodding. We don’t want to tell her about anything we found tonight, but we also don’t want to hide anything either.

Wren rests her head against my chest, giving me her strength. “Wren, at first, we didn’t want to tell you, but we think you have the right to know.” From the corner of my eye, I can see Wren frowning.

“Know what?” I look up at the guys one more time to make sure this is the right move.

“When we left the office earlier, it was with information that Adrian’s father had a list of real estate properties still under the family name. We thought Adrian might use one to hide out at. We didn’t find much in any of them. Only a laptop, until the last one.” Wren hasn’t moved a muscle since I started talking. I’m almost afraid she isn’t breathing, but I need to get it all out. She needs to know Adrian is a bigger threat, and that she needs to be protected. “The last house was only ten minutes from here. One room was set up as some type of shrine to you. Photos of you were all over the wall. New ones but also older ones.” Her body goes stiff at that.

“We’ve sent Adrian a clear message tonight. It should actually be on the news now.” Mav calls out, reaching for the TV remote and flipping channels until he lands on the news. Turning up the volume, the news anchor’s voice sounds through the room.

“Devastating fires broke out throughout our city tonight as firefighters rush to put them out. So far, there doesn’t seem to be any injured parties, but the fire chief will be looking into the cases as being arson. If you, or anyone you might know, have any information, please contact our tip line. For now, that’s all the information we have, but stay tuned for updates as they come.” The woman continues to talk, moving on to a new story, but Mav turns it down, a wicked and proud smile painting his face.

“Y-you burned down houses?” Wren asks, sounding concerned.

“Yes. And a few storefronts. No one was in them when they were started, if that’s what you’re concerned about.” Xander’s tone is casual, like he would have burned them down with Adrian’s people in them too if we could. He isn’t wrong, either. I’ll kill anyone who gets in our way to getting that asshole, Adrian.

“So now what?” Wren asks, adjusting herself so that she can semi-face the others, but that’s the million-dollar question.

What is Adrian West’s next move?

Chapter sixteen

MAVERICK

Iknowweallagreed not to hide everything from Wren because she has a right to know about Adrian. He is the one stalking her now, but we all agreed that Wren shouldn’t know what we plan to do to that prick once he’s in our grip. Telling my little angel that we burned down Adrian’s property today should have scared her. I expected to see horror or disgust towards us, but once she realized it didn’t actually harm anyone, she seemed less shocked.

I watch Wren closely as she turns in Jax’s lap so that she can focus more on all of us. That’s the thing about this woman. She understands people. It’s like she can already tell what we need, her attention. It’s hard sharing one woman, but Wren doesn’t single any of us out. She tries to give us all our own time and attention and knows when one of us might need it more.

My Angel frowns as she reaches over and runs her fingers through Ares fur. She gives him a few scratches behind the ears and the dog melts further into her lap. That dog was the best purchase I have ever made. Since the moment they met, Ares hasn’t left her side. He follows her around like he thinks she hung the moon. I would be jealous if I wasn’t so secure in mine and her relationship now.

Her previous question still hangs in the air. None of us are sure of what to tell her. Honestly, I think we all know what now. We wait for Adrian’s next move. Tonight, we made a statement, a declaration, or war, really. Glancing back up at the television, I see the channel flashing back to a sky view of the city. Yellow and orange lit the skyline. The small fire is still lighting the sky due to not enough manpower in the city to put them all out. It’s almost poetic in a twisted way. You attempt to take something from us, and we will take something from you.

After a few minutes of silence, Wren speaks again. “I don’t understand. Why does Adrian want me? Why now?” Her voice fluctuates with her emotions. She’s trying to stay strong for us. For herself, but with each day that bastard is free, the risk gets greater. I’m guessing he is planning something and buying time, but for

“My guess is it has to do with us,” Xander says, taking another sip of his whiskey. His eyes are trained on Wren, like always whenever she is in the room. Ever since that first night, he was obsessed. I never understood why until I actually met her. She is all that is good in this world, unlike us, sinners since a young age. Wren might have had a rough go for a while, but you would have never guessed it by looking at her. She didn’t let that piece of shit destroy her completely.

“What do you mean?” This question makes us all chuckle. It’s obvious to us now.

“He wants what he can’t have. In his mind, when you were with him, he owned you. You were his. He thought you were dead, but now he knows you’re not. His twisted mind thinks you still are his even if he wanted you dead at one point and now, he wants you back. Seeing you with other men, men who he hates, makes it worse. I believe he will stop at nothing to have you, and if he can’t have you…” Xander pauses before looking over at me next to him, then Jax on the couch, then back to Wren in his lap. “Then no one can,” Wren gasps. Her white eyes going wide at the realization.

“So, he’s going to go after you guys as well?” Ares nuzzles Wren’s thigh, sensing her stress and worry and comforting her. “No.” She shakes her head. “No. I won’t let him hurt anyone else because of me.” We all know where her thoughts are going, and I can’t have that.

“Don’t you dare even suggest what you are thinking, Angel. We are grown ass men and can handle ourselves. If you think sacrificing yourself for us is the only way, you have another thing coming. Who’s to say that once he has you, he wouldn’t use you to bring us down, anyway?” I’m on the edge of my seat now, furious that she would even think of doing something like that for us.

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