Page 31 of Love is Blind

Sleep sounds really good right now. I just need to close my eyes and the pain will go away.

Faintly, I hear a loud crash coming from somewhere, but it’s just my mind playing tricks on me. Finally closing my eyes, I tell my child, I’m sorry for not being strong enough.

Chapter twenty-four

XANDER

EveryactionI'veevermade has always been under my control. I made the tough calls and lived with the consequences. I even slept like the dead most nights, but the moment Wren St. James stumbled into my life, it’s been a roller coaster. Watching her from a far was easy, I was still in control of my actions. That was until Jax called us one night to let us know he needed Doc at the house ASAP and that the woman we had all simply became obsessed with overnight was injured. I think it was then that I knew we were doomed. That this tiny slip of a woman would forever hold the keys to the castle and the monsters within. It might have taken some of us a bit longer to come to that realization, but it was clear that Wren was going to be our end game.

None of us ever thought we could love a woman, let alone all be in love with the same woman. We’ve tried many times to make relationships work, but in the end, it never worked. They asked too many questions that we didn’t want to answer. Others were like Tiffany, who only wanted power and money. Wren wanted none of that. She just wanted to be seen and loved. Seen and loved, she is. It’s impossible to not watch her. The woman with no sight, who still seems to see everything. She knows when we need her, when one of us just needs a tender, loving touch.

I’ve never been in control when it comes to Wren. My Little Bird might not know it, but she controls my heart, body and soul and currently there’s someone out there that thinks he can take what doesn’t belong to him. He thinks that my brothers and I are just annoying little crumbs to sweep under the rug, but he fucked with the wrong people.

We had to play this right and ensure Adrian West truly thinks we’re dead. That we’re no longer a threat to him. What’s more proof than video, right? So, we record a few of our men entering the building as the man who was supposed to blow us up starts to count down out loud. He does it slowly to ensure our men can rush to the back door and get to safety. The moment he hits one, the bomb goes off, the heat wave reaching us even up here. Metal and more go flying through the air as the entire roof of the warehouse collapses in on itself. I stop recording and give the man instructions on what to say to Adrian next.

“If you want to walk out of here alive, don’t fuck this up.” The man nods before making the call.

He places it on speaker as it rings a few times. Adrian answers on the fourth ring. “Is it done?”

The man glances up at me and I nod to continue. “It’s done. I made you a video.” He baits, waiting for Adrian’s reaction. The video is taken from so far. You would never be able to tell who the men entering the building really are. Just that three bodies entered, then the explosion.

“That’s great news. Send me over the video. My guest would love to see it.” Adrian lets out a deep laugh. I can hear shuffling on the other side of the line before he speaks again. “Well, she can’t see it, but she can listen. I have to go, but I’ll have your money ready when you get here.”

“I’ll be there in thirty.” The line goes dead, and the man stares up at me. “There. It’s done. You’re officially dead. You have his address. I can go now, right?” he asks, taking a small step back. Giving him a small nod, I turn to leave. I can hear the audible sigh of relief, which only makes me grin as I grab my 9 mm from its holster, spin around, aim, and fire. His eyes widen in shock for a moment before his head flies back, then his body crumples over the edge. Tucking the gun away, I smirk.

“Shouldn’t have fucked with the wrong men.” I say before turning to Mav and Jax. “Now let’s go get our woman.”

The address on the piece of paper is only ten minutes away from the warehouse. Not wasting a minute, we head in that direction. Each of us is strapping on more firepower and ammo on the drive. We have no idea if this is Adrian’s home base or if he has more men with him. Parking down the street, we slowly make our way up the drive. The house at this address is a large two story with a run-down feel. It’s definitely seen better days, but it’s also large enough that we may need time to search for Wren.

When we reach the side of the house, I turn to my brothers. “We go in quiet. No guns unless absolutely necessary.” Turning back to the front, I pause, looking over my shoulder. “And I want Adrian alive.” Two nods is all I need before we head in.

Like a well-oiled machine, we enter through the front and move as one to clear room by room. The entire house is quiet as we quickly split on the first floor. I head straight back, entering the kitchen before clearing the dining room next. Mav and Jax join me after a minute, each giving me a single shake of their head to let me know they found nothing as well. I point to the ceiling and move back down the hall to the stairs, letting them know we are headed to the second floor, when I hear a muffled noise coming from a door to my left. I pause, tap my ear, and point to the door. Jax nods before moving into position. Holding up three fingers, I count down. Three… I grip the knob… Two… I twist the handle slowly to make no sound… One… I yank open the door, allowing Jax to rush in. Mav and I follow suit as Jax heads down a set of stairs.

Jax’s large body hides the view of what I now know is the basement, but halfway down the steps, his entire demeanor changes. That’s when I hear Adrian.

“You stupid fucking bitch.” Jax charges forward like a bull in a china shop before I can get a full view, but when I do, my body turns icy cold. There, on the floor, Wren lays lifeless, Adrian’s hands wrapped around her tiny neck before Jax tackles the dead man to the floor. I stand there frozen in shock, or maybe disbelief, before Maverick shoves me to the side and rushes to Wren. He falls to his knees and shakes her.

“Wren! Angel, baby. Open your eyes. Come on Angel.” I’m still standing there at the bottom of the wooden steps, just staring at the scene in front of me. Jax is slamming his fist into Adrian’s body. Not a single inch going untouched. Maverick is hovering over Wren, checking for a pulse.

I’m losing control. I can feel the strings snapping. This can’t be happening.

“Xander!” Mav yells at me, giving me some focus. “Get your ass over here, now.” I move then, rushing to him and Wren, before checking her pulse myself. Fuck. She’s not breathing. Without thinking, I start CPR. Interlocking my fingers, placing my palms on my Little Bird’s chest, and start with compressions.

“Stop Jax. I want Adrian alive.” I snap out. “And call Doc. Now!” he turns to do as I say as I stare down at our woman. Bruising has already formed around her neck in the shape of handprints. Glancing down at her body, I check for other injuries but found none that show with her still dressed. My eyes pause on her stomach. Our child is in there. “Come on, baby, breathe for me.” I lean down, tilt her chin back, pinch her nose and give her two breaths before continuing compressions. “Come on, baby. We need you. We can’t live without you, Wren.” My brothers join me, all placing hands on her, needing to touch her, as I go in for another two breaths. My heart is psychically breaking as I pull away to start another round of compression, but right as I place my hands to push, Wren jerks up with a raspy inhale.

“Wren!” we all shout but it’s short-lived as she once again passes out, but this time still breathing. I scoop Wren up as gently as I can before heading to the stairs. “Knock him out and tie him up for now. Have our men come secure him. Wren needs a hospital.” I call out.

Jax quickly delivers a solid punch to Adrian’s face before quickly tying his hands. “I’ll call Doc and have him meet us there.” Mav calls from behind me as Jax catches up with us in the car. I climb into the back, careful of tussling Wren in my arms as Jax hops in the driver’s seat and takes off. Mav makes the calls to Doc and our men from the passenger seat, constantly peeking back to look at Wren.

The drive to the hospital doesn’t take long but is still not fast enough, but Doc is already there with an entire team of nurses ready to take over care. We’ve barely put the car into park when my door is ripped open and Doc is there. Stepping out, I place her on the gurney, momentarily afraid to release her. “Xander, let us take care of her.”

“She wasn’t breathing when we found her. I had to do CPR. Is the baby going to be okay?” I ask. Staring after Wren, as the other support staff wheel her away. Doc gives me a look that I can read loud and clear. It’s too soon to tell. He seizes my shoulder, squeezing before following after Wren.

Maverick is to my left, holding back an emotional Jax, straining to get to Wren. “Enough!” I yell. “Get your shit together, Jax. Wren needs us here and if you’re going to act a fool, they will kick us out. Doc is with her and will give us an update as soon as possible. Wren is breathing. She’s safe now.” The word safe coming from my tongue tastes like a lie. If she was safe with us, she wouldn’t have been in this position in the first place.

Jax glares over at me before shaking out of Mav’s grip and heading for the hospital’s doors. Mav quickly follows, partly to ensure Jax doesn’t cause destruction or murder anyone. I just stand there, the image of Wren’s lifeless body laying on the floor burned into my brain and projected everywhere I look.

Little Bird, if you don’t make it, I’m following you into the afterlife.

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