15. JAXON
Adrian’s father had over twenty owned properties around the city. Most seem to be empty apartments or storefronts. I’m guessing some were safe houses and others pit stops for shipments. The late Mr. West was a businessman to the core. Anything he could get his dirty hands on to make a little cash, he would. Drugs, weapons, skins — he didn’t care. He wasn’t a horrible man, but money can really change a man. Just like his entitled little asshat of a son. My guess is: He is still hiding behind daddy, even after the man is dead and buried.
Mav and I, along with about six other men in a separate car, head to the first address on the south side of the city. We didn’t want to leave Wren, not with her clinging to me like she feared for my life. I’ve never had anyone care for me like Wren does. The guys always cared, but it’s different when it’s a woman. Your woman, but I know Xander will keep her safe. Plus, we all know Wren will be the safest once we catch this bastard.
Pulling up to our destination, we take all the precautions, parking a few houses down before heading to the back of our SUV. Waiting for the others to join us, Mav and I grab two 9mms a piece, plus some extra ammo. We each tuck away one for backup. This isn’t our first rodeo, so having a spare could save your life.
Once we all grouped up, we head for the house, keeping to the shadows. The sun fell about half an hour ago, so the brisk night helps to hide us. We split up into two teams. The first, Mav and I, with two other men, take positions at the front of the house, while the other four head to the back. Once the signal is given, two sharp whistles, we move as one. I kick in the front door, and we go in, guns blazing. Not willing to take any more chances to let Adrian get the upper hand. Room by room, we clean the place within seconds. Empty. There are signs that someone might have been here before, but it could have been anyone at any time. Even squatters.
“Motherfucker!” Mav yells, kicking the wall. “This is going to take all night and we don’t even know if he’s going to be in one of these addresses.”
“He can’t run forever. So, let’s leave him a message.” Looking around the place, I notice it’s pretty bare. Idea after idea drifts through my mind, but only one sparks some joy. Turning to one of our men, I give him my orders. “Run back to the SUV and grab a spare gas can.” He gives me a nod before heading out. Turning back to Maverick, I give him my best grin. “Let’s burn his shit to the ground.” The savage grin on Mav returns tells me everything.
After setting fire to the first address, we move on. Addresses number two through seven are busts as well. Each one looking like the first. Bare and empty of any actual sign of Adrian. But with fires going up around the city, we’re betting Adrian has either already gotten the message that we are hunting him, or he will soon.
Address eight is a bit more promising. The empty storefront looked less deserted. A couple of blankets, take out boxes, etc. What made us believe it was used by Adrian was the computer setup. A laptop and extra monitor sat in the far corner on a plain metal desk. We collected the laptop from one of the tech guys and burned the rest to the ground.
It’s been two hours since we started and every address was a bust, but with one left, we powered on. All we want to do is head home to our girl. The last place is a small three-bedroom house on the east side of the city. It’s also the closest to our home. “Let’s get this over with. I smell like gasoline and need a shower.” Mav calls out as we wait for the other six men to join us again. I give him a quick nod before cracking my neck and stretching my arms out.
I have a feeling about this one address. It’s not a good one. Would Adrian be that dumb to set up base this close to our home? Possibly risk being seen. The answer is yes. He seems stupid enough and eager enough to get his hands on Wren to pull a cocky move like that.
In no time, we are all in position, ready to end the night when I give the signal. This time, Mav kicks in the back door and we all charge in. Guns raised and at the ready. We enter through the kitchen and split in different directions to clear the house. Lowering my gun, I holster when I find nothing in the living room. Thinking we hit another fucking brick wall of nothing, I pull out my phone and dial Xander but right as he answers I hear Mav call out to me from the back of the house.
I can hear Xander asking me a question on the other side of the phone. “Did you find anything?” I’m about to reply when I enter the doorway of the room Maverick is in. My jaw hits the floor a second before my shock wears off.
“That motherfucking asshole. I’m going to string him up by his intestines. Cut off his dick and make him choke on it. Fuck him up the ass with a baseball bat full of screws.” Every possible way to kill a man in the worst, most painful way pops into my head faster than I can spit them out. I’m so lost in my rage that I don’t even realize the hand with my phone in it is going through a wall. When I pull it back out, drywall dust flies everywhere and my phone is not smashed. Fuck.
Maverick’s phone rings a second later. He answers and places it on speaker. How Mav is staying calm is a surprise to me, especially after seeing all this shit. “Someone tell me what the fuck is going on?”
I leave Mav to explain it all as I move closer to the wall. My eyes shift all over the place, trying to sort out everything I see. “Well, the best way to explain it is some type of stalkers shrine of Wren. Hundreds of pictures of Wren are all over the wall. Some of her and Abby at her bookshop. Some of her and one of us, but our faces are blacked out. If I took a guess, Adrian is more than obsessed with Wren, man.” Faintly, I hear Xander let out his own curse, but I’m too focused on this wall of my Princess. She looks gorgeous in all the photos, but the fact Adrian had them taken enrages me to no ends.
“Pack it all up and bring it back. Wren is worried and wants you guys home soon.” With no further words needed, he hangs up.
Mav steps up next to me as I focus on the images more closely. “These are all from the last two weeks. How has no one noticed someone following us?”
“I don’t know, man, but I’m betting he had someone else take these. He knows we are looking for him and would easily notice him, but you heard Xander. Our woman is waiting for us. Let’s pack it up and burn it down.” He slaps me on the back and barks orders at the men to take everything down. Within minutes, the house is cleared and a trail of gasoline leads out to the front porch. “Would you like to do the honors, brother?” Maverick hands me a lighter, making me grin.
“With pleasure.” Leaning down, I light the lighter and place the small yet mighty flame on the trail of accelerant. With a whoosh, the gasoline lights, rushing to the house. We stand there for a few minutes, wanting to make sure it all burns.
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?