Chapter 21 Saint
SAINT
It’s late in the evening, Wren’s already in my bed, half asleep. The execution hours ago really shook her up. As many warnings as I gave her about what this life entails, it took seeing it in stark reality for her to understand.
Still, I don’t think she does. Not completely.
Because the threat is far from over, and Sin’s not the only one of us capable of beating a man to death.
I tucked her safely in place once her adrenaline dissipated.
Her hand reaches for me when I stand from the side of our bed. Her silent plea for me not to leave her—not yet—has me sitting by her side longer than I should.
I have plans and back up plans to make before Knox shows up. There’s nothing for him to find, but that’s the least of my worries. The things Rook mentioned, how he talked about Wren, it twists anxiety in my guts.
When her hand slackens, I brush my palm over her hair, fingers combing through locks and massaging the back of her head. She murmurs and tucks her hands under her chin, curling further into my hip.
I want to lay beside her, gather her in my arms, hold her until I’m sure nothing is going to happen to her.
I can’t guarantee that, though. Even if I will do anything to keep her safe.
She’s asleep, and I have a difficult time walking away from her.
Delaying things isn’t going to help anyone.
When I move upstairs, I find everyone’s acting normal-ish. The bar is quiet with the aftermath of Rook’s betrayal, his punishment, and the incoming show of force Knox and his warrant promises.
I sip a beer at the bar as I watch my men. On autopilot. They’re deliberately not talking about Rook. We all heard what he said about Wren. And he was an example that needed to be made.
The scent of fresh blood and dirt is still heavy in the air, a confirmation of the betrayal. Rook went against orders. Against the rest of his brotherhood. Against me.
And I need to know if anyone else is planning to hand my wife over to the enemy the first chance they get.
A few won’t meet my eyes, but no one flinches under my examination.
My thoughts swing back to Wren. She shouldn’t have had to see that. To see Sin that way. She should be safe in her palace, pampered and peaceful. Not here…
I’m not strong enough to suggest she go somewhere else again. But, for the first time in over a decade, I wish here was somewhere else.
Energy is building, and it’s like I can feel Knox and his goons closing in. They aren’t coming because of Rook. They were coming for Wren regardless.
They know she’s my weakness. Claiming her didn’t change their target, it just shifted it to include me and my men, too.
Maybe, I’m a fool for agreeing to it, but Wren is so much more than I expected.
I’m rubbing my chest when the flash of lights appears outside. My men move on autopilot. We’ve been through this rodeo before.
Finishing the last of my beer, I stand and let the rest of my men make their exit before I make mine. Judge appears beside me with his jaw clenched and arms crossed.
“Even if Rook told them something, there’s nothing here they can connect to a crime. They have nothing that will stand up.”
I nod, prepared to be cuffed and dragged away for a few hours. It won’t be the first time, and I doubt it will be the last. Outside, the men who need to be visible are stationed around the yard. The ones who need to stay hidden are inside and tucked away.
I stop in the middle of my men and take in Knox’s car pulling in just outside my property line. Two other cars park diagonally beside him. A red flag.
Four men file out of the cars, standing at their noses with their arms crossed, looking around like they’re prepared to examine every inch of my property.
Knox gets out of his car last, putting on a show. I bet they rehearsed this before they showed up.
He hasn’t drawn his weapon, but his hand finds his hip. He’s close. Prepared.
Then he smiles, and it confirms that this isn’t about a clean arrest. It’s about intimidation. Leverage. Same old play Sheriff. I know your history. And I recognize the setup before anyone else does.
“You’re out of your jurisdiction.” Because I know whatever he’s about to do. It’s not legal. Warrant or not.
“Got a warrant right here.” Knox taps his chest pocket like a threat.
I’m going to have to play this out, but Judge will have me out in no time.
“Going to arrest your lady on conspiracy charges.”
A bomb goes off in my head. I knew I should have hidden her. “That’s bullshit, and you know it.”
Knox is cocky, smiling. “Guess we’ll let the courts decide.”
With a quick flick of his wrist, Knox’s men approach. I nod to allow them to go inside, and they make noise immediately and likely a mess, too.
The sheriff finally steps on my property, slowly meandering his way to stand in front of me.
Cold rage envelopes me, a slow rise that gets harder to keep in check with every passing second. Knox plants himself for a stare off.
“Your lady’s been busy.”
He didn’t say her name. Didn’t say wife. Didn’t say woman. He said it like she was a thing that wandered off and got found.
I let the silence stretch—long enough that my men shift. “Say her name.”
Knox smiles wider. “Wren Delaney. Missing person. Potential co-conspirator. Depends how cooperative she feels today.”
“Maddox. Wren Delaney is no more.”
Arms crossed, his eyes light up. “Until that marriage of yours is annulled, and she’s back where she belongs.”
My jaw tightens once. Just once.
Cooperative. That word never means what men like Knox pretend it does. I step half a pace forward—still inside the law, still calm. “You don’t get to talk about her like that.”
Knox tilts his head.
“Funny thing about women like her—they always need someone to belong to.” The sheriff’s brows raise suggestively, taking a quick catalogue of the men standing with me.
“Careful.” My voice is low. A promise. I’ll disappear his body with all the others.
Knox laughs softly.
When two men walk out a terrified Wren in cuffs, her hair is a mess around her face, my t-shirt barely covering her. Fuck, her wide eyes kill me. “Don’t say anything without a lawyer present.”
She nods, and it breaks my heart to watch her get stuffed into the backseat of a cruiser.
I hold back only because I know that one wrong move will validate Knox’s excuse for arresting Wren. The restraint costs me.
Sin’s bike revs, and he’s speeding after the car as they pull away. “Hey, he can’t leave. We’re not done here.”
“You’ve got me, you don’t need him.”
“I say who we need and when your people can leave.”
“Well, if your men are really taking her to a police station, you’ll have him in custody, too, won’t you?” And if not…Sin will get her back.