22. Twenty-Two
TWENTY-TWO
WRENLY
T he shrill ringing of my phone pulled me from dreams of being fucked rather deliciously by Theo. I fumbled for it on the nightstand, my eyes still blurry with sleep. The glowing screen displayed the number from the hospital.
“Hello?” I answered groggily.
“Wren, Rachel called in sick, and we need someone to cover her shift.”
I groaned and looked at the time.
6:07 p.m.
Holy shit. Did we sleep all day?
“Yeah, sure. I’ll be there in thirty,” I replied, trying to sound more awake than I felt.
“Thanks. You’re a lifesaver.”
I hung up and turned to see Theo stirring beside me. His tousled hair and sleepy eyes made my heart skip a beat. He truly was a beautiful human.
He reached for me, pulling me back into his warm embrace. “Who was that?” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep.
“The hospital.” I sighed. “They need me to cover a shift tonight.”
He blinked a few times, slowly coming out of his slumber. “Mmm, do you have to?” he mumbled. He snaked an arm around my waist, pulling me closer. “Can’t they find someone else?”
“I wish.” I’d much rather stay in my warm bed with him.
He sat up. “Okay, I’ll drive you.”
I leaned in and kissed him softly, savoring the feel of his lips against mine. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
We reluctantly dragged ourselves out of bed and got ready. The whole time, I couldn’t help but steal glances at him as he pulled on his clothes. The way his muscles flexed as he moved and the intensity in his eyes when he caught me looking. I threw on my scrubs, pulled my hair into a bun, and we went downstairs to clean up the glass from last night. Theo scooped up the shards while I held the dustpan steady.
“I’m sorry about last night,” Theo said softly, breaking the stillness. He leaned on the broom handle, watching my response.
I dumped the dustpan, set it on the counter, and approached him. When I looked at the man I loved, I saw the scars on his skin and the brokenness he’d shown me last night, and I knew it had taken a lot of courage to reveal the depths of his darkness to me—the ghosts that still haunted him.
I placed my hand on his cheek, feeling the roughness of his stubble under my palm. “You have nothing to apologize for, Theo. Sharing your pain, your past, with me took incredible strength. I’m here for you, always.”
He leaned into my touch as his eyes searched mine. A shaky breath escaped his lips before he said, “I don’t deserve you. You know that?”
“Shhh,” I hushed him and brushed my thumb over his cheekbone. “We all have our demons, our regrets, but they don’t define us. The heart that beats in your chest and the soul you showed me, that’s what matters. And I see the dark beauty in you, even if all you see are broken pieces.”
His arms encircled my waist, pulling me closer. He rested his forehead against mine, our breaths mingling in the small space between us. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
I smiled softly as my fingers gently threaded through the hair at the nape of his neck. “Good thing you’ll never have to find out. ”
He captured my lips in a tender kiss and then buried his face in my neck. We stayed like that for a moment before I hesitantly pulled away.
“Come on, Devil,” I said, taking his hand and leading him toward the front door. “Drive me to work.”
He followed willingly, his fingers laced with mine.
The drive to the hospital was quiet, both of us still groggy from sleeping through the day. He reached over and took my hand, rubbing circles on my skin with his thumb.
As he approached the emergency department entrance, I turned to him with a small smile. “Thank you. I get off at 7:30. Can you come and get me? If not, I can call an Uber or catch a ride from a coworker.”
“I’ll be waiting right here,” he replied with a wink. “Now go save some lives, superhero.”
I laughed and leaned in for a quick kiss before hopping out of the car. I walked through the sliding doors and could feel his eyes on me. I glanced back and blew him a kiss before he drove off into the night.
The emergency department was bustling with activity. Nurses and doctors rushed about, tending to patients in various states of distress. I quickly went to the locker room, dropped my bag off, and headed to the nurse’s station for report.
“Thank god you’re here,” my charge nurse, Sarah, greeted me with a harried expression. “We’ve got a full house tonight, and we’re short-staffed. You’re in trauma bay three. Lily is stuck bedside with a bowel obstruction, so it will just be you for a bit until she can get him down to the OR.”
“Awesome.” I rolled my eyes playfully. Quickly scanning the charts, I took note of the patients’ conditions and treatment plans as I walked briskly toward the trauma bay. As I entered, I was met with a flurry of movement. A doctor, two nurses, and a respiratory therapist surrounded a young man who had been in a serious car accident. The patient was unconscious, his face bruised and bloodied. I jumped right in, assessing his injuries and vital signs. He had multiple lacerations, suspected pneumothorax, and a possible spinal cord injury.
“Wrenly, thanks for coming in.” The attending gave me an appreciative smile. “I need you to start a second IV line and hang a unit of O-negative blood.”
“On it,” I replied, swiftly gathering my supplies. My hands worked deftly, starting an IV and connecting the blood, a familiar routine in the chaos of the trauma bay.
In his mid-fifties, Dr. Michaels was one of my favorite doctors on the unit. He had worked with my brother for several years, so he’d taken me under his wing when he’d found out who I was. I attributed my calmness under pressure to him and the knowledge he had bestowed upon me.
“BP’s dropping, 80/40,” I called out as I watched the monitors.
“Pressure bag another unit of saline,” Dr. Michaels instructed. I moved quickly, sliding the fluids into the pressure bag and hanging it.
“Check his pupils. I’m worried about a possible head injury.”
I grabbed my penlight and leaned over the patient, carefully opening his eyelids. His pupils were unequal and sluggish to respond. “Left pupil is blown, and the right is sluggish,” I reported, a knot forming in my stomach.
This was a bad sign.
Dr. Michaels frowned. “Okay, let’s get him up to CT. Call radiology and let them know we’re on our way.”
I nodded and quickly made the call as the rest of the team prepared to move the patient. We rushed him out of the trauma bay and into the elevator. There was only room for a few of us plus the patient, so I took over respiratory duties. I squeezed the Ambu bag and breathed for the patient as we ascended to the radiology floor.
The CT scan confirmed our fears—a massive intracranial hemorrhage. The neurosurgeon was paged, and the patient was whisked off to the operating room. I let out a heavy sigh as I watched them disappear down the hall. It never got easier, seeing young lives teetering so close to death.
Just as I made it back to the ED, another trauma rolled in—a woman who had been stabbed multiple times. I rushed over to assist, applying pressure to her wounds as the others worked to assess the extent of her injuries .
The night continued like this, one critical patient after another. I barely had a moment to catch my breath. By the time 7:30 a.m. rolled around, I was exhausted, my scrubs splattered with blood and other bodily fluids.
I finished my charting and gave report to the oncoming shift before heading to the locker room. Every muscle in my body ached as I peeled off my soiled scrubs and tossed them into the laundry bin. I longed for a hot shower, but that would have to wait until I got home. For now, I settled for splashing some cold water on my face and changing into a clean set of scrubs from my locker.
The crisp night air hit my face as I exited the hospital, providing a much-needed refresh. As promised, Theo was waiting for me, leaning against his blacked-out Lexus with a soft smile. I grinned and made my way over to him. His strong arms wrapped around me, and I inhaled his calming scent.
“Hey, you,” he greeted me. “Rough night?” he asked, sensing my weariness.
I nodded against his chest, inhaling his comforting scent. “You have no idea. I’m so ready to go home and crawl into bed.”
He kissed the top of my head and opened the passenger’s door for me. “Your chariot awaits, my lady.”
I smiled gratefully and slid into the seat, sinking into the soft leather. He got in beside me and took my hand, gently squeezing it as he pulled out of the hospital parking lot.
The drive home was a blur, my eyelids growing heavier each minute. He must have noticed because he reached over and gently stroked my cheek. “Go to sleep, baby. I’ll wake you when we get home.” I leaned into his touch, my eyes fluttering closed. The next thing I knew, he was gently shaking me awake. “We’re home.”
I blinked, disoriented momentarily before realizing we were parked outside my house. He came to my side and opened the door, helping me out. His arm slipped around my waist, supporting my exhausted body as we made our way inside. Once I crossed the threshold, I kicked off my shoes and padded straight to the bedroom, Theo following close behind. Stripping off my scrubs, I crawled under the covers in just my underwear, too tired to bother with a shower or pajamas. The last thing I remembered before sleep claimed me was the feeling of his lips pressing a gentle kiss to my temple.
I awoke to the smell of coffee and bacon. I stretched, my muscles aching and my stomach growling. Theo’s side of the bed was empty, but the aroma wafting from the kitchen told me exactly where he was. I slipped out of bed, putting on a T-shirt and shorts before following the enticing scent. And that was where I found him, standing at the stove, wearing only a pair of low-slung gray sweatpants. His back was to me, and I took a moment to admire how his muscles rippled under his tattooed skin as he moved. The sight of him, domestic and at ease in my kitchen, filled me with a warmth that had nothing to do with the sizzling bacon.
I padded over to him, slipping my arms around his waist from behind and kissing his shoulder blades. “Good morning . . . or evening, rather,” I murmured against his warm skin.
He turned in my arms, a smile lighting up his handsome face. “Hey, baby. How’d you sleep?”
“Like the dead.” I chuckled. “I didn’t even hear you get up.”
“You were out cold. I figured I’d let you sleep in and surprise you with a late breakfast.” He gestured to the stove.
“Mmm, you’re the best.” I stood on my tiptoes to give him a proper kiss, my hands sliding up his chest and into his hair. He deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing mine as his hands slipped under my shirt to caress my bare skin.
I sighed into his mouth, my body instantly responding to his touch. But before things could get too heated, the cracking sound of the bacon brought us back to reality. He broke the kiss with a rueful grin. “Hold that thought. Let me finish here, and then we can continue this after we eat. You must be starving.”
As if on cue, my stomach let out a loud growl, making us both laugh. “Food first, then sex,” I agreed, giving him a playful swat on the butt before moving to set the table .
He brought over two plates piled high with fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and buttered toast. He had even cut up some fresh fruit. My mouth watered at the sight.
“This looks amazing. Thank you,” I said gratefully as I dug in.
“Tell me about your shift,” he said, taking a seat across from me.
Between bites, I filled him in on the car crash victim with the brain bleed and the woman who had been stabbed. “We did the best we could. I hope they both pull through.”
I practically inhaled my food, not realizing how ravenous I’d been until the first bite hit my tongue. Theo watched me with an amused smile, his plate only half touched by the time I was scraping mine clean.
“Hungry?” he teased.
I grinned sheepishly. “Starving. I don’t think I ate anything during my shift last night.”
“Well, we can’t have that. You need to keep your strength up.” His eyes glinted with mischief. “Especially for what I have planned.”
A shiver of anticipation ran down my spine. “Oh? And what might that be?”
He stood up and rounded the table, pulling me to my feet and into his arms. “I seem to remember a certain thought you were supposed to hold on to.” His hands slid down to cup my ass, giving it a firm squeeze.
I looped my arms around his neck, pressing my body flush against his. “Hmm, I think it’s coming back to me now.”
He captured my lips, his tongue rooting deep into my mouth as he lifted me onto the table. Dishes clattered as he swept them aside, laying me back against the smooth wooden surface. Theo’s hands roamed my body, pushing up my shirt to expose my breasts. His mouth trailed hot kisses down my neck as his fingers found my nipples, rolling and pinching them into hardened peaks. I arched into his touch, a moan escaping my lips. I looked over at the kitchen window, noticing a black curtain now covering the previously uncovered windowpane.
“You hung a curtain?” I panted .
“While you were sleeping. No one will be able to see inside the house . . . unless we want them to, of course.”
“So considerate,” I murmured appreciatively, my fingers threading through his hair. “Whatever shall we do with all this privacy?”
His lips quirked up into a wicked grin. “Oh, I have a few ideas.”
To punctuate his words, he hooked his fingers into the waistband of my shorts and tugged them down my legs, taking my panties with them. I lifted my hips to assist, eager to be bare before him. He tossed the garments aside and paused to drink in the sight of me, laid out like a feast on the table.
“Fucking stunning,” he rasped, his gaze roving hungrily over my naked body. “I’ll never get enough of you.”
Anticipation coiled tightly in my belly as he slowly sank to his knees, nudging my thighs farther apart. The first brush of his lips against my inner thigh drew a shuddery gasp from my lungs. He took his time, kissing and nipping a meandering path upward, his stubble rasping deliciously against my sensitive skin. By the time his breath ghosted over my aching core, I was writhing with need, my fingers fisted in his hair.
He flashed me a wicked grin before lowering his head and dragging his tongue through my slick folds. My hips bucked off the table at the contact, a strangled cry leaving my throat. He groaned against me, the vibrations sending sparks of pleasure shooting through my veins. His lips closed around my clit, sucking hard as two fingers plunged deep inside me.
“Oh fuck.” I gasped, my head falling back against the table. He worked me mercilessly, his fingers pumping and curling as his tongue flicked rapidly over my swollen nub.
The pleasure built, my inner walls fluttering around his thrusting fingers. I climbed higher and higher, and my body was wound as tight as a bowstring. He seemed to sense how close I was, so he doubled his efforts, sucking hard on my clit as he added a third finger, stretching me deliciously.
“That’s it, baby. Come for me,” he growled against my slick flesh. “I want to feel you come all over my face.”
His filthy words were my undoing. With a hoarse cry, I shattered, my back bowing off the table. He continued to lap at my sensitive flesh as I floated down from my high.
“You taste fucking incredible,” he growled, licking his lips. He slowly withdrew his fingers and brought them to his mouth, sucking them clean. I whimpered at the erotic display, already aching for more despite the powerful orgasm still echoing through my body.
He leaned down to kiss me, and I could taste myself on his tongue. It only made me want him more. I sat up slowly, still feeling a bit dazed. He stood, his arousal straining against the fabric of his sweatpants, and all I could think was, thank the good lord for whoever invented gray sweatpants .
I reached for him, tugging at his waistband. “These need to come off. It’s only fair since I’m already naked.”
He grinned, stepping back to slide them down his muscular legs. His erection was free, and my mouth watered at the sight. Grabbing my hips, he yanked me to the very edge of the table, and with one smooth thrust, he buried himself to the hilt.
“Theo,” I cried out, my head falling back as he began to move. He set a punishing pace, his hips snapping against mine, driving into me over and over. The table creaked beneath us, dishes clattering to the floor, but I couldn’t care less. All that mattered was the exquisite friction of his thick length stroking my inner walls. Moans and the sharp slap of flesh against flesh filled the air. I braced my hands on the edge of the table, holding on for dear life as he ravaged my body so deliciously.
“You feel so fucking good wrapped around my cock,” he grunted, his fingers digging into my hips.
I reached up to grip his shoulders, my nails piercing his skin as I met each powerful thrust. “Harder,” I panted. “Fuck me harder.”
A feral growl tore from his throat as he complied, grabbing my legs and throwing them over his shoulders, the new angle allowing him to plunge even deeper. I was so close to coming when his phone rang. He ignored it, but then it rang again.
“Ignore it,” I gasped. “Don’t you dare stop!”
But the insistent ringing continued. With a frustrated growl, he reached for his phone on the counter, his hips never faltering in their relentless rhythm.
He glanced at the screen and frowned. “Fuck. It’s Archer,” he grunted. “I have to take this.”
I whimpered in protest as he slowed his thrusts, answering the call with a terse, “Hello?” He listened for a moment, his jaw clenching.
But I didn’t let him stop.
I wrapped my legs around him, urging him to keep moving. His eyes darkened as I clenched around him, a silent plea to finish what we’d started. He covered the phone’s mic and whispered hoarsely, “You’re going to be the death of me, woman.”
Still holding the phone to his ear, he resumed his deep, hard thrusts. I bit my lip to stifle my moans, not wanting Archer to hear me.
“Yeah, I understand,” he said into the phone, his voice strained.
I grinned wickedly up at him, loving my effect on his self-control. I tightened my legs around his waist, pulling him deeper. His eyes flashed with heat, and I could tell he struggled to focus on the call.
“Yeah, I’m here,” he said into the phone, fighting to keep his voice steady as I continued to rock against him.
I heard Archer’s muffled voice on the other end but couldn’t make out the words. Whatever he was saying, it made Theo’s frown deepen.
“Now? Can’t it wait . . .?” He broke off with a muffled groan. “I’m kind of in the middle of something,” he ground out, pinning me with a heated glare that only served to turn me on more.
I continued my sensual assault, undulating my hips in slow, torturous movements.
“Uh-huh, got it,” he managed, though his breathing was becoming more labored by the second. “No, yeah. I appreciate it. Truly.”
I could tell he was nearing his limit, his thrusts growing more erratic as he tried to focus on the call. Archer’s voice droned on, oblivious to the erotic battle of wills happening on our end.
Theo gritted his teeth, his face a mask of strained concentration as he struggled to hold back his impending climax. Determined to push him over the edge, I reached between our bodies and rubbed my clit in tight circles, my inner walls clenching around him rhythmically. His eyes widened, and he made a choked sound, quickly covering it with a cough.
With a final, sharp thrust, his control shattered. He let out a strangled groan, his hips stuttering as he spilled himself deep inside me. I followed him over the edge, and he pressed his free hand over my mouth to silence my cries.
“I’ll . . . I’ll call you later,” he gritted out before ending the call and tossing his phone aside.
He collapsed on top of me, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.
I couldn’t help but giggle, giddy with the thrill of what we’d just done. “I can’t believe you just had a whole ass conversation while fucking me.”
He lifted his head, amusement painted on his face. “You’re a menace, you know that? I’m pretty sure he knew exactly what was going on.”
I grinned unrepentantly. “What can I say? I couldn’t help myself. You’re just too irresistible.”
He shook his head, a smile tugging on his lips. “Flattery will get you everywhere, little bird.” He leaned down to kiss me softly. “But as much as I’d love to stay here and ravish you all day, that call was important. I need to go take care of some things.”
I pouted at him. “Do you have to go right now? Can’t it wait a little longer?”
He sighed, brushing a strand of hair from my flushed face. “I wish I could stay, baby. But this is urgent Brotherhood bullshit that requires me to do some illegal activities with my laptop.”
Curiosity piqued, I sat up on my elbows. “Brotherhood business and illegal activities. Sounds enriching.”
“There are some high-value targets who we believe are involved in business with The Collectors. I need to do some digging and some reconnaissance for a bit.”
“Reconnaissance? Sounds riveting,” I teased.
“We think The Collectors are planning something big—an auction .”
I sat up straighter, my post-coital bliss evaporating. “An auction? What kind of auction? ”
“The human kind.”
I laughed, then quickly realized he wasn’t kidding. “Wait, you’re serious?”
He nodded grimly. “It’s not just weapons and drugs. They trade in flesh too. Young women, mostly. They kidnap them or lure them in with false promises, then sell them to the highest bidder.”
I swallowed hard, trying to process this revelation. “So this auction . . . when is it happening? And what are you going to do about it?”
“That’s what I need to find out. Kai’s girl, Haven, mentioned hearing about it, but she isn’t sure about the details. Typically, they’re very secretive, and the guest list is highly confidential.”
The reality of human trafficking hit me like a punch in the gut. It was one thing to hear about it on the news, but to know that it was happening so close to home that Theo and the boys were actively trying to stop it . . . it made it all too real.
“Jesus,” I breathed. “That’s heavy.”
“The Brotherhood . . . we’re not just a bunch of rich, entitled assholes playing at being vigilantes. On the contrary, none of us are the good guys. We’re just trying to be less bad than the worst guys out there—to stop the real monsters.”
I could see the weight of responsibility and obligation in his eyes, the burden he carried as a member of The Brotherhood. It was a side of him I’d never fully grasped until now. The depth of his commitment ran deeper than I’d realized—no matter how morally black it might be.
I reached up to cup his face. “I understand. Just be careful, okay?”
He turned his head to press a kiss into my palm. “Always.”
With a sigh, he reluctantly pulled away, slipping out of me. I immediately felt the loss of his warmth. He helped me off the table, steadying me on my feet. My legs felt like jelly as we quickly cleaned the kitchen, righting the dishes and wiping down the surfaces. I couldn’t help but blush every time my gaze landed on the table, our hot sex still fresh in my mind.
He disappeared into the bedroom to dress, emerging a few minutes later, looking every inch the imposing Brotherhood member in black jeans, a fitted black T-shirt, and his ever-present leather jacket .
“Will I see you later?” I asked, trying to keep the hopeful note out of my voice.
He pulled me into his arms and dropped a kiss on the top of my head. “I’ll do my best to wrap this up quickly. If I do, maybe I can swing by the hospital and take you to breakfast after your shift?”
I smiled up at him. “I’d like that.”
One more kiss, and he was gone.