Chapter 22
AXEL
Something is wrong.
I see it in the way that Wren’s body locks up, and her face loses all its color. I follow her line of sight and see Zach, the ex-husband of Wren and Lenny’s client. I frown and look back at Wren, unsure of what’s wrong, but when I see the look in her eye, I have my suspicions.
I turn and really take in Zach I see the scratches that mar his face and trail my eyes down his arm, finding a bite mark on his wrist that’s only visible because his sleeves are rolled up. My heartrate picks up as my eyes find his and the asshole smirks at me.
Zach isn’t really Zach. He’s Dylan.
The asshole who assaulted Wren is in the courtroom with us. His ex-wife is Lenny and Wren’s client. He was abusive to her and their two kids. He attacked Wren. What twisted world are we living in that this is happening right now?
As much as I want to rush outside and tell Luke and my other brothers what’s going on, I can’t leave Wren like this.
I barely comprehend what the Judge is saying as he starts with his questioning. Luckily, Lenny can tell something is wrong and blocks Zach from looking at Wren or Alexis.
Luke taps me on the shoulder and when I turn to him, he gives me a questioning look. I grit my teeth and nod in Zach’s direction. I may not be able to tell him what’s going on right now, but he’ll know something is up.
We sit there through the rest of the hearing, and my leg is bouncing in nervous energy by the time the judge finally says that we’re adjourned for the day. I jump from my seat and pull Wren out of the courtroom with Luke hot on my heels.
As soon as we’re outside, I whirl around and pull Wren into my arms, desperate to protect her. With my free hand, I pull out my phone and call Grayson. He answers on the second ring.
“What’s up?”
“Dylan is really Zach Rycroft. He showed up at the fucking courthouse and waltzed right in. He’s been the abusive ex-husband that Wren and Lenny are working to get custody of their client’s kids from.”
“What the fuck?” He growls. “We’ll be there in ten minutes.”
I hang up the phone and pull Wren closer to me, looking at Luke over her head.
He looks as murderous as I feel. He turns to watch the courthouse door while we wait for our brothers to get here.
I hear the rumble of bikes as they finally get closer and watch as Lenny and Alexis walk out of the courthouse and he leads her to the parking lot.
Grayson, Rowan, Cane, Cole, Nash, Atlas and the prospects pull to the side of the street, parking their bikes and hopping off. They surround us a second later, scanning the courthouse and surrounding area.
“Where the fuck is he?” Rowan barks from beside me.
“He hasn’t left the courthouse yet,” Luke replies.
“How the hell did he sneak by like this?” Cane asks.
“We didn’t think there would be a connection like this,” I tell him. “Wren never saw a photo of Zach. She had no reason to.”
“I can’t believe this is happening,” she mutters into my chest.
I look around and notice that we’re garnering quite the crowd. People are watching us to see what’s about to go down. We don’t have any of the police in our pockets in this town, either, but that doesn’t matter to my brothers. We protect our women, no matter the cost.
The door to the courthouse opening draws my attention there and I watch as Dylan, or Zach, whatever the fuck his name is, walks out alongside his lawyer. Before any of us can move in that direction, Lenny steps in front of us.
“I don’t know what you all think is about to happen right now, but stop,” he whisper-hisses. “I know that you feel like what you’re about to do is right, but I can’t get you all out of jail with this many witnesses.”
I hate that he’s right, but we all know that he is.
That’s why we all stand by and watch as Zach walks by us with a smile on his face.
He tries to move around to see Wren, but my brothers and I block her with our bodies.
He doesn’t get to look at her. He doesn’t get to think about her.
If it weren’t for the witnesses, I’d kill him right here.
“She’s not coming back to court tomorrow,” I tell Lenny when Zach is out of sight.
“She doesn’t have to,” he murmurs his agreement.
“She gets to decide that for herself,” Wren growls, pushing off my chest. “You guys don’t get to decide what I do, here.
He’s not going to stop me from doing what I prepared for.
Now, if you want to come and sit in the courthouse with me.
That’s fine. As long as you behave. He’s not taking anything else away from me, though. ”
I swear I fall in love with her right then and there. This is that strong and determined woman that I know. “If you’re up for it, I’ll be here. He won’t get anywhere near you.”
“Even if we all have to sit here,” Grayson says.
Wren nods her head, and it feels good to know that my brothers have my back.