Ren’s dead eyes clashed with hers as she closed her hands around his wrist in a desperate effort to loosen the hold he had on her.
“You thought you’d won, didn’t you?” Ren bit out. “You said all the right words, did all the right things. You’ve got him completely fooled.”
Mia shook her head as she tried to remain calm. His hold wasn’t gentle but she could still drag in enough air to keep from passing out.
“I know what that bitch did to him. What you plan to do to him...” Ren spat at her.
At a sudden commotion outside the patio doors, Ren’s hold eased a little more but not enough that she could hope to break free. A quick glance to her side showed that Bane and Briego were scratching at the doors as they barked wildly. She also didn’t miss the gun that Ren had raised at the sounds of both dogs but then slowly lowered again to rest against his leg when he realized the dogs couldn’t get inside. She knew she had seconds to try and get through to him.
“I know what it’s like,” she whispered.
Her response had the desired effect and the pressure of Ren’s fingers stayed the same. “I know what it feels like to be alive and dead at the same time,” she said quickly.
Light suddenly flooded the kitchen and Mia bit back a scream as the gun flew up once more, this time aimed at Vin who stood in stunned silence in just a pair of sweats as he clearly tried to comprehend what was going on. Mia saw the instant everything registered and as he took several steps forward to come to her aid, she shouted, “Vin, don’t! Please!”
She wasn’t sure what Vin had heard in her voice but he stopped, his eyes flashing to his brother who’d lowered the gun as soon as he’d realized who he’d been pointing it at.
“Ren-” Vin said softly, his hands opening in supplication. “Ren, please don’t hurt her.”
“She’s playing you Vinny! Don’t you see that? She’s like the others!” His eyes suddenly darkened with pain. “I found the birth announcement Elise sent you...and the picture.”
Mia saw the surprise on Vin’s expression and he shook his head. “I threw it away,” he said in confusion.
“I came home on leave that weekend,” Ren murmured. “You invited me to stay with you, do you remember?”
Mia could see the moment Vin did remember and his surprised look was replaced with one of regret. It was clearly something he hadn’t wanted anyone who loved him to ever know about.
“I dropped something into the trash can by accident. That’s how I found it. I’d never seen you like that, Vinny,” Ren whispered. “But I didn’t know what to do...what to say, so I didn’t say anything. I should have been a better brother to you.”
“Ren,” Mia said quietly, waiting until his focus was back on her. “I would never hurt him like that,” she said as she slowly eased her left hand from where it had been grasping his wrist. Her fingers drifted over his and then she gently eased two of his fingers apart so that he could see the scars on her neck.
“Two years of being a prisoner,” she whispered. “Two years that I fought every day to live even as part of me wanted to die.” She felt Ren’s fingers shift so he could see more of her throat. “Even after I was free I still felt like I was there – in that same place. Dom gave me a safe place to stay but it was Vin who truly set me free.”
“Ren, I love her,” Vin said softly.
Ren’s eyes bore into hers as if searching for something.
“She’ll betray you, Vin. That’s what they all do,” Ren said coldly. But to Mia’s surprise he released her and stepped back. Vin was there instantly to drag her into his arms.
“Call off the dogs, Vin. I don’t want to have to shoot them,” Ren said and Mia looked up to see him standing at the patio doors watching Bane and Briego who snarled at him.
“Ren-” Vin said.
“Call them off,” Ren ordered once more, his eyes once again hollow as he looked over his shoulder.
Vin closed his hand around Mia and kept her behind him as he moved closer to the door and shouted a command. Both dogs dropped to the ground and fell silent. Ren didn’t hesitate to open the door and walk past them. He was quickly swallowed up by the inky blackness outside.
“Are you all right?” Vin asked as he dragged her up against his chest.
Mia stifled a sob that threatened to escape. “I’m okay,” she managed to get out.
“God, Mia, I’m so sorry,” he whispered against her ear.
And with that, Mia lost it and began to cry.
***
Vin cradled Mia against his chest as Dom paced back and forth in front of the loveseat in the den, his cellphone plastered to his ear. Logan sat in an armchair in the corner, his concerned gaze shifting between Dom and Mia. Vin wasn’t paying attention to what Dom was saying. His only thoughts were for Mia as she remained still in his arms. She’d said little since the encounter with Ren and as soon as he’d called Dom, he’d led Mia into the den and held her as they’d waited for Dom to arrive.
It was the dogs’ incessant barking that had alerted him to something wrong and before he’d hurried down the stairs, he’d done a quick check of Ren’s room only to find it empty. He’d expected to find that Ren had wandered outside and had been cornered by the dogs. Fear for his brother had consumed him and he’d gone into the kitchen to tell Mia he was going to check on the dogs. The sight that had greeted him when he’d flipped on the lights had been too much for his brain to process at first. And when it finally registered what was happening, the man hurting Mia ceased to be his brother and his only thought had been to get to her. The sheer pleading in Mia’s voice had somehow managed to get through and had stopped him. He had no idea if she’d been afraid for him or for Ren but the fact that she had begged him to stop had him guessing it was the latter because his brother hadn’t been aiming the gun at him as soon as he recognized Vin, so there’d been little threat to Vin’s life in that moment.
“Declan will let us know if any reports come in,” Dom said as he dropped down onto the coffee table across from them. “How you doing, sweetheart?” he asked Mia as his hand patted her knee.
“I’m okay,” she said softly though her voice still shook.
“Did you tell Declan he was armed?” Vin asked. Dread went through his gut at the realization that his brother was now a very serious threat to anyone he encountered.
“I told him,” Dom responded. “Do you know if he took any extra ammo?”
Vin shook his head. “I don’t think so. It was my spare that I keep in my desk drawer. Clip was full though. He found the keys for his GTO too. I told him I’d been storing the car for him.”
Dom nodded. “I’ll make sure Declan gets the plate number.”
“You should have seen him, Dom. There was nothing there,” he said.
“He was there, Vin,” Mia said as her fingers laced with his. “It was just for a second but I saw it. He was just trying to protect you.”
Vin’s hold on her tightened. “He could have killed you.” A shudder went through him even as he said the words.
“We’ll find him, Vin. We’ll get him the help he needs,” Dom said firmly.
Vin nodded but he wasn’t sure it would matter. He might never be able to trust his brother again.
Chapter 11
Long after Dom and Logan left, Vin held Mia while they sat quietly in the den. He knew he should get her settled back in bed but he figured it would be a long time before either of them slept, if even at all. So he just clung to her and tried to come to terms with what had happened...and how he hadn’t seen it coming.
Mia must have read his mind because she said, “You couldn’t have known.”
“I should have. I noticed that he looked at you strangely but it didn’t click.”
“You heard him, Vin. He said I’d betray you – he said that was what they all did. I don’t think he was only talking about the women who hurt you,” Mia said as she straightened and put some space between them.
Vin considered her words. “I
f that’s true it makes him even more dangerous.”
“If he’d truly wanted to hurt me, he could have done it long before you showed up,” she reasoned.
“Either way, he needs the kind of help that I can’t give him,” Vin admitted. He let his fingers drift along Mia’s cheek and then slid them down to brush over the scars on her throat. He was glad when she didn’t show any discomfort at his touch. “I do love you,” he finally whispered.
“I know,” Mia said softly.
“You’re young, Mia. You can have any life you want.” He hadn’t meant to have this conversation now but he suddenly needed to know.
“I already have the life I want,” she said as she leaned in to brush a kiss over his lips. “The question is, do you?”
Vin wrapped one hand around her head and used the other to pull her body against his. “Yes. Absolutely, one hundred percent yes,” he muttered just before he covered her mouth with his.
***
Mia glanced at the GPS screen in the dashboard of the car as she made the final turn. She’d been surprised to get the text from Riley asking her to come help with a large scale rescue that was going on at an abandoned pet shop, but from the details Riley had provided, there were well over a hundred animals in need and the small volunteer group was overwhelmed and needed every pair of hands they could get. Vin would be angry with her for leaving the safety of the house, but she’d been hiding from the press long enough and knowing she was needed had made it easy to call Vin and leave him a message letting him know where she was going.
In the weeks since Ren’s disappearance, Mia had started granting more and more interviews to the press in the hopes that things would eventually start to die down as her side of the story came out. She was scheduled to do her first on screen TV interview next week and though she was nervous, she was also excited because the sooner she could move about freely, the sooner she could get some normalcy in her life. And Vin had been nothing but supportive in all her efforts including her decision to pursue a career as a vet tech. They’d had a big fight about how she’d pay for it but the make-up sex had made up for it as had Vin’s acquiescence that she would seek financial aid. But she’d lost the battle in a big way when she’d suggested paying Vin any kind of room and board. The make-up sex for that had been even better than the first round.
Mia pulled into the deserted parking lot and looked around before she fished out her phone and checked the address Riley had given her. The address was right but the whole thing seemed off to her as she looked around and saw no people or cars. The building itself looked more like a warehouse than a storefront. Warning bells went off in her head and she reached for the keys that were still in the ignition. Before she could start the car, her door was ripped open and she was yanked out of the seat. She nearly hit the ground but the grip on her arm dragged her upright and pressed her back against the car.
A clammy hand clamped over her mouth when she tried to scream.
“Shhh, baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” the man whispered as he pressed his full length against her. She guessed him to be just under six feet with a skinny build. Greasy blond hair was slicked off to the side of his head and muddy brown eyes peered into hers. He fidgeted nervously and she jumped when one of his hands came up to swipe the sweat from his brow. The gun in his hand dangled precariously as he scrubbed his face.
“Promise me you won’t scream, okay, honey? I don’t want to have to hurt you,” the man said in a high pitched voice.
She managed a nod and bit back the nausea that went through her as his hand left her mouth and then traveled over her face as if trying to memorize it. His fingers skimmed down to her neck and he frowned when he reached the scars.
“I told him not to make it too tight,” he muttered. His eyes came back up to meet hers and horror went through her like a knife as his words penetrated her brain.
“You’re the one who was helping my father,” she managed to get out.
“He was a sick fucker,” the guy said with a soft chuckle. “But a creative one. When he told me what he wanted...” His eyes suddenly darkened. “But I couldn’t let him hurt you so I made sure yours didn’t work like the others.”
“Why?” Mia whispered. “I don’t know you.”
His hand began rubbing up and down her arm as if trying to soothe her. Her stomach roiled at the intimate contact.
“He showed me a picture of you once. Let me keep it in exchange for a couple of fake IDs. When he couldn’t pay anymore, I made him a deal.”
Oh God, she really was going to be sick. She shook her head in denial.
“We were so close, baby. A couple more months and I would have gotten you out of there.”
“You’re insane,” Mia said softly.
The man’s features twisted in anger and he shook the gun in her face. “Don’t you fuckin say that!” he yelled at her, his foul breath blasting her in the face. And just as quick as his rage had flared to life, it died down and his fingers came up to cup her face, the metal of the gun pressing into her skin. “I just want us to be together,” he whispered. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
His grip was brutal as he crushed his mouth over hers but Mia brought her knee up hard. Her aim was enough to dislodge him but not enough to get completely free and he slammed her hard against the car. “Don’t do that!” he snapped.
Tears suddenly formed in the man’s eyes and Mia knew he truly was deranged. The gun suddenly pressed between her breasts and the man dragged one of his hands up to wipe at his face again. “Years!” he cried. “I waited for you for years!”
“You’re a murderer,” she spat at him, her fury overriding all other thought. “You should be rotting in hell beside him!”
The man stepped back but kept his gun aimed at her. “You ungrateful bitch!”
Mia closed her eyes and brought a picture of Vin into her head the second she realized the sick asshole was going to pull the trigger. The gunshot resonated through the air and something hot and wet hit her face but it took her several long, precious seconds to realize there was no pain...no blackness as death claimed her. She forced her eyes open and let out a muffled cry at the sight of the man lying dead at her feet, a gaping hole in the side of his head, his lifeless eyes staring straight ahead. Her eyes darted around until she found what she was looking for. Not what...who.
Not more than fifteen feet away from her with gun still raised stood Ren.
***
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?”
The hospital was absolutely the last place she wanted to go so she shook her head at Declan. It had been nearly an hour since the shooting and she felt like she was going to have a complete meltdown if Vin didn’t get here soon.
“How much longer?” she asked.
Declan seemed to know what she was asking and smiled gently at her from the other side of his desk. His office was tiny but neatly organized. There were no pictures or decorative items that hinted beyond his life on the force.
“Vin should be here in a couple of hours. They left Spokane about an hour ago.”
Mia nodded. She’d forgotten that Vin and Dom were meeting a new client on the other side of the state.
“How’s Ren?”
Declan hesitated as if he were searching for the right words. Ren hadn’t spoken to her after the shooting other than to ask if she was okay but he’d gently wiped the specks of blood from her face with his sleeve before putting the gun on the top of the car as they waited for the police to arrive. She’d protested when the cops put Ren in handcuffs but she’d been told it was just procedure.
“He’s hanging in there,” Declan responded.
“You can’t lock him up,” Mia whispered. “Not after what he’s been through.”
Declan got up and came around the desk to sit in the chair next to hers. “He’s not in a cell but we’re keeping him in an interview room until the prosecutor can get down here to talk to you and him. I called in
a favor so you guys should both be out of here within the hour.”
“He saved my life, Declan.”
“He won’t face charges, Mia. But I can’t release him until the prosecutor officially confirms he did it in your defense.”
Mia managed a nod. “Can I see him?”
“I’ll see wat I can do once you’ve both talked to the D.A.”
She was surprised when his hand closed over hers. “Everything will be okay.”
“Who was he?”
“His name was Owen Pritchett. We found his car in the alley behind the warehouse. Our techs think he hacked Riley’s phone to get your number and then used a spoofing app to make it look like she was the one texting you.”
Mia felt tears sting her eyes as the whole situation began to sink in. “I’m such a fool,” she whispered. “I just thought the sooner I got things back to normal...”
“It’s not your fault, Mia.”
“Yes it is. And Ren...”
“Ren will be okay. I’ve known him for a long time. He’s strong – he’ll get through this,” Declan said firmly.
God, she hoped he was right because she wasn’t sure Vin could face losing his brother all over again.
***
Mia followed Declan into the small interview room and watched with concern as Ren fidgeted where he stood in the corner of the room. Declan led her to the table in the middle of the room and pulled out the chair for her. After she sat down, she glanced over her shoulder and saw that Declan had placed himself near the door. It was clear he wasn’t going to leave her alone with Ren.
She shifted her eyes back to Ren. He was clearly struggling to maintain his control and his eyes kept flipping between her and Declan.
“She just wants to talk, Ren,” she heard Declan say and she was surprised to see Ren settle somewhat. But it was clear he wasn’t going to sit down.
“Thank you, Ren,” she said softly.
He gave her a sharp nod but didn’t say anything.
Loving Vin (Barretti Security Series, #1) Page 12