Read Online Saving Ren (Barretti Security Series, Book 3) by Sloane Kennedy - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sloane Kennedy
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Declan asked Ren.
Ren seemed surprised by the question and it took him several seconds to answer.
“I…I remember you guys showing up.”
“Do you remember what happened before we got here?”
This time Ren needed much longer to consider it. “I remember getting here and I was glad when the code for the alarm worked. I was tired so I sat down for a while,” Ren said as he glanced down at the spot on the floor in the corner of the room. “Then you were there and you made me something to eat.”
Declan bent his head and ran his hand over the back of his neck. A quick glance at Jagger showed the other man wasn’t eager for what would come next.
“What?” Ren asked in confusion as he glanced between the two men.
“We were outside when we heard your gun go off,” Jagger said softly and Ren’s eyes shifted to follow Jagger’s gaze to the back door. He stiffened when he saw the bullet hole there.
“Jagger came through the door first,” Declan said gently as Ren’s eyes moved to him. If your aim had been a quarter of an inch to the right, he wouldn’t be here.”
Ren’s eyes widened as Declan’s meaning sank in and he glanced at Jagger. But when Declan spoke again, Ren returned his attention to him.
“You were about to pull the trigger again when I came in. You wouldn’t have missed a second time,” Declan added with emphasis. Ren shook his head in denial but when neither Jagger nor Declan said anything, the truth hit him. And it was quickly followed by anger.
“I told you to stay away, Declan!” Ren shouted. “We had a deal!”
“Our deal didn’t include you going out and buying a gun!” Declan returned. “Do you even get what could have happened?”
“I knew I couldn’t trust you,” Ren suddenly said. The words stung but Declan didn’t get a chance to respond.
“Hey!” Jagger yelled. “Where the hell do you think you’d be right now without him?” he said angrily as he pointed at Declan. “Because I can tell you and none of the scenarios end with you being a free man.”
“I can take care of myself,” Ren said mutinously.
“Like you took care of yourself last night?” Jagger bit out. “Shooting at ghosts?”
Ren remained silent but Declan was glad to see he hadn’t emotionally withdrawn himself from the conversation and didn’t seem to be on the verge of an episode.
“How long before a ghost turns out to be some innocent hiker who got a little turned around and came to your door asking for directions? How long before some hunter’s gunshots put you back in that hellhole and you become the hunter? What happens when you decide you’re okay to go back to the city and some guy mouths off to you because you accidentally bumped into him on the sidewalk?” Jagger asked.
“Jagger,” Declan said.
“No, Declan, we’re not going to tip toe around this,” Jagger said as his eyes flashed to Declan for a moment before returning to Ren. “You’re a smart man, Ren. You know that you have no hope in hell of beating this thing by yourself. And I know you don’t want to hurt anyone but the fact is that even without a weapon you’re a dangerous man.”
“Ren,” Declan said softly. “I know you’re scared. Scared that you’ll never be safe again. That you won’t ever be the man you used to be. Let Jagger and I take some of that burden off of you. We can keep you safe and we can make sure you don’t hurt anyone else by mistake. Maybe if you don’t have to worry so much about that shit, you can start figuring out the rest.”
Ren remained quiet for a long time and then he started looking around the room. His eyes went to the door and then to the wall where he’d ended up last night after the shooting. It took Declan a moment to realize he was remembering part, if not all, of what had happened.
“You said no one would touch me ever again,” Ren finally said.
Ren looked up at Jagger who nodded briefly and then his eyes met Declan’s. “Promise me you won’t let
Ren seemed surprised by the question and it took him several seconds to answer.
“I…I remember you guys showing up.”
“Do you remember what happened before we got here?”
This time Ren needed much longer to consider it. “I remember getting here and I was glad when the code for the alarm worked. I was tired so I sat down for a while,” Ren said as he glanced down at the spot on the floor in the corner of the room. “Then you were there and you made me something to eat.”
Declan bent his head and ran his hand over the back of his neck. A quick glance at Jagger showed the other man wasn’t eager for what would come next.
“What?” Ren asked in confusion as he glanced between the two men.
“We were outside when we heard your gun go off,” Jagger said softly and Ren’s eyes shifted to follow Jagger’s gaze to the back door. He stiffened when he saw the bullet hole there.
“Jagger came through the door first,” Declan said gently as Ren’s eyes moved to him. If your aim had been a quarter of an inch to the right, he wouldn’t be here.”
Ren’s eyes widened as Declan’s meaning sank in and he glanced at Jagger. But when Declan spoke again, Ren returned his attention to him.
“You were about to pull the trigger again when I came in. You wouldn’t have missed a second time,” Declan added with emphasis. Ren shook his head in denial but when neither Jagger nor Declan said anything, the truth hit him. And it was quickly followed by anger.
“I told you to stay away, Declan!” Ren shouted. “We had a deal!”
“Our deal didn’t include you going out and buying a gun!” Declan returned. “Do you even get what could have happened?”
“I knew I couldn’t trust you,” Ren suddenly said. The words stung but Declan didn’t get a chance to respond.
“Hey!” Jagger yelled. “Where the hell do you think you’d be right now without him?” he said angrily as he pointed at Declan. “Because I can tell you and none of the scenarios end with you being a free man.”
“I can take care of myself,” Ren said mutinously.
“Like you took care of yourself last night?” Jagger bit out. “Shooting at ghosts?”
Ren remained silent but Declan was glad to see he hadn’t emotionally withdrawn himself from the conversation and didn’t seem to be on the verge of an episode.
“How long before a ghost turns out to be some innocent hiker who got a little turned around and came to your door asking for directions? How long before some hunter’s gunshots put you back in that hellhole and you become the hunter? What happens when you decide you’re okay to go back to the city and some guy mouths off to you because you accidentally bumped into him on the sidewalk?” Jagger asked.
“Jagger,” Declan said.
“No, Declan, we’re not going to tip toe around this,” Jagger said as his eyes flashed to Declan for a moment before returning to Ren. “You’re a smart man, Ren. You know that you have no hope in hell of beating this thing by yourself. And I know you don’t want to hurt anyone but the fact is that even without a weapon you’re a dangerous man.”
“Ren,” Declan said softly. “I know you’re scared. Scared that you’ll never be safe again. That you won’t ever be the man you used to be. Let Jagger and I take some of that burden off of you. We can keep you safe and we can make sure you don’t hurt anyone else by mistake. Maybe if you don’t have to worry so much about that shit, you can start figuring out the rest.”
Ren remained quiet for a long time and then he started looking around the room. His eyes went to the door and then to the wall where he’d ended up last night after the shooting. It took Declan a moment to realize he was remembering part, if not all, of what had happened.
“You said no one would touch me ever again,” Ren finally said.
Ren looked up at Jagger who nodded briefly and then his eyes met Declan’s. “Promise me you won’t let
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