Read Online Saving Ren (Barretti Security Series, Book 3) by Sloane Kennedy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sloane Kennedy
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them take me, Declan,” Ren whispered desperately and Declan didn’t miss the sheen of tears in his eyes. Declan couldn’t stop himself from getting up and going to stand in front of Ren. He waited until their gazes connected before he spoke.
“I swear to God, Ren, no one will ever hurt you again.” He wrapped his hand around the back of Ren’s neck and squeezed gently and dragged in a breath when Ren finally nodded. And in that moment, Declan knew he wouldn’t break his promise to the younger man, no matter what.
***
Declan promised. Ren kept repeating that to himself over and over as he watched the sunlight fade through the kitchen window. He was still working on the plate of food Jagger had slid in front of him and ordered him to take his time eating but with the caveat that he had to eat it all. For most, it wouldn’t be considered a huge portion but to Ren it looked enormous. It tasted really good though so at least there was that. And so far his stomach hadn’t rebelled though he was starting to get uncomfortable, especially as his anxiety began to notch up.
“When will he be back?” Ren couldn’t help but ask as he listened to Jagger working in the kitchen behind him. The logical part of Ren’s brain told him he was safe with Jagger but there was something about Declan that was strangely comforting. Which didn’t make any sense since he’d spent very little time around the quiet man who always kept to himself at the few family functions they’d attended at the same time.
“A few days,” Jagger responded. “He’s working tomorrow and has a family function this weekend.” Jagger returned to the table and dropped down in the chair next to Ren.
“I didn’t know he had much of a family besides Sylvie,” Ren said. At Jagger’s silence, Ren stilled. “It’s not his family, is it?” Ren asked.
Jagger shook his head. “It’s an engagement party for Logan’s sister and her fiancé.”
Ren remembered meeting Logan briefly at Vin’s house his first night back in Seattle. Vin had told him about the death of Dom’s wife and his newfound relationship with another man but admittedly, Ren had been too preoccupied to give it much thought at that time or even in the past couple of weeks.
“Have you met him?” Ren asked absentmindedly.
“Logan?”
Ren nodded.
“A few times. He comes to the office to meet Dom for lunch,” Jagger said.
“What does he do?” It felt strange to be asking someone else the questions he should have asked Dom or even Vin.
“He runs a foundation that helps kids in need. Kids from the street,” Jagger explained. “It’s named for Declan’s sister.”
That was a surprise. “Did Sylvie and Logan know each other?”
Jagger shrugged. “Not sure.”
“Strange,” Ren said.
“What is?”
“That Declan would be close to a man that replaced his sister.”
Jagger leaned back in his chair. “Is that really how you see it?”
“What? That he replaced her?”
“Yeah.”
Ren considered that for a moment. He’d never known any people that loved each other more than Dom and Sylvie. They’d been perfect for one another and he’d always envied what they’d had. And Dom had loved her too much to just so easily dismiss her memory for someone else.
“Don’t you think this thing with Logan is just some way for Dom to deal with losing Sylvie? Like a rebound thing?” Ren asked as he pushed his nearly empty plate away from him.
“No, I don’t think that at all. I’ve seen the way Dom and Logan look at each other. It’s the real deal,” Jagger said.
Ren must have looked confused because Jagger chuckled. “What, you don’t think it’s possible to love two people in the same way? Two soulmates?”
“I guess I’d have to believe in soulmates first before I could believe in having more than one in a lifetime.”
“You ever come close?” Jagger asked.
The sudden shift in conversation caused a knot to form in Ren’s gut but he managed to shake
“I swear to God, Ren, no one will ever hurt you again.” He wrapped his hand around the back of Ren’s neck and squeezed gently and dragged in a breath when Ren finally nodded. And in that moment, Declan knew he wouldn’t break his promise to the younger man, no matter what.
***
Declan promised. Ren kept repeating that to himself over and over as he watched the sunlight fade through the kitchen window. He was still working on the plate of food Jagger had slid in front of him and ordered him to take his time eating but with the caveat that he had to eat it all. For most, it wouldn’t be considered a huge portion but to Ren it looked enormous. It tasted really good though so at least there was that. And so far his stomach hadn’t rebelled though he was starting to get uncomfortable, especially as his anxiety began to notch up.
“When will he be back?” Ren couldn’t help but ask as he listened to Jagger working in the kitchen behind him. The logical part of Ren’s brain told him he was safe with Jagger but there was something about Declan that was strangely comforting. Which didn’t make any sense since he’d spent very little time around the quiet man who always kept to himself at the few family functions they’d attended at the same time.
“A few days,” Jagger responded. “He’s working tomorrow and has a family function this weekend.” Jagger returned to the table and dropped down in the chair next to Ren.
“I didn’t know he had much of a family besides Sylvie,” Ren said. At Jagger’s silence, Ren stilled. “It’s not his family, is it?” Ren asked.
Jagger shook his head. “It’s an engagement party for Logan’s sister and her fiancé.”
Ren remembered meeting Logan briefly at Vin’s house his first night back in Seattle. Vin had told him about the death of Dom’s wife and his newfound relationship with another man but admittedly, Ren had been too preoccupied to give it much thought at that time or even in the past couple of weeks.
“Have you met him?” Ren asked absentmindedly.
“Logan?”
Ren nodded.
“A few times. He comes to the office to meet Dom for lunch,” Jagger said.
“What does he do?” It felt strange to be asking someone else the questions he should have asked Dom or even Vin.
“He runs a foundation that helps kids in need. Kids from the street,” Jagger explained. “It’s named for Declan’s sister.”
That was a surprise. “Did Sylvie and Logan know each other?”
Jagger shrugged. “Not sure.”
“Strange,” Ren said.
“What is?”
“That Declan would be close to a man that replaced his sister.”
Jagger leaned back in his chair. “Is that really how you see it?”
“What? That he replaced her?”
“Yeah.”
Ren considered that for a moment. He’d never known any people that loved each other more than Dom and Sylvie. They’d been perfect for one another and he’d always envied what they’d had. And Dom had loved her too much to just so easily dismiss her memory for someone else.
“Don’t you think this thing with Logan is just some way for Dom to deal with losing Sylvie? Like a rebound thing?” Ren asked as he pushed his nearly empty plate away from him.
“No, I don’t think that at all. I’ve seen the way Dom and Logan look at each other. It’s the real deal,” Jagger said.
Ren must have looked confused because Jagger chuckled. “What, you don’t think it’s possible to love two people in the same way? Two soulmates?”
“I guess I’d have to believe in soulmates first before I could believe in having more than one in a lifetime.”
“You ever come close?” Jagger asked.
The sudden shift in conversation caused a knot to form in Ren’s gut but he managed to shake
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