Saving Ren (Barretti Security Series, Book 3) by Sloane Kennedy Read Free Book Online

head.
    The man before him was nothing like the old Ren Barretti but Declan still wanted him. He’d met Ren for the first time at Dom and Sylvie’s wedding and though Ren hadn’t known it, his presence had changed something for Declan. The beautiful, happy go lucky 19 year old with the perpetual smile on his face and laughing blue eyes had confirmed for Declan that his future wouldn’t consist of the wife and kids he’d been expected to have. After years of denying what his body wanted, it had taken only one look at Ren for Declan to know he would always crave the presence of another man instead of a woman.
    But the worst part was that his gut had told him even then that it would be this one man that he wanted above all others and he’d been right. Declan had spoken less than a dozen words to Ren that night but he’d lost his heart to him almost instantly. It didn’t matter that Ren was straight, that he was younger or that they were technically related by law. And it didn’t matter that he hadn’t seen Ren again for several years after that. His heart hadn’t given a shit that a future with Ren was impossible. It hadn’t cared that being in love with someone so completely unattainable would torture Declan in the years that followed.
    What had mattered was that when Ren had been led in handcuffs through the precinct doors just a few short days ago, it was his heart that had decided he needed to save Ren and his mind had been in overdrive ever since trying to make that happen. But all he’d ended up doing was making things worse.
     
    ***
    Jagger watched Declan re-enter the kitchen from the back hallway that led to the bedrooms. The man looked as worn out as Ren had and Jagger guessed Declan was now the one crashing as his own adrenaline rush began to fade. Declan paused when he saw him sitting at the table but his eyes quickly fell on the gun Jagger had placed in the center. Ren’s gun.
    “Serial number’s filed off,” Jagger said.
    Declan slid into the chair across from him and reached for the illegal gun that Ren had bought off the streets. Jagger wasn’t surprised when Declan made sure the gun was empty. He examined it briefly and then put it back down before running his fingers through his hair in agitation.
    “I gave him the money to buy food,” Declan muttered. “I didn’t even consider this,” he said as he stared at the gun. “I’m such a fool…”
    “He would have found a way to get the gun whether you gave him money or not,” Jagger said. “It was obviously the only thing that made him feel even somewhat safe.”
    Declan stood up and went to the refrigerator and yanked open the door. Jagger knew what he’d see – absolutely nothing. Declan slammed the door shut and leaned back against it. “We need to call his brothers,” he finally said.
    “And break the promise we made him?” Jagger said. “No. One hundred fucking percent no.”
    “You saw him, Jagger,” Declan snapped. He came back to the table and picked up the gun. “He looked at this like it was his only way out. If we hadn’t gotten here in time…”
    “The first shot he fired went through the wall near the back door.”
    After a brief glance over his shoulder at the door in question, Declan lowered the gun once more. “We can’t risk leaving him alone. He needs professional help. If it means having him committed-” Declan said softly.
    Jagger rose and slammed his hands down on the table. “He doesn’t belong in a place like that!” Anger went through Jagger at even the thought of Ren being pumped full of drugs and being left in a corner somewhere to rot like a piece of garbage. He’d seen firsthand what passed for mental health care in the military system and there was no way in hell he would let Ren suffer through that after having survived so much.
    “Jagger,” Declan began to say but Jagger cut him off.
    “You want out, Declan? Go!”
    “I want him safe, damn it!” Declan snapped though he kept his voice