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Special Operations 2

Tattoed & Taken

Deputy Robby Harrison wanted Wren Crivello from the moment
they met, but no matter how hard he tries, Wren seems to only

want to be friends. When Robby gets fired from his job by his
brother, he suddenly realizes he’s chasing after a lost cause. In a
fit of anger and depression, Robby ties one on at the local bar,

only to wake the next morning in bed with a naked woman. Totally
freaked out, Robby runs only to end up in the arms of the very

man he was trying to forget.

Warned away from Robby six months ago, Wren tried to let things

take their natural course. When Robby arrives home after being
missing for hours, Wren loses the tight grip he had on his control.

What follows is a wild ride that neither of them have any desire to
stop.

When the dust settles, Wren is overjoyed that Robby is finally his.

But someone else thinks that Robby belongs to them and they will
do anything, including threaten Robby’s family, to keep Wren and

Robby apart. The marine motto is "When everyone runs from
danger, marines run towards it," and Wren has every intention of

facing the danger head-on. He just has to keep Robby alive long
enough to discover who is after him and why.

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Contemporary
Length: 44,662 words

TATTOOED & TAKEN

Special Operations 2

Stormy Glenn

EROTIC ROMANCE

MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

TATTOOED & TAKEN
Copyright © 2013 by Stormy Glenn
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-536-5

First E-book Publication: March 2013

Cover design by Harris Channing
All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
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express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance
to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

Dear Readers,

If you have purchased this copy of Tattooed & Taken by Stormy
Glenn from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you.
Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy

This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or
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TATTOOED & TAKEN

Special Operations 2

STORMY GLENN

Chapter 1

“You want what?”
“You heard me, Robby,” John Henry replied, his face clouded as

if he was hiding something. “Turn in your badge and your gun.”

“But why?” Robert Peter Harrison asked as he stood there in utter

shock, not sure if he should reach for his badge and gun or punch his
brother right smack in the mouth. His stomach twisted with anxiety
and disbelief at what he was hearing. “I haven’t done anything
wrong.”

He was a good deputy, and he knew it. He did his job to the best

of his ability but with care and consideration for the people he dealt
with. There were no reasons he could think of that John Henry would
be demanding his resignation. He hadn’t broken any laws, been late
for work, or anything else that would result in John Henry standing
here demanding he give up his badge and gun.

“It’s better this way, Robby.” John Henry seemed pensive and

almost hesitant as he folded his hands together and rested them on his
desk. “You’re not happy here. You’ll never be happy here. It’s time
for you to move on.”

What in the hell was John Henry talking about? Robby loved his

job. He loved being a deputy, working alongside of his brother, and

8 Stormy

Glenn

protecting the people in their county. He actually couldn’t think of
anything else he’d rather do.

“I don’t want to move on, John Henry. I like it here.”
Robby knew he wasn’t going to get John Henry to see reason

when he saw the man’s jaw tighten and his lips spread into a thin line.
John Henry Harrison was a stubborn-ass bastard when he wanted to
be. It could be a redeeming quality at times.

This wasn’t one of those times.
“Robby, I’m the sheriff here, and your older brother, and—”
Robby barely contained the angry words gagging him when John

Henry started talking. It was the same speech he had heard more times
than he could count. And he knew, no matter what he said, John
Henry’s mind was made up.

Robby had just been fired.
Robby clenched his jaw as he pulled the badge off of his uniform

shirt and set it down on the desk. Next was his gun. He carefully
unloaded it then set both the gun and the magazine down next to his
badge before turning and walking toward the door of John Henry’s
office.

Robby paused at the door with one hand on the door handle, then

glanced over his shoulder at his brother, a man he had respected
almost more than anyone—until today.

“You know, John Henry, one of these days, you’re going to

interfere in my life one too many times and you’re not going to be
able to fix what you’ve done.” Robby glowered at John Henry then
turned away.

He yanked the door open and stormed out, slamming the door

loudly behind him. It was better than smacking his brother. He could
feel the stares of the other people in the station as he walked to the
closet and grabbed a cardboard box.

It seemed almost anticlimactic that it took less than five minutes

to gather all of his belongings out of his desk and put them in the box.

Tattooed & Taken

Five years of a career and all he had to show for it was a small
cardboard box full of crap.

When Robby heard John Henry’s office door open, he gritted his

teeth and fought for control. He grabbed his stuff and walked out, not
bothering to acknowledge his brother was even in the room. If he
did—if he even looked at John Henry—he was likely to punch the
man right in the mouth.

Robby walked outside and dropped the box of his belongings into

the bed of his pickup truck, climbed into the cab, and slammed the
driver’s door closed. He took a moment to breathe, grabbing the
steering wheel with both hands and resting his forehead against it. If
he didn’t get himself under control, he’d march right back into the
sheriff’s station and give in to his urge to hurt his brother.

Robby couldn’t remember when he had ever been so angry at the

man. He adored him and had for his entire life. John Henry was the
very example of the man Robby wanted to be—until today.

Robby didn’t know whether to go with the anger clouding his

mind or the heartache wrapping around his heart. He felt like he had
been betrayed, like John Henry was taking something precious from
him that Robby wanted more than anything in the world.

Well, almost anything.
There was still one thing Robby wanted more.
Robby held onto his control by a thread as he pulled his cell phone

out and dialed a number he had memorized months ago. He tried not
to call it too often, but right now, he needed the voice on the other end
more than he needed air.

The corner of Robby’s mouth curved up when he heard the phone

connect but no one spoke. That was how it always was. Wren never
said a word until he knew who was at the other end of the line. It was
just one of the man’s odd quirks.

He had many.
“Hey, it’s Robby. Want to hang out?”

10 Stormy

Glenn

They had spent a lot of time together when Wren wasn’t out on a

mission, both at Robby’s house and Charlie and John Henry’s. But
most of their time together was at Robby’s place and usually spent
just watching movies or hanging out. No matter how many hints
Robby dropped, Wren never crossed that line to take things further
between them.

“Leaving work early?”
Robby swallowed the bile that suddenly threatened to come up as

he thought about the job he had just lost. He stared down at his
fingers, pulling at a loose thread on his jeans. “Yeah, something like
that.”

The man on the other end of the phone—the one Robby dreamed

about at night and fantasized might someday want something more
from him than just a few hours together here and there—grunted.

“I’ll meet you at your place.”
And just like that, the phone went dead.
Robby snapped his phone closed and slid it back into his pocket. It

felt like knives stabbing into him every time he called Wren and got
the same blasé response. He didn’t know how to define his
relationship with the man. He didn’t even know if they had one.

Robby called, they hung out, and then they went their separate

ways. There seemed to be this wall between them that Robby had
never been able to breach. He shook his head at the tears that
suddenly appeared. He ached with need and loneliness, and it felt like
it had just quadrupled.

Robby tried desperately to give Wren the space he seemed to need

so much, but sometimes it was really hard—like now, when Robby
wanted nothing more than for Wren’s big, muscular arms to wrap
around him and make him feel like everything would be okay.

And as much as he knew he would suck up whatever attention

Wren gave him, he couldn’t help but want for more. He just knew if
Wren gave in, things would be explosive between them.

Tattooed & Taken

Wren never seemed to budge. He had made it very clear in the

beginning of their friendship that there was a line that Robby wasn’t
allowed to cross. Robby had tried a few times—flirted, made some
passes, dropped some verbal hints—only to be rebuffed. He was
starting to doubt that even walking around naked in front of the man
would get him anything.

Maybe getting fired was finally making him see the truth. Wren

just wanted to be friends. And no wanting for something more on
Robby’s part would change that.

“God!” Robby dropped his head back against his seat and stared

up at the ceiling of his truck. “I am so fucking pathetic.”

He really needed to stop doing this to himself. Wren had made it

more than clear that he was going to do his very best to ignore the
attraction between them. Robby should, too. He knew that. They
would never be anything more than friends.

Robby pulled his cell phone back out and quickly typed out a text

message to Wren, telling him something had come up and he had to
cancel their plans. As soon as he sent the message, Robby turned off
his cell phone and tossed it onto the seat next to him. He doubted that
Wren would call him back, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

He also wasn’t heading home. Robby didn’t entertain the idea that

Wren would come looking for him, but his brother might. John Henry
was just stubborn enough to want to get in the last word between
them.

Robby started the engine on his truck then pulled out of his

parking spot. Just as he started to drive away, he saw his brother step
out of the sheriff’s station. Robby tightened his lips and ignored John
Henry as the man shouted and waved his hand.

He had nothing to say to his brother.
Robby drove straight to a roadside bar several miles outside of

town. He wasn’t exactly a regular there, but he had frequented the
place more than once in the past. He was pretty sure that he could
have a couple of beers and be left alone.

12 Stormy

Glenn

It wasn’t like he had anything better to do at the moment. He

didn’t want to go see his grandfather. Pops would just tell him to get
over himself and make up with his brother. Bill, Robby’s oldest
brother, was off on some mission and had been for a few weeks.

That didn’t leave too many people in his life.
Over the last six months, Robby had made friends with all of the

men that lived with John Henry and Charlie, his brother’s lover.
While they were friendly enough, they all treated him like John
Henry’s little brother.

Being John Henry’s little brother was beginning to be the bane of

Robby’s existence. He felt like no one ever took him seriously. Hell,
half the time he went to a crime scene, the people there smiled at him
and asked for John Henry. It made Robby feel like no one respected
him.

It sucked.
It didn’t take long for Robby to reach the bar even though it was

on the edge of town. His truck was still labeled as a police vehicle—
and he might have been speeding just a little.

He pulled into the parking lot and turned off his truck. The jeans

he wore would work fine inside the bar, but the uniform shirt not so
much. Robby unbuttoned the brown shirt and pulled it off, tossing it
onto the seat next to him. He was glad he had worn a white T-shirt
under his work shirt and that he had left a flannel shirt in his truck.
Together, they looked pretty damn good—especially since the T-shirt
had a hole in the right sleeve.

Robby climbed out and locked his truck then headed inside the

bar. It was only late afternoon, so the place wasn’t too full of patrons
or vehicles yet. Robby knew that by nightfall the place would be
jumping.

Ruby Reds was a local hotspot. The music was loud, the beer

cold, and the servers hot—even the girls. It wasn’t a good place for a
gay man to try and find a hookup as most of the people that hung out

Tattooed & Taken

there were on a major macho trip. Asking someone to dance could get
Robby handed his head, depending on what sex they were.

Still, Robby liked coming here. He could listen to the music, visit

with friends or acquaintances, play pool, or just sit in the corner and
drink a beer. And that was exactly what he planned to do tonight—
drink until his eyes crossed and he needed to call a cab to get home.

Stepping inside the bar, Robby headed straight for the counter.
“Hey, Robby,” the bartender said as he walked over to greet him.

“Here pretty early, aren’t you?”

Robby didn’t want to discuss why he was here at all. He would

rather forget John Henry was a rank bastard. It would only sour his
sour mood. “Can I get a Bud Light?”

The bartender studied him for a moment, his eyes searching, and

then he nodded. Robby grabbed the cold bottle as soon as it hit the
bar. “Keep ’em coming.”

Thankfully, the bartender didn’t say a word, only nodded.
Robby pushed away from the counter and grabbed a booth in the

back. He polished off his first beer in no time flat. The waitress
brought him another…and then another and another. Soon Robby was
beginning to forget his woes.

Fuck John Henry and fuck Wren. Robby didn’t need either of

them. All he needed at the moment was the beer that was
continuously set down in front of him, and maybe some company—
someone who didn’t mind having sex with Robby and someone who
didn’t want to be just friends.

The thought of Wren not wanting to take things further made

Robby’s buzz begin to recede, so Robby grabbed the bottle off the
table and drained the damn thing.

“Hitting it pretty hard, sugar,” the waitress said as she grabbed the

empty bottle and set a fresh one down in front of him. “Want to talk
about it?”

Robby shook his head. “No, but you can start bringing me shots of

Jack Daniels.”

14 Stormy

Glenn

She scrunched her nose. “Now I know you are trying to get

plastered.”

It wasn’t any of her damn business, but Robby couldn’t find it in

himself to be rude, even if he didn’t give two shits right now. “Just
keep ’em coming.”

The waitress didn’t say another word as she walked away from the

booth. She was back a minute later with a shot glass and a bottle of
Jack, and also a fresh beer. “I figure if you are going to get
hammered, I’d save myself the frequent flier miles and just bring the
bottle to you.”

“Thanks.” Robby poured himself a double shot and chucked it

back, enjoying the burn as it eased down his throat. Now that was
exactly what he needed. The beer was great, but he wasn’t getting the
desired effect fast enough. The Jack would do the trick.

His eyebrow rose when the waitress took a seat across from him.

She smiled sweetly, and Robby wondered why he couldn’t be into
girls. She seemed nice, and it had been a long time since Robby had
had nice.

“It’s pretty dead in here, and you look like you could use a

friend.”

There went that damn word again. “I don’t need friends.”
Her blond curls danced around her face when she leaned forward

and gave Robby another small smile. “Or maybe something else,
depending on how rip-roaring drunk you become.”

Robby poured another double and drank it down, hissing at the

fire in his throat. “You like fucking drunk men?” It was blunt, but
again, Robby wasn’t in the mood to care.

She laughed. “Not really. I was offering to call you a cab before

you became hammered.”

Robby eyed her up and down. She was a real nice-looking

woman, but his tastes didn’t run in that direction, which sucked on so
many levels. “You know, maybe I do need a friend right now.”

Tattooed & Taken

She sat the serving platter on the table and extended her hand.

“Name’s Sarah Jane. I’m new here.”

Robby reached over and shook her hand. “Robby. I’m not new

here.”

Once again she laughed. “So, what has you drowning your

sorrows?”

“Life,” Robby replied as he drank the beer from the bottle,

thinking about his brother and Wren. Apparently he wasn’t drunk
enough, because he shouldn’t be thinking about them at this point.

He poured another double.
Robby wasn’t a drinker. Sure, he had a few drinks on occasion,

but he wasn’t used to what he was doing now and he could start
feeling the effects. He smiled.

“I take it the alcohol is kicking in?” Sarah Jane asked.
“’Bout damn time,” he murmured and took another sip of his beer.
“Sugar, are you sure you don’t need a friend? Or maybe just

someone to drive you home?”

Robby raised the beer in his hand. “I’ll let you know when I get to

that point.” Because he had every intention of getting to that point. He
might not be willing to go home with the waitress, but he sure as shit
planned to need a ride home. He’d come back for his truck in the
morning.

“All right, sugar. You just give me a holler when you want

another one.”

Robby swallowed down the remains of his beer then set the bottle

on the table. “Holler.”

Sarah Jane laughed as she grabbed the empty beer bottle and

walked away. Robby knew he was feeling the full effects of the
alcohol he had consumed when he watched her walk away and
noticed the gentle sway of her slim hips.

Why couldn’t he have been interested in girls?

* * * *

16 Stormy

Glenn

“Where is he?” Wren growled as he peeked through the slit in the

front window curtains. Robby should have been here by now. Even if
he wanted to cancel their plans, it shouldn’t have taken him more than
thirty minutes to get home from the station.

The text message had come over three hours ago.
“He’ll be here, Wren.”
Wren curled his lip back as he turned to glare at his friend and

former marine unit commander, Charles Kenneth Pennington III.
How the man could stand there so calmly when Wren’s world was
coming down around his ears, Wren would never know.

Wren was going out of his mind wondering where Robby was.
“John Henry said he left the station with his stuff over three hours

ago and he should have been headed right back here.” Charlie
grimaced as he glanced at the clock on the wall. “Maybe he stopped
by Pops’.”

Wren shook his head before going back to looking out the

window. “I thought of that and called Pops over an hour ago.”

“He’ll be here, Wren,” Charlie repeated.
Wren wished he could believe that, but considering the situation

they were in and how upset Robby had sounded on the phone, he was
starting to doubt that.

“Maybe we should go look for him.”
“Give it a little more time, Wren. If he doesn’t show up in the next

couple of hours, I’ll call John Henry and we’ll rally the troops. This
county isn’t that damn big. We should be able to find him no
problem.”

Wren wished that he could feel as confident as Charlie sounded.

He just wasn’t. They were in the big-time shit right now, and Robby
didn’t have a clue.

He was a sitting duck.

Tattooed & Taken

Chapter 2

Robby’s head was going to explode. He just knew it. Drinking

was never a wise choice. Drinking like a man in the middle of the
desert suddenly given water was an even worse choice—especially
when he wasn’t drinking water. He felt like shit. His head was
throbbing, and his throat felt like sandpaper.

Robby cocked an eye open then slowly cracked the other one.

Okay, this was not his bedroom. For one, he didn’t have a canopy
bed. He sure as shit didn’t have lavender walls. So, where the hell was
he?

And who in the hell was he in bed with?
Robby knew his head was going to explode for sure when he

turned and saw soft blond curls lying on the pillow next to him. His
world came to a screeching halt when he reached over and lifted some
of the curls out of the way and saw the barest glimpse of a feminine
face hidden beneath all of that hair before he dropped it and shrank
back.

Oh fuck!
What did I do?
Robby felt like his heart was going to hammer right out of his

chest as he slowly slid from the bed and reached for his clothes—
which were neatly folded on a chair by the bed. It wasn’t until he was
pulling his boxers and jeans up his legs that it suddenly dawned on
him that he was naked.

And so was the woman in the bed.
Her pale, naked body was fully visible in the low morning light

coming in through the windows. He probably would have missed it if

18 Stormy

Glenn

she hadn’t rolled over to the space he had just inhabited, thus moving
out from under the covers.

Damn, she really was naked.
The sight of a sealed package of condoms on the nightstand only

compounded the terror starting to thicken in his throat. He didn’t even
want to think about what he might have done while drunk. It was just
too horrible to conceive.

Robby did the only thing he could do under the circumstances.
He ran!
He grabbed his shoes and his shirt and took off—as quietly as he

could. He didn’t want to face the woman if she woke up. It took him a
moment to find the front door as he was in an unfamiliar house. But
as soon as he got it open, he sprinted through the yard and down the
street.

Robby was out of breath by the time he stopped in an alley a

couple of blocks away. He hid beside a Dumpster and prayed to god
that no one saw his bid for freedom as he pulled on the rest of his
clothes.

He could just see the headlines in the morning paper—“Deputy

seen streaking through the neighborhood. Any wonder why he was
fired?” If John Henry ever heard about this, Robby was never going
to live it down.

Once Robby was dressed, he looked around, trying to figure out

exactly where he was and how far he had to travel to get home. He
hadn’t seen his truck when he ran outside, so he could only assume it
was back at the bar.

He just wasn’t sure how to get back to it. Calling a cab was pretty

much out. He didn’t want anyone to see him going back to his truck
especially when he knew he had been so drunk that he had gone home
with some unknown woman.

And he refused to call John Henry. It just wasn’t going to happen.

Calling Charlie was out, too. He’d just tell John Henry. That left
Wren and Pops. Of the two, Robby would have preferred calling

Tattooed & Taken

Wren. Besides the fact that he still wanted to see the man, Wren
wouldn’t give him a lecture. Pops would.

Well, if Wren knew what sort of mess Robby had gotten himself

into, he might give him a lecture. The man certainly wouldn’t be
happy that Robby had ended up in some stranger’s bed after getting
plastered. With the way things had been going between them, Robby
doubted the man would care that it had been a woman.

Besides all of that, Robby didn’t seem to have his cell phone on

him. Hell, he didn’t even have his wallet. He didn’t remember seeing
it with his stuff either, but he had hightailed it out of there so fast, he
might have missed it.

Robby groaned. This was so not the way to begin his day. He

couldn’t think of anything he wanted to do less than go back to that
woman’s house and ask for his wallet back. He certainly didn’t want
to get into a conversation with her about what might or might not
have happened between them.

He wasn’t positive that anything had occurred. He remembered

being pretty drunk the previous night, but that was about all that he
remembered. After a while, everything had become a blur. He was
really hoping his inebriated state meant that he hadn’t been able to get
it up. He did not want some woman thinking there was anything
between them, because there wasn’t.

Robby had the occasional one-night stand, but he couldn’t even

consider that he might have had one with a woman. Just the thought
of all those feminine parts sent a shiver down his spine.

Robby liked women well enough but not enough to fuck them. He

much more preferred a strong man with muscles as far as the eye
could see. And nothing beat having a big, thick cock pounding into
his ass as a large, burly man grunted over the top of him.

Wren was the perfect example of—Robby groaned and covered

his mouth as bile rose up in his throat. He quickly glanced around
then ran back to the side of the Dumpster and threw up. His stomach
was rolling and knotting.

20 Stormy

Glenn

If Wren ever found out what Robby had done, any chance he had

with the man would be gone. Robby knew it just as surely as he knew
he probably had no chance with the handsome marine. And as much
as he was coming to realize that, Robby just couldn’t seem to let go of
that last bit of hope.

Yesterday, Robby had thought he was pathetic, but he knew he

had just taken that to a whole new level. Now, he was embarrassed,
ashamed, and a whole other slew of emotions Robby really didn’t feel
like examining.

He just wanted to go home—shower away his shame—and sleep

for a week. Maybe after that he could lift his head above water and
figure out what he was going to do with the rest of his life, but it was
certain that his days as a deputy in this county were done with. John
Henry had seen to that.

Robby doubted he would even get a letter of recommendation.
After wiping the side of his mouth, Robby stood up to look

around. He didn’t think he was that far from his place. He’d walk
even if it took him the rest of the day. It would be better than calling
anyone he knew.

He didn’t think he could take any conversation right now,

especially knowing that whoever he called would be disappointed in
him. He was disappointed in himself, so why wouldn’t others be as
well?

Robby could not believe that he had spent the night with a

woman, and one he didn’t know at that. He was never that careless.
Sure, he’d had a few one-night stands here and there. What man
hadn’t? But he had never spent the night with someone after getting
plastered.

Hell, he barely ever got plastered.
Robby had peeled enough people off the pavement after they

drank and drove. He knew the dangers of such behavior. The one
thing in this entire situation that Robby could hold on to was the fact

Tattooed & Taken

that he hadn’t done that. He might have made a million other
mistakes, but he did them without his truck.

Which was why he was now walking down the sidewalk, headed

for his house. Robby wrapped his arms around his chest to ward off
the chill in the cold morning air and trudged down the road toward
home. He tried to push all of the rambling thoughts out of his head.
He just couldn’t deal with them right now.

He’d handle whatever shit storm was coming his way later—after

he showered and washed away the feeling creeping over him that he
had somehow been defiled. His skin crawled, and he wanted nothing
more than to scrub it until he felt clean again.

It took Robby nearly an hour to reach the street he lived on. He

was so glad to see his little house that he felt tears come to his eyes.
The sight of the little white cottage he lived in with its green trim and
shutters was the best sight he had ever seen.

Robby rushed to the front door and grabbed the door handle. One

turn of the knob reminded Robby that he didn’t have his keys. Robby
spit out a small curse then bent down to get the extra key he had
hidden under a rock on his porch just for such emergencies.

Before he could move the rock, the front door flew open. Robby

gulped when he spotted a set of brown cowboy boots standing right
before him. He knew those boots. Robby slowly raised his head to see
Wren glaring down at him with such anger in his eyes that he
wondered if the man had already heard about the woman he had slept
with.

“Where the hell have you been?” Wren spit out.
Okay, maybe Wren didn’t know.
Robby stood up and returned Wren’s glower. If Wren didn’t know

where he had been, then why was he so angry? After the morning he
had already experienced, Robby didn’t need this shit. He instantly
went on the defensive.

“What are you doing here?”

22 Stormy

Glenn

“Waiting for you!” Wren’s tone was as angry as his gaze. “I’ve

been waiting for you all fucking night long.”

Well, that was news to Robby. “Didn’t you get my text?”
“Oh, I got your text all right.”
Robby tilted his brow, looking at Wren uncertainly. “Then why

are you here?”

“While everyone else went home to grab something to eat and

change their clothes, I decided to come back here and check to see if
you had made it home. I’m supposed to be meeting up with your
brother in an hour to organize a search for your ass.”

Robby’s head started to throb. He pushed his fingers into one

temple, trying to alleviate the ache. “And why were you searching for
me?”

“Because you were missing, damn it!”
“No, I wasn’t.”
Wren’s hands landed on his hips. “Then where in the hell were

you?”

Robby swallowed hard, the lump in his throat growing so big that

he was afraid it would cut off the air to his lungs. “None of your damn
business,” he snapped as he shoved his way past Wren into the house.
If Wren didn’t already know his shame, Robby had no intention of
sharing it with the man.

Robby yelped when he was suddenly grabbed and slammed into

the wall next to his front door. Before he could protest, Wren’s large
form pressed against him, trapping Robby between the wall and the
man he wanted above all others.

“Wren, what—”
“Where were you, Robby?” Wren’s tone echoed with interest, but

more than that it was filled with rage. Deep down inside, Robby had
thought that Wren would never use his size to hurt him. Now, he was
beginning to wonder if he was wrong.

“Wren,” he began hesitantly as he petted the man’s massive chest,

trying to calm him. “I went out and had a few beers.” And got rip-

Tattooed & Taken

roaring drunk and apparently spent the night with a woman I don’t
know.

The lines along Wren’s brows and under his eyes deepened. “You

got drunk?”

“Yeah.” Robby pushed at Wren’s chest, trying to move the man

away from him. Wren didn’t budge. He didn’t even acknowledge that
Robby had done anything. He just continued to stare down at Robby
with a deep scowl creasing his forehead.

“Do you have any idea how worried we all were?”
“We?” Robby quirked his eyebrow questioningly. “Who is we?”
“John Henry, Charlie, me—”
Robby’s eyes narrowed. This time when he pushed on Wren’s

chest, the man moved back a step. It gave Robby enough space to
slide past the guy and storm across the living room. He turned at the
entrance to the hallway and pointed his finger at Wren.

“You, John Henry, and Charlie can all go fuck yourselves.”
Robby spun around and stalked down the hallway to his bedroom.

He couldn’t ever remember being so angry. Oh wait, yes he could. He
had been this angry when John Henry fired him. Only this time, he
was angry at more people than just John Henry. Charlie and Wren had
a starring role in the rage that filled him.

Despite his actions in the last several hours, he was not a little

child. He didn’t need his big bad brother to come searching for him
when he took off for a few hours—especially considering that said
brother was the reason he had taken off in the first place.

Robby stomped to his bedroom, grabbed a change of clothes, then

went to the bathroom and turned on the shower. He was determined to
scrub the ill feeling off of his skin and forget about what he had
done—or might have done—and then get some much-needed sleep.

Robby kicked off his shoes then pulled off his socks. He tossed

them into the hamper and started to reach for the zipper of his jeans
when the bathroom door slammed open.

24 Stormy

Glenn

Robby spun around and slipped on the tile floor. He was grabbed

and pushed into the wall again before he could hit the floor. Robby’s
heart hammered in his chest at how close he had come to banging his
head on the tub. He panted heavily and slowly raised his eyes to meet
Wren’s.

Wren leaned in until they were nearly nose to nose. “You need a

keeper.”

Wrong thing to say.
“Well, we both know it won’t be you, will it.” Robby desperately

wanted to take Wren’s statement the way it sounded, but he knew he
would be fooling himself, and he was done being a fool. “You’ve
done everything possible to show me that you don’t want the position,
but maybe I’ve found someone that does.”

Well, not really, but Robby felt an uncontrollable urge to hurt

Wren the same way he was hurting. He had chased after the man for
six months, and the first time that he showed he cared it was over a
few missing hours of time.

Wren’s eyes narrowed, and his back became ramrod straight.

“Who?”

“Again, none of your business,” Robby stated as he straightened

up from the wall he had been pushed into. He once again found
himself pushing against Wren’s massive chest, not that it did him any
good. Wren wasn’t budging. “Nothing in my life is any of your damn
business, not anymore.”

“Everything you do is my damn business.”
“Uh, no, it’s not.”
Robby blinked and tilted his head back when Wren leaned in

closer. The intensity glowing in the man’s eyes made them almost
menacing. Robby couldn’t ever remember Wren being this upset,
certainly not with him.

“I took things slow,” Wren said in a feral tone through clenched

teeth, his eyes flashing, “just like your brother wanted. I gave you

Tattooed & Taken

your space. But I’ll be damned if I’ll let someone come in and take
you away from me now.”

Before Robby could form an answer, Wren’s lips slammed down

over his. It was a kiss of possession, pure and simple. And it was
filled with so much need that Robby wondered if he had lost his mind
somewhere along the way. If Wren wanted him this much, how could
he have missed it? The hunger in the kiss alone was eating Robby
alive and pulling him under into a raging sea of raw desire.

He placed his hands on Wren’s chest, once again ready to push the

man away…until Wren’s tongue swept inside Robby’s mouth. He
curled his fingers into Wren’s shirt, pulling the man closer, hitching
one leg onto Wren’s side, wanting—no needing—him closer.

Wren slammed his hands on either side of Robby’s head, pinning

him to the bathroom wall. Robby’s heart was thudding rapidly. He
had wanted Wren for so long, and been rebuffed so many times, that
his mind still couldn’t believe what Wren was doing.

But his body had no problem whatsoever. It was hard, needy, and

pulsing so fucking strong that Robby was terrified the zipper in his
jeans would leave a permanent imprint in his dick.

“You are mine.” It was a statement, not a request.
Robby shivered, burrowing into the heat of the man’s big body.

He should be telling Wren to fuck off. He should be telling Wren that
he waited too long. Robby should be telling Wren a whole lot of
things, but all he could say was, “Okay.”

God, he was such a fucking mess.
Wren ran his fingers through Robby’s hair and then yanked the

strands back, exposing Robby’s neck and sending shock waves
through his body. The look in Wren’s eyes told Robby who was the
predator and who was prey.

Robby swallowed hard.
“I’m going to claim your sweet little ass in a way that will never

leave any room for doubt.” Wren leaned forward and bit Robby’s
Adam’s apple.

26 Stormy

Glenn

Robby yelped.
Wren chuckled dark and low.
Robby knew he was in deep trouble.
Wren’s lip lifted into a snarl as he slowly lowered Robby to the

floor, on his knees. “You are going to start by sucking my dick.”

Robby wanted nothing more than to feel the man’s hard flesh

between his lips. But he didn’t have to give in so easily. “Make me.”

Wren’s eyes narrowed, but Robby could see the black irises turn

into pools of liquid lust. The man liked the idea of a challenge. Wren
reached down and undid the front of his pants, releasing his thick and
heavy cock. Robby damn near swallowed his tongue at the sheer size
of the shaft right in front of his eyes.

Was the man nuts? There was no way his mouth would open wide

enough to take that length in. But Wren seemed to think it would
work, because he traced the bulbous head over Robby’s lips, leaving a
wet trail behind.

“Open your mouth and suck my dick, Robby.”
Robby closed his lips, shaking his head. Of course, he was

secretly licking the taste from his lips from the inside of his mouth.

Wren’s fingers tightened in Robby’s hair. “Suck it,” he said with a

low growl.

A slow grin formed on Robby’s pre-cum-stained lips. “Hell no.

I’m not—” Wren drove his cock down Robby’s throat, a guttural cry
falling from his lips as his head fell back onto his shoulders.

Holy hell!
Robby had never seen anything more goddamn erotic in his entire

life!

“S–suck it,” Wren said, sounding like a man on the edge of losing

control.

Robby wanted to tease the man just a little more, but having

Wren’s cock shoved down his throat proved to be too much. Robby
opened wider, using his tongue to taste and tease, sliding the
appendage up and down Wren’s shaft. The head of Wren’s cock

Tattooed & Taken

continually tapped the back of Robby’s throat, making Robby seal his
lips around the man’s erection.

“That’s it, love. Suck me harder,” Wren said on a shaky breath.
Instead, Robby pulled away until Wren’s cock slipped from his

mouth. Wren glanced down at him quizzically but then narrowed his
eyes when he saw the gleam of mischievousness in Robby’s eyes.

A growl ripped through the room as Wren pressed the head back

against Robby’s lips. “Open your fucking mouth.”

Robby let the tip of his tongue slide out and touch the pre-cum

glistening in a clear line. But he refused to open any further. Let Wren
work for what he wants. Robby had worked at getting the man for six
months.

A little torture never hurt anyone.
The feral look slipped from Wren’s face. “Please.”
Oh, the man was good. He even had a small pout on his lips. But

Robby was not going to give in. “No.”

Wren took a step back, damn near ripping his clothes from his

body. All Robby could do was watch in pure fascination as all that
tanned flesh was revealed to him.

Good lord almighty. I may not survive this.
“You have two choices, Robby. Willingly get undressed or have

your clothes shredded.” The look in Wren’s eyes said he wasn’t
joking.

Robby stayed on his knees.
Yeah, he wanted Wren to rip his clothes off. He was kinky, so

what? A wicked smile curved Wren’s lips as he grabbed Robby from
the floor. There was a ripping sound, and then Robby’s shirt fell to the
floor—in pieces.

Robby was so fucking turned on.
“Is that all you have?”
Robby yelped a moment later when Wren flipped him over,

pressing him into the bathroom counter, and proceeded to tear the
jeans from Robby’s legs.

28 Stormy

Glenn

Goddamn!
“I’ll show you what I have,” Wren said, his lips pressed to

Robby’s ear.

Robby swallowed hard when he felt Wren’s thick cock pressed

between his ass cheeks. He was ready to beg the man to fuck him into
the wall but kept his lips pushed together instead. Robby could see
that by defying the man, he was making Wren lose control.

And that was exactly what he wanted.
Wren was a man who contained his emotions, never wearing them

for Robby to see. He was well ordered, quiet, and always thinking.
Robby wanted that damn façade gone. He wanted Wren so damn wild
that he was shouting Robby’s fucking name.

When Wren stepped back, gazing over Robby’s naked flesh,

Robby bolted from the bathroom, streaking down the hallway. He
heard a deep and sinister chuckle before the sound of heavy footfalls
pounded behind him.

Robby made the mistake of looking over his shoulder.
Wren was bearing down on him.
With a shout, Robby picked up speed and headed straight into his

bedroom, trying his damnedest to slam the door closed. Wren
apparently wasn’t having that. He barreled into the bedroom, caught
Robby around the waist, and lifted him off his feet. Both men went
sailing through the air, landing on the bed with a large bounce.

As hard as he struggled, Wren managed to grab Robby’s wrists

and pin them to either side of his head. Wren smiled at him, but the
look was not filled with humor. It was filled with victory and
lascivious intent.

“Mine.”
“Not yet,” Robby argued. “You haven’t claimed me.”
Wrong words.
Robby stopped himself from squeaking as Wren flipped him over

to his stomach and then reached over, sliding his hand under the

Tattooed & Taken

pillow and pulling the bottle of lube free. How in the hell had he
known where Robby kept his lube?

“If you try to escape me again, I’m going to spank your ass until

you can’t sit down,” Wren threatened.

Robby’s cock throbbed at the erotic threat. He had never been

spanked before, so why did the thought of Wren swatting his ass turn
him on? Robby wasn’t sure. He wasn’t even sure why he wiggled to
get free.

“I warned you.”
Robby did squeak this time when his ass cheek started burning.

“You hit me!”

“Spanked,” Wren corrected. “Get it right. I would never hit you,

Robby.”

“What in the hell is the difference?” he asked heatedly.
Wren leaned down and kissed the abused flesh. “Spanking is done

for pleasure. Hitting is done in anger.”

Robby didn’t see any difference. He— “Oh, hell,” he groaned

when Wren began to lick a path along his butt cheek. “I see. I see.”

“Do you?” Wren asked.
“I–I’m not sure. You might want to show me again.”
His ass vibrated as Wren chuckled. “Maybe next time. Right now

I’m too eager to feel your tight ass gripping my cock.”

Robby groaned. “Do you always talk so damn dirty?”
Wren nipped his cheek, and then Robby felt a slicked finger enter

his ass. “Not always. Why, don’t you like it?”

He wasn’t going to lie. What would be the point? The evidence

was clearly visible in the small shiver that shook his body, not to
mention his aching cock. “Hell, I love it.”

The heavy weight on his legs made Robby want to curl inside the

man and never crawl out. He had wanted Wren for so long that he was
ready to come just from feeling the man’s finger in his ass.

30 Stormy

Glenn

Robby shuddered when he felt Wren’s tongue glide through the

crease in his ass. “Oh, hell.” He jutted his ass higher, trying to chase
the man’s tongue with his ass.

Another smack landed on his butt cheek. “Lie still.”
Robby wiggled again.
“You’re doing that on purpose.”
“No, I’m not.” Robby shot the words out bullet fast. “Swear.”
He wiggled his ass again.
A heavy hand landed on his ass again, and Robby’s eyes crossed.

Maybe he should just lie still. Wren rubbed the sore cheek as he
inserted another finger into Robby’s ass, pushing and pulling the
digits, making Robby forget about his stinging butt.

“Does this feel good?” Wren asked, his voice a husky tone.
Robby spread his legs farther apart, humping the bed, driving his

cock into the mattress as he sought out his release. Wren was doing
things to him that no other man could. He was making Robby fall in
love.

“Yes,” he groaned.
“Do you like it when I play with you?”
Robby looked over his shoulder. Wren’s eyes gleamed in a way

that turned the word play into something sinfully sensuous.

Robby’s body tightened. “Keep playing.”
Wren leaned over and opened the nightstand drawer, retrieving a

condom. Okay, the man had to have either been snooping in Robby’s
bedroom or it was just that obvious of a place to keep the protection.
He guessed it was an obvious place, because he couldn’t see Wren
snooping around.

Wren’s fingers were gone, and Robby heard the crinkle of the

condom wrapper. A moment later, Wren pulled Robby to his hands
and knees then reached under Robby, tracing his fingers over Robby’s
hard shaft as he slowly pushed his way into Robby’s ass.

Robby damn near forgot his own name.

Tattooed & Taken

For a moment, all he could do was kneel there, feeling Wren’s

cock in his ass and the man’s fingers around his erection. The dual
sensation was threatening to tear Robby apart. He dropped his head,
trying to make his racing heart slow down.

“Fuck me, Robby.” Wren’s voice had gone back to a feral pitch.

“Fuck me like you mean it. Put a claim on me.”

Robby had no choice, not when Wren seemed to be offering him

the very thing he had been wanting over the last six months. He
rocked back and forth on his hands and knees, and then he felt Wren’s
heavy hands on his lower back.

“Maybe I don’t belong to you.”
It was a challenge, pure and simple.
Robby gave a low growl as he began to slam back into Wren’s

groin, feeling the man’s cock fill him to completion, and then slide
back out. His arms and legs began to tremble with the ferocity of his
lunges. Robby was going to prove to Wren that the man belonged to
him, lock, stock, and barrel. He finally had the man in his bed, and
Mr. Crivello was going to see that Robby was playing for keeps.

Pulling forward, Robby dislodged the cock from his ass, spun

around, and knocked Wren onto his back. He quickly straddled the
guy, placed his hands on Wren’s chest, and began to impale himself
over and over again in long, hard thrusts.

“That’s what I’m talking about,” Wren said with a look of lust in

his dark eyes.

Robby was nearly mindless as Wren’s cock drove deep inside of

him.

“Now it’s my turn to show you who you belong to.” Wren flipped

them, Robby still impaled, and slammed into Robby’s ass. Robby
could feel the white-hot fingers of fire moving down his spine, telling
his orgasm was building to an overwhelming crest. He cried out,
mindless now as he grabbed at Wren’s shoulders, pulling the man
closer.

32 Stormy

Glenn

Wren fell forward, crushing his lips to Robby’s as he pistoned into

Robby’s ass. Robby was begging for more, held still by Wren’s hard
body, his plunging hips, and the sharp growls at his ear.

Robby gasped as he was raised over and over again, relishing

Wren’s strength. “Make me come, Wren!”

He knew that if he didn’t come soon, his brain was going to

explode. The emotions racing through his body were too much.
Robby felt as if he were on fire. He had known that Wren would be
good in bed, but he didn’t know how good until he lay here begging
for release.

Wren reached down and gave a light tug to Robby’s sac, and that

was all he needed. Robby jerked and arched, his body moving of its
own accord. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, his head thrashed,
and he screamed Wren’s name as he came hard.

“That’s right, Robby. Shout my fucking name. Tell the whole

damn world who is fucking your ass.” He could feel Wren still
pounding inside of him, and then Wren shouted, flooding the condom
as his body shook.

Robby relaxed into the mattress and had to reteach himself how to

breathe. Wren had just fucked him to within an inch of his life. He
was covered in sweat and was so damn tired that his eyes began to
drift closed.

God, he felt fucking fantastic.

Tattooed & Taken

Chapter 3

Wren felt his rapid breathing gradually return to normal as he lay

wrapped around Robby’s smaller body. His face was buried in the
back of Robby’s neck, their bodies pressed so tightly together that he
could feel Robby’s heartbeat.

He knew Robby was awake even if he didn’t say anything. Every

few seconds, Robby rubbed his fingers over the arm Wren had
wrapped around the man’s waist. It was a casual caress, almost as if
Robby didn’t know he was doing it but needed to do it anyway.

He had been waiting months to claim Robby, giving him time to

get used to the idea of them being together. He spent as much time
with Robby as his control would allow. Too much time in Robby’s
presence was proving to be harder than Wren thought it would be.
Every time he was with the gorgeous man, all Wren could think about
was fucking Robby right through the wall.

Which was exactly what he had done the second he heard that

Robby’s interests were turning elsewhere. Even now, after fully
laying claim to Robby, it was all Wren could do to lie there quietly
and not demand to know who was poaching on his man.

And that was what Robby was—his man.
He had known it after five minutes spent in the man’s company.

Robby intrigued Wren down to his toes. He was funny, smart, and so
goddamn beautiful to look at that he made Wren’s teeth ache.

Wren had spent a lot of years jumping from guy to guy. He was

not known for his ability to commit. His longest relationship had
lasted for just over a month before Wren grew bored. In the six

34 Stormy

Glenn

months Wren had been getting to know Robby, the man hadn’t bored
him once.

Wren was just as intrigued with Robby today as he was the day

they met—maybe more so. And it had nothing to do with the fact that
Robby was a gay man’s wet dream in bed. He had certainly made all
of Wren’s dreams come true.

It was his easy smile and the way he seemed to care about

everyone around him, no matter who they were. Robby didn’t have an
unkind word for anyone, not even people he didn’t like. He seemed to
believe in the old adage “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say
anything at all.”

Wren believed in the old adage “If you can’t say anything nice,

shoot ’em.” Which was why John Henry had taken him aside six
months ago and asked him to go slow with his brother.

Wren was not an easy person to get to know. He’d just as soon

shoot someone as look at them. He didn’t have a gentle bone in his
body. His world revolved around death and destruction.

Nice was something he did not do.
He had taken one look at the sweet smile that reached from

Robby’s lips all of the way up to his deep-brown eyes and knew he
had found a place he wanted to live the rest of his life. He had seen
his soul reflected in Robby’s beautiful eyes, and it hadn’t been as
scary as he thought.

“I don’t know what happened last night,” Robby murmured into

the quiet of the room. His voice was barely a whisper, as if he was
afraid to speak the words on his mind. “But I might have gotten
myself into a little bit of a mess.”

Wren kept quiet, waiting.
“I’ve never been interested in girls, not since I was six years old

and got chased down on the playground by Maggie Jones. She kissed
me, and I can only remember being totally disgusted. Ten years later,
she tried it again at a school dance, and I was still disgusted. I wanted
to be kissed by Otis McCredie instead.”

Tattooed & Taken

Wren instantly put Otis McCredie on his list of people he needed

to kill.

“I’m also not much of a drinker. I thought I could hold my liquor

a little better than that, but apparently not. I got totally shitfaced last
night. I don’t remember anything except waking up naked in some
woman’s bed this morning.”

Wren stiffened even as he felt his heart rip in two. “Did you…”

There was no way he could finish that sentence and keep control of
his raging emotions. The thought of Robby in someone else’s bed,
loving on them as he had Wren, was more than he could handle. It
made him want to kill something.

“I don’t know,” Robby whispered with so much pain in his voice

that Wren pushed his heartache aside and hugged Robby tighter.

“What do you remember, love?” Wren felt Robby shudder in his

arms, but he didn’t know if it came from his question or the man’s
fragmented memories.

“My head was pounding so hard I thought it was going to explode.

I was trying to remember how I had gotten that way when I realized
that someone was in bed with me. She was still asleep, so, like a
coward, I ran. I even forgot my wallet.”

Wren loosened his hold on Robby when the man suddenly rolled

over to stare up at him with eyes glistening with tears.

“You’d remember if you had sex with someone, wouldn’t you?”

Robby whispered. Wren caught just a glint of the unspoken pain that
was alive and glowing in Robby’s eyes before they flickered away.
“It’s not like that is something you forget, right?”

Wren cupped Robby’s chin, tilting his head so that their eyes met

again. “Just tell me what you do remember, Robby.”

“I woke up naked in bed with a woman.” Robby’s eyes were dark

and unfathomable “What else do you need to know?”

“Was she naked as well?”

36 Stormy

Glenn

The hard swallow that moved Robby’s throat told Wren all he

needed to know. He took a deep breath to keep his anger at bay.
“What else, Robby?”

Robby’s eyebrows furrowed. “There was a box of condoms on the

nightstand. My clothes were neatly folded on a chair by the bed. And
the place was ghastly—lavender walls and a canopy bed.”

“Well, at least it looks like you had safe sex.” It almost killed

Wren to make that statement, but Robby was so torn up at what he
had done that Wren knew he had to bring the smile back to his eyes. It
was more important than his own grief.

Robby’s gaze shot up to Wren’s, his face turning a sickening

shade of gray. “Oh, Wren.” Robby started to struggle, trying to push
away. “You…oh my god, I’m so sorry, Wren. I…”

“Shh…shh…” Wren pulled Robby’s face into the curve of his

neck. Something had obviously upset Robby more than he already
was. The man was shaking apart in Wren’s arms. “Talk to me, Robby.
What’s wrong?”

“I don’t think we used the condoms. I didn’t pay that much

attention to it at the time because I was too busy flipping out, but the
box of condoms was unopened.”

Wren’s heart sank. “That could just mean you didn’t have sex.”
Robby stilled as if that notion had never even entered his head.

“We were both naked, Wren,” he said as if that made sex a foregone
conclusion.

Wren ground his teeth together. “That does not mean you had sex,

Robby.”

“But…”
“Robby.” Wren cupped the man’s chin in his hand, trying to

remember not to make his grip too tight. “Just because you woke up
naked next to someone does not mean that you had sex. You yourself
said that you were plowed out of your mind. More than likely, you
passed out before anything could happen.”

Tattooed & Taken

Robby’s gaze dropped as the man licked his lips, a nervous

gesture that Wren had never noticed before. “You think I could have
just passed out?”

That was what Wren had to believe. If Robby did indeed sleep

with this unknown woman, then he would deal with it. But until he
knew for sure what happened, Wren was going to assume that nothing
did.

“Yes, I think that is probably what happened, Robby, so don’t buy

trouble before it gets here. Until we know differently, let’s assume
you simply passed out. Granted, from what you explained, this
woman obviously wanted more, but hopefully you got out of there
before anything could happen.”

The long breath that Robby blew out told Wren a lot. One, Robby

was more upset by this situation than he was letting on. Two, Robby
hoped he had simply passed out like Wren said he did. He had no true
interest in being with this unknown woman.

“Just to be on the safe side, though, why don’t we both go down

to the clinic and get tested. Would that make you feel better?” And if
Wren had anything to say about it, once they both tested clean, they
wouldn’t be using condoms either. He had no intention of being with
anyone else, and Robby wouldn’t either, if Wren had to tie the man
down to his bed and sit on him.

Robby turned his head away, his hands clenched stiffly at his

chest. “I’m so sorry, Wren.” There was a sort of sick desperation in
Robby’s voice. “I never meant for this to happen.”

For a moment, Wren thought that Robby meant he had never

meant for the two of them to come together as they had, and his heart
slammed in his chest, aching. Then Robby continued to talk and Wren
knew he was wrong.

“I’ve wanted you for so long, and you always put up this wall

between us. I was so angry—at you, at John Henry, at the world. I just
wanted to forget my fucked-up life for a little while. If I had known
you were really interested, I wouldn’t have canceled our plans. I

38 Stormy

Glenn

would have just come home to you, and none of this ever would have
happened.”

Wren stiffened at the mention of the sheriff’s name, suddenly

remembering why he had been so upset when Robby hadn’t come
home. But apparently, his gesture was perceived wrong by Robby if
the horror that came over his face was any indication.

“You’re not interested, are you?” Robby hastily moved his hands

away from Wren and started to struggle, once again trying to get away
from Wren. “Oh my god, could my life get any worse?”

Muffled sobs filled the air and ripped right into Wren. He grabbed

Robby’s flailing arms at the wrists and pinned them to the bed on
either side of Robby’s head as he rolled the man onto his back and
straddled his naked body.

His cock instantly welcomed the press of hot, sweaty skin and

hardened right up. The rest of Wren was narrowed in on the man
beneath him, not because they were naked but because of the tears
silently falling down Robby’s face.

“You listen to me, Robert Peter Harrison, and you listen to me

good.” Wren was surprised at how calm his voice sounded
considering the fury raging through him. “Not only am I interested,
but I’m staking my claim. I’ve waited six months for you to realize
we belong together. I refuse to wait another day. By the time the sun
sets this evening, not only will you understand that you belong to me
but everyone in this damn county will know it as well.”

Robby’s eyes rounded, and he stopped fighting to get free. His

mouth slowly dropped open, but not a sound came out.

“And as much satisfaction as I would get from having my name

tattooed on your forehead for all to see, I’ll settle for having it
tattooed across your ass.” Wren’s eyes narrowed dangerously when
Robby’s face flushed. “You like that idea, don’t you?”

Robby’s loud swallow once again filled the room. “Maybe.”
Untold pleasure filled Wren. Robby did like the idea of being

branded as his. One of the reasons that Wren had agreed to go slow

Tattooed & Taken

with Robby was because he knew he would become too possessive
with the man the moment Robby became his. After all of the death
and horror he had seen in the world, having someone that was just his
was his ultimate dream.

Wren leaned back and flipped Robby over onto his stomach. He

loved the fact that he was so much bigger than Robby that he could
easily move the man wherever he wanted. It also meant that he was
big enough to keep Robby safe from the evils in the world—which
were everywhere.

Wren settled himself down on Robby’s thighs and traced a line

across Robby’s skin where his back dipped then curved up into the
most perfect bubble butt Wren had ever seen.

“This is where my name will be, Robby.” Wren felt his cock jerk

and fill even more as he visualized his name embedded in Robby’s
silky skin for all time. “With those low-rise jeans you like to wear so
much, everyone will be able to see it every time you walk past them.
They will know that you belong to me.”

Wren scooted back and lifted up onto his knees, moving them

between Robby’s calves. He slid his hands down Robby’s back to the
man’s tight ass. He heard a soft sigh when he grabbed Robby’s hips
and pulled the man back into a kneeling position, Robby’s legs
hugging his thighs while his ass was pushed up against Wren’s
erection.

Wren’s arousal took on new meaning as he watched his cock slide

up and down the crack of Robby’s ass. He tenderly stroked his hands
over the rounded globes then gripped them tightly and pulled them
apart until he could see the man’s puckered opening.

He teased Robby, rubbing the head of his cock over the man’s

quivering entrance but never quite pushing in. He wanted Robby’s
surrender. He craved it. Robby needed to know who he belonged to,
because Wren wasn’t giving him up.

Robby was his.

40 Stormy

Glenn

“Do you like that idea, love?” Wren asked when he saw Robby’s

body shake. “Do you like the idea of everyone knowing you belong to
me?”

When Robby didn’t answer right away, Wren decided to up his

game. He would have Robby’s answer before they left this room. He
pulled back until the head of his cock slid down between Robby’s butt
cheeks again, catching on the small cleft of his hole.

It hadn’t been that long since Wren had claimed Robby, but he

still reached for the bottle of lube carelessly tossed on the bed. He
snapped the lid then poured a liberal amount on the place where his
cock met Robby’s ass. Once there was enough that he knew he
wouldn’t hurt Robby, Wren closed the cap then tossed the bottle back
on the bed.

Watching his engorged cock slide slowly into Robby’s welcoming

body was more erotic than watching any porn he had ever seen.
Nothing had ever gotten Wren this worked up. He was ready to
explode and he had barely gotten in.

“Feel how beautifully your body accepts me, love?” Wren asked,

never taking his eyes off of where his body was so intimately
connected to Robby’s. “Your body knows who you belong to even if
you don’t.”

Just as he sank his cock to the hilt in Robby’s ass, Wren saw

Robby start to reach under himself. He knew what Robby was doing,
and he couldn’t allow that, not until he had a commitment out of the
man.

Underhanded?
Yes.
Did he care?
No.
Wren leaned down and grabbed both of Robby’s wrists and

brought them around to his back, holding them there with one hand. It
pushed Robby’s face into the mattress, but it also pushed Robby’s ass
up against Wren.

Tattooed & Taken

Wren moved closer until his hard frame fit to the soft contours of

Robby’s. He slid his arms down around Robby’s stomach and lifted
him. Wren smiled as he nuzzled at the younger man before tenderly
stroking sweat-damp hair from the man’s beautiful face.

“Who do you belong to, love?” he asked as he moved Robby’s

arms up over his head, wrapping them around Wren’s neck. It gave
him unfettered access to the man’s dark-hued nipples and rippled
abdomen, two places Wren loved to touch and caress.

Wren played with Robby’s nipples as he began to move in long,

slow strokes, driving his cock as deep inside of Robby’s tight channel
as he could go before pulling out and repeating the process all over
again. When Robby groaned and fisted his fingers in Wren’s hair,
Wren gripped the man’s hips and began to move harder, faster, and
deeper.

A soft whimper eased from between Robby’s lips as he melted

into Wren’s arms. Wren closed his eyes and held Robby to him,
savoring the feel of the man in his arms. He had never wanted anyone
as much as he wanted Robby.

“Who do you belong to, love?” he repeated, needing the answer

more than he needed to come, and that was saying something.
Robby’s body gripped him so tightly in silken heat that Wren worried
his dick would burn right off.

“Wren!” Robby wailed as Wren nailed his prostate over and over

again. Wren knew this was a good position. Not only did he have
Robby splayed out over him like a second skin, but he knew his cock
would scrape over Robby’s sweet spot with every thrust. “Please!”

“Answer my question, love, and I’ll let you come.”
Again, underhanded. And again, Wren didn’t care. He wasn’t

going to let Robby get away from him now that he had had him.
Robby might have had a chance at escaping him before they had
fucked each other, but now it was too late.

“Who do you belong to?” Just to swing things in his direction in

case there was any doubt in Robby’s mind, Wren reached down and

42 Stormy

Glenn

wrapped his fingers around the man’s pulsing cock, giving it a couple
of firm strokes.

“You!” Robby shouted. “I belong to you!”
“Right answer.” Something long buried and feral rose in Wren at

Robby’s words. He started pounding at an alarming rate into Robby’s
ass as he jerked the man’s cock. The need to mark Robby inside and
out overwhelmed him.

The only cell in his brain that hadn’t slid south to his engorged

cock worked the problem over and over again in his head even as his
orgasm started reaching for him. A simple tattoo wasn’t going to cut
it, and he knew it. He needed something more to show that Robby
belonged to him.

He just didn’t know what.
Robby’s shattered wail of completion echoed around the room as

he sprayed white ropes of cum over Wren’s hand. Wren’s cock
hardened to steel at the sound. He couldn’t control his outcry of
delight as his seed erupted into the still-spasming channel, making
him soar until the peak of delight was reached.

Once he could breathe again, Wren gently eased Robby down

onto the bed then cuddled up behind him once again, pulling Robby
up flush against his own body. Robby wiggled for a moment, but it
wasn’t to get away. Much to Wren’s delight, Robby scooted back
toward him as if the man needed the reassurance of touch to make
everything okay.

Wren picked up a lock of Robby’s brown hair and caressed it

gently between his fingers. His desire for Robby overrode everything
else, but the feeling was much more than sexual desire. He adored
every little thing about the man. He just wished Robby understood
that.

The man was oblivious sometimes.
“So”—Robby’s broken whisper filled the quiet room—“about that

tattoo…”

44 Stormy

Glenn

Chapter 4

Robby stared at the ink on the curve of his ass with something

close to astonishment. He had done it. He had really done it. Wren’s
name was tattooed right across the top of his ass in big, blazing script
letters.

Granted, it was a nice tattoo with lots of colorful curly lines and

letters, but he still had someone’s name tattooed on his fucking ass.
He had to be insane, and yet he couldn’t seem to change his mind
about wanting it.

It gave him a connection to Wren, something he had been wanting

since spotting the man creeping through the darkness in front of
Charlie’s house all those months ago when someone was shooting at
them. The more that Robby stared at it, and he had been staring at it
since he got it, he couldn’t be sorry he got it done.

The matching tattoo that wrapped around Wren’s forearm was

even better. It was done in the same style with the same colorful curly
lines and letters, but instead of Wren’s name, it was Robby’s.

For some odd reason that Robby couldn’t even begin to fathom,

his cock hardened right up every time he looked at Wren’s tattoo, and
he looked at it almost as much as he looked at his own tattoo—maybe
more.

He was really hard.
“It’s not going to suddenly disappear, love.”
Robby glanced up to the reflection of Wren in the mirror when the

tall man suddenly appeared behind him. God, the guy was bigger than
life. He stood several inches taller than Robby. Hell, he stood several
inches taller than everyone. Wren was fucking huge.

Tattooed & Taken

And Robby loved it.
He had developed a liking for big, burly men watching reruns of

Magnum, P.I. and Grizzly Adams. Dan Haggerty was one hot-ass bear
of a man. And anyone that didn’t think Tom Selleck was hot had to be
blind or dead.

Since Robby had his ass pointed toward the mirror and was

glancing at his new tattoo over his shoulder, it was easy for him to
turn around and face Wren. Just as it had happened many times since
Wren suggested he get a matching tattoo, Robby’s eyes strayed to the
ink wrapped around the man’s arm again, and he felt another small
thrill go through him at the sight.

His fingers trembled as he reached out and gently stroked his

fingers over the edge of the colored ink. Having had his own skin so
recently abused by the prick of a thousand little needles, he knew not
to touch the area until it had healed.

“I can’t wait for this to heal so I can lick it.”
Robby instantly flushed when a deep chuckle rumbled through

Wren’s massive chest. Yeah, okay, he really needed to learn to filter
his thoughts before he spoke them. Still, Robby wasn’t lying. Just the
thought of running his tongue over his name inked in Wren’s skin for
all eternity made his cock jerk and a wet spot appear in his jeans.

And Wren knew exactly how Robby was feeling if the slow, easy

grin on his face was anything to go by. Of course, the hand he reached
down to press against Robby’s growing erection through his jeans
was a big clue, too.

“You like having your name on me.”
“Oh, hell yeah,” Robby groaned, flushing again. At this rate, his

face was going to turn completely red and stay that way. Wren’s
amusement at his embarrassed state didn’t help one bit.

“I like seeing my name on you, too.”
Robby grunted when he suddenly found his face pressed into the

rippling muscles of Wren’s chest as the man hugged him close then
looked beyond him to the mirror behind Robby. A moment later,

46 Stormy

Glenn

Wren’s fingers stroked the skin around the tattoo low on Robby’s
back. It was a soft touch, almost surprising in how tender it felt.

“Now everyone will know that you belong to me.”
If he didn’t know better, Robby would have thought that Wren

was one of those alpha shifters he always read about in the gay
romances he loved to read. The man had a possessive streak a mile
wide. He obviously wanted to mark Robby as his for the entire world
to see.

Every paranormal romance Robby had ever read ran through his

mind at the same time, and he had one sudden thought. He pushed at
Wren’s chest until he could lean back and look up into his eyes.

“I get the whole possessive thing, and I’m fine with that, but I

draw the line at you wrapping me in bubble wrap. I’ve been on my
own for a long time now, and I refuse to allow anyone to treat me like
a child. If that’s something you’re into, we’re going to have a
problem.”

A deep frown pulled Wren’s dark eyebrows together. “When have

I ever treated you like a child?”

Robby’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you serious?”
“Perfectly.”
“How about the whole bit about not letting me know you wanted

me because my brother—who, I might add, is a complete asshole—
told you not to?”

Just thinking about the pain and anguish he had suffered over the

last six months because of Wren’s refusal to let their relationship
move to the next level made Robby fume and want to smack
something—hard. Wren was quickly nearing the top of his list with
his refusal to understand that he was in the wrong.

“Not only does John Henry not have a right to say anything about

what goes on in my life, but you shouldn’t have listened to him.
Maybe if you had talked to me instead of him, I wouldn’t be so upset
that I might have slept with some woman last night.” Robby poked his

Tattooed & Taken

finger into Wren’s chest, his anger overwhelming him. “I would have
been with you, damn it, instead of fucking some stranger.”

Wren growled, his features tightening as he grabbed Robby by the

arms and pulled him closer. “You didn’t have sex with anyone except
me,” Wren snapped. “Get that through your thick head.”

“My thick head?” Robby yanked away from Wren. He had never

seen the man like this. Of course, he had never felt like this either. He
was both angry and heartbroken at the same time. He didn’t know
which emotion to go with first. “What about your thick fucking
head?”

“Won’t work.” Wren grimaced, shaking his head. “It’s too thick.”
Robby’s eyelashes fluttered as he blinked slowly. “What?”
“I screwed up, and I know it, Robby. I never should have listened

to John Henry, but I thought he knew you better. I made a decision
based on the circumstances at the time, and it was a bad decision. But
that doesn’t change the fact that you belong to me and you can’t have
sex with anyone except me. Not now.”

“Okay,” Robby replied, because he couldn’t think of anything else

to say. That wasn’t the answer he had been expecting out of Wren.
They were having an argument. Weren’t they? “Uh, what just
happened here?”

Wren’s mouth spread into a grin. He wiggled his eyebrows. “We

just had our first argument, which means we get to have makeup sex.”

“Okay.” Makeup sex sounded like a fantastic plan to him.
But before he could act on the sudden lust running rampant

through his body, Wren’s phone rang. Robby wished the man
wouldn’t answer it, but he knew that was a hopeless thought when
Wren pulled the cell phone out, flipped it open, and held it to his ear.

He did find it amusing when Wren didn’t say anything until the

person on the other end started talking. Apparently, he wasn’t the only
one that had happened to. But Robby didn’t like what Wren was
saying when he did start talking. The man should have remained
silent.

48 Stormy

Glenn

“Yeah, John Henry,” Wren said, “we’ll be there soon.”
Robby started shaking his head rapidly. He had no intention of

going anywhere near John Henry. He was still pretty damn mad at his
brother—and that was just for firing him. He didn’t even want to
think about how mad he was going to be when he started thinking
about how John Henry interfered in his relationship with Wren.

“No!” Robby said emphatically when Wren hung up and just

looked at him. “I have nothing to say to John Henry.” Unless it was to
tell the man what an asshole he was.

“Good, because he needs you to listen, not talk.”
“Right.” Robby rolled his eyes dramatically. “Like I want to hear

anything he has to say.” He planted his hand on his hip and sent Wren
a scathing glare. “He fired my ass. Did you know that? Did my
illustrious brother mention that little fact to you?”

“I know all about it.”
Stunned, Robby’s hand wavered at his hip for a moment before he

crossed his arms over his chest. “You know about John Henry firing
me?”

“Yes, and we would have talked about it last night if you had

come home. Since you didn’t, we need to talk about it now.”

“What’s there to talk about? He fired me!”
Robby almost cringed back when Wren reached for him. There

was something in the man’s dark eyes that frightened Robby. He
wasn’t afraid of Wren really, but the glint in his eyes made him wary.

“There are things going on that you have no knowledge of, love,”

Wren whispered into Robby’s hair as he nuzzled the side of his head.
As the words sank in to his brain, Robby realized that anyone looking
at them would assume they were just hugging.

Something was wrong.
“Okay,” Robby whispered back as he pushed his nose against

Wren’s skin and inhaled deeply. “But if he says anything about you
and me being together, I’m going to beat him over the head with his
own gun.”

Tattooed & Taken

Robby could feel Wren’s amusement in the deep rumble that

shook the man’s chest. “You have a deal, love.”

“Fine, then let’s go.” Robby pushed back from Wren and reached

for his shirt. He quickly pulled it on then turned to watch Wren do the
same. “I’d like to get this over with as quickly as possible. We have
makeup sex to get to.”

Thirty minutes later, Robby knew his wish wasn’t going to be

granted when they pulled up in front of John Henry and Charlie’s
house and he saw the lack of vehicles parked out front. There always
seemed to be some of Charlie’s friends in residence. It was unusual
for there not to be one or two of the guys hanging around.

And that made Robby nervous as hell.
He sighed heavily and rolled his head to look at Wren. “Are you

sure we can’t just go home and get to the good stuff?”

Wren chuckled lightly as he put his truck into park and turned the

engine off. He pulled the keys out of the ignition then rested his hands
on the steering wheel as he turned to look at Robby.

“Robby, I’d like nothing better than to take you home and fuck

you into the first wall we get to, but you really need to hear what John
Henry has to say. It’s important.”

Robby pointed his finger at Wren as he reached for the door

handle with his other hand. “You better be talking serious orgasms
here.”

Wren’s grin was infectious. It made Robby happy, but only in a

roundabout way. It made him hard as a lead pipe because the man was
looking at him like a lollipop he wanted to lick from head to toe.

That made Robby downright delirious.
Still, his feet dragged on the ground as he followed Wren to the

house. He could really think of a lot of things he would rather do than
go talk to his brother, even if the man had something important to talk
to him about.

When he reached the door, Robby almost turned and ran in the

other direction. His stomach was starting to clench, worry and

50 Stormy

Glenn

nervousness fighting for prominence inside of him. He loved John
Henry, but the man always thought he knew what was best when it
came to Robby, and this time, Robby really didn’t want to hear it.

“Come on, love.” Wren’s arm wrapped around his waist when he

took a step back, stopping his bid for freedom. “It won’t be that bad,
and just think of what you have to look forward to when this is all
over—lots and lots of orgasms.”

That cheered Robby up, but only a little. He wasn’t sure lots of

orgasms were worth dealing with his brother when the man was in
one of his moods. John Henry was a good man to have in his corner if
he was in trouble, but when the older-brother syndrome hit, Robby
only felt like strangling him.

Considering Wren lived inside the large mansion whenever he

wasn’t out in the field on a mission, Robby was shocked when the
man knocked on the door then waited for someone to answer.

He turned to ask Wren what the hell was up, but the slightest

shake of Wren’s head made Robby snap his mouth closed and look
straight ahead. He was really starting to get an eerie feeling deep in
his gut. It was the same one he felt when he got put out on a call and
something big was about to go down.

“Hey, guys,” Charlie said—rather loudly—when he opened the

door. “What’s up?”

“Robby left some of his stuff over here. He asked me to come

help him pick it up.”

Huh? Robby stared at Wren. He hadn’t left anything at John

Henry’s house. And even if he had, that wasn’t why they were here.
Was it?

What the hell was going on?
“Oh, of course.” Charlie stood back to allow them inside.
Robby was bewildered as he followed Wren into the house. That

confusion immediately snowballed into a huge amount of trepidation
when the door shut behind them and locked. And then the former
members of Charlie’s marine unit came out of the woodwork. They

Tattooed & Taken

were all there—Manny, Haus, Asa, and Porter—and they were all
armed to the teeth.

The place looked like it had been locked down tighter than Fort

Knox. The windows were all closed and locked, the doors were
locked, and Robby knew someone was manning the cameras because
he could see them moving to watch the entrance.

John Henry and Charlie only did that when the family was in

trouble.

“What the hell is going on?” Robby asked.
“Where have you been?” John Henry asked as he pushed himself

to the front of the small group surrounding Robby and Wren.

Robby arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You first.”

“Robby, we don’t have time for this,” John Henry started. “We—”
“Look, I don’t even know what this is, so either you start

talking”—Robby pointed to the front door behind him—“or I walk
right back out that door.”

John Henry’s face tightened. “Robby, you—”
“John Henry,” Charlie said as he stepped forward and laid his

hand on the man’s arm. “It’s obvious from the look on his face that
Robby has no idea what is going on here. If you could stop arguing
with him for a minute, then maybe we can explain it to him.”

Obviously, Charlie knew what was going on. Robby dismissed

John Henry from his mind and turned his attention to the man that had
claimed his brother’s heart. “What is this all about?”

“Your brother didn’t want to fire you, but he had no choice. And

if you had come home when you were supposed to, you’d know that.”

Robby’s eyes narrowed, and he started to glare at Charlie. “Well,

apparently, I didn’t get the memo.”

“A week ago, someone left a note for John Henry on his

windshield at work. It said that he had better fire you”—Charlie’s
finger pointed at Robby—“or something would happen to the kids.”

52 Stormy

Glenn

All of the air left Robby’s lungs in one large rush of breath.

“Kenny and Emily?” he whispered, suddenly feeling his legs weaken.
If Wren hadn’t had his arm wrapped around his waist, Robby was
pretty sure he would have hit the floor.

“Thinking it was a crackpot or someone that might have had a

grudge against you, John Henry didn’t pay too much heed. He told
me, of course, and we beefed up security around the house, but we
largely dismissed it.”

Robby swallowed hard, once again noting the extreme amount of

weapons everyone was armed with. “What changed?”

“Someone tried to break into the house yesterday morning, and

they tripped the silent alarm. We were able to keep the kids safe, but
we never got a good look at the intruder, so we don’t know who it
was or what we’re up against.”

“And you think I do?” Robby could feel everyone’s eyes on him,

and he knew they wanted answers. He just didn’t have any to give to
them. “I swear, if I knew anything, I would tell you, but I’m as
stumped as you are.”

“We know that, Robby,” Charlie replied.
Robby’s eyes darted from Charlie to John Henry. His brother’s

behavior suddenly made sense, although he wished he had been
included in whatever plan they had come up with. “I would never do
anything to put those two kids in jeopardy. You know that. I adore
them.”

“Robby,” Wren said, giving Robby’s waist a small squeeze. “No

one is accusing you of anything. It’s unfortunate that you’re finding
out this way, but your little away mission kind of prevented us from
talking to you.”

Robby suddenly felt like he couldn’t breathe. There just wasn’t

enough air in his lungs—or in the entire world. He slowly raised his
head and turned to look at Wren. “That’s why you were at my house
this morning?”

Tattooed & Taken

“That’s why I was at your house last night,” Wren said. “By the

time morning came around, I was there because I was worried about
you.” Robby shivered when Wren’s fingers traced over the newly
inked tattoo on the small of his back. “This is why I was there, love,
and you know it.”

Robby prayed that Wren was telling him the truth, because a lie

was too horrible to contemplate. He nodded. “Okay, okay,” he said,
but almost to himself. Wren’s low chuckle was the only thing that told
Robby the man had heard him.

“So, what’s the plan?” Robby inquired as he turned back to look

at Charlie and John Henry. He knew they had one. They always had
one. “And how can I help?”

“The first thing you need to know is that you’re not officially

fired,” John Henry said. “I had to make it look good in case someone
was watching, which is why you weren’t filled in on the plan
beforehand. I needed you to be pissed at me.”

“It worked,” Robby snorted. “I was plenty pissed at you.”
“Yes.” John Henry grinned, and it was the easygoing grin that

Robby knew so well, and it made him feel like his brother was once
again on his side. “I imagine you were.”

“We believe that whoever is doing this is fixated on you, Robby,”

Charlie interjected. “Can you think of anyone that might have it out
for you?”

“No,” Robby said instantly. Sure, there were a couple of people

that were pissed they had been arrested, but the charges were all
piddly shit, nothing that someone would obsess over. “I took Bobby
Ray in again last week for selling moonshine, but that’s pretty much a
monthly thing. He never gets pissed over it.”

John Henry instantly shook his head. “Bobby Ray may have a few

screws loose, but he’s harmless.”

“Then I can’t think of anyone,” Robby said as he scratched at his

chin, racking his brain to come up with anyone who might be fixated

54 Stormy

Glenn

on him. The only person he wanted fixated on him was Wren, and
Robby had finally gotten his wish. He inwardly grinned.

Damn, had he gotten his wish.
“What about when you went into the big city a couple of months

ago for that convention?” Charlie asked, rubbing the back of his neck
and looking frustrated as hell. “Did you meet anyone, make anyone
angry, or offend someone in some manner? Does anyone stand out in
your mind?”

“No, not really.” Robby shoved his hands deep into his front

pockets as he gave due consideration to Charlie’s question, but once
again, he was stumped. “I mean, nothing stands out at all. The whole
thing was boring as hell.”

It had been all Robby could do to stay for the whole two days. The

convention was more of an information-gathering event than
anything. Sheriffs and deputies from all over the state had been
invited to come and learn about new policies put into place by the
newly elected governor.

It was routine—and unexciting, but someone had to do it and

Robby had drawn the short straw. John Henry had refused to even
draw one, saying that he was needed to keep things running at home.
He was right, but Robby still didn’t like the fact that he had to go into
the city.

He hated the big city—too many people.
“I had dinner with a couple of the deputies I know from the next

county over and spent the rest of my time in the hotel room, watching
television. I didn’t even go sightseeing.” There wasn’t anything to see
in the city except concrete and more concrete. There were also so
many goddamn buildings—all smashed close together—that Robby
had a migraine when he traveled through the city to get home.

Wren’s chest rumbled as he tightened his arm around Robby’s

waist. When he spoke, his voice was low and rough, as if caught on
the edge of a growl. “What deputies?”

Tattooed & Taken

Chapter 5

Wren knew he probably should have kept his mouth shut when

Robby turned to glare at him, but he couldn’t stand the idea of Robby
even looking at someone else, let alone spending time with them. He
wanted all of Robby’s attention, and he’d had to share it with
everyone else for far too long.

Did that make him an asshole of epic proportions?
Absolutely.
Did he care?
No one damn bit.
Robby was his, and now that he had laid claim to the man, if

anyone even looked at Robby with desire in their eyes, Wren would
wipe the floor with them.

Robby turned and cupped his hand over the side of Wren’s face.

The gesture was so tender that Wren couldn’t help but lean into it. It
had nothing to do with the fact that he soaked up every single little
touch from the man like a sponge.

Really!
“Baby, whose name is tattooed on my ass?”
Wren’s face flushed as he ducked his head. He could hear the loud

chuckles from his friends, men he had served with through thick and
thin. “Mine,” he admitted, feeling a small measure of delight that he
could honestly say that.

“And who do I belong to?”
The beginning of a smile started to curve up the corners of Wren’s

mouth. “Me.”

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“Then shut the fuck up so we can figure out who is threatening my

niece and nephew.”

Wren’s jaw hit his chest as Robby spun back around and

practically ignored him. He had just been thoroughly put in his place
by a man several inches shorter than him, and in front of his friends,
too.

The only thing that kept him from feeling like he had totally been

dismissed was the fact that Robby stayed right where he was in front
of Wren and even leaned back into his larger body. Wren could still
hear his friends laughing, but he didn’t care. He just wrapped both
arms around Robby’s waist and hugged his lover to him.

“Well,” John Henry said as he watched the two of them, “I can’t

say this is a surprise.”

“No.” Charlie grinned as he shook his head. “We all kind of saw it

coming.”

Wren started to slap a hand over Robby’s mouth when he felt the

man stiffen in his arms. He knew Robby had issues with the way John
Henry had handled things, and he did, too—to a point. But he
understood John Henry’s reservations as well. That had been the only
reason he had listened to the man.

“Then maybe when this is all over,” Robby snapped as he pushed

Wren’s hand away and shook his finger at John Henry, “you can
explain to me why you’re sticking your big fat nose into my love life.
You could have saved me a lot of trouble.”

“Look, Robby,” John Henry started, “I wasn’t trying to—”
“What sort of trouble?” Charlie asked as he took a step closer,

interrupting the tirade everyone knew John Henry was headed for.

Robby dropped his head and half turned toward Wren, as if

seeking the protection the larger man could give him. “I don’t want to
talk about it.”

“Robby—”
Robby groaned. “Look, it wasn’t anything big. I was pissed at

John Henry, so I went to Ruby Reds and had a few beers.”

Tattooed & Taken

Wren’s eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch. “A few?”
Robby rolled his eyes. “Okay, I had more than a few.”
“And?” Charlie asked.
“And…” Robby groaned again, dropping his head back against

Wren’s chest to stare up at the ceiling. “I drank just a little too much,
and I woke up this morning in some woman’s bed.”

“You slept with a woman?” John Henry’s tone was so shocked

that Wren would have sworn that Robby just gave the man the
location and key code to Area 51.

It wasn’t that bad…well…maybe.
Okay, yeah, it was.
“I have no fucking idea.” Robby shrugged, as if the man was

trying his best not to remember how he woke up this morning. “I
don’t remember anything past the first few beers.”

Wren could feel the embarrassment rolling off of Robby in waves.

He knew Robby didn’t want to discuss what might or might not have
happened the previous night, but Charlie seemed really interested, and
not because he was a pervert.

Something else was up.
“Charlie,” he asked, “what are you thinking?”
“Robby, do you usually black out when you drink?” Charlie

peered at Robby closely, almost as if he was trying to determine the
truthfulness of the man’s words.

“Hell, no!” Robby snapped as he dropped his head and gave

Charlie a look that would have frightened a weaker man. “I have one
or two beers a couple of times a month. I’ve never blacked out before,
and I’ve sure as shit never gotten that drunk.”

“Then, would you mind if we had your blood tested?”
Dead silence met Charlie’s question as everyone turned to look at

the former marine commander.

“You want to test Robby’s blood?” John Henry asked quietly.
Charlie nodded at John Henry although he continued to look at

Robby. “Robby has never struck me as the careless type, even if he

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was drinking. I’m starting to wonder if this woman has anything to do
with the threatening letter we received.”

“You think she set me up?” Robby gasped.
“I think the timing is too convenient. What are the odds that John

Henry would receive a letter telling him to fire Robby or else and
Robby—a man we all know is gay—would get so drunk that he
would sleep with a woman, all within a matter of days?” Charlie
crossed his arms and looked each man that stood there straight in the
face. “Considering how close Robby and John Henry are, I’m pretty
sure whoever did this knew Robby would be devastated. I’m not
saying they knew he would go to the bar and get drunk, but it’s
always a possibility, and if it’s true, that means that they could have
followed him to the bar and spiked his alcohol.”

Wren could feel talons of anger clawing inside his gut and

threatening to explode at the implications of Charlie’s words. Charlie
was right. It was too convenient. All of those events could easily
happen, but not so close together—not unless Robby had the world’s
worst luck.

“I think someone might have put something in his drinks,” Charlie

continued. “For what purpose, I don’t know. But a blood test will tell
us if he has anything in his system that he shouldn’t have.”

Robby groaned and flipped his arm out. “Take whatever you

need.”

* * * *

“Asa is going to drop the blood I drew from Robby off at the lab.

The lab will put a rush on it and call me with the test results as soon
as they have them,” Charlie said as he hung up the phone. “They
should be able to tell us if anyone messed with Robby’s drinks.”

Wren clenched his jaw to keep from shouting. The very idea that

someone might have put a drug into Robby’s alcohol made his mind
haze with anger. If what Charlie was thinking was true, Robby had

Tattooed & Taken

been totally defenseless and Wren had been sitting on his ass at the
man’s house, unaware of the danger his lover was in.

“Whatever you’re thinking might have been used on Robby, could

it do permanent damage to him?” Wren needed to know how much
trouble Robby was really in.

“Hard to say, Wren. There are some drugs that can have long-

lasting, if not permanent, effects, but more than likely, it was just
some sort of date-rape drug.”

Wren’s mind went numb at the possibility. “You think this woman

was trying to assault Robby?”

“I think it’s possible.” Charlie grew very serious, a frown marring

his tanned face. “Men can be raped just as easily as women can,
Wren. It happens more often than you think. Men just tend not to
report it because of the stigma attached to it.”

Wren dropped into the chair behind him and buried his face in his

hands. He could feel tears threatening to spill down his face at what
might have happened to Robby. Robby was a strong man, but was he
strong enough to accept what might have happened to him?

“Don’t buy trouble, Wren.”
“What?” Wren raised his head to look at Charlie, feeling totally

confused and heartbroken right down to his core.

“Look,” Charlie said as he settled on the edge of his desk, “we

don’t know that Robby was raped or even if this woman did anything
to him. As far as we know, it was all a setup.” He shrugged. “Maybe
she doesn’t even know Robby is gay. Maybe she thought something
would happen between them once Robby woke up in bed with her—
an obviously naked and willing woman.”

Wren grabbed onto that thought as hard as he could. It was better

than the alternative. He would want Robby no matter what, but he
didn’t want him to go through something so horrible. Robby deserved
better than that.

“Robby did say he saw a box of unopened condoms sitting on the

nightstand.”

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“Then she probably hoped something would happen when Robby

woke up and realized that he was in bed with her.”

Wren really wanted to believe that theory, but he had spent too

many years hunting down dirtbags that would do anything and use
anyone to get what they wanted. There were a lot of evil people in the
world, and Wren would do whatever he had to do to keep them away
from his man.

“Should we call Bill home, boss?” The house was currently filled

with members of the marine unit he was a part of, but—as good as
they were—Wren wasn’t sure they would be enough if trouble started.

Charlie shook his head. “We can’t. Bill is in Central America right

now.”

“Central America?” That was news to Wren. He knew Bill had

gone on a mission recently. He just hadn’t known it had taken him to
Central America.

“The commander of his unit went missing. You remember him,

Lieutenant Commander Harlan Thomas?”

“Damn! Harlan?” Wren didn’t know Harlan Thomas well, but

they had been on a few missions together. The man was good at what
he did, almost as good as Charlie.

“Yep. He went missing during a mission in Central America about

ten months back. Because the mission was Black Ops and top-level
classified, the government denied any knowledge of it and declared
Harlan MIA.”

“Fuck me,” Wren gasped. “And Bill went searching for him?”
Charlie nodded. “Bill has been tracking down every damn rumor

he’s heard of for the last ten months, trying to find Harlan.”

That made sense. They didn’t leave people behind. And knowing

Bill, he would never settle for having a friend missing. “So, he’s
tracking down a rumor?”

“Bill heard that a drug lord down south might be holding Harlan.

He’s gone in undercover to see what he can find out. He’s supposed
to report in every forty-eight hours to give us a sit-rep.”

Tattooed & Taken

“How long have you known about this?”
“I’ve known Harlan was missing for a while. When the bigwigs

wouldn’t do anything about Harlan, Bill came to me and asked me to
keep my ear to the ground. This little mission of Bill’s is rather recent.
He went undercover just a couple of weeks ago.”

“Does he need help?” Wren would hate to leave Robby, especially

now, but he would be well protected here and Wren figured he could
probably go help when this mess was all over. He wouldn’t be leaving
before then.

“He’ll let us know. Like I said, he’s supposed to report in every

forty-eight hours. If I don’t hear from him, I’m to send in the guys to
retrieve him.” Charlie suddenly grinned, which was odd, especially
considering what they were discussing. “I chipped his ass.”

Wren’s eyebrows shot up. “You chipped Bill?”
Charlie chuckled. “Yeah, and it was fun, too.”
“Does John Henry know you did that?”
“Are you kidding?” Amusement danced in Charlie’s sea-foam-

green eyes as his grin grew wider. “Who do you think held Bill
down?”

Wren felt laughter bubble up inside of him as he imagined John

Henry holding his brother Bill down long enough for Charlie to put a
tracking chip in the guy. It was an entertaining image and one Wren
would have paid good money to see.

“Okay,” Wren said as he got to his feet. “I need to go check on

Robby. You’ll let us know as soon as the lab calls?”

The smile fell from Charlie’s face as he nodded. “I will.”
“Thanks, boss.”
“How are things going with Robby?”
That was a subject Wren didn’t want to go into with Charlie. He

had listened to Charlie and John Henry once before, and it had almost
lost him Robby. He didn’t want to chance that it would happen again.

“Fine,” Wren replied.
“Just fine?”

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Wren gave a tight nod. “Yes, things are just fine between me and

Robby.”

“From the way you were hugging on Robby, I’d say they were

going better than fine.”

Wren’s back stiffened as he narrowed his gaze at his former

commander. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“No, no.” Charlie waved his hands back and forth in front of him.

“I was just curious.”

“Well, you’re not a damn cat, so stop being fucking curious.”
“Wren, do you understand why John Henry and I asked you to

take things slow with Robby?”

Unfortunately, he did. Wren knew he wasn’t known for his long-

term relationships, but that was just because he hadn’t met Robby yet.
The moment he did, that all changed. Well, maybe not the exact
moment, but soon afterward. Robby had grown on him over the
months until Wren couldn’t conceive of the man not being in his life.

“Robby is different.” How could he explain the attraction between

him and Robby in terms that Charlie would understand? He wasn’t
even sure he could define it. “He’s special. He’s the first man I’ve
ever met that made me want to be a better person. His smile lights up
a room and makes me feel like I can accomplish anything I set my
mind to. And the way he looks at me…” Wren shook his head
ruefully. “No one has ever looked at me like that, Charlie. It’s like my
next breath is more important to him than anything in the world.”

“Sounds like how I feel about John Henry.” Charlie’s mouth

curved, and a glint entered his eyes that only a man deeply in love
could have. “There’s just something about those Harrison boys, isn’t
there?”

Wren chuckled lightly. Charlie was absolutely right. Each one of

the Harrison men—even Pops—was something special. They were
strong, honorable men that had each other’s backs as well as the backs
of their friends. Wren knew that he and his unit had been lucky when
they landed in this little valley.

Tattooed & Taken

“Can you imagine the man that catches Bill’s interest?” Charlie

asked.

“Right?” Wren’s eyes widened as he tried to imagine the mystical

man. “Oh man, he’d have to have balls of steel.”

Bill wasn’t an easy guy to get to know. He held his thoughts and

emotions close to his chest and didn’t share much with anyone. Wren
doubted he even shared with his family. The man was just too private.

Wren knew it came from the type of work they did. Not only was

it hard to form relationships when they could be called up to duty at
any moment, but they never knew if they were coming home alive or
dead.

“I wouldn’t want to be Bill when he does meet the man that takes

him down,” Charlie said. “But I would pay good money to be a fly on
the wall when it happens.”

“Right?” Wren laughed.
“I kind of wished I had been a fly on the wall when Robby

realized that you’ve been waiting for him for the last six months. I’ll
bet that was something else.”

Wren wasn’t one to embarrass easily, but he could still feel his

face heat up as he remembered how explosive things had been
between him and Robby. Just thinking about it made his cock jerk in
his jeans, and the thought of tracking the man down inside the
massive mansion and fucking him into a wall came to the front of
Wren’s mind.

Charlie cocked an eyebrow then shook his finger at Wren. “I

know that look, so get those thoughts right out of your head. We have
bigger things to deal with than your raging libido.”

“I kind of think fucking Robby into the nearest wall should be at

the top of my priority list, but I defer to your more sage wisdom, oh
wise one.”

“Really? I’m like two seconds older than you, Wren.”
“Ah, yes, but those two seconds, boss…” Wren let that statement

hang in the air as he walked out of Charlie’s study and went in search

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of Robby. It had been just a little while—twenty minutes give or take
a second or two—but already Wren could feel his body aching to hold
Robby close.

It had been that way since he’d met the man.
Usually, he could spend a few days or even weeks out of Robby’s

presence when on a mission. Now that they had been together and he
had actually held Robby in his arms and tasted the sweetness of his
body, the need to be near him was almost all consuming.

Wren found Robby in the kitchen. He smiled and crossed his arms

over his chest as he leaned against the doorframe and just watched.
Under normal circumstances, Wren knew he would have gone
through the roof to find his man dancing around the kitchen with
another man in his arms.

This time, the man was four and standing on the top of Robby’s

shoes as they danced to the classic rock music playing on the radio.
Kenny was giggling as he tried to stay perched on Robby’s shoes.
Robby held onto Kenny’s hands, keeping him balanced as he moved
in a circle.

It was adorable.
But the quick sway of Robby’s hips as he danced was what held

Wren’s interest the most. Even dancing with a four-year-old, Robby
still had the power to get his hormones raging. Wren just had to make
sure he hid it until Kenny was gone.

With that idea in mind, Wren cleared his throat as he pushed away

from the wall and walked across the room to lean on the counter with
his arms, making sure the thickness in his pants was hidden by the
cupboard below.

“It looks like you two are having a good time.” He quickly

dropped his eyes when Robby swung around, his face flushing a deep
red. He didn’t want to embarrass the man. He carefully kept his eyes
off of Robby as he reached for an apple in the fruit bowl and bit into
it. He chewed for a moment before glancing at Robby.

“I like dancing.”

Tattooed & Taken

Chapter 6

Robby could still feel the heat in his face as he let go of Kenny

and turned to look at his lover. The sensual grin gracing Wren’s
handsome face made him so hot he wished he had a tall glass of ice
water.

“Did you get everything squared away with Charlie?” he asked as

he rubbed the back of his neck, trying to avoid Wren’s eyes as much
as possible while not looking like he was doing it. The knowing glint
in Wren’s eyes said he knew exactly what Robby was trying to do.

“Yep.”
Robby waited for Wren to say something more, but the man just

watched him with dark, hungry eyes as he ate his apple. Robby
purposely widened his eyes then nodded toward the child standing
next to him.

Wren grinned as he tossed the apple core into the trash can. “Hey,

Kenny, I hear Manny is going to be playing video games in the den.
I’m sure if you asked him nicely, he’d let you play, too.”

Robby’s left eye twitched when Kenny squealed. Okay, that was a

sound he never wanted to hear again.

“Pringles, please.” Kenny held his hand out.
Robby couldn’t keep back the burst of laughter that hit him at

Kenny’s words. Okay, the kid was too damn smart for his own good.
Either that or Manny was corrupting the little guy. Just because he
adored his nephew—and he wanted him to leave the room—Robby
walked over to the cupboard and grabbed a can of Pringles.

Just as soon as the can hit Kenny’s hand, the kid took off running

through the house. Robby knew he should probably say something to

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Kenny about running in the house. And then he felt the hairs on the
back of his neck stand up, and he forgot all about Kenny.

Robby slowly turned then took a quick step back when he saw

Wren standing up just staring at him from across the room. It was
eerie the way the man’s dark eyes were so fixated on him, almost as if
Wren would rather die than look away.

“Wren?”
“I want to see my tattoo.” Wren’s raspy voice was almost a

whisper, yet it rumbled through the room like an earthquake. And the
man didn’t move, not a single muscle. Robby wasn’t even sure he was
breathing.

He suddenly had a very clear picture of how Wren became so

good at what he did. A marine sniper needed to know how not to
move a hair on his body for hours on end. He had to have control, to
know when to move and when not to move.

Wren had it down to an art form.
It also explained how Wren had kept his distance when he so

obviously hadn’t wanted to. Wren’s desperate need shined so brightly
that it was almost hard to look at. Robby was confused as to where his
sudden insight came from, but he was glad he had it. It explained so
much.

“I’m here, Wren.” Robby could hear the tremble in his voice when

he spoke, but it didn’t come from fear. It came from the knowledge
that he was this big, strong, honorable marine’s entire world.

Wren’s black eyes softened at Robby’s words but didn’t lose their

desperation. Robby cautiously walked across the room as if
approaching a feral animal. Wren needed to touch him, to assure
himself that Robby was unharmed.

Wren’s fingers were warm and strong as he grasped Robby’s wrist

the second he stepped within reach and dragged him closer. A soft
sigh caught in Robby’s throat when he felt Wren’s finger wind in his
hair.

Tattooed & Taken

Wren’s eyes searched Robby’s face as his fingers spanned the

skin just above the curve of Robby’s ass for a brief moment before he
slid his hand down to grab Robby’s ass. He seemed to be looking for
something in Robby’s eyes.

Robby didn’t know if Wren found what he was looking for, and

he didn’t have time to ponder it. Wren leaned down and crushed their
lips together, demanding entrance into Robby’s mouth. He kissed
Robby like a starving man tasting his first bite of food. It sent the pit
of Robby’s stomach into a wild swirl.

Their mouths crashed together again and again, growing hungrier

and more desperate with each passing second. The caress of Wren’s
lips on Robby’s mouth and the longing in his body set Robby aflame.
Wren’s kiss sang through Robby’s veins, leaving his mouth burning
with fire.

Robby kissed Wren back with the same fervor, lingering, savoring

every moment. He licked purposefully at Wren’s upper lip and was
granted entry to the warm, wet cavern. As his tongue explored at its
leisure, he felt Wren’s hand squeeze his ass, letting it go then
squeezing it again.

The desperation had faded from Wren’s eyes when he finally

lifted his head to stare down at Robby, returning them to their natural
black color. But the hunger was still there. Robby imagined that it
always would be.

He smoothed his hand down over the side of Wren’s face. “I’m

here, Wren.”

“How is it that you get me after so little time?” Wren’s rough

whisper sounded tortured. “No one has ever really understood me.”

“That’s because no one has ever loved you like I do,” Robby

answered with complete confidence and conviction in his voice. He
had fallen in love with Wren months ago. It was only now that he was
able to express that to the man in question.

“Love?” Wren said the word as a question, a statement, and a

prayer all at the same time.

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Robby wasn’t sure if telling Wren he loved him had been a wise

move since their relationship was just budding. He knew most men
ran when they heard those four letters. He prayed like hell Wren
didn’t.

He had the man’s name tattooed on his ass, after all.
“You mean the world to me, Robby,” Wren said as he ran the tips

of his fingers over Robby’s jaw.

Okay, that was as close to a declaration as he was going to get

right now, and Robby knew it. He wasn’t going to complain. It was
better than the man hauling ass away from him. But then again,
Robby knew Wren loved him because he had Robby’s name tattooed
on his body. It just seemed Wren had a hard time saying it. In time,
Robby knew he would hear those four letters. He wasn’t going to rush
things.

He began to wiggle around when he felt a tickle along the bottom

of his spine.

“What’s wrong?” Wren asked, his expression quizzical.
“My tattoo itches.” Robby began to rub his lower back on the

edge of the island, trying to find relief. If he was a big man, he just
might have looked like a bear in the woods rubbing up against a tree.

The damn thing was driving him crazy.
“You are not allowed to scratch,” Wren said as he flipped Robby

around and pressed a hand into his back until Robby was leaning over
the island. “Let me take care of that.”

“What are you going to do?” Robby asked as he glanced over his

shoulder. To his amazement, Wren slid a small tube of cream from his
front pocket. The man squeezed a small amount onto his fingers,
shoved the tube back into his pocket, and then lifted Robby’s shirt and
began to smooth the stuff onto his lower back.

The relief was instant. “Always carry that stuff around, do ya?”

Robby teased.

“Nope, just since we got tattooed. I knew the skin would become

dry and irritated.” Wren moved closer, pressing his groin close to

Tattooed & Taken

Robby’s ass as his fingers glided over Robby’s skin. God, the man’s
fingers were like magic.

“Uh…” John Henry said as he walked into the kitchen then

stumbled to a stop, staring at them from across the room. “Can you
take that upstairs? The kids are home.”

Robby may have been sore at his brother for interfering in his love

life, but the expression on the man’s face was priceless and one
Robby wouldn’t have missed for anything in the world. His skin had
flushed to a red so deep, Robby was waiting to see if it caught fire. He
knew how they looked. Robby was behind the island, bent over, and
Wren was behind him, rubbing.

“I’m relieving the itch on his tattoo,” Wren said, seeming

nonplussed. Robby loved that Wren kept his composure, even when
they looked like they were about to have sex in the kitchen of his
brother’s house.

“Oh,” John Henry said, a grin forming on his lips as he waved his

hand in the air like a king dismissing his subjects. “In that case, carry
on.”

“What’s up?” Robby asked, glad his lower half was covered by

the island cabinet because he was hard as a rock. It didn’t matter that
Wren was only smoothing cream on his back. Just feeling the man’s
hands on him had him hot and ready.

His eyes slid over to the pantry.
“The hospital called. It seems Otis got into a car accident.”
Robby straightened, but Wren hadn’t moved away. The guy

pressed him back down onto the counter, continuing his rubbing
assault. That was the only way to describe it, because Robby knew for
damn sure his tattoo was well covered in the cream. His lover was just
teasing him now.

“He’s in the hospital. He says he is going to be fine, but his right

arm is in a cast, so he’s going to be off the roster for at least six
weeks.”

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“With me gone, and now Otis, what are you going to do as far as a

deputy?” Robby asked. There just weren’t that many people working
in the sheriff’s office. John Henry was the sheriff. Robby and Otis
were his only deputies. Maggie ran dispatch and did the general
paperwork in between calls. That didn’t leave anyone else.

John Henry shrugged. “I’m still trying to figure that one out. Too

bad Maggie didn’t have more field experience or I would put her out
there.”

Robby chuckled. “Then who would you get to dispatch?”
His brother narrowed his eyes. “One problem at a time, Robby.”
Robby had to suppress the groan when Wren’s hand dipped lower

than the tattoo went. The man was downright torturing him now, and
he knew there wasn’t a damn thing Robby could do about it. It wasn’t
like he was going to drop his pants with John Henry in the room.

He was so going to get even with Wren for this.
“You could always hire me back on, you know.” Robby really did

not like the idea of the people in the county being without protection
or at least some sort of police presence. He had only been working as
a deputy for a little over five years, but he had lived in the county his
entire life.

“No, I can’t.” John Henry sighed deeply as he rubbed the bridge

of his nose. “Whoever is after you needs to think you’ve been fired.
It’s too dangerous for you, and for the kids, if they find out I didn’t
really fire you.”

At the mention of the threat made against Kenny and Emily,

Robby instantly felt like the world’s biggest jerk. John Henry had a
lot on his plate, and Robby’s sudden problems only added to it.

“I’m sorry, John Henry,” Robby said. “I swear to you that I don’t

know who is after me. I can’t think of a single person that I’ve pissed
off or upset.”

“Robby, you do realize it might not have anything to do with you

pissing someone off, right?” Wren asked as his hand paused on the
downward slope of Robby’s ass. “Psychotic people don’t necessarily

Tattooed & Taken

need a reason to be psychotic. You could have simply said hi to
someone and they took it the wrong way.”

“Wren is right, Robby,” John Henry added. “This isn’t your

fault.”

“How can it not be my fault?” Robby exclaimed loudly. “None of

this would have happened if this idiot wasn’t after me.”

Robby knew John Henry was frustrated by the whole situation.

How could he not be? Robby could feel his own frustration igniting
inside of him, and he wasn’t the one with children in danger.

Robby pushed away from the counter and tossed his hands up in

the air. “Hell, for all I know, Otis crashing his car was my fault.
Maybe this asshole is trying to take out everyone I care about.”

A low growl rumbled through the room. Robby yelped as he was

grabbed and yanked back into Wren’s larger body. John Henry’s quiet
laughter rang through the air as Robby was wrapped in muscular arms
and practically squeezed to death.

“I was just going to put this deputy on my to kill list, but maybe I

need to torture him before he dies.”

John Henry’s quiet laughter became a loud cackle at Wren’s

totally blatant threat. Robby crossed his arms and glared at his brother
from the arms of the man wrapped around him like a second skin.
There was a part of him that was thrilled at Wren’s possessive words.
There was another part that worried that Wren wasn’t kidding.

“You do know that I lost my crush on Otis several years ago,

right?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Wren growled. “He still needs to die.”
“Wren!”
“What?” The question was asked so innocently—like Wren hadn’t

just threatened someone’s life—that all Robby could do was stare at
the man with his mouth hanging open. His face flushed when Wren
reached over and lifted his chin up.

“You really need to be careful who is standing around when you

threaten one of my deputies, Wren,” John said as he shook his head, a

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sliver of laughter lifting his voice. “I know you’re kidding, but not
everyone will.”

“Who said I was kidding?” Wren asked, his arms tightening

around Robby’s waist again. “No one needs to have Robby’s attention
except me.”

John Henry cocked his head to one side, his gaze inquisitive and

filled with just a bit of mischief. “Are you sure you’re not Robby’s
stalker?”

“No.” Wren chuckled as if amused by the idea. “But only because

I didn’t think of it first.”

Tattooed & Taken

Chapter 7

Wren grumbled inwardly as he followed Robby into the sheriff’s

station. This was not one of Robby’s brighter ideas. If whoever was
after him saw him enter the building, they might think Robby was
headed back to work and strike again.

Robby was already in enough trouble. Wren didn’t even want to

think of the possibility that someone might really have it out for him,
even if he knew he needed to consider the idea. He just wasn’t going
to leave Robby’s side until he knew for sure his lover was safe.

And he trusted no one except a select few.
Robby, on the other hand, was just as friendly as he had always

been, waving to people on the street and even stopping to say hello.
Wren would have preferred covering him in bubble wrap and locking
him in a hermetically sealed room—from the inside.

He’d have a gun and an entire cabinet full of ammo, of course.
“Hey, Maggie, they keeping you busy around here?” Robby

smiled at the dispatcher as he perched on the edge of her desk.

“Robby, what are you doing here?” the female asked as her eyes

widened to saucer size. “I thought you got…uh…”

“Go ahead, you can say it.” Robby snickered. “I got fired.”
“Yes.” Maggie shook her head. “I still can’t believe John Henry

fired you. What was he thinking?”

“He’s just doing what he has to,” Robby said. “I’ve been”—Wren

stiffened, afraid that Robby was going to give away what they knew,
but he should have known better—“thinking of moving on anyway.
John Henry knew that, and he was just trying to get me to stop
procrastinating.”

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“Oh.” Maggie frowned and stared down at the pen in her hand for

a moment. “Then you’re leaving town?”

Robby shrugged. “I don’t know. I might find something around

here to do, might not. I’m not too worried about it right now. Worst-
case scenario, I move in with Pops while I figure out what I want to
be when I grow up.”

“I have a spare room you can use if you need it.”
Wren felt a growl of denial start to form in his throat. Robby

wouldn’t be staying with anyone except him. Ever! And he certainly
wouldn’t be staying with some woman, not after the shit Robby was
going through from his last encounter with a female.

“Naw, that’s okay.” Robby shook his head. “But thanks for the

offer. My rent is paid up until the end of the month, and I still have
one last paycheck coming, so I should be fine. After that, who
knows.”

“Oh, I…uh…” Maggie started rifling through a stack of papers on

her desk before looking up at Robby with apprehension marring her
face. “I don’t have your check yet, Robby. I’m sorry.”

“Well, technically, John Henry has forty-eight hours to get the

check for me.” Robby smiled again. “But that’s not why I’m here.
Otis called and asked me to pick up a few things for him.”

“Otis?”
“You didn’t hear?” The astonishment was clear in Robby’s voice.
“Hear what?” Maggie asked.
“The bonehead crashed his truck and broke his arm. He’s going to

be off the duty roster for the next six weeks while he heals.”

“So, he called…you?”
Wren could hear the hesitation in Maggie’s voice, and he felt

pretty much the same. He did not like the idea of this Deputy Otis
calling Robby for anything. He just didn’t understand why Maggie
had a problem with it. Maybe she had a thing for the deputy.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

Tattooed & Taken

Wren was even willing to help the two of them hook up. “Since

Robby isn’t working, he was the most obvious choice to pick up the
items Otis wanted. I’m sure he would have asked you if you weren’t
working.”

Maggie frowned as she turned to look up at Wren. “You’re one of

those marines staying out at John Henry’s place, aren’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Wren smiled, trying to seem as friendly as he

could be. “Charlie was my commander before he retired. He offered
each of our unit a place to crash when we’re not out in the field.”

“That’s…nice.”
Wren blinked in confusion when Maggie practically dismissed

him and turned her attention back to Robby. He vaguely remembered
Robby mentioning that a girl named Maggie had chased him down on
the playground when he was a child to kiss him and again at prom
when he was a teenager.

Was this the same Maggie?
He moved a step closer to Robby, wondering if he needed to add

Maggie to his torture and kill list. At this rate, everyone in the damn
county would be on the list. Was there anyone that wasn’t after his
Robby?

“Robby tells me the two of you grew up together along with Otis,”

Wren said. Robby’s head snapped around, and the man just stared at
him as if he couldn’t believe what was coming out of Wren’s mouth.
Wren ignored his slack-jawed look and continued. “You must know
them both pretty well then.”

“Yes, I guess I do,” Maggie said slowly. “Why?”
“What can you tell me about Otis?”
“Otis?” both Maggie and Robby exclaimed at the same time.

Maggie looked shocked, but Robby looked like he wanted to clobber
Wren right over the head.

“Why do you want to know about Otis?” Robby demanded.

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Wren didn’t miss the way that Maggie’s eyes snapped back to

Robby at the low, menacing tone he used. “I was just curious if he
was single or not.”

“Otis isn’t into guys!” Maggie snapped.
Wren felt a smile tug at his lips as he glanced at Maggie. Her face

was flushed red, but he wasn’t sure if that came from her outraged
outburst or from the intricate bun her blond hair was wound into at the
nape of her neck. It looked tight enough to stretch the skin right off
her head if she sneezed.

“I have a sister coming to visit in a couple of weeks. She’s young

and single and likes to go dancing. I don’t dance.” Wren shrugged
nonchalantly as if it wasn’t a big deal to him. “I figured if I could find
her a date, I wouldn’t be forced to go out on the dance floor with her
and make a fool of myself.”

Maggie’s face flushed even more. “Oh.”
“But if you have a claim on Otis…”
“Maggie isn’t—” Robby began.
“Otis is a nice guy and all,” Maggie said, interrupting Robby.

“But he’s kind of boorish, if you know what I mean. He’d rather sit
home and drink beer than go out on a real date. The man has no
imagination.”

“That’s too bad,” Wren replied. “Well, if you can think of anyone

else, someone that isn’t boorish or hooked up with anyone else, could
you leave word with John Henry? I really don’t want to go dancing
with my sister.”

Wren could feel Robby’s eyes on him as they walked away and

headed toward Otis’s desk. He knew Robby had questions—mainly
because Wren didn’t have a sister and Robby knew that. They had
discussed family before. He just hoped the man waited until they were
alone before asking them.

Robby stopped at Otis’s desk and pulled the drawers open,

grabbing the items Otis had asked for. It wasn’t much—a book Otis

Tattooed & Taken

was reading, a set of keys, and his cell phone. Once he had everything
gathered together, they headed for the front door.

“See ya, Maggie.” Robby waved.
“Oh, Robby, wait.” Maggie held out a small stack of envelopes of

various sizes. “I thought since you were headed up to the hospital and
all that maybe you could take this mail up to Otis.”

“Yeah, sure.” Robby grabbed the mail and added it to the pile of

stuff he was taking to the deputy. “I’d be happy to.”

“Thanks,” Maggie replied.
Wren just sent her a smile, once again not missing the strange way

the woman looked at Robby. For a moment, he entertained the idea
that Maggie might be the one behind the threat against Robby. Maybe
she was jealous of his relationship with Otis because she wanted Otis
for herself.

Just as soon as the idea entered his head, Wren dismissed it. John

Henry would never have anyone working for him that could be a
threat to his family. Wren was seeing boogey men everywhere and he
knew it. He needed to concentrate on the facts they did have instead
of finding fault with anyone that looked at Robby wrong.

“What in the hell was that all about?” Robby demanded the

second they climbed into Wren’s truck.

“I think Maggie has a thing for Otis. I was simply trying to feel

her out.”

“Maggie and Otis?” Robby’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you out of

your mind? First of all, Otis is not only into guys, he adores them—all
of them. And second of all, I’m pretty damn sure that Maggie is a
lesbian.”

“Maggie is a lesbian?”
“Well, I think she is. I’ve seen her out with a couple of women

before, and they looked like they were more than friends.”

“Damn!” Wren smacked the palms of his hands on the steering

wheel.

“What?”

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Glenn

“I was really hoping to take the two of them off my torture and

kill list.”

Robby stared at Wren for a moment then threw his head back and

let out a deep belly laugh that took the stress of the last few days off
his face and transformed it into a thing of beauty. The amusement
Robby was expressing shined in his dark-brown eyes and made him
seem younger somehow, as if the weight of the world wasn’t sitting
on his shoulders.

It was a good look on the man.
And it ignited a kernel of joy inside of Wren that he hadn’t felt in

many years. He chuckled lightly as he started his truck and drove out
of the parking lot, heading for the hospital. He might not like the idea
of Robby being around someone he used to have feelings for, but if it
put that look on his lover’s face, Wren would suffer through the visit.

He was armed, after all.
Wren knew he couldn’t openly display his affection toward Robb

right now, not with the possibility of someone seeing them hanging
over their heads. But he needed some sort of connection to Robby.

Wren kept one hand on the steering wheel as he drove. He laid the

other one on the center console, palm side up. And then he waited.
Not a moment later, Robby’s hand settled into his, their fingers lacing
together.

“You amuse me, Wren.”
“Yeah?” Wren asked. “How so?”
“You actually believe, after getting your name tattooed on my ass,

that I would be interested in someone else.”

Wait…
“What?”
“I spent six months trying to get you into my bed, Wren. Do you

honestly believe that now that I have, I would even look at another
man?”

Wren’s lips thinned with irritation—not at Robby but at himself.

Put the way Robby said it, he sounded like a complete jerk. He just

Tattooed & Taken

couldn’t seem to help it. He told himself that he was okay with all of
this—Robby’s friends, the way he seemed to have a smile for
everyone, and the easy way that he talked about a man he used to
want.

And then Robby would smile, and Wren would want that smile all

for himself.

Robby was right. He was becoming a complete jackass. He was

obsessed with Robby as much as the man’s stalker was, maybe even
more so. He just couldn’t seem to break the cycle of obsession.

“Maybe if you didn’t smile so much.”
“Oh, yeah, that would work.” Robby started laughing again.
Wren tightened his hand on the steering wheel until it crackled

beneath his fingers.

The amusement died from Robby’s eyes, and he regarded Wren

with somberness that made Wren wince. “Seriously?”

“No, but…” Wren chewed on his bottom lip for a moment,

wondering how to phrase what he wanted without making Robby run
in the other direction. “Maybe you could just give people a little
smile.”

Robby turned to look out the passenger-side window. He was

quiet for so long that a stale silence began to fill the cab of the truck,
making Wren wish he had kept his big mouth shut. He hated Robby
being upset with him almost as much as he hated Robby’s attention
being elsewhere.

“I’m sorry, Robby. I shouldn’t have said that. I just…I don’t

know. I guess I just don’t like the idea that someone might take you
from me.”

“Do you think I will be unfaithful to you, Wren?”
“No,” Wren answered without hesitation. That was one thing he

knew he didn’t have to worry about. Robby was a man of honor. If he
decided he wanted to be with someone else, he would tell Wren to his
face before anything happened.

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A shadow of alarm darkened Robby’s face. “You’re really

worried about this whole stalker thing, aren’t you?”

“Of course I’m worried, but what does that have to do with this

conversation?”

Instead of answering the question, Robby asked one of his own.

“Answer me this, Wren. A couple of months ago—hell, even a week
ago—would you have been so upset if I mentioned the high school
crush that I had on Otis?”

“I don’t know…maybe.” The tensing of Wren’s jaw was the only

thing that betrayed his deep frustration. There was no other outward
sign that Robby’s words felt like a knife digging into his gut.

“I’ve been smiling at people since the day we met, Wren. It never

seemed to bother you before.” Robby’s face was closed, as if he was
guarding a secret he wasn’t ready to share. “Why now?”

“Oh, it’s always bothered me. I just dealt with it. But now…”

Wren shook his head, unsure of what else to say. Everything he could
think of sounded wrong on his lips yet he felt them all.

“Now I belong to you and you feel like your territory is being

threatened?”

“Yeah.” Wren’s chest tightened as he stared at Robby in

astonishment. “How did you know that?”

Robby chuckled. “I read a lot of books.”
Huh?
That made absolutely no sense. “What sort of books?”
“Books with big, strong alpha types that feel a need to defend

their territory whenever it’s threatened by anything. They become
ultra possessive, oversensitive to anything they see as a threat to what
is theirs, and have an overwhelming need to prove to themselves and
others that their mate belongs to them.”

Wren blinked. “I think I need to read these books of yours.”
Robby’s lips spread into a wide grin as he squeezed Wren’s hand.

“Maybe I’ll read them to you sometime. I can guarantee that you’ll
enjoy them.”

Tattooed & Taken

Wren felt the breath slam right out of his lungs when he saw a

lust-filled glint come to life in Robby’s eyes. His cock went from
semi-hard—which it always was when in Robby’s presence—to
aching and hard as a lead pipe in under a second.

He so needed to get his hands on whatever books Robby was

reading.

He was even more nonplussed when Robby winked at him and

gave him a sensual look that was so hot Wren felt scorched to the
core. “But I’ll let you claim me again just as soon as we can find a
quiet spot alone.”

Wren almost jammed his boot down on the gas pedal just to get

them someplace quiet where they could be alone together. And then
he remembered that they were expected at the hospital.

Damn!

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Chapter 8

Robby could feel Wren watching him as they walked through the

hallway of the hospital, headed for Otis’s room. It wasn’t hard. Wren
practically hovered over him like a second skin. If the man got any
closer, they’d be sharing the same space.

He knew that most people would find it weird, or even annoying.

Robby found it endearing. It let him know that Wren really did want
him, and that knowledge gave him a sense of peace he had never
really felt before.

Not only did Wren want him, but the man would kill anyone that

threatened Robby. Well, Robby hoped he wouldn’t really hurt
someone, but Wren would certainly make them think twice about
harming Robby.

Wren’s size alone could scare the crap out of someone.
“This is it,” Robby said when they reached the room where Otis

was supposed to be staying. Robby slowed just enough so that Wren
bumped into him before pushing the door open. He knew the man
needed that slight touch before going inside to see a man Robby once
had a crush on.

If only Wren knew…
Yes, he had had a crush on Otis when he was younger, but that

was years ago. His taste in men had drastically changed in that time,
and he was pretty sure that Wren would see that the second he got to
know Otis.

Deputy Otis McCredie was a nice guy, a great guy, but he was

also a commitment-scared guy. And Robby was to the point in his life
where he was tired of going from one date to the next. He wanted to

Tattooed & Taken

settle down with one man for the rest of his life. He wanted to settle
down with Wren.

Whether that happened or not remained to be seen.
“Hey, Deputy,” Robby called out as he pushed the door open and

walked into the room, his eyes quickly scanning the room before
landing on the sandy-haired man lying in the bed. “This is not the way
to get time off from work.”

“Robby.” Otis smiled as if happy to see him.
Robby held up the small bundle of stuff he had gathered from the

man’s desk. “Got your things.”

“Thanks, man.”
“And Maggie sent your mail.”
“Great, more bills.” Otis’s eyebrows pulled down low over his

face as he grimaced. “Like I’m not going to be paying off this hospital
bill for the rest of my life.”

“Guess that will teach you to crash your truck.” Robby cocked his

head, curious about the crash because he knew that Otis was a great
driver. “Just exactly how did that happen anyway?”

“You got me, man. I was driving down Lower River Road, just

starting to go around suicide corner. I was going slow, because you do
not want to take that corner fast, and the damn brakes wouldn’t work.
I started to head for the railing, so I jerked the wheel to the left and
ran smack-dab into the cliff on the other side.” Otis held up the arm in
a big white cast from shoulder to wrist. “Did this.”

“What exactly did you do?”
“Broke the damn thing in three pieces, if you can believe that.”

Otis suddenly chuckled. It was a strange reaction from a man that had
recently been in an auto accident, but Robby was glad to see that Otis
still had his sense of humor. “I guess if I’m going to do something,
I’m going to do it really well.”

“Yeah, maybe next time you should not try to come in first.” Otis

was known for having a small issue with his ego. He didn’t like to

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come in last for anything. If he didn’t get things right the first time, he
kept trying until he did.

“Right?” Otis’s laughter filled the room, making Robby smile.

“Although, it might have been worth it. There’s this really cute
nurse.” The deputy wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “He promised
if I was good he’d come back later and give me a sponge bath.”

Robby rolled his eyes. “You’re hopeless, Otis.”
“Yeah, but you love me anyway.”
Robby laughed but cast a quick glance at Wren when the man

didn’t growl, which was his usual reaction. Wren was just staring at
Otis, his head cocked slightly to one side, a curious frown wrinkling
his forehead.

Robby kept his eyes on Wren as he talked, watching for any type

of reaction out of his lover. Maybe their little discussion in the truck
had done some good. “I was just telling Wren here about the crush I
had on you in high school.”

“Oh right,” Otis snorted. “Like that would have worked.”
“You aren’t interested in Robby?” Wren asked the question like

he couldn’t conceive of the idea of anyone not wanting Robby.

Otis shook his head. “Robby is cute and all, but he’s just not my

type.”

“And what type is that?”
“Uh…”
Robby smiled when a panicked look came into Otis’s eyes when

the man glanced over at him. “Otis likes his men—and I do mean
men—to come in pairs, preferably without last names or phone
numbers.”

Wren scratched the side of his head as if he was confused by the

entire conversation. “You’re into ménage relationships?”

“No, I’m into ménages, period,” Otis replied. “I prefer if they

don’t come with the whole relationship label.” Otis suddenly grinned
as he stared at Wren, looking him up and down like a starving man

Tattooed & Taken

that had just seen the world’s biggest steak. “Why? Do you have a
friend?”

This time, Robby was the one to growl—which shocked the shit

out of him. He heard Wren’s low chuckle and knew he had given
himself away. The astonished look on Otis’s face didn’t help.

“Sorry, Otis, I’m not on the market,” Wren replied as he slid his

hand down to the top of Robby’s ass, gently caressing the inked skin
there with his fingers. “But I have a few friends I can introduce you
to. I can’t promise they will be into the same things as you, but it
wouldn’t hurt to ask.”

“Dude!” Otis’s eyes flickered between Robby and Wren and then

back again. “The two of you?”

“Yes,” Wren replied, “but we’d be really grateful if you kept that

to yourself. We’d prefer that no one knew until we have time to tell
Robby’s family ourselves. Don’t want any rumors getting back to
them before then.”

“Mum’s the word, man.”
Robby frowned. He didn’t like lying to Otis. He liked the man,

even if it was just for a friend. He dropped the pile of stuff he had
gathered onto the bed next to Otis. “Here, open your mail and stop
thinking whatever it is you’re thinking, because it’s never going to
happen. Not now, not ever.”

Otis’s lips spread into a wide, lecherous grin as he started opening

his mail. “A guy can dream, can’t he?”

“What’s he thinking?” Wren asked.
“You and me together.” Robby’s lips spread into a thin line as he

crossed his arms. “You do the math.”

“Oh hell, no!” Wren’s face tightened as realization hit him.

“There’s no way in hell that—”

“Uh, guys?”
Robby glanced at Otis, not used to the uncertain tone in the self-

assured deputy’s voice. Otis was staring down at something he had

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pulled out of a large manila envelope. “What is it?” Robby asked,
growing concerned. “Is everything okay, Otis?”

There was a slight flush filling Otis’s face when he looked up.

“Are you sure you two are together?”

“Yeah.” Robby felt a sick knot of something ominous flicker to

life in his stomach. “Why?”

Otis looked like he was going to retch as he held the stack of

papers out to Robby. It wasn’t until Robby grabbed them and looked
down at them that he realized he was looking at photographs—very
graphic photographs of him and some woman with blond hair.

Robby gasped and dropped the pictures, racing to the small

bathroom off to one side of the room. He barely made it in time to
drop to his knees in front of the toilet before he was throwing up.

Someone handed him a wet washcloth and a glass of water.

Robby knew it was Wren when he felt the man’s fingers slide through
his hair. Robby quickly wiped his mouth, then rinsed it with the water
and spit, then wiped it again. His stomach was clenching in turmoil,
but his heart hurt even more.

“It’s okay, love.”
“No, it’s not,” Robby whispered on a broken sob as his entire

body started shaking apart. It felt like every nerve ending in his body
was jumping to life. His stomach began to churn again as the intimate
images in the photographs began to slide through his brain. “It’s never
going to be okay again.”

How could it be? Someone had taken photographs of Robby with

some woman, and from the positioning of him and the nameless
woman, the question of whether he had slept with her had been
answered—in graphic detail.

Robby leaned over the toilet when he started to gag again. “Oh my

god.” He was devastated, heartbroken. How could Wren want
anything to do with him after this? The man was sure to leave him
now. “I’m so sorry.”

Tattooed & Taken

When Wren grabbed him and started to pull him into the circle of

his large arms, Robby struggled to get free. He was disgusted with
himself. He didn’t even know who the woman in the photographs
was, and that didn’t even address the fact that he had been intimate
with her—a female.

“Robby, stop.”
There was so much steel-hard strength in Wren’s voice that it

caught Robby’s attention, and he stopped struggling to stare up at the
man that held more than just his body. Wren held his soul.

“I…I…” Any word Robby could think of to say tasted bitter on

his tongue.

“I know, love.” Wren’s hand fisted in Robby’s hair and pressed

him closer.

Robby felt a deep, anguished sob take hold of him as he buried his

face in the curve of Wren’s throat, shaking him until he thought he
might break apart. Tears spilled from his eyes and trickled down his
cheeks.

“I swear to you, Robby, I’ll make this right.”
Bitter laughter ripped from Robby’s throat. “I had sex with some

woman I don’t even remember, Wren. How can you make that right?
I don’t even have a fucking clue who in the hell she was.”

“I think I can answer that for you.”
Robby lifted his head when he heard Otis’s voice. He wiped his

sleeve over his eyes before lifting them to look at the deputy. “You
know who she is?”

“I couldn’t swear to it on a lie detector test, but it looks like that

new girl down at Ruby Reds. The girl in the pictures and the one
down at the bar both have the same curly blond hair.”

Robby’s jaw dropped. “Sarah Jane.”
“Yeah.” Otis nodded. “That’s the one.”
“You remember her, Robby?” Wren asked.
“I remember her getting my drinks for me the night I got drunk. I

even remember her introducing herself.” Robby tightened his jaw for

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a moment as a sudden deep and burning anger started to rage inside of
him. “I do not remember going home with her.”

“Then maybe we should go talk to her, hmm?” Wren asked,

giving voice to the thought running around in Robby’s head. He
wanted to know who this woman was and why she had taken pictures
of him without his permission, because he never would have given it.
He never would have gone home with her.

Robby was all for going to Ruby Reds and finding out if Sarah

Jane was the woman in the pictures. He had a few choice words for
the new waitress, none of them kind. He clenched his hands as he
climbed to his feet. He licked his lower lip, managing to suppress his
anger long enough to look beseechingly at Wren.

“Will you go with me?”
The corner of Wren’s mouth curved up as he reached over to

brush a strand of hair back from Robby’s face, tucking it behind his
ear. “I wouldn’t be anyplace else, love.”

Robby almost sighed in relief. He thought Wren would hate him

now, but the tender look in his lover’s eyes was anything but hate
filled. It was loving and caring and just a bit possessive—just what
Robby needed right now.

“There’s something else you need to know, guys,” Otis said as he

glanced down at the photographs in his hands. “I think these pictures
were doctored.”

“Doctored?” Robby asked as he reached for them. His stomach

rolled when he looked down at the pictures again. He still couldn’t
believe what he was seeing, but there it was in living color. He was
clearly having sex with some woman. “Doctored how?”

“I could be wrong, mind you,” Otis replied as he leaned over the

pictures and pointed to the woman’s throat. “But, right here. See?
There’s a slight discoloring right around the neckline. It almost looks
like the picture was Photoshopped, like it’s not really her head.”

Tattooed & Taken

Robby felt bile rise in his throat and swallowed hard to keep from

heading back to the toilet. “You mean I didn’t actually have sex with
this woman but someone else?”

Yeah, he was going to be sick.
“Actually, I don’t think you had sex with anyone.”
Robby’s head snapped up. “What?”
Otis rubbed his jaw, a shadow of a grimace on his face. “Look, I

could be wrong, so you really need to understand that, but the pictures
just seem wrong to me. I mean, I don’t know about you, but sex has
always seemed kind of messy to me. You sweat, your hair gets stuck
up all over the place, and everything. These are too clean. It looks like
your body and hers were staged for the camera.”

Robby stilled himself for what he knew he was going to see when

he looked back down at the pictures, and he was right. It was hard to
see himself spread out on the bed with a naked woman straddling him.

He tried to see what Otis was talking about, but all that he saw

was his naked flesh pressed together with someone he didn’t know.
He didn’t know what was worse—the fact that he had had sex with a
woman or the fact that he didn’t know the woman.

“You can’t see her face,” Robby said after a moment of staring at

the photographs. He quickly scanned through all eight pictures, seeing
the same thing in each of them. “Not a single one of them shows her
face. They’re all centered on me.”

“It’s almost like the woman was an afterthought,” Wren mused.
“No, that’s not it.” Robby slowly shook his head. “I think she was

supposed to be there. I just don’t think we’re supposed to know who
she is. They clearly show that we were both naked, but the camera
avoids her face while mine is blaringly apparent.”

Too apparent in Robby’s estimation.
“I don’t suppose you know why the pictures were sent to me then,

do you?”

Robby opened his mouth to answer Otis until he realized that he

had no clue why the pictures were sent to the deputy. It just didn’t

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make sense. They were friends but not that good of friends. They
worked together and went out for an occasional beer, but they didn’t
hang out on a regular basis.

“No,” Robby replied honestly because he was stumped.
Otis held up the envelope the pictures had arrived in and his full

name was in big black letters right across the front of it. “Well, it’s
pretty clear that these pictures were meant for me. The question is
why? I don’t do women, and you’re not my type.”

“There’s no postmark,” Wren said.
“What?” Robby glanced over his shoulder at the man.
“Look.” Wren pointed to the top left corner of the manila

envelope. “There’s no postmark, which means that this envelope did
not go through the post office. It had to have been hand delivered to
the sheriff’s office.”

Robby gulped, not at all sure what that had to do with the

situation. “Which means what exactly?”

Wren grinned like he had just discovered the answer to every

question in the universe and tapped the pictures with his fingers.
“Whoever delivered these pictures to the station might be on
surveillance video.”

Tattooed & Taken

Chapter 9

Wren could feel Robby’s anxiety rolling off of him in waves as

they left Otis’s hospital room. Robby had a lot to worry about, and so
did Wren. Whoever was after Robby had upped their game.

For the life of him, Wren couldn’t figure out why graphic pictures

had been sent to Otis. As far as he could tell, Otis had absolutely
nothing to do with the situation. Maybe it was because Robby and
Otis were friends. Deranged stalkers liked to separate their victims
from anyone that might be supportive of them.

That thought made Wren wonder who else Robby’s stalker was

trying to separate him from. It was obvious that they wanted to drive a
wedge between Robby and John Henry, which in turn would separate
Robby from Charlie and the kids.

Who was next?
Him?
Did Robby’s stalker even know about him? Wren could only pray

that he didn’t, because he had no intention of being separated from
Robby. He doubted John Henry, Charlie, Otis, or anyone else did
either. Whoever was trying to hurt Robby didn’t understand how
close they all were. None of them would ever leave Robby on his
own.

“There’s a fire.”
Wren glanced out the window and saw the orange flames leaping

high up into the sky in the distance. His heart rate picked up as a deep,
sickening feeling filled him.

Wren had spent six months in this county. He had mapped the

entire place so that he would know every nook and cranny in case of

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danger or a threat. He knew exactly what building was on fire, and it
made his blood run cold.

“Baby.” Wren swallowed the fear he could feel trying to take

ahold of him. “I think that is your house.”

“No, it’s not. I live over on…but that’s…” Robby’s soft gasp

ripped Wren’s heart apart. “That’s my house?”

“I’m pretty sure, love.”
“But…”
Not even the strongest man on the planet could have been immune

to the anguish in Robby’s voice. It was so heart wrenching that Wren
wanted to kill something, instantly, right there and then—and
preferably whoever had caused the pain in Robby.

Wren would have rather had his teeth pulled out than take Robby

to the scene of the fire, but he knew they both needed to know for
sure if it was Robby’s house on fire. The closer they got, the dimmer
things began to seem.

By the time they pulled up down the street from the raging

inferno, Wren knew without a doubt that Robby’s home had gone up
in flames. The activity in front of the small white house was almost
chaotic. Firemen worked diligently to put out the flames while
onlookers stood just beyond the danger line, watching.

Wren parked his truck on the side of the road then climbed out

and went around to Robby’s side. He opened the door and waited.
Robby was staring at the flames leaping off of his house with
something akin to horror on his face. He looked so defeated that Wren
wanted to hold him and swear to kill whoever had done this.

“Robby, love? Do you want to go?” Wren grabbed the edge of the

metal doorframe and tightened his fingers around it when Robby’s
tear-stained face turned toward him. “Do you want to go back to John
Henry’s?”

“No. I need…” Robby wiped the tears from his eyes and cheeks

then glanced back toward the burning house. “I need to find out what

Tattooed & Taken

happened. And I have to call my landlord. He’ll want to know.
And…”

“Robby.” Wren grabbed Robby’s chin and tilted the man’s face

toward him. “We can get all of that done with just a couple of phone
calls, and we can make them from your brother’s house. You don’t
have to be here.”

“Yes, I do.”
Wren knew he was beaten when another tear trailed down

Robby’s face. “Okay, come on. Let’s go see what they can tell us.”
Wren held his hand out, refusing to be any more separated from
Robby than necessary.

Robby stepped from the vehicle, but he refused the hand that

Wren held out to him, pushing past Wren instead. Wren felt his chest
tighten, but he knew he needed to give Robby some time. The man
was in pain. It wasn’t personal.

And that was what Wren kept telling himself as he followed

Robby up the street toward the fire. It was what he told himself every
time he stepped closer to Robby and the man stepped away. It was
what he told himself every time he went to comfort Robby when they
were told everything was gone and Robby pulled away.

And it was what he told himself when John Henry arrived and

Robby asked him for a ride to his house. Wren followed behind them
the entire way, his jaw clenched so tight he thought he might have
heard his teeth crack.

As soon as they reached the large plantation house, Robby

climbed out of John Henry’s truck and walked inside like Wren didn’t
even exist. He didn’t even acknowledge Wren when he called out.

Nothing.
Nada.
Not even a flicker.
Wren was ready to scream. He started to storm after Robby, to

demand to know what was going on. He knew that Robby was

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hurting. Who wouldn’t be? Robby had just lost everything he owned.
But he hadn’t lost everything in his life.

Wren was standing right there.
“Give him time, Wren,” John Henry said as he stepped in front of

Wren, stopping his mad stride toward the house. “The one thing you
need to learn about Robby is that he deals with things on his own
terms, in his own way. He’s processing right now.”

“But he doesn’t need to go through this alone, John Henry.”
“He’s had a shock, Wren. Not only has he lost everything he owns

but he lost it because someone is out to get him. He’s trying to
understand that the only way he knows how.”

Wren clenched his fists until he felt his fingernails dig into the

palms of his hand. “I need to be there for him.” The thought of Robby
going through this alone was tearing at Wren worse than anything he
had ever felt.

“And you will be. Just give him some time to deal with this.” John

Henry’s smile was weak but it was there as he glanced at the house
over his shoulder. “I’d bet my entire savings that right now, he’s
sitting up in the guest room staring out the window at nothing.”

Wren frowned. When John Henry turned back around and saw it,

he let out a small chuckle. “He once explained it to me. When he
needs to process something, he mulls it over, turns it around and
around again in his mind and looks at it from every conceivable angle
until he finds one that he can handle. If it’s slightly off the truth, he
deals with that later.”

“I’m not sure that’s very healthy, John Henry.”
“No, you’re probably right. But it works for Robby.” John Henry

nodded his head toward the house, and they both began walking in
that direction. “When our parents died, Robby refused to believe it.
He was positive that Mom and Dad were just gone shopping or
something. He refused to accept that they weren’t coming back. He
even refused to go to their funeral. He became hysterical anytime
someone mentioned it.”

Tattooed & Taken

Wren winced. That bit of news did not bode well for Robby’s

coping mechanisms. Life could be pretty damn harsh at times, but
pretending that something horrendous didn’t happen didn’t make it go
away.

“Even after we moved in with Pops, Robby would ask him every

night when Mom and Dad would be home. It went on for a few years.
Pops later told me that he was at his wit’s end and was considering
sending Robby to a psychologist. He didn’t know how else to help
him.”

“What changed?” Wren asked, because he knew something had.
“He disappeared one day when he was about seven years old,

never came home from school. Pops was frantic. He called out
everyone in the county to search for him.” A small smile played at the
corners of John Henry’s lips as he paused on the front porch and
looked out over the yard. “Pops, Bill, and I found him at the
cemetery.”

Wren’s eyebrows rose. “Where your parents are buried?”
John Henry nodded. “He was sitting in front of their tombstones

talking to them. Apparently, he wanted to sign up for an after-school
sports program, but he needed his parents’ signature. I guess that’s
when it hit him and he went to talk to our parents about what he
should do.”

“What happened?”
“When he saw us standing there, he stood up and gave the paper

to Pops and said that since Mom and Dad weren’t coming back, Pops
needed to sign it.” John Henry’s shoulders moved a little as he
shrugged. “That was the end of it. He never asked when our parents
were coming home again, but whenever he got upset over something,
he’d go off by himself for a while and process, as he puts it. He finds
a scenario he can deal with for a while, and when he’s ready, he lets
the real truth come through.”

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“I’m still not real sure that is healthy, John Henry. What if this

sets him off? I don’t know if I can wait years for Robby to come to
grips with what happened.”

“And I don’t think you will need to. Not since that first time has it

ever taken Robby more than a few hours or so to figure out a solution
and come to grips with things. Just give him some time. He’ll be
okay.”

Wren wasn’t sure John Henry was right, but he nodded anyway.

He’d give Robby as much time as he could, which wouldn’t be long.
It wasn’t that he wanted to force Robby to face something he couldn’t
face. He just wanted to be by Robby’s side while the man processed
what was happening to him. Being separated from Robby for even a
brief amount of time made his stomach clench like someone was
stabbing him with a knife over and over again.

“There’s a few things we need to discuss.” Wren held up the

manila envelope in his hand. If he couldn’t be by Robby’s side, then
he was going to do everything within his power to make the man safe.
“Can we talk in your study?”

Wren was sick to his stomach when he walked inside the house

and glanced up just in time to see Robby disappear up the stairs. This
was not the way it should be. They were a team. They should be
together to support each other through anything, not just the happy
times. It felt wrong to be downstairs when his love was upstairs
suffering so much.

Wren’s shoulders slumped in defeat when he heard an upstairs

door slam shut. It felt like something was slamming shut on his
relationship with Robby, closing him off from the sun that had been
shining in his life for the last few days. Wren was absolutely positive
that he couldn’t live without that shining light.

He clenched his jaw and squared his shoulders. He suddenly knew

what he needed to do, and it wasn’t leaving Robby to wallow in his
own self-pity or wherever it was that he had gone. He understood that
this was how Robby had dealt with things in the past, but this wasn’t

Tattooed & Taken

the past. This was the here and now, and Robby wasn’t alone any
longer.

He had Wren.
And Wren wasn’t going to listen to what others told him to do

where Robby was concerned. He had once, and he had almost lost
Robby because of it. He was done listening to other people. He was
going to do what his heart was telling him to do—and it wasn’t telling
him to leave Robby alone. It was screaming at him that Robby needed
him.

Wren walked into John Henry’s office and slapped the manila

envelope down on the man’s desk. “We went by the station to pick up
some stuff for Otis and take it to him. This envelope was in with his
mail.” Wren pointed his finger at the envelope, his lip curling back in
disgust. “Before you open that, you need to know that those pictures
are very graphic.”

“Graphic?” John Henry frowned deeply as he grabbed the

envelope and opened it. A soft hiss fell from him when he shook the
pictures out. “Oh my fucking god. This is Robby.”

“Yep. Those were taken the night he got drunk. Now, here are a

few things you may not know. One, those pictures were doctored.
Otis noticed some pixel changes around the woman’s neck. Two,
there are never any direct shots of the woman’s face, almost as if—”

“As if whoever took the pictures didn’t want us to know who she

was.”

“Right.”
“Shit.” John Henry dropped down in his chair and went through

the pictures one by one, his face growing grimmer with each
photograph that passed through his fingers. “Why would someone do
this?”

“The better question is why would someone send these pictures to

Otis McCredie?” Wren leaned over the desk and flipped the envelope
over, pointing to the front of it. “If you notice, there is no postmark,
which means this envelope was hand delivered to your station.”

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John Henry’s head snapped up so fast that Wren was concerned

the man might have hurt himself. He was reaching for the phone a
moment later. “The station is under twenty-four-hour video
surveillance. If someone delivered these to the station, they will be on
those tapes.”

“We were kind of thinking the same thing.” Wren was thrilled that

John Henry was such a good police detective. The man made a good
sheriff. He didn’t dismiss anything, no matter how obscure or unlikely
it might seem, and made the connection between evidence and
theories faster than anyone Wren had ever met. If anyone could track
this shit down, it was Sheriff John Henry Harrison.

“I’m going to call Maggie and have her bring me the tapes for the

last seventy-two hours. It might take a while to get through them, but
if our perp is on there, we’ll catch him.”

“Or her.”
John Henry’s eyes snapped up and met Wren’s. He stared for a

long, tension-filled moment then nodded. “Or her.”

“Since you seem to have this under control, I’m going to go check

on Robby. Call me when those tapes get here.”

“Wren, I told you, Robby needs time to process.”
“I know what you told me, John Henry,” Wren said, steel building

in his voice. “But you also told me to give Robby space and not go
after him right away, and it almost lost me the most important person
in my life. For six months, my gut screamed at me to claim Robby,
but I ignored it and did things your way. This time, I’m listening to
my gut.”

Without another word, and before John Henry could stop him,

Wren spun around and stormed out of the man’s study. He nodded to
Charlie when he passed the man in the hallway, not saying a word
because he knew that John Henry would explain everything to him.
There were no secrets between those two.

By the time he reached the top of the stairs, Wren’s heart was

pounding in his chest, not because of running up the stairs but because

Tattooed & Taken

he was so fucking nervous. As much as his gut screamed at him to get
to Robby as fast as he could, he really didn’t know if he was making
the right decision or not.

He just knew he had to try.
Wren searched each guest room until he found Robby. The man

was curled up on the window seat, just staring out the window. He
didn’t even acknowledge Wren stepping into the room and shutting
the door behind him. It was like Robby wasn’t even there.

Wren stared at Robby for a moment, taking in the pale

complexion, the silent tears gathering in his eyes that didn’t fall, and
the defeated slump of his shoulders. All of it made Wren’s heart hurt
in ways he had never experienced before.

Not knowing what else to do, Wren simply walked across the

room and picked Robby up in his arms then sat down on the window
seat. He cradled Robby to him, tucking the man’s head under his chin.

For the longest time, Robby didn’t move except for the slow rise

and fall of his chest. Time went by, but Wren had no idea how much.
He did know that he saw the sun slowly set and the moon came out,
bathing the surrounding area in moonlight.

And still, Robby didn’t move or speak.
And still, Wren just held Robby.
Wren didn’t care how long it took. He wasn’t leaving Robby’s

side until the man came back to the land of the living.

When it started to get cold out, Wren reached for the quilt folded

on the end of the window seat and pulled it up over Robby to keep
him warm. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted
to do, but he just sat there and held Robby. If Robby needed to
process things in his own way, that was fine. But he would do it with
Wren at his side.

Wren must have dozed off, because he jerked awake suddenly

when he felt fingers curl into his shirt. Small, muffled sniffles came
from the man wrapped in his arms. Wren tightened his arms around

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Robby and held him closer, planting a kiss on the top of the man’s
head.

“I’m here, love.”
His words seemed to open the floodgates. Deep, racking sobs took

hold of Robby’s body, shaking him almost violently. The sounds of
sorrow and heartache and anger that came from Robby’s tortured
throat brought tears to Wren’s eyes. He felt them slowly slide down
his cheeks, and he didn’t care. His heart was aching for the man he
loved, and he wasn’t ashamed to show it.

“I’m here, love, and I’m not going anywhere.”
“Why?” Robby sobbed. “What did I do?”
“Oh, love, you didn’t do anything.” God, Robby thought this was

his fault. “Whoever is doing this is sick, Robby. They need help.”

“It’s gone. It’s all gone, everything. I have nothing left, no job, no

home, nothing.”

Wren swallowed past the sharp retort that instantly came to his

lips. He tried to remember that Robby was grieving and didn’t mean
what he was saying, not really. “You have me, Robby, and I’m not
going anywhere.”

Robby suddenly stiffened and jumped out of Wren’s arms so fast

that the man fell back and landed on the floor. Wren instantly reached
for him, but Robby scooted back on his butt, his face turning even
whiter than it had been before.

“No!” Robby shouted. “Get away from me.”
“Robby,” Wren gasped, his heart shattering on the floor in front of

the man. The six months he had waited for Robby had been
agonizing, but nothing he had ever experienced had prepared him for
the level of pain he felt when Robby scrambled away from him.

“You can’t!” Robby said as he started shaking. He wrapped his

arms around his waist and seemed to almost cave in on himself. “You
can’t…I can’t…what if…”

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101

Wren tilted his head, staring at Robby, the sudden notion that

Robby wasn’t rejecting him but trying to protect him filling his mind.
And while it filled his heart to the brim with joy, he wasn’t having it.

Wren got to his feet and stalked Robby across the room. He

ignored Robby’s soft catch of breath and his mad dash toward the
door. Wren caught Robby just as he reached for the door handle. He
grabbed him around the waist and lifted him up, carrying him toward
the bed.

When he dropped Robby on the bed, he bounced just long enough

for Wren to crawl up and cover the man’s body with his own. He
grabbed Robby’s hands in his and pushed them down to the mattress
on either side of the man’s head then stared Robby right in the face.

“Open your eyes, Robby,” he demanded when he saw that Robby

had them squeezed tight.

Robby shook his head.
Wren almost chuckled. He knew Robby was stubborn, but the

man had no idea what true stubbornness really was. He was about to
find out—from a master.

Wren leaned down and nuzzled the edge of Robby’s jawline. He

heard Robby inhale softly then his head tilted back just a little. Wren
smiled as he rubbed his face along the soft curve of Robby’s throat,
planting a line of kisses from the man’s chin to his ear.

“You’re mine, Robert Peter Harrison,” he murmured almost

breathlessly. “You gave yourself to me, and I’m never letting you
go.”

Wren felt Robby’s body harden beneath him. He knew Robby was

more affected by what he was doing than the man would have liked.
Robby was trying to put distance between them so that nothing would
happen to Wren.

Wren just wasn’t going to allow it.
He let go of Robby’s hands and grabbed a handful of the man’s

hair, tilting his head back. “Look at me, Robby. Open your eyes and
look at me.”

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Wren waited for what seemed like forever, but Robby’s eyes

finally opened and looked up at him. Their dark-brown depths were
filled with pain and fear and something else that Wren was just
starting to define.

“You’re mine to take care of.” In between his words, Wren

planted kisses along Robby’s temple and down to his jawline.
“You’re mine to protect.” He pressed more kisses on Robby’s soft
skin until he reached the man’s lips. And then he stopped and stared
down into Robby’s tear-filled eyes. “You’re mine to love.”

“Wren,” Robby whispered in an anguish-filled voice. There was a

pensive shimmer in the shadow of Robby’s eyes. It was equal parts
hope and fear.

“I love you, Robby.” Wren cupped the side of Robby’s face as he

brought their lips within a hair’s breadth away from each other. “And
I’m not going anywhere.”

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103

Chapter 10

Robby inhaled sharply as he opened his eyes to the morning light,

and he was hit with a wave of desire so hot that he felt singed right
down to the core. His cock stiffened. His body ached to feel Wren
inside of him again. He needed it more than he had ever needed
anything on earth. He needed that connection with the one person that
meant the world to him.

“Wren,” Robby whispered, knowing the man was awake by the

way his arms tightened around him. Robby tried to keep the pleading
out of his voice but knew he failed when Wren’s eyes turned smoky
and began to fill with lust. “I need you.”

Wren pushed back and practically tore Robby’s clothes from his

body. He quickly got rid of his own clothes then grabbed a bottle of
lube from the pocket of his jeans and settled down on the mattress
between Robby’s legs.

“Hurry,” Robby begged, spreading his legs as far as they would

go. He was about to go up in flames. Wren had him so hot right now
that Robby was ready to come, and he hadn’t even been touched yet.

Wren swiped his lubed-up fingers through Robby’s crack. Robby

moaned and arched up when two of Wren’s fingers speared his ass.
Wren pegged Robby’s sweet spot almost immediately then twisted
and spread his fingers, quickly stretching Robby’s tight inner ring of
muscle.

Robby writhed on the bed, his hands trying to grab at Wren to pull

him closer. “Need you now!”

Wren quickly climbed up to his knees. He lined up the head of his

cock with Robby’s tight entrance and pushed forward. His hands

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pinned Robby down onto the mattress, and he stared down at him, his
black eyes wild with lust.

Wren pulled back until the tip of his cock was just about to slip

out and then slammed forward, stabbing Robby’s prostate and
burying his cock to the hilt.

“Yes!” Robby cried out. He tightened his legs around Wren’s hips

and dug his hands into Wren’s arms. The pleasure coursing through
him as Wren began to move was igniting every nerve ending in his
body.

Wren was relentless, pounding Robby into the mattress, and

Robby loved every damn minute of it. The sound of the headboard
slamming against the wall over and over again as Wren’s body
pounded into his was like a mating call. Robby hoped everyone in the
house heard it. He wanted them to know that this big, strong marine
was fucking him into the wall.

“Look at me.” The growl was demanding, possessive, and so

fucking sexy that Robby had no choice but to obey it.

Robby opened his eyes and looked into Wren’s wild, feral eyes.

There could never be any doubt that Wren wanted him, not when the
man was staring down at him like he wanted to eat him alive. His eyes
were blazing, his upper lip curled back. Sweat glistened on his
forehead.

He looked sexy as hell.
Wren’s hands tightened on Robby, his grip bruising Robby’s

tender flesh. He pounded into him, pushing him up the bed, making
Robby whimper with every thrust. Robby’s back arched, desperate for
more contact with his lover’s muscled body. He writhed on the bed,
his head thrashing from side to side.

Robby could feel his orgasm building up faster and faster with

each thrust of his mate’s huge cock. His balls were drawing up close
to his body, aching. Wren was going to make him come any second.

“Don’t stop,” he panted. “Please, don’t stop.”
“Come for me, love. Come for me now.”

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105

Robby’s entire body contracted hard at the deep command. He

screamed as hot cum shot from the end of his cock, splashing between
their sweat-slickened bodies.

With a roar so loud that it shook the windows, Wren thrust

forward and erupted, shooting shot after shot of molten lava deep
inside Robby’s ass. Still thrusting his hips, Wren collapsed on top of
Robby. His big body jerked once more then went still.

Robby stroked a hand through Wren’s hair while the other

caressed his lover’s wide shoulders and down the middle of his back.
After a few minutes, his breathing finally evened out and he could
think again.

“I love you, too, Wren,” Robby whispered into the darkness.
Wren didn’t reply, but his arms tightened around Robby for a

moment before the man pulled free and rolled to Robby’s side. Robby
wasted no time in snuggling up into Wren’s arms and laying his head
on the man’s broad chest.

He was right where he wanted to be.
“I meant what I said last night, Robby. I’m not leaving your side.”
Robby frowned as he slid his fingers through the hair on Wren’s

chest. He didn’t want Wren to leave his side either but… “I don’t
want anything to happen to you.”

“Nothing is going to happen to me.”
No sooner had those words left Wren’s mouth than the window on

the far side of the bed shattered and a bullet slammed into the wall
above their heads. Robby cried out as he was rolled off the side of the
bed and pushed down onto the floor, Wren’s larger body covering his.

“Wren!”
“Quiet, Robby.”
Robby slammed his lips together, his breath barely leaving his

body. First someone threatened his family and took his job. Then they
snapped naked pictures of him with some faceless woman. His house
was burned down. And now he was being shot at.

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He could feel a rage building up inside of him that threatened to

break free and consume the world. Robby had just about had enough
of this shit. He was tired of being afraid, tired of never being able to
let his guard down and live a normal live with the man he loved.

He was just tired.
But he was also fucking pissed.
This shit had gone on long enough. It was time to bring this little

game to an end. Robby scooted out from underneath Wren and, before
the man could stop him, jumped to his feet and raced to the broken
window, wincing when shards of glass cut into the soles of his feet.
He plastered himself against the wall next to the window and tried to
see who was shooting at them.

“Robby!” Wren shouted.
Robby’s fingers dug into the window ledge when he felt arms

wrap around him and pull him back from the window. Robby growled
and struggled to get away. He needed to see who was destroying his
life.

“That’s enough!” The fight went out of Robby when Wren pushed

him down to the floor and straddled his body, pinning his hands over
the top of his head. “Are you out of your mind, Robby? You could
have been shot.”

If it wasn’t for the anguish Robby could see clouding Wren’s dark

eyes, he would have replied with cutting words. He was so fucking
angry that he could feel the emotion buzzing along his nerve endings.

“This has to stop, Wren.”
“It will, baby, but god”—Wren dropped his head down until their

foreheads rested together—“you can’t put yourself in danger like that.
We don’t know if this madman is simply obsessed with you or out to
kill you. And…and…”—Wren’s loud gulp echoed through the
room—“and if I lost you, I don’t know what I would do.”

There was so much desperation and fear and heartache in those

strangled words that they brought tears to Robby’s eyes. He quickly

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realized how stupid he had been because of his fit of rage and how
much it would cost Wren if anything happened to him.

Robby tugged his hands free then reached up and held Wren’s

face between them. “I’m sorry. That was dumb. It won’t happen
again, I promise. I just need this to stop, Wren. I’m afraid to be happy
because it all might be taken away from me at any second. I can’t live
like that.”

“And we’ll figure this out, Robby. I swear. Just give us a little

more time. Whoever is doing this is losing patience.”

Robby cocked his head to one side, curious as to how Wren could

think that his stalker was losing patience. “What makes you think
that?”

“Because he, or she, is getting desperate.” Wren gestured to the

shattered window with his head. “Whoever this person is, he’s getting
desperate enough to come here and shoot out a window. You know
for a fact that Charlie has this place locked down tighter than Fort
Knox. He also has the entire place monitored. And that gives us an
edge.”

“That theory might hold a lot more weight if my brother’s naked

ass wasn’t bleeding all over the floor, Wren.”

Robby’s face flamed as his gaze snapped to the bedroom door. He

groaned when he spotted John Henry and Manny crouched down in
the doorway, guns in their hands.

“You’re bleeding?” Wren’s face paled as he jumped back and

began inspecting Robby’s body with his hands. “Where are you
bleeding?”

“Clothes, Wren!” Robby growled through clenched teeth. Damned

if he was going to be put on display for everyone to see. And damned
if he was going to let Wren’s body be displayed either.

“You’re bleeding.”
“Now, Wren!”
Wren looked like he was about to argue until Manny’s soft

chuckle filled the room. Wren’s upper lip curled back, and a low,

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menacing growl overshadowed Manny’s laughter. Robby merely
arched an eyebrow at Wren until the man started to move away.

Robby winced as he rolled to his hands and knees and realized

that not only was he in the middle of all of the broken glass from the
window, but several large pieces were embedded in his hands and
feet.

Man, this sucked.
Robby tried to avoid the glass as best he could as he crawled

across the room to the far side of the bed. He grabbed the clothes that
Wren tossed at him and quickly pulled them on. When John Henry
motioned to him, Robby started crawling toward the doorway.

A sudden array of bullets slammed into the wall above the bed

again. Robby grunted when Wren’s heavy, large body slammed down
on top of him, once again pinning him to the floor.

Robby lifted his head just enough to look at his brother. “I’m

getting really tired of this fucker, John Henry.”

John Henry’s lips pressed into a thin-lipped grimace. “I’m getting

tired of this fucker as well.” His mouth took on an unpleasant twist as
he looked beyond Robby to the shattered window on the far side of
the room. “He’s destroying Charlie’s house.”

“So, what’s the plan then?” Robby knew John Henry had one.

John Henry always had a plan. It was one of the qualities that made
him such a good sheriff.

“Haus and Porter are searching the grounds now,” John Henry

replied, the steel edge of anger tightening his voice. “If whoever is
shooting at us hasn’t taken off yet, they’ll catch him. In the meantime,
let’s get you downstairs. Doc is waiting to take a look at those cuts.”

“John Henry—”
John Henry raised his hand, cutting off Robby’s words. “We’ll

discuss it downstairs.”

Robby rolled his eyes. “Fine.” Robby knew there was no arguing

with John Henry when he was in a mood like this. His brother could

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be one stubborn-ass bastard when he wanted to be. Robby was kind of
used to it.

“Uh, baby, you have to get off of me,” Robby said when Wren

didn’t move. It would be really hard to get out of the room if Wren
wouldn’t let him off the floor.

“I’ll think about it.”
Robby burst out laughing. He couldn’t help it. Wren wasn’t being

reasonable at all. It made Robby instantly understand that his lover
was just as stubborn as his brother. It was a damn good thing he loved
them both.

After several moments, in which Robby was sure Wren was

debating things, the man finally moved, but only enough so that
Robby could scoot on his stomach toward the door. The second both
Wren and Robby were through the doorway, John Henry slammed the
door shut.

Robby breathed a sigh of relief as he sat up, only to grunt a

moment later when he was yanked back into Wren’s arms. Robby
rolled his eyes when Manny started to laugh again but settled back
into the big man’s arms. He loved it that Wren was so possessive and
concerned, but geez.

“Pringle?” Manny said casually as he held the can out to Robby as

if they hadn’t just been shot at. He was sitting on the floor, leaning
back against the wall next to the door with a large black pistol resting
on his stomach. He didn’t look like he had a care in the world.

Robby chuckled as he reached into the can and grabbed one of the

chips. He couldn’t help but wonder if Manny was like this when they
were out on missions. Nothing seemed to faze the guy as long as he
had his Pringles.

“How bad are your cuts, Robby?” John Henry asked as he

climbed to his feet.

Robby glanced down at his hands and then his feet, wincing when

he saw the glass shards still embedded in his skin. There was blood

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everywhere. “I don’t think I’ll need stitches or anything, but some
antiseptic and a Band-Aid wouldn’t hurt.”

A deep, rumbling growl came from the man that was practically

wrapped around Robby. John Henry’s eyebrows shot up. Manny
chuckled. Robby just reached back and patted the side of Wren’s face.

“Okay, on that note,” John Henry said. “Let’s get you looked at

and then we’ll all meet in the study. We need to put a plan together to
catch this asshole.”

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Chapter 11

Wren kept his arms crossed over his chest as he watched Doc and

Charlie treat Robby for his injuries. It was all he could do to keep
from snapping and grabbing at one of the men every time Robby
winced.

Robby in pain was not acceptable.
“Okay,” Doc said as he taped the last bandage in place. “That

should do it.”

Robby snorted as he looked down at the white gauze covering one

of his hands. “Guess a Band-Aid didn’t cut it, huh?”

“Well,” Doc replied, “some of these were pretty bad, but I think

the butterfly bandages will do the trick. If they start bleeding again,
though, I want you to tell me.”

“You also need a tetanus shot,” Charlie said as he held up a

syringe filled with clear liquid.

Robby groaned and held out his arm. “You do know I’m all up to

date on my shots, right? I have to be to work on the force. John Henry
requires it.”

“Yes,” Charlie said as he quickly wiped Robby’s arm down with

an antiseptic swab then inserted the needle into his arm and pressed
the stopper at the top of the syringe. “But it never hurts to have a
booster, especially in situations like this.”

When Robby stood up, Wren quickly moved to his side, hovering

around him like a shield. He reached over and settled his hand on the
small of Robby’s back, right over the tattoo of his name. It was
growing to be one of his favorite spots. And by the amused look
Robby threw at him over his shoulder, Robby knew it.

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Charlie nodded toward the doorway. “Let’s go see what John

Henry has come up with.”

Wren was all for coming up with a plan to get whoever was after

Robby. He just wasn’t so sure he liked the vibes he was getting
concerning that plan, and he hadn’t even heard it yet. Somehow, he
just knew it was going to involve Robby being in danger.

And that was just as unacceptable as Robby being in pain.
Wren kept his arm wrapped around Robby’s waist as he followed

Charlie out of the kitchen and down the hallway to the study, keeping
Robby close to his side. Haus, Manny, and John Henry were already
inside the room. They were bent over a bunch of papers spread out on
the desk.

Wren felt Robby shudder when they walked closer and realized

that some of those papers were the naked photographs of Robby and
the unknown woman. He would have preferred that the pictures were
burned so that no one could ever see them again, but he understood
that they were evidence and might lead them to Robby’s stalker.

John Henry glanced up when they walked in.
“Find anyone?” Wren asked, getting a pretty good idea of what

John Henry was going to say by the deep grimace on the man’s face.

“No. Haus and Porter found where the shooter was sitting, but

there were no other signs of him.”

“Damn!”
John Henry gestured to the photograph in his hand. “We’ve been

going over these pictures, and Otis was right. They were doctored.
The odd part is that we’re pretty sure it’s not the same woman used in
the photographs.”

“I’m not sure I understand,” Wren said. “I thought we already

knew that.”

“We suspected it, but we weren’t positive. Haus noticed a

birthmark on the woman’s neck when he scanned them into the
computer and started looking them over. The birthmark only shows
up in a couple of the pictures.”

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“Okay.” Wren was still confused.
John Henry set the photograph in his hand down on the desk then

flipped his laptop around. A large blown-up picture of the woman’s
neck was on the screen. “See here.” John Henry pointed to three
small, dark dots on the woman’s neck. “These three little dots right
under her ear are only in a few of the pictures. In others, there is no
birthmark.”

“Okay, I’m still confused.”
“It looks like someone took photographs of this woman’s head

and Photoshopped them onto someone else’s body.” John Henry
tapped the pictures with his finger for emphasis. “It reaffirms our
belief that the pictures were doctored.”

“Okay.” Wren frowned. “But why?”
John Henry shrugged. “Maybe the woman wasn’t in on whatever

this is? Maybe they only had pictures of her body with her face?
Maybe—”

“Maybe she wasn’t conscious when these photographs were

taken,” Robby finished. “She was asleep when I woke up. Maybe she
had been drugged just like I was.”

“Robby, we still don’t know for sure that you were drugged,”

Charlie said. “The lab hasn’t called yet.”

“Let’s assume I was.” A pulse ticked in Robby’s jaw for a

moment, clearly showing his anger at the situation. “Let’s assume we
were both drugged for argument’s sake. And if we were, then maybe
this woman is being used as much as I am. If she was unconscious
when these pictures were taken, then Photoshopping her head onto
another body would make sense, especially if they were trying to
show me in a compromising position with said unconscious woman.”

“The question is why,” Wren added.
“I’d think the bigger question is who is doing this?” John Henry

asked. “And why? What were they hoping to do with these
photographs? Discredit Robby? Humiliate him?”

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“I don’t have a fucking clue, John Henry.” Robby pushed his hand

through his hair, rumpling the thick strands until they stood straight
up. “I swear to you, I can’t think of anyone that I’ve pissed off
enough to make them do something like this.”

“Are you sure Otis didn’t have anything to do with this?” Wren

really didn’t like the guy—no matter how nice he seemed.

John Henry gaped at Wren, making him feel about two inches tall.

“Uh, no, I can assure you, Otis had nothing to do with this. All of his
time has been accounted for. Besides, that man has bigger fish to fry
than my baby brother.”

Wren cocked an eyebrow.
John Henry snickered as he shook his head. “Otis has been out of

the hospital less than two hours when he nearly gets hit by some idiot
in a blue sedan while crossing the damn road. He slipped and fell and
has a concussion. The way he’s going, he’s going to be laid up for the
next six months.”

Damn.
“Okay, so Otis is out. Who does that leave?”
“The waitress at the bar?” Robby asked as he glanced between

John Henry and Wren. He shuddered when he looked at the
photographs. “She has the same color hair as the woman in the
pictures. She was also there the night I got drunk. She served me my
drinks. Maybe it’s her.”

“What waitress?” John Henry asked.
“She’s a new girl down at Ruby Reds,” Robby said. “Her name is

Sarah Jane.”

“How well do you know her?”
“Well…” Robby blew out a deep breath of air. “I thought I just

knew her as the waitress, but if she’s the woman in these photographs,
I might know her a little more than I originally thought.”

Wren ground his teeth together to keep from growling. He did not

like the idea of thinking of Robby with anyone except him, let alone a

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woman. “If these pictures were Photoshopped, how can we prove that
it was her?”

“How about we ask her?” Haus asked.
Wren felt his jaw drop as he turned to look at the marine.

“Seriously? You want to just go up and ask her if she’s taken any
graphic pictures lately?”

Haus shrugged. “Why not?”
“She’ll more than likely deny it,” John Henry said.
“True.” Haus nodded. “But if she is involved, and Robby

confronts her, she might not be able to hide her reaction.”

Wren couldn’t argue with that. Most people that were confronted

by their victims showed some sign of guilt, even if it wasn’t totally
noticeable. It was often just a look or a nervous tic. But there was
usually something that gave them away.

“So, let’s go—”
Wren’s words were stopped by the sound of the doorbell.

Everyone froze, not speaking a word. They all just stood there and
stared at each other. Finally, Charlie rolled his eyes and walked out of
the room.

“I need a drink,” Robby grumbled.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” Wren wrapped both arms around Robby’s

waist and pulled the man back against his chest. “Drinking got you
into this position.”

“No,” Robby insisted, “some psycho got me into this position.”
“And it never would have happened if you hadn’t been drinking.”
“I…” Robby snapped his mouth closed, frowning deeply. His lips

turned down in a grimace. “Okay, you have me there. But—”

“Hey, John Henry,” a voice from the doorway called out, “I have

those tapes you wanted.”

Wren turned to see Maggie standing in the doorway, a couple of

videotapes in her hands.

“This looks like a big powwow.” Maggie’s eyebrows pulled

together over her eyes as she glanced at all of the people in the room.

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“Is there something I need to know, John Henry? Has something
happened?”

“No, it’s nothing official, Maggie,” John Henry replied quickly as

he walked around the desk and over to grab the videotapes from
Maggie. “Just a family matter.”

“Oh.”
Wren didn’t know the dispatcher well enough to tell if she had

something against gay men or not, but he felt her eyes linger on him
and Robby a little longer than they should have. Of course, she did the
same thing to the rest of the men in the room, so it might have just
been Wren’s overactive imagination at work.

“Well,” Maggie said as she slowly backed out of the room, “if you

need anything, you know how to reach me.”

John Henry smiled as he escorted Maggie out of the room.

“Thanks, Maggie. We’ll let you know.”

Wren felt some of the tension in his shoulders lessen when

Maggie and John Henry disappeared from view. He knew he had
possessive issues concerning Robby.

He was just lucky that Robby never had any desires for the

woman.

“Okay, so Ruby Reds?” Robby asked.
“Only if you promise not to leave my side,” Wren replied.
Robby’s eyes danced with amusement when he glanced over his

shoulder. “Honey, you do know that I’ve been a big boy for a very
long time now, right? I’m even allowed to go to the bathroom by
myself.”

“Not at Ruby Reds, you’re not.” Robby’s amusement was

infectious and made Wren smile, but Wren was dead serious. If they
were going to walk into the lion’s den, Robby wasn’t going to leave
his side.

“Wren—”

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Wren firmed his jaw. He would fight with his last breath to keep

Robby safe, even if he had to fight Robby himself. “Not up for
debate, Robby.”

Robby’s eyes rolled dramatically. “Fine,” he huffed. “I won’t

leave your side.”

“Good.” Wren leaned down to brush his lips across Robby’s. He

was smiling when he leaned back and glanced up at the others in the
room. “We can go whenever you guys are ready.”

* * * *

Wren felt a trickle of unease slide down his back as he walked

into Ruby Reds behind Robby later that evening. The place was fairly
packed as it was close to nine o’clock on a Friday night and people
were out having a good time. The music was blaring, and the alcohol
seemed to be flowing fairly well.

They found a half-circle-style booth near the back of the dance

floor, close to the steps leading to the pool table area. Wren slid in
beside Robby and folded his hands together, resting them on the table
as he scanned the place.

“Is it always like this?”
John Henry chuckled as he slid into the other side of the booth

beside Charlie. “Yeah, pretty much. Ruby Reds is one of the more
popular bars in the county because they offer food, alcohol, and a
dance floor. The younger crowd likes it a lot.”

“The younger crowd?” Wren arched an eyebrow in indignation.

“We’re not exactly ancient here, John Henry.”

“No, no, that’s true. But we’re not that young either.” John Henry

gestured toward a young couple dancing not more than a few feet
from where they sat. Wren groaned when he turned to look. The man
and woman barely looked old enough to be in the bar.

“Damn!” He shook his head in disgust. “They just keep getting

younger and younger, don’t they?”

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“I think it’s less a matter of them getting younger and more that

we’re getting older.”

“I like older,” Robby said as he turned tender eyes on Wren. “It

means we’re done with all that growing-up crap and know what we
really want out of life. I’d rather be older and settled down than
younger and not have a clue what I want.”

“And have you found what you want, Robby?” John Henry asked.
Robby’s brown eyes darkened in a way that made Wren wish they

were alone instead of in a bar full of people. “Oh, yeah,” Robby
murmured on a breathless whisper laced with pure lust. “I have
exactly what I want.”

John Henry chuckled. “Good. That’s all I ever wanted for you.”
Wren watched Robby’s eyebrows draw together in a straight line,

his eyes hardening, and he knew what was coming before Robby even
turned to glare at his brother. He quickly reached under the table and
grabbed Robby’s hand, giving it a tight squeeze.

“Remember why we’re here, love.”
Robby shot his brother one more angered glare then turned his

attention back to Wren. “I remember.”

“Good.” Wren blew out a relieved breath. He knew Robby was

still angry at John Henry for his interference in their relationship, and
he had reason to be. But that was in the past. Wren and Robby were
together now, and no one was going to separate them. “Do you see the
waitress?”

Robby sat up a little straighter and scanned the inside of the bar.

After a moment, he slumped back down and shook his head. “No, but
that doesn’t mean anything. She could be on break or in the back or
something.”

“Let us know when you spot her.” Wren gave Robby’s hand

another squeeze then released it as he scooted out of the booth. “I’m
going to get us some drinks. What do you all want?”

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“Well,” John Henry said. “Technically, I’m off duty at the

moment, but I’m not sure drinking a beer is a good idea. I’ll take a
Coke. If this goes south, I need to be completely sober.”

“I’ll take a beer,” Charlie said. “I’m not on duty.”
“Robby?”
“Coke,” Robby replied instantly, a full-body shudder shaking his

frame. “If I never see another beer, I’ll be a very happy man.”

Wren chuckled at the revulsion on Robby’s face. “Two Cokes and

a beer coming right up.”

It took Wren a few minutes to make his way through the throngs

of people hanging out inside the bar. When he reached the bartender,
he quickly put in his order and paid for it, wanting to get back to
Robby as fast as possible.

He leaned back against the bar counter while he waited for the

drinks and once again scanned the bar. When his eyes landed on a
man with close-cropped light-brown hair and a beach-boy tan sitting
across the room, Wren lifted his chin in acknowledgment. Haus
nodded back then glanced away, taking a drink of his beer.

Wren spotted Doc and Porter playing pool in the landing behind

the booth where Robby sat. He knew the two men were watching
Robby and looking for anything out of place. Both men gave him a
single dip of their heads then went back to playing pool.

Wren knew Robby was perfectly safe with Charlie and John

Henry and that the three marines from his unit were hanging out in
different parts of the bar. But he wouldn’t feel better until he was
back at Robby’s side again.

When the bartender set the drinks down, Wren grabbed them and

headed back to the table. Relief filled him the moment his eyes settled
on Robby’s smiling face. He tried to keep his posture calm but knew
he had failed miserably when he sat down and Robby leaned toward
him.

“I’m here, Wren,” Robby whispered into his ear, patting his leg

under the table.

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Damn!
Robby was coming to know him a little too well. If he wasn’t

careful, pretty soon they would be finishing each other’s sentences
and shit. Wren stilled as that thought filtered across his brain. He
started to grin the more he thought about having Robby know him so
well. Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Wren held his beer up, waiting until the others clinked glasses

with his. “To knowing what we want.”

Charlie looked at him a little strange, but Wren ignored it, taking a

long drink of his beer. He doubted his former commander knew
exactly what to think of the new and improved Wren. Wren was never
considered a deep thinker, and he certainly never came across as
tender.

Having Robby in his life changed all of that.
Wren wanted the best for his man, and that meant tapping into

emotions that Wren had learned to bury long ago. His possessive
streak had already come out, and then some. Wren would just have to
wait to see how the rest of his emotions presented themselves.

It was sure to be a wild ride.
“I want to dance.”
Wren glanced at Robby. The man was bebopping to the music

blaring through the bar, his shoulders rising and falling as he moved
from side to side to the beat of the music. His lower lip was sucked in
between his teeth.

He looked cute as hell.
“You do remember why we’re here, right?” John Henry asked.
Wren ground his teeth together when the joy seemed to drain right

out of Robby. The sexy brown-haired man stopped dancing in his seat
and dropped his head, wrapping his fingers around his Coke and just
staring at it.

Wren grabbed Robby’s hand and started to scoot out of the booth.

“Come on, love. You can show me what you got.” Wren was pretty
sure whatever it was would be spectacular. He stood and waited for

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Robby to climb out of the booth then dragged him out onto the dance
floor.

“John Henry might have a point, Wren.”
“Oh, he does.” Wren stopped in the middle of the dance floor and

turned to pull Robby’s body against his. “But we’re trying to attract
attention here, Robby. Not hide from it.”

Robby’s face flushed, and Wren knew the man had to have felt the

hard-on pressed against his zipper. It made sense that he’d have one.
He was breathing, and Robby was in his arms. It was just kind of a
fact of life that the two went hand in hand.

“I don’t think this is exactly what John Henry meant by attention.”
Wren chuckled at the high note in Robby’s voice. “Do you think I

care?”

Robby frowned and tilted his head back to look up at Wren. “Why

don’t you care? You listened to John Henry before.”

“We’ve discussed this, Robby. I listened to John Henry and

Charlie because at the time, I thought they knew you better. I thought
I was doing the right thing. The day I met you and expressed an
interest in you to Charlie, he reminded me that my past record with
relationships sucked. He didn’t want me to hurt you.”

Robby’s frown deepened, his face growing darker, although Wren

was pretty sure it was anger this time and not embarrassment. “That
worked real well.”

Wren was amused by the glint in Robby’s eyes but not enough to

laugh. That would definitely put a crimp in his plans for later. “Not
really, but like I said, I thought I was doing the right thing at the
time.”

“Just what was your plan anyway? To wait until I was old and

feeble before making your move?”

“Robby, I didn’t really have a plan. I was kind of just playing it by

ear, getting to know you without some mythical schedule in mind.”

“And all of the times I made a pass at you?”

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Wren’s eyes slid closed as he groaned, a sudden wave of lust

hitting him and zipping along his skin. He hadn’t missed a single time
when Robby made a pass at him. Those moments, as torturous as they
had been, were all that kept Wren going when he had to go home
alone and sleep in his own bed.

Wren pulled Robby closer to his chest and leaned down to

whisper in his ear, “If you had any idea how many times I went home
to jerk off after you made a pass at me, you’d have an ego the size of
Kansas. There were times when I didn’t even make it home. I had to
pull over to the side of the road and whip it out before I exploded.”

Wren grinned when he felt Robby shudder in his arms. He knew

his confession was affecting the man because he could feel Robby’s
hard erection pressing against his. “Once, I even jerked off in your
bathroom.”

“Fuck, Wren,” Robby groaned. “You’re killing me.”
“You’re just lucky we’re on the hunt for your stalker or I wouldn’t

be killing you, love. I’d be fucking you.” Wren gently bit the side of
Robby’s neck, scraping his teeth along the corded muscles just below
Robby’s ear. “I’d find the nearest flat surface and fuck that tight little
ass of yours until you screamed.”

Wren heard Robby’s breathing hitch when he reached around and

grabbed the man’s jean-clad ass with both hands, giving it a good
squeeze. “Would you like that, love? Would you like me to fuck you
until you scream?”

Robby’s gulp was so loud that it echoed in Wren’s ear. Robby

leaned back and glanced up at Wren through his long eyelashes. The
look of need on his face almost made Wren come in his pants.

“Now?”

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Chapter 12

Robby licked his lips, his breath barely entering his chest before

leaving again. He couldn’t remember ever being this aroused. Well,
maybe the last time Wren touched him. He had been pretty damn
horny then. Of course, he was pretty damn horny any time he was
around Wren.

“Oh, baby, you can’t believe how much I’d like to find a deep

dark corner with you.” Wren’s eyes briefly strayed beyond Robby’s
shoulder. When they came back, some of the arousal that had been
burning in them was dampened, as if someone had thrown a bucket of
water on him. “Unfortunately, I do believe our waitress has arrived to
take our drink order.”

Robby felt his arousal drain out of him faster than it had faded

from Wren’s eyes. Wren must have felt it, too, because he grabbed
Robby’s chin and leaned in to brush their lips together.

“Sorry, love,” Wren murmured against his mouth. “I promise to

take you up on that just as soon as we’re alone.”

Alone seemed a long way away. Robby sighed and pushed away

from Wren. “I’m holding you to that,” he said as he turned and
walked back to the table. His steps faltered when he got closer and
recognized the waitress standing at the table.

“Sarah Jane.”
“Well, hello, sugar.” Sarah Jane smiled a very friendly smile, like

she was actually happy to see him. “I see you found some friends.”

“Yeah.”
“You’re looking a little less in the dumps. I hope that means you

won’t need to be drowning your sorrows tonight.”

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“No, I wasn’t planning on it.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Sarah Jane’s smile grew wider as she pulled

out her order pad and held her pen over it. “Now, what can I get you,
boys?”

“I’ll have another…Coke.” Robby frowned when something on

Sarah Jane’s hand flashed in the light. He felt Wren’s hand grab him
by the wrist as he took a step closer to the waitress. “That’s a
beautiful ring, Sarah Jane.” Robby glanced at his brother. “Don’t you
think so, bro?”

Confusion darkened John Henry’s face for a brief second before

he schooled his features behind a friendly smile and stood to look at
the diamond ring on Sarah Jane’s hand. “It’s gorgeous. May I see?”

“Oh…um…” Sarah Jane’s hand fluttered for a moment before she

held it out.

“I don’t remember a rock of that size on your finger the last time I

saw you, Sarah Jane,” Robby said as he watched his brother’s face for
his reaction. If what Robby suspected was true, John Henry was about
to explode. “Did you get it recently?”

“Yes, my…uh…my friend gave it to me,” Sarah Jane said in a

rush.

A dark, angry expression settled over John Henry’s face as he

examined the ring. “Just who might this friend be?”

Sarah Jane shrugged as if the answer didn’t matter. “Just a friend.”
“Just a friend gave you a ten-carat diamond ring?”
“How…” Sarah Jane swallowed hard enough that Robby heard it.

“How did you know it was ten carats?”

“Because that’s the exact amount of carats in my mother’s

diamond engagement ring,” Robby stated, attempting to keep the
confrontational tone out of his voice. “The same diamond ring that
was lost when my house burned down to the ground yesterday.”

Robby was incensed. His mother’s engagement ring was one of

the only things he had from her. He had been saving it to give to his

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daughter, if he ever had one. He certainly wouldn’t be giving it to a
wife.

He had thought he lost it when his house burned to the ground. To

see it sitting on Sarah Jane’s finger was almost more than he could
handle. He felt like bitch slapping the woman until she confessed.

“How is it that you have my mother’s engagement ring, Sarah

Jane?”

“I’m sorry, but you’re wrong. This is my ring.”
Robby’s eyes narrowed. “I can prove that it’s my mother’s

engagement ring.”

“No, I…” Sarah Jane’s eyes started to dart around frantically.
Robby’s lip curled back as he grabbed Sarah Jane’s hand and

slowly started to pull the ring off her finger. “The inscription reads
‘Always and Forever, My Beautiful Brown Eyed Girl.’ My mother
had brown eyes. My father gave her that ring when he proposed to
her.”

Robby all but yanked the ring off of Sarah Jane’s hand, tilting it in

the light so that he could read the inscription he knew he would see.
His jaw tightened as he raised his eyes to look at Sarah Jane.

He held the ring out to her. “Would you like to read it?”
Panic flooded Sarah Jane’s eyes. She knew she had been caught.

Robby could see it in her face, in her stiff posture. This was the bitch
that had been terrorizing him and threatening everything he held dear.

He wanted her to burn.
“We got you, you bitch!”
Sarah Jane stared at Robby for just a moment then screamed at the

top of her lungs, “Fire!”

Robby’s eyes widened as she tossed her drink pad into his face

and took off. Robby tightened his fingers around his mother’s ring so
that he wouldn’t lose it and deflected the pad of paper with his other
hand.

As he started to turn to grab for Sarah Jane as she ran past him, it

seemed like all hell broke loose. People started running toward the

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front doors like the place really was on fire. People started screaming
and yelling, and glass shattered on the floor as tables were overturned.

Someone bumped into Robby, sending the ring in his hand flying.

Robby cried out and lurched forward, dropping to his knees. He
urgently searched the floor, trying to find his mother’s ring.

Robby spotted it lying just under the bench seat of the booth he

had been sitting in. Before he could reach for it, Sarah Jane crawled
under the table and grabbed it.

“Hey!” Robby shouted as he went after the woman. “That doesn’t

belong to you.”

Sarah Jane’s head snapped up. Her eyes widened for a moment as

Robby dropped to his hands and knees and started crawling toward
her. She scrambled in the other direction, stood, and took off into the
crowd. Robby growled and slammed his fist into the floor when he
lost sight of Sarah Jane. He jumped to his feet, ready to go after her,
and almost wished he hadn’t. The place was a disaster, and people
were still running around in complete panic.

John Henry, Charlie, and Wren were nowhere to be seen, but

Robby did spot Haus on the far side of the room by the front door. He
seemed to be searching for something or someone. Robby was hoping
it was him.

Robby started to make his way across the room, trying to dodge

the people running about. He quickly weaved around a few
overturned tables and carefully walked over the broken glass.

Robby was within feet of Haus when he felt something hard and

cold press into his back. Having spent the last five years as a deputy,
he knew without question what it was, and terror robbed him of
breath.

“Not a word,” was snarled into his ear by an unidentifiable voice.

Whoever was speaking had to be muffling their voice somehow. “One
wrong move and I’ll open fire and you’ll have more bodies on your
hands than you could possibly dream of. I’ll start with lover boy over
there.”

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Robby felt tears spring to his eyes when he saw Wren step into the

bar and start talking to Haus, his eyes intently scanning the room.
Robby knew Wren hadn’t spotted him yet or the man would already
be at his side.

There was nothing Robby could do but give in to the demands of

the psycho holding the gun in his back. Robby swallowed hard and
held his hands up in the air. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t
hurt anyone.”

“Move slowly toward the back door by the bathrooms. And don’t

think you can get away from me once we’re out of this fucking mess.
One word from me and my partner will put a hole in lover boy that
he’ll never recover from.”

Holy fucking crap!
This idiot had a partner? Robby hadn’t seen that one coming. He

glanced at Wren one more time, drinking in the big man’s handsome
features in case he never saw them again. He was terrified that he
wouldn’t, that this would be the last time he ever laid eyes on the man
that had tattooed him and taken his heart.

Just as he started to glance away, Wren looked right at him. The

smile Robby sent to Wren was weak and wobbly. He hoped it
conveyed everything he couldn’t. Robby felt the gun in his back press
harder into his skin.

“Move!”
The tears that had gathered in his eyes slid down his cheeks as he

turned away and walked toward the bathroom. Just before he stepped
through the back door and out into the darkness, Robby heard Wren
shout his name.

He prayed that Wren would reach him in time. And he prayed that

he wouldn’t. Robby would rather die at the hands of a maniac than
have anything happen to Wren.

But Wren wasn’t alone. He was with some of the smartest men

that Robby knew. Charlie and his marines rescued people and went

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into dangerous situations for a living. If anyone could rescue him, it
was them.

Robby held onto that hope as he was marched to a small sedan

parked behind the bar. He didn’t recognize the vehicle at all. He
couldn’t even remember seeing it in town. He was walked to the
driver’s seat.

“Get in. You drive.”
Robby climbed into the front seat and closed the door. Keys were

dangled over his shoulder. Robby sighed and grabbed them, inserting
them into the ignition and starting the car. For a brief moment, he
considered stepping on the gas until he felt the barrel of the gun press
into the back of his neck.

“Drive out the back driveway and no funny business.”
“Where to?” Robby asked as he put the car in drive and pulled out

of the parking lot.

“I’ll let you know when to turn.”
Sweat began to bead across Robby’s forehead as he drove. He

knew whoever had him was female, but he couldn’t quite place the
voice. It was as if she was changing the tone so she would be
unrecognizable. And he couldn’t see her. The rearview mirror had
been ripped off.

All he could do was drive and hope that Wren found him in time.

* * * *

Wren ran through the throng of people still trying to get out of the

bar and dashed down the hallway toward the bathroom. He could feel
a tingle of anger giving him an extra push in his steps.

Robby had heard him call out. Wren knew he had. Robby had

looked right at him then turned away. He was going to paddle
Robby’s ass until it glowed red once he got his hands on him.

“Robby!” Wren shouted as he pushed the bathroom door open. He

kicked the stall doors open one at a time. When he found them all

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129

empty, a small kernel of worry began to grow in his mind. “Robby,
where the hell are you?”

Wren stormed out of the men’s bathroom and headed right across

the hallway to the women’s bathroom. He found it just as empty as
the men’s room. By the time he searched both bathrooms again and
the storage closet at the end of the hallway, that small kernel of worry
had turned to outright panic.

“Haus!” Wren shouted over the noise as he ran back into the main

room. “I can’t find Robby anywhere.”

“He was just here.”
“Well, he’s not now. We need to get everyone back in here and

search the place.”

“John Henry is out front right now trying to calm everyone down

and get help for people that got injured during the stampede.” The
tensing of Haus’s jaw betrayed his deep frustration. “That was really
stupid, yelling fire.”

“It created enough of a distraction that she got away, didn’t it?”
“People could have been killed.”
“I don’t think she cared, Haus.”
Haus’s jaw tightened. “She’s gonna.”
“I’m going to go search the back. Let John Henry know what’s

going on and get the rest of the guys in here to search.”

Haus nodded and headed out the door. Wren started searching. By

the time he had looked in every nook and cranny of the building, he
knew Robby was long gone. Robby would never leave him on his
own, so that could only mean one thing.

Robby was in danger.
Wren’s chest ached with fear and anger as he stormed back into

the main room. He clenched his fists at his sides, digging his nails into
the palms of his hands. The pain gave him just a bit of relief from the
anguish swamping him.

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John Henry and Charlie met him by the bar, both men looking

concerned. “Anything?” John Henry asked. Wren could see the same
pain in John Henry’s eyes that he felt.

Wren shook his head. “I searched everywhere. There’s no sign of

him.”

“He’s got to be here somewhere,” John Henry insisted as the lines

around his mouth tightened.

“He’s not!” Wren growled. “He’s gone. Don’t you get that?

Someone took him.”

“You don’t know that, Wren.”
“The hell I don’t.” Wren’s jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed.

Anger raged through him. “Robby promised me that he wouldn’t
leave my side, and Robby doesn’t break his promises.”

John Henry’s face suddenly went grim. He reached back and

rubbed the nape of his neck. “No, Robby doesn’t break promises. If
he said he wouldn’t leave your side, then that’s where he’d be unless
someone was preventing it.”

Wren’s thoughts exactly.
“We need to find him,” Wren said, anxiety starting to ride him

hard. His eyes snapped to Charlie when the man suddenly chuckled.
He had a not-so-insane urge to punch the man right in the nose.
Robby was missing and Charlie wanted to laugh about it? “You find
that funny?”

“No.” Charlie instantly sobered, the smile falling from his lips.
“Then what in the hell are you laughing at?”
Charlie held up a small black box. The smile started to spread

across his lips again. “I chipped his ass when I gave him that tetanus
shot.”

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Chapter 13

Alarm bells went off in Wren’s head when he spotted the small,

rustic log-and-stone cabin nestled in the trees at the edge of a crystal-
clear lake. Under normal circumstances, he would have enjoyed the
beauty of the place.

These were not normal circumstances.
Robby had been kidnapped and—thanks to Charlie’s ingenuity—

they had been able to track him to the cabin in front of Wren.
Whoever had engineered Robby’s kidnapping knew what they were
doing when they chose this location. They wouldn’t have found the
cabin any other way. It was miles off the beaten path down a long dirt
road.

Wren started searching for higher ground. He needed the correct

angle to be able to get a drop on whoever had Robby. He spotted an
outcropping of rocks about two hundred yards from the cabin.

Wren signaled to Charlie then quickly made his way through the

thick trees to the rocks. He slung his high-powered sniper rifle over
his shoulder and started to climb up the cliff face, heading for the
small ledge several feet off the ground.

He would have preferred going into the cabin himself. He wanted

to come to Robby’s rescue and be his knight in shining armor. But
Wren knew if he wanted to be of the most use in Robby’s recue, he
needed to be at the other end of his sniper’s scope.

Wren settled himself down on the ledge, stretching his legs out as

far as he could get them. He got his rifle ready then pulled the scope
cover off and sighted down the barrel. The crosshairs on his rifle
settled on the cabin.

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Wren moved the scope around, checking out the entire outside

face of the cabin. The front door was closed, but there was a slight
part in the curtains on the single window next to the door.

He could see movement inside the cabin, but he couldn’t tell if it

was Robby moving around or the person that had taken him. Wren
couldn’t take the chance that he might hit Robby by mistake.

“Eagle eyes in the nest,” Wren whispered into the communication

device attached to the side of his head. “Contact is made, but the view
is cloudy.”

“Copy,” Charlie replied. “Going in for a visual.”
Wren held his breath as he watched Charlie move through the

trees toward the cabin. When Charlie ran out of trees, he squatted
down even with the underbrush and snuck up to the edge of the
building.

Charlie looked up toward Wren and motioned with his fingers

toward his eyes. Wren looked through his scope again, moving the
viewing circle along the edge of the cabin and then back again.

“Negative, Commander. Movement is visible but still cloudy.”
Wren’s breathing didn’t get any easier as he watched Charlie

move up onto the porch and sneak a peek through the window. His
heart jumped into his throat when Charlie almost instantly moved
back and flattened himself against the side of the house.

“Commander?”
Charlie cut his hand across his throat—the universal sign for shut

the fuck up!

Instinctive fear skittered up his spine. Wren swallowed, but his

mouth had gone bone dry. He moved his scope back to the window.
Wren’s heart started pounding faster when he couldn’t find any
movement. It was like everything inside the cabin had gone totally
still.

“Movement has stopped, Commander.”
Charlie tilted his head up and peered over the edge of the window

ledge. A moment later he stood up and stepped closer to the window.

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133

When he swept the curtain back and stuck his head inside the
window, Wren’s heart nearly stopped beating.

“Charlie?”
“It’s emp—”
“Commander,” Haus’s voice came through the communication

device, “we have a movement on the north side of the building.”

Charlie was up and running before Haus even stopped speaking.

“Give me a sit-rep,” Charlie demanded. “How many contacts?”

“Two contacts, Commander, one blue, one brown,” Haus replied,

“both moving at a high rate of speed through the woods north of the
building and along the edge of the lake.”

Wren swung his scope toward the north side of the cabin. It took

him a minute to pin down the two figures running away from the
cabin, but when he did, he instantly recognized the one in blue as
Robby. Robby had been wearing a light-blue shirt when they went to
the bar. And besides that, Wren would know Robby’s medium-brown
hair anywhere.

“Commander,” Wren said, “confirm contact blue is Robby.”
“Understood,” Charlie replied.
“Commander?” With every footstep, Robby was moving farther

and farther away. It was killing Wren to stay where he was.

“I need you in the nest, Wren,” Charlie replied like he knew

exactly what Wren was asking.

Damn!
Wren blew out a breath and angled his scope after the two people

running away from him. He could tell that Robby was doing his best
to impede their progress. Every few feet he would stumble. Wren’s
heart nearly jumped into his throat when Robby fell. Whoever had
him waved a gun wildly in the air until Robby climbed back to his
feet.

Wren couldn’t tell exactly who had Robby because of the brown

hood pulled up over their head. Still, from the curve of the person’s

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hips and the roundness of their body, Wren was pretty sure it was a
woman.

“Believe contact brown is female, Commander.”
“Understood.”
“Contact is also armed.”
Wren briefly moved his scope back until he saw Charlie, Haus,

and Porter moving through the woods after the two fleeing figures.
That left John Henry, Manny, and Asa somewhere out in the trees.

Knowing how his unit worked, Wren swung his scope ahead of

Robby and his kidnapper. A relieved grin crossed his lips when he
spotted movement in the trees about a hundred yards in front of them.
He didn’t know exactly which member of his unit it was because of
the way they had been trained to blend into their surroundings, but he
knew it was one of them.

“Forward team in place, Commander,” a voice said over the com-

unit.

Ah, so it was Manny.
“Coming in hot,” Charlie replied. “Be ready.”
Wren’s fingers tightened on the gun as his heart started to speed

up. He clenched his fingers then settled them back on the gun and
drew in a deep cleansing breath. The next few minutes could bring
Robby back to him or destroy his life.

Wren sighted down on the figure forcing Robby through the

woods. He moved his finger and hovered it over the trigger. He
pushed every thought out of his mind except one—keeping his target
in his sights.

And then he waited.
Charlie, Haus, and Porter were closing in on the two figures from

behind. Manny, Asa, and John Henry were waiting for them up ahead.
The lake was on one side. That only left the woods off to the other
side as a possible escape route. Wren knew that someone would move
in and cut that route off before anyone revealed themselves.

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When Manny stepped out of the trees, the two people running

skidded to a halt. Wren tried not to be affected by the sight of the
woman in brown raising the gun in her hand and holding it to Robby’s
head, but he could feel his fingers start to tremble.

Manny’s words came across the com-unit as clear as ice. “Put the

gun down and let Robby go.”

Wren couldn’t hear what the woman said, but her reply was

unmistakable. The woman raised the gun to point it at Manny. The
second the barrel moved away from Robby’s head, Wren squeezed
the trigger on his rifle.

The shot echoed through the small valley, sounding so loud in the

silence of the night that Wren’s ears rang. Wren waited until the
woman went down and Robby ran toward Manny before he picked up
his rifle and started down the cliff face as fast as he could climb.

He jumped the last few feet to the ground, slung his rifle over his

shoulder, and took off around the edge of the lake as fast as his feet
would carry him. By the time he reached the small group of men
gathered, he was breathing hard and his legs ached from exertion.

Quickly noting that everyone had their guns pointed at the prone

figure on the ground, Wren dismissed the woman from his mind and
ran toward the one person he needed to see more than he needed to
breathe.

“Robby!”
“Wren,” Robby cried out as he ran toward him.
The last few feet seemed to take forever to cross, but then

suddenly, Robby was in his arms. Wren hugged Robby to him and
kissed him as he brushed his fingers through Robby’s collar-length
brown hair.

“Oh god, Robby,” Wren whispered against the side of Robby’s

head, “I thought I’d never get to see you again.”

“Never going to happen,” Robby replied.
“You can’t ever leave me, Robby.”
Robby let out a half laugh, half sob. “Never going to happen.”

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Wren leaned back and cupped Robby’s face between his hands,

tilting the man’s head back. “You’re okay? She didn’t hurt you?”

“No, I’m fine. She didn’t hurt me.” Robby’s face clouded with

uneasiness. “Do you know who she is?”

Wren’s eyebrows shot up. “No, don’t you?”
Robby shook his head and held up a length of black cloth. “No,

she kept me blindfolded.”

“That explains why you kept tripping.”
“You saw that?”
“I was in the nest, love.”
Robby’s brows rose inquiringly. “The what?”
“I’ll explain it later.” Wren’s features hardened as he glanced over

at the body lying on the ground several feet away. “First, let’s go see
who this little bitch is.”

Robby started to follow then paused, gulping loudly. “Did you kill

her?”

Wren’s upper lip curled back as a wave of hatred swept through

him so strong that it burned. “I fucking hope so.”

John Henry, who was squatting down next to the female, shook

his head. “She’s alive, just unconscious. You shot her in the
shoulder.”

“I could always shoot her again.”
“Sorry, Wren,” John Henry replied as he stood and reached for his

phone. “As much as I would like to let you take her out for good, I
can’t. Besides, I’d really like the chance to question her and find out
why in the hell she decided to go after my baby brother.”

“I can answer that,” Robby said. “She’s off her fucking rocker.”
“Why don’t we find out who she is,” Wren suggested, wanting to

put a face to the monster that had made Robby suffer so much.

John Henry reached down and rolled the woman onto her back.

When he did, her blond hair flopped over her face, obscuring their
view. John Henry sighed heavily and used his hand to sweep the hair
back from the woman’s face.

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Nothing prepared Wren for the face he could suddenly see. He

shook with rage as he stared down at the woman, suddenly wishing
his aim had been a little better when he heard Robby cry out.

“Christ!” John Henry said, his voice low with disbelief and anger.

“It’s Maggie Jones.”

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Chapter 14

“Hey, Robby,” Charlie called out from the kitchen, “could you get

the front door?”

“Yeah, sure.” Robby laughed as he tried to uncurl himself from

Wren’s lap and stand up. Wren had his lower lip stuck out and was
doing everything he could to keep Robby from getting up. “Baby, I
need to answer the door.”

“You need to stay right where you are.”
“I promise to come right back.”
Wren grumbled but loosened his arms enough that Robby could

get up. Robby brushed a quick kiss across Wren’s mouth then went to
answer the door. He would have preferred to stay right where he was,
but with John Henry at work, Charlie had his hands full with the kids.
He needed the extra help.

Haus, Manny, Porter, and Asa had also been sent out on another

mission, so it was just Robby and Wren to help out around the house.
Wren was taking an indefinite leave of absence until things settled
down.

Wren had been a little more than clingy over the last week, and

Robby fully understood it. He also didn’t have a real problem with
it—especially when he woke up in the middle of the night screaming.
Wren was always there to reassure him that he was home and safe.

Robby knew that it would take time before he felt normal again.

That was one of the reasons he was taking a few weeks off from
work. John Henry had offered him his job back, but Robby needed
time to fully feel safe again. Once he did, he had every intention of

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taking his job back. He loved being a deputy. He just needed to feel
more like himself before he did.

Robby could still hear Wren grumbling in the living room when

he opened the front door. He started to smile until he saw who was
standing there. Robby started shaking. Fear robbed him of his voice.
Robby backed up right into the entry table. He jumped and cried out
when glass shattered on the floor.

“Robby!”
Robby was still shaking with terror when he felt Wren’s arms

wrap around him. He turned and buried his face in Wren’s chest,
clinging to the bigger man.

“You!” Wren snapped. “What in the hell are you doing here?”
“I brought her.”
Robby’s mouth was already hanging open when he turned to see

his grandfather standing in the doorway next to Sarah Jane. “You
brought her here?” Robby whispered. “After what she did to me?”

“Robby—”
“She should be behind bars right next to her partner,” Robby

bellowed with outrage, “the spawn of Satan.”

“Robert Peter Harrison!” Pops said sternly. “You were raised with

better manners than that. You need to calm down so we can all go
inside and talk.”

Robby didn’t think he could be any more shocked. “Pops, you

don’t know what—”

Pops held up his hand to stop Robby. “I know exactly what she

did, son. Sarah Jane told me everything when she came to see me.”

It wasn’t until Pops slid his arm around Sarah Jane’s shoulders

that Robby actually took a good look at the woman. Her face was
devoid of color, and her eyes were downcast. There was a slight
tremble to her hands as she wrung them together.

“I want John Henry here first.”
Pops nodded. “I’ve already called him, Robby.”

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Robby tightened his jaw and swung around, stalking past the

living room to the kitchen. Wren could bring them in and get them
settled. Robby wasn’t coming out until John Henry arrived. He could
arrest the woman and put her right where she should be—in jail with
her partner.

“Hey, who was at the door?” Charlie asked as he looked up from

wiping down the counter when Robby stormed into the kitchen.

“My grandfather has brought Sarah Jane here. He wants us all

to”—Robby made quotes in the air—“talk.”

Charlie’s eyebrows climbed up his forehead. “Seriously?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Wow.”
“I told Pops I wouldn’t talk to Sarah Jane until John Henry got

here.” Robby’s lip curled. “I want him to arrest her and toss her into a
cell right next to Maggie.”

“Uh, you do know that Maggie won’t be out of the hospital for a

few more days, right?”

“She’s still under arrest. John Henry told me that he had someone

guarding her door, keeping an eye on her. And she’s handcuffed to
her bed so she can’t escape.”

Charlie shook his head as he finished wiping down the counter. “I

still can’t believe it was Maggie.”

“Well, don’t forget that Sarah Jane was in on it. She’s just as

guilty as Maggie.”

“No, son, she’s not.”
Robby rolled his eyes when Pops walked into the kitchen.
“Sarah Jane was just as caught up in this as you were, Robby.

Maybe you’ll understand that and be a little bit more sympathetic
once you hear what she has to say.”

“Did she tell you that she stole mother’s engagement ring?”

Robby snapped as he swung around to glare at his grandfather. He
didn’t like feeling like he had done something wrong when he hadn’t.

Pops held a silver ring up. “She gave it back to me.”

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141

That stopped Robby right where he was. “She gave it back?”
“She felt that it should be with the person it really belonged to, so

she found out who you were and tracked me down to return it.”

“Why didn’t she just give it back to me?”
Pops arched an eyebrow, looking Robby up and down. “She

didn’t feel that she would get a warm welcome if she came to you and
tried to return the ring. I suspect from your behavior that she was
right.”

Robby dropped his eyes, Pops’s gaze too intense to continue to

look at the man. He knew his behavior was not that good, but he
didn’t understand how his grandfather could fault him for it, not after
what he had been through.

“Robby, son.” Robby glanced up when he felt a hand land on his

shoulder. He could see understanding in his grandfather’s eyes, but it
still didn’t explain why he had brought that woman here. “Just listen
to her, please, for me.”

“Fine, but I still want John Henry here.”
“That’s perfectly understandable. I called John Henry from the

house before Sarah Jane and I drove over. He should be here”—Pops
chuckled when the sound of a truck coming up the driveway at a high
speed floated through the open window over the sink—“right about
now.”

Robby jumped when he heard the front door slam shut. He took a

deep breath and walked out of the kitchen, knowing by the raised
voices in the living room that he needed to show his face before
things got out of control.

And he was right.
Sarah Jane sat huddled in a chair by the window. Wren was

standing by the couch, staring holes into the woman. John Henry
stood there with his hands on his hips, glancing between the two of
them as if waiting for one of them to speak.

“Good,” Pops said as he walked in behind Robby, “we’re all

here.”

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Robby walked right over to Wren’s side and curled into his larger

body. He was thankful for the arm Wren wrapped around him when
they sat down and Sarah Jane turned to look at him. Her eyes were
filled with tears and a sorrow so deep that it made Robby’s heartache
seem like a walk in the park.

Robby just didn’t understand why it was there. What did Sarah

Jane have to be sad about? “Thank you for returning my mother’s
ring,” he choked out, his voice scratchy and tight.

“It was the least I could do,” Sarah Jane replied, her eyes dropping

to her hands. “It was given to me under false pretenses.”

“By Maggie Jones?” John Henry asked, settling down in a chair

by the fireplace.

Sarah Jane nodded. “I thought…I thought that she…that we…” A

small shudder shook the woman’s delicate frame. “I thought that she
cared about me but…” Sarah Jane let out a small bitter laugh as she
pushed her hair back from her face and looked back up. “I guess
that’s what I get for thinking, huh?”

John Henry scooted forward in his chair and rested his arms on his

legs. “If you don’t mind my asking, how did the two of you meet?”

“About a year ago, Maggie stopped in the tavern I was working

in. We got to talking and found that we had a lot in common. We
struck up a friendship. When she’d come to the city, she would stay
with me.” Sarah Jane sniffled, her lips trembling as she tried to smile.
“We always had so much fun together.”

“How did you come to work at Ruby Reds?” Robby asked.
“I had a…uh…little trouble back home. Maggie told me to come

down here until things calmed down. She said she could help me get a
job and everything.”

“Trouble with the law?” John Henry asked.
“No, trouble with the owner of the bar where I worked.” Sarah

Jane sighed roughly. “He was getting a little too friendly and
wouldn’t take no for an answer. When I got a restraining order against

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143

him, he started stalking me. After I found my apartment ransacked, I
decided to get out of town. Maggie said I could stay with her.”

“And when did she give you the ring?” Robby asked.
“The night you saw it on me. She told me that she loved me and

she wanted us to be together.”

Robby’s jaw dropped. “You’re a lesbian?”
“No, not exactly, but she was so adamant that I take the ring. She

even cried. I told her we could only be friends, and she said she
understood but…” Sarah Jane shrugged. “Now, I don’t know what to
believe.”

“Sarah Jane, can I ask you a question?”
Sarah Jane turned to look at John Henry, nodding.
“Do you have a birthmark on your neck? Three little dots right

under your ear?”

The blood drained from Sarah Jane’s face, her hand fluttering near

one of her ears. “Yeah, why?”

“One more question before I answer that. Are your bedroom walls

lavender colored?”

“No. But Maggie’s bedroom walls are.” Sarah Jane’s eyebrows

drew together as she glanced from John Henry to Robby and Wren
and then moved on to Pops. “Why are you asking me this?”

John Henry stood up and walked right out of the room. He was

back a moment later with a large manila envelope. Robby winced and
turned away when John Henry opened the envelope and pulled the
pictures out. He already knew what they showed. He didn’t need to
look again.

Sarah Jane gasped as she stared down at one of the pictures. “This

is me.”

“Actually,” John Henry said as he pointed to the picture in Sarah

Jane’s hand, “we suspect that it’s your head and someone else’s body
in most of these pictures. We’re pretty sure it’s Maggie’s body
although she refused to admit it when I questioned her. A couple of

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the pictures seem to be unaltered, so we suspect that it’s actually you
in them.”

“But why?”
“We’re still trying to figure that out. Maggie isn’t talking.

However, we’ve been able to prove that most of the photographs were
altered but not all of them. The ones that were altered are the more
active pictures. The ones that seem to be unaltered are the ones where
you and Robby are just lying there.”

Sarah Jane’s face was devoid of all color as she looked up at John

Henry. “Why would Maggie alter pictures of me and Robby
together?” Her eyes widened as if she suddenly realized what she said
and she quickly glanced over at Robby. “Not that anything happened.
I mean…”

“We’ll get to that in a minute,” John Henry said. “But first, can

you confirm for me if this is you in the pictures or not?”

Sarah Jane licked her lips as she looked back down at the pictures.

“I think so.” She held up two of the pictures. “This looks like me, but
the rest of these…it’s my head but not my body.”

John Henry nodded. “That’s what we suspected. We believe that

Maggie took most of the photographs with Robby while he was
unconscious and Photoshopped your head onto them then took a few
of you and Robby together, again, while Robby was unconscious.”

“How do you know he was unconscious?”
“See here?” John Henry pointed again. “Robby’s eyes are closed

in all of these pictures. At first glance, he seems to just be enjoying
himself, but if you look closer, you will see that there is no expression
on his face at all. I don’t know about you, but if I’m enjoying myself,
you can see it in my face, eyes closed or not.”

“I’ll vouch for that.” Charlie chuckled.
“But…” Sarah Jane’s eyes filled with tears. “I would never—why

would Maggie do this? What purpose could she have for taking naked
pictures of me and Robby?”

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145

“The pictures were sent to one of my deputies, Otis McCredie,

but—”

Sarah Jane’s eyes were huge when they came up to look at John

Henry. “Maggie hates Otis. She warned me away from him, said that
he was a monster just like my old boss. She told me that he was
harassing her and Robby at work and you wouldn’t do anything about
it. That’s why…” Sarah Jane swallowed hard. “That’s why I didn’t
bring the ring directly to you after I found out Maggie kidnapped
Robby. Maggie said you were as bad as Otis.”

“Otis wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Robby protested. “I’ve known him my

entire life, and he’s one of the sweetest men I know.” Robby rolled
his eyes but patted Wren’s thigh when the man growled. “Besides
Wren, I mean.”

There was a hint of fear in Sarah Jane’s eyes when she turned to

look at Wren. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. Until a few
days ago, all Maggie could talk about was how Otis was trying to
force himself on her and Robby. Then she came home the other night
saying that Wren and Otis had gotten into a fight over Robby and that
Wren broke Otis’s arm and put him in the hospital. And now I see you
sitting here next to Wren and you’re not even afraid of him.”

“Is that why you shouted fire at the bar the other night?” John

Henry asked.

Sarah Jane nodded. “Maggie warned me to stay away from you

all. She said you were dangerous, that the sheriff was crooked and
Otis was his lapdog. When you started yelling accusations at me, I
just wanted to get away from you all.”

“It might interest you to know that Wren and Otis never got into a

fight. Otis’s brakes were cut and he crashed his truck,” John Henry
said. “He also received a concussion when he was almost run down
by a car identified by witnesses as the same blue sedan that Maggie
made Robby drive when she kidnapped him. Not only will Maggie be
charged with stalking and kidnapping Robby but also the attempted
murder of my deputy.”

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“She tried to kill your deputy?”
John Henry nodded. “We believe Maggie saw Otis as a rival for

Robby’s affections since both Robby and Otis were gay and Robby
used to have a crush on Otis. We also believe that’s why Maggie sent
the pictures to Otis, to throw him off any hope he might have had of
having a relationship with Robby.”

“Oh my god,” Sarah Jane whispered.
As he looked at her, Robby’s opinion of Sarah Jane began to

change as he watched silent tears run down her pale face. He wasn’t
fully ready to believe everything the woman was saying, but she told
a convincing story. “Do you remember the night we met?”

“Yes.”
“Do you remember waking up the next morning?”
Sarah Jane frowned. “Yes.”
“Where were you when you woke up?”
Sarah Jane’s head snapped back. “I was in Maggie’s room, but

why are you asking that?”

“I got drunk that night. When I woke up, I was in bed with a

naked woman.”

Sarah Jane inhaled a shaky breath.
“I was in bed with you. I just don’t know how I got there.”
“I…oh, we didn’t…” Sarah Jane frowned, looking suddenly

flustered. “Did we?”

Robby stiffened. His voice was clipped when he replied, “I was

hoping you knew that, because I still don’t remember a damn thing
from that night.”

“You don’t remember?”
“I was drugged.” Granted, there had only been a trace of

Rohypnol in his system according to the results the lab sent, but it was
there. “From those pictures, we suspect you were as well.”

“There weren’t any signs that I had sex, if that helps.”
Robby blew out a relieved breath. “It does, believe me.”

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147

Sarah Jane shook her head as she looked at the pictures again.

“Maggie showed up at the bar the night we met and asked if she could
hang out until I got off my shift. She seemed really tense and just said
she didn’t want to be alone. I thought maybe Otis had made another
pass at her or something, but once we got back to her house, she
started pouring drinks. I don’t remember much after that until I woke
up in her bed the next morning.”

“When she was at the bar, did anyone talk to her more than

anyone else?” John Henry asked. “Did she seem more friendly with
anyone there than usual?”

“No.” Sarah Jane shook her head. “Why?”
“When Maggie kidnapped Robby, she mentioned an accomplice.

And since he was drugged at the bar, we figured you might have seen
something.”

“I don’t think Maggie had an accomplice at the bar, but she did

help me out with bussing tables that night. She said she wanted to
help so we could get out of there early.”

“That’s probably when she spiked Robby’s drinks.”
“I don’t know. I had to help close up, so Maggie left before I did.

I met up with her at her house.”

John Henry nodded as if he had suddenly connected all of the

dots. “And, more than likely, that’s how she got Robby there without
you seeing him.”

“But why would she do this?” Sarah Jane asked again. “Why

manufacture pictures of me and you in bed together and tell me that
the sheriff was on the take and his deputy was a monster when,
obviously, none of that is true?”

“Did Maggie ever talk about Robby?”
“Oh yeah, all of the time.” Her face flushed as she looked back

over at Robby. “I know they were private, but Maggie showed me the
love letters you wrote to her. She adored you.”

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Robby sat up straight. “What love letters? I never wrote Maggie

anything, not even a card. I would be more likely to write Otis love
letters than Maggie. I’m gay.”

Even as the words slid out of his mouth, a lightbulb went off over

Robby’s head as he suddenly put all of the pieces of the puzzle
together. “That’s why she was so obsessed with me. Maggie thought
she was in love with me.”

“But that doesn’t make sense, Robby,” Wren said. “If she was in

love with you, then why would she give Sarah Jane the ring?”

“Because she needed a fall guy.” Robby half turned toward his

lover, grabbing his hand. “Think about it. Until we actually caught
Maggie, everything pointed to Sarah Jane being my stalker—the ring,
the pictures, waking up in bed beside her. All of it said that Sarah
Jane was my stalker.”

“But I’m not,” Sarah Jane whispered. “I swear.”
“No, no, I know that. But I believe Maggie was setting you up to

take the fall when I disappeared. She got you here under false
pretenses and then set you up, making you look guilty as hell.”

“I see what you’re saying, Robby,” John Henry said, “but how

does burning down your house work into that?”

“When I went to the station to get Otis’s stuff, Maggie offered to

let me stay at her house. I told her I was good, that my rent was paid
up and I would be fine until I found another job. If she is as psychotic
as we all believe she is, then burning my house down so I have no
place to live makes sense.”

“But you’d just come here or go to Pops’s house. Everyone knows

that.”

“Which is probably why you received that note threatening the

kids. She was trying to make me lose my job and drive a wedge
between us. If I had nowhere to go, then an offer from an old friend
and former coworker would seem like a godsend.”

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“Okay, I can buy that. I can even buy her setting Sarah Jane up,

but what I don’t get is why she shot at you and Wren. She could have
killed you.”

“I don’t think that was really her intention,” Robby replied. “She

was probably trying to make me feel unsafe here at the house. If I was
scared here then I might stay somewhere else where it would have
been easier to grab me. Hell, I might have even stayed with her…us
being such good friends and all.”

“I don’t think forcing you to go with her at gunpoint is the way to

win your affections.”

“I think she planned to kidnap me all along. She probably saw us

dancing at Ruby Reds that night and had to up her timetable. Sarah
Jane did say that she was going on and on about Wren.”

“So she saw you together, so what?”
Robby felt his face flush as he got up and turned around, lifting

his shirt. “She might have seen this.”

“Is that…” Pops started laughing. “Good lord, son, you got a

tramp stamp.”

“No,” Wren said as he grabbed Robby’s hand and pulled him

down onto his lap. “He got a Wren stamp.”

* * * *

Wren moved on top of Robby, kneeling between his legs. Robby

eagerly spread his legs wide, allowing Wren to push forward. Lube
eased the way for him, and he easily slid in to the hilt. He gripped
Robby’s waist, holding him in place as he began to thrust into him.
He stayed on his knees between Robby’s legs, driving his hips
forward as fast as his body would allow.

Robby moaned, his cock oozing pre-cum onto his perfect belly.

His hands clenched and unclenched on Wren’s arms then soothed the
skin he was grabbing before going back to gripping it again.

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Glenn

Holding tight to Robby’s hips, Wren leaned forward and rolled

onto his back. Robby settled on his knees, straddling Wren. He
grabbed Wren’s dick, lifted up, and sat back down on it then started to
move up and down. Robby let out a wanton moan that made Wren’s
cock so hard he was afraid it might break off.

Wren grabbed Robby’s hips and held him in place then thrust hard

up into Robby’s body. Robby cried out in pleasure as his entire body
shuddered. His dick lurched and dribbled pre-cum into the hair on
Wren’s abdomen. He held Robby and pounded his hips up into his
lover, watching Robby’s swollen dick bob up and down each time
Wren bottomed out inside of the man’s tight ass.

“Touch yourself, love, let me watch you jerk yourself off.”
Robby’s eyes blazed as he reached down and grabbed his leaking

erection. He stroked with Wren’s rhythm.

“Wren,” Robby wailed as his head dropped back.
Wren stared up at Robby with undisguised lust. Robby had his

head thrown back, exposing the bruised spot at the curve of his neck.
Wren’s cock gave an extra jerk just looking at the small possessive
mark.

Fuck.
Had anyone ever looked so enthralling before? Robby was like a

slice of heaven that fell to the earth just for Wren’s pleasure. He was
perfect in every way. And he was all Wren’s.

With a deep rumbling growl, Wren gripped Robby and rolled him

onto his back. Wren grabbed Robby’s ankles and pulled his legs apart
and slammed his cock back into him. He covered Robby’s body with
his own and clamped his mouth over the mark and sucked hard. He let
his teeth graze, using every ounce of control to not clench his jaw
over the exposed skin

“Please, Wren,” Robby begged. “Please, don’t stop.”
“Never gonna happen, love,” Wren promised.
The world could explode outside the windows and Wren wouldn’t

stop. Being inside of Robby and watching the pleasure he created

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151

bring a soft flush to the man’s face was more powerful than anything
he had ever felt.

Every time Wren slammed inside of Robby, the man let out a

whimper and tried to pull him in deeper. His pants and moans were
getting louder and his inner muscles were starting to spasm around
Wren’s aching cock, adding to both their pleasure.

Wren slammed his cock into Robby’s ass with a single-minded

purpose—to drive Robby totally out of his mind. Robby suddenly
screamed. His ass clenched and milked Wren’s cock as he painted his
belly with cum.

The sight and smell of Robby in the grip of an orgasm was enough

to throw Wren over the edge. He thrust hard and deep and shot inside
Robby’s perfect ass until there wasn’t an ounce of cum left in his
body.

Wren groaned as his cock slipped from Robby’s ass with a soft

plop. He dropped to the side of the bed and pulled Robby against his
chest. Wren smiled when Robby snuggled right in. He tucked
Robby’s head under his chin and stroked his hands down his lover’s
skin until they came to rest in the small of Robby’s back.

“You love that spot, don’t you?”
“Yep.” Wren chuckled under his breath.
“You like having your name on me.”
“I do.”
Robby’s hand stroked over the tattoo of his name wrapped around

Wren’s arm. “I like it, too. I like everyone knowing you’re taken.”

“That’s me.” Wren chuckled. “I’m tattooed and taken.”
Robby was grinning as he scooted up to brush his lips across

Wren’s. “Damn right you are, and no one is ever going to take that
away from us.”

Wren didn’t even bother to reply because he knew Robby was

right. They were both tattooed and taken, and Wren couldn’t have
been happier about it. He had finally found his home, and it was in the
arms of the perfect man for him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stormy believes the only thing sexier than a man in cowboy boots

is two or three men in cowboy boots. She also believes in love at first
sight, soul mates, true love, and happy endings.

You can usually find her cuddled in bed with a book in her hand

and a puppy in her lap or on her laptop, creating the next sexy man for
one of her stories. Stormy welcomes comments from readers.

For all titles by Stormy Glenn, please visit