Acts of Salvation: An Age Gap Romance (Men of WRATH Book 2)
Acts of Salvation: Chapter 13

Well, my cheersing was a bit premature. An hour later and we all replace ourselves in the hospital waiting room. My cheerful mood all but a distant memory as I stand next to Ren’s deliciously ripped body.

Trying to focus on what he’s saying is extremely difficult. All my mind wants to think about is how his lips have traced the curve of my nape or how his hands roamed my body not too long ago.

Bella pokes my side, shooting me a curious glance. Oops, I guess I was staring. “You okay?” she whispers into my ear. “You don’t have to go in with us if you don’t want to. I didn’t ask you how all this would make you feel.”

“Don’t be silly, Bella. Your father is awake after a massive brain injury. I will be here in whatever capacity you need me to be.”

Bella pulls me in for a hug, squeezing the remaining air out of my lungs. When I look up, Ren is staring at us with brows furrowed, making my stomach do all sorts of backflips and somersaults.

William, who’d showed up at the restaurant in Malibu to try and win Bella back, nudges Ren in the shoulder. “You were saying, man?”

“Apparently, only five people are allowed in the room at one given time. We’ll be going in two groups. The first shift of visitors will be Bella, the twins, Cassie and myself.”

My heart squeezes at the fact that he’s included me along with his family. Get a grip, Cassie. It’s probably just because of your relationship with Bella.

William comes up behind Bella and squeezes her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. I’m not sure the rest of the group is aware of the relationship they have, or how Ren would feel about his niece hooking up with his best friend—especially since that friend recently broke his niece’s heart.

I don’t know what excuse he offered as an apology for his behavior, but the two seem to be amicable as of right now. If I were Bella, I’d make William sweat it out a bit longer, make him pay for his sins.

Everyone taking the first shift begins to shuffle out of the waiting area and into the hall. Before entering Aiden’s room, Ren turns around and issues a warning, “Remember what the doctor said, no shocking information that could mess with his recovery.”

We all offer a nod in agreement as he opens the door and we all step inside. Bella’s dad is laying in the hospital bed staring at the ceiling but as soon as we come in his entire face lights up.

“My family,” he whispers.

Immediately the boys run to their father, enveloping him in an embrace. The sight brings tears to my eyes. Not only did the twins lose their mother, but they came very close to losing their dad too.

A hand caresses my face, wiping a tear away. Startled, I look to my left and see Ren has been watching me.

A myriad of emotions assaults me all at once. The tenderness in his eyes is so contrary to the aloofness he’s offered me the past couple of weeks and I’m left a puddle of confusion.

“Cassie, would you mind taking the boys out for some fresh air. I’m sure they’re tired of seeing their dad in a hospital bed.” Aiden’s voice cuts through my fog.

A whole conversation transpired during my internal struggle, and I’m just glad I was able to catch the tail end where I was being addressed.

Luckily the boys cut in, giving me a chance to pull myself together. “Nooooo,” they wail. “We want to stay here with you!”

“I have to talk to your uncle and sister about grown-up stuff right now, but I promise we’ll be home soon and you can spend as much time with me as you want. So much time, you’re going to get sick of seeing me.” Bella’s father strokes their heads in affection.

The twins finally relent and follow me out the door as Bella mouths me a silent thank you. No, Bella, thank you. I needed to get out of that room and clear my head before I combusted from the overload of emotion.

Going from not having seen Ren in weeks to being mere inches from him, his affectionate hands caressing my face, trying to bring me comfort—it was all too much and remaining in that room one second longer would have proven to be disastrous.

Ren

“Don’t.” I shut William up with one word because I’m really not in the mood.

We’re on our way to Bella’s California home, trying to hunt her down after she disappeared from the hospital.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out these two have had some sort of lovers quarrel. After having found out about his relationship with my eighteen-year-old niece, things have been strained between the two of us.

I’m nowhere near being okay with this information, but the fact that I myself am lusting after my niece’s nineteen-year-old friend does soften the blow a little. Can’t exactly hate my best friend for being in an extremely similar situation to what I’m dealing with myself.

He, however, has no inclination of what’s been going on with me and Cassie though—and I plan on keeping it that way. At least until I’ve come to terms with whatever he has going on with Bella.

We pull up to the home and I haven’t even completely rolled to a full stop before William is flinging himself out of the car like a bat out of hell.

“Whoa there, buddy. We already have one man in the hospital, don’t need two.”

“I need to talk to Bella.” William’s wild eyes let me know he has some serious making up to do, and I definitely don’t want to know the details.

The front door swings open and a flustered Cassie stands before us. “It’s about time someone showed up. I have a flight to catch and I haven’t been able to get a hold of Bella.”

“You’re leaving tonight?” William’s cheerful tone is so at odds with the situation that it leaves me wondering what plan this man has up his sleeve.

“I wasn’t supposed to but I got a call from my employer saying she needed me tomorrow morning for a charity function. Seeing as how she’s my sole source of income, I think it’s best if I keep her happy. Don’t you?”

“Yes. Totally understandable. Why don’t you let me take the boys from you and you can catch a flight back with Ren? He has to be back in Dallas for a job as well.”

Cassie chews on her bottom lip, no doubt thinking if avoiding a flight with me is worth losing her job over.

“I don’t know… let me check with the boys and see how they feel about staying with you until Bella gets back. Granted, I know y’all were all living together as of last week, but a lot has happened since then.” Cassie lifts a brow and shakes her head, clearly displaying her disapproval of William’s latest shenanigans.

With a sigh, Cassie disappears down the hallway, no doubt on her way to the media room where the boys are probably located.

Turning toward William, I give him the side-eye. “You really think she’ll be okay leaving the boys with you? And before you answer, no, I don’t want to know whatever it is you did to my niece. I don’t want to have to beat the shit out of you.”

William lets out a nervous chuckle. “God, I hope so. It’s my last Hail Mary at intercepting Bella today. Just know that when you’re in love, you will stop at nothing and that includes offering free child care and a free ride on a private jet. Besides, I’ve missed the boys. It’s been over a week since I’ve schooled them on some Mario Kart.”

I hope he’s right. Not because I want him making up with Bella but because this would give Cassie and I an opportunity to be alone for a couple of hours. We definitely need to clear the air after the whole mishap at her apartment.

As if summoned by my thoughts, the fiery beauty appears before us. “Okay, I’ve talked to Matt and Max and they are in agreement, providing you supply them with pizza for dinner. And no, Auntie Cassie has no objections to them having ice cream for dessert. I brought some over earlier today when I thought we’d be having a girls’ night in.”

I’m not gonna lie, the words ‘Auntie Cassie’ have me feeling all kinds of possessive, and it scares the shit out of me. I know she’s been dubbed auntie because of her closeness with Bella but I can’t help but imagine it as stemming from her being mine.

And that right there is why the fuck I’ve stayed away. The deeper I got caught up in all that was Cassie the more I was inundated with consuming thoughts of always and forever—sending up all sorts of red flags to abort mission and run the other way, especially with her pushing me away at every turn.

“Deal. That’s definitely doable. Do you need any help packing? Can I get you something for your trip?” William’s overly eager tone doesn’t go unnoticed by Cassie, and she isn’t having any of it.

“Down boy. Save all that sucking up for Bella. From the looks of things, you’re going to need all the help you can get.” She pulls her phone out, rolling her eyes while shaking her head. “It looks like my flight just started to board, so if it’s okay with you, Ren, I’ll be catching a ride with you back to Dallas.”

Her piercing hazel eyes stare icicles right through my soul, chilling me to the bone. When Cassie is happy, her gaze is like the morning sun, warming and all enveloping—but when she’s pissed, you might as well have taken a polar dip in the deep arctic.

“No problem at all, Cassie. I’d love to have your company on the flight home.”

She forces out a puff of air through her nose, all while keeping the same impassive face. “Right, well I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes. I take it you’ll wait for me then?”

I suck in my lips, trying to fight the smile her tough chick act is pulling out of me. “Of course, Cassie. Wouldn’t dream of leaving without you.”

William squints his eyes, looking back and forth between us. “Do I even want to know?” The bastard has the audacity to shoot me a smirk.

“Not unless you want to have that heart-to-heart about my niece…” I raise a brow, challenging him to press me on this.

Just as I suspected, William’s lips press into a thin line as he crosses his arms over his chest, giving me the universal sign of back the fuck off.

“Uh-huh, that’s what I thought.”