Ryan Renewed: New York Ruthless: Book 5

Mikey and I sit in the front of the SUV while Jessie fidgets nervously in the back. We’re parked outside Hayden’s apartment in New Jersey. We know he’s in there because my super-smart and incredibly hot wife is tracking his phone.

“He should be getting ready to leave for his afternoon run by now,” she says, her brow furrowed in annoyance.

Mikey arches an amused eyebrow at me and I suppress a smile. I have to admit when this guy showed up at our club looking for her, I was less than impressed. In fact, I was ready to slit his throat for even daring to mention her previous name. And if I’m completely honest, I’ve been hoping this kid isn’t her half-brother, but my reasons are entirely selfish, because I don’t want to share her affections with anyone other than my own brothers. Seeing her now though, jittery with nerves and excitement, I’m starting to bend a little. I mean she has nobody except us, and while I want to believe that she doesn’t need anyone else, I see how much having a sibling would mean to her.

“You want us to just go in there and get him, Red?” Mikey asks.

“No, you can’t do that to the poor guy. He might have a heart attack or something,” she says with a shake of her head and I laugh. I’m not sure it’s going to be that much less terrifying when Mikey and I drag him into our car.

I turn to Mikey to suggest maybe we try and not make the kid shit his pants but Jessie shouts down my ear, “Here he is.”

I turn in my seat to her pointing out of the window at the door to the run-down apartment building. Sure enough, Hayden is walking out of there dressed in shorts, t-shirt and a baseball cap. He grabs hold of his ankle, stretching his hamstring as he prepares for his run.

“Showtime big guy,” Mikey says with a grin before he jumps out of the car. I follow him and we approach Hayden from either side in case he decides to use those running shoes he has on.

The kid looks between us both. Fear etched all over his face. Fuck! I think he actually will shit his pants if we go with our original plan of just bundling him in the car.

“Hey.” I hold my hands up. I’m not used to this diplomacy shit, but then I’ve never had a wife who I live and die for before either, so I suppose I’m becoming a new man. “We don’t want to hurt you, kid. We just have someone who wants to speak to you is all.”

He bounces on the balls of his feet as though he’s getting ready to run. Jessie is under strict instructions to stay in the car and not even show her face in case this is some kind of trap and anyone is watching. I know she must be itching to roll that goddamn window down and talk to him.

“You’re getting in that car one way or another, kid,” Mikey says. “So why not just walk in like a man before my brother and I make you cry in front of your whole neighborhood?”

Hayden’s Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows.

“Get in the fucking car, kid,” I snarl and he nods before he takes a few tentative steps toward it. When I open the door, Jessie’s smiling face is right there and it seems to ease his nerves a little. I mean how could it not? She’s like a ball of fucking sunshine.

“Hi Hayden. Get in,” she says and he climbs into the car as she scoots back along the seat. I close the door behind him before Mikey and I climb in.

“I’m sorry we had to surprise you like that,” Jessie says as he sits in the back seat staring at her, still unsure what the hell we want with him.

He doesn’t speak so she goes on talking. “I’m Jessie. And these are my husbands, Conor and Mikey. Well, two of them anyway, but you met the other two in the club a few days ago.”

“You have four husbands?” he asks. “Is that like even legal?”

Mikey turns in his seat while I keep my eyes on the road. “We don’t really care much for the law,” he says with a smile but there is an edge to his voice. Hayden must pick up on it too because he says no more on the matter. I mean, I can’t blame the kid for asking. Having four husbands isn’t exactly the norm.

“I know it’s kind of unusual but it works for us,” Jessie says.

“Sure does, Angel,” I agree with her, looking in the rearview mirror and giving her a cheeky wink that makes her cheeks flush pink.