Theo was helping Margo into the house just as Creed was walking out with Maze. “Be right back, sir.” He mumbled, eyes already scanning the shadows in the yard and beyond.
“Okay, son,” Theo nodded toward the tall threshold he was trying to get Margo’s chair to pass over. With one hand still holding Maze’s leash, Creed reached out and completely lifted Margo’s chair over the problem, and set her down carefully just inside the kitchen.
“Thank you, Creed,” Margo beamed at his courtesy.
“No worries, Dr. Winter.” His eyes darted away from her admiration and he hurried out the door.
Maze didn’t even bother sniffing to find the perfect spot. The poor boy just relieved himself at the first blade of grass he could find. Creed had to smile at the look of pure happiness when Maze pranced regally around the yard, stopping to sniff interesting smells every so often. When Maze started tugging on the leash, Creed knew he would have to have a heart to heart with the canine.
“C’mon big guy. Sit and talk with me for a minute.”
Creed folded his massive frame and sat on the edge of the sidewalk. Maze clamored into his strong lap as if he was a puppy.
“No more running off,” Creed looked directly into the coydog’s intelligent yellow eyes. Maze held perfectly still, except for his eyes that he lowered submissively before looking back up at Creed and licking his face. “You have to be here when I bring Meg home.” The coydog stopped at the sound of Meg’s name and seemed to sink heavily in Creed’s arms. “She would kill me if something happened to you.” Creed stroked the animal’s fur gruffly, rubbing his ears the way he knew Meg used to. The two brokenhearted souls sat together like that long enough for the soldier to lose track of time.
Finally, Farrow came outside looking for them. “I made up a bed for you,” she started, moving to sit on the ground beside him and reaching to pet the coydog dozing in his lap.
“Thanks,” he murmured.
“I also made you a sandwich. You need to eat something before you get some much needed sleep.”
“Since when did you turn into Florence Nightingale?”
“Since I started to see you wither away. Everyone’s worried about you. I’m worried about you.”
“Understood.” He swallowed, eyes still staring off in the dark.
“Understood? Is that all you have to say?”
“Farrow, did you come out here to pick a fight with me?” His voice was calm and barely above a whisper
“No,” she frowned deeply and began fidgeting with a loose thread at the cuff of her jeans.
They sat quietly for a few moments before Creed broke the silence. “Do you remember when Meg used her gift on you—took your sadness away?”
Farrow was nodding before she spoke, “Of course. It was probably the single-most selfless gift I’ve ever been given. I’m a different person because of what she did. She saved me.”
Creed breathed deeply. “Me, too. I miss her so much that I feel as if I can’t take a deep breath. I can’t keep a thought in my head unless it’s about her and that just makes things worse.”
“You two—you had a unique connection. I think you were both stronger because of it. It was like watching two wings beat in the wind, lifting higher and higher as you moved together.”
Creed moved to pinch the bridge of his nose, tears desperately trying to fall, stinging his tired eyes. “Shit, Farrow. You’re not helping.”
“I’m sorry,” the former assassin whispered to her friend in the dark. “I just want you to know what you two had together—it was rare and it was real. Anyone who saw you together could see that.”
Creed coughed through the tears that slipped back down his throat. Maze sat up and licked his face before scooting off Creed’s lap to sniff the grass again.
“I’ll finish with Maze,” Farrow offered, reaching for the handle of the leash. “You head inside and eat that sandwich before Alik gets to it.”
Only able to nod his appreciation, Creed stood and dusted off his backside as he walked stiffly back into the house.
Chapter 56 Face-Off
Creed reached for the doorknob when he heard footsteps crunching from down the alleyway.
“Get inside,” he growled to Farrow.
Farrow frowned looking around for the danger she could see was clearly causing Creed to flip into soldier-mode.
“Go!” he hissed.
Scowling at Creed, she hurried Maze past him and into the house knowing full well she was going to get Alik and Cole out of bed to help.
The crunching footsteps only Creed could hear stopped right as they were about to round the fence.
“Show your face, coward!” Creed challenged.
The footsteps continued until the figure of a man moved through a shadow and came into the moonlight.
“Welcome back, Creed.” Evan locked his jaw and kept his hands in his pockets waiting for the anger he knew was coming.
“One question for you, Evan: why? Why didn’t you warn us sooner that Arkdone’s men were at the motel?”