Chapter Seventeen
“Creed, open your eyes for me, buddy.”
Creed groaned as he opened his eyes and saw Riley leaning over him. He touched the side of his head where the pain seemed to be concentrated and frowned when he saw blood on his fingers.
“What the fuck happened?”
Creed tried to remember, but for a second he couldn’t remember where the hell he was. Looking around, he realized he was in his office and then it all came back to him. Then Jarrod shooting him after he’d found out that he was the one that killed his brother and his mate.
“Jarrod,” Creed said getting up and wincing at the pain in his head and side.
“What about him?”
“We were right,” Creed said as he struggled to get up with Riley’s help. He took off his shirt and looked at his side, thankful it was only a flesh wound and nothing serious. “He killed Richard and Caroline, but he’s also a terrible shot.”
“Okay, you’re going to have to explain things to me,” Riley said.
Creed was about to speak when his cellphone rang. Looking down, he saw that it was Winter.Fuck he must be worried, I should have been home a long time ago.“Hold on. Let me talk to Winter.” He picked up his phone and before he could say hello he heard Jarrod’s voice making his blood run cold.
“Don’t make me kill you, Winter, so put the phone down.”
“We have to go, that son of a bitch is at my house!” Creed grabbed his keys and kept the phone pinned to his ear as he and Riley hurried to the stairs. He ignored the pain that he was in. The only thing that mattered was getting to his family and nothing else.
* * *
Winter wasworried Creed should have been home an hour ago, and each time he called his phone the number went straight to voicemail. Usually, if he were going to be late, he’d call and let Winter know, but nothing. He couldn’t wait any longer, running up the stairs he went into Connor’s room and picked him up and headed back downstairs. Winter got Connor situated in his carrier and headed out of the house. He reached for his phone again to call Creed.
“Maybe I’m overreacting for nothing.”
But since finding out that Richard and Caroline might have been killed, he’d been on edge that something would happen to Creed. He looked up when he saw Jarrod’s car, and him getting out walking over to him. Winter wasn’t sure, but the man looked off for some reason.
“Jarrod, this is not a good time I’m about to meet Creed and I’m a bit late. And you know how he gets when people are late.” The phone rang on the other side, and just as Creed picked up, Jarrod spoke.
“Don’t make me kill you, Winter, so put the phone down.”
He looked down at the man’s hand and saw the gun being pointed at him. “Jarrod what are you doing? Why do you have a gun pointed at me?”
“Don’t play the idiot, Win, it doesn’t become you,” he said with a sigh. “Give me the phone.” He extended his hand, leaving Winter no choice but to give it to him. Jarrod snatched it from him and threw it on the ground then stepped on it, breaking it into pieces. “Go back inside.”
“Why are you doing this, Jarrod?”
“Don’t ask me any fucking questions, just do as you're told” he snapped. “Now get the fuck back inside.”
Again, Winter had no choice. He walked back inside the house with Jarrod following close behind him. He set Connor’s carrier on the coffee table and was about to take him out.
“Leave him in there,” Jarrod ordered.
“But…”
“Don’t go against me, Winter,” he said while pointing his gun at Connor.
Winter felt terror running through him seeing the gun barrel so close to Connor. None of this made any sense.
“Go sit over there,” Jarrod demanded. He pointed to the chair by the fireplace and away from Connor.
“Don’t do this Jarrod. Connor is just a baby. He doesn’t need to lose me and his baby sister or brother,” he said sitting down.
Winter hoped pleading with the man that used to be his friend would bring him back from whatever crazy brink he was on.
