“Terry, tell me you’re not working with him? Please, tell me you didn’t help him kill Caroline?”
“I’ve killed a few people in my line of work, but killing the people I love is not on the top of my list,” Terry answered.
“What the fuck are you babbling about?” Jarrod yelled.
Terry turned and looked at Winter. “I need to introduce myself. Special Agent Terrence Rojas, Counter Intelligence.”
“What the fuck?”
“I’m sorry, Win, I’ve wanted to tell you, but working undercover doesn’t leave me a lot of options.”
In some ways, Winter was happy that Terry wasn’t apart of the whole thing. And in another, he didn't like that his friend lied to him for years. But his attention was pulled away with Connor still crying.
“CIA, you work for the CIA? I doubt they’d let a guy like you be in their organization.” Jarrod said not believing Terry’s confession.
“Don’t let my appearance fool you. I never miss my target, even when I get a lash in my eye.” Terry looked away from Jarrod and over to Winter. “Go comfort the baby.”
Winter was on his feet instantly and was about to run over to Connor, but Jarrod stopped him. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“You’re seriously going to make me shoot you, and it’s not how I want to introduce myself to my mate,” Terry said, shocking the shit out of Winter and Jarrod.
Mate? Who is his mate? Fuck the surprises just keep coming.
* * *
Riley madea sharp turn onto the street leading to Creed and Winter’s house. Creed winced when he was jolted, hitting his elbow into the car door while he was trying to bandage the wound on his side. He wasn’t surprised to see Jarrod’s vehicle sitting in front of his driveway, but he didn’t recognize the other car parked behind it.
Before Riley could put his car in park, Creed jumped out and ran up the lawn, but slowed down as he got close to the window and peeked inside. He was surprised when he saw Terry pointing a gun at Jarrod, but what caught his attention was Winter sitting still in the chair by the fireplace and hearing Connor cry his head off.
“Shit,” Riley said next to him. “Don’t do that shit again, man.”
“Tell me that when my mate doesn’t have a gun pointed at him,” Creed said not looking away from his mate. Terry was saying something, and for the first time, Creed saw something different from how he was standing. It spoke of military training.
“Who’s that?” Riley asked beside him.
“That’s Terry,” Creed answered.
“I guess we might have been wrong. He doesn’t seem to be working with Jarrod.”
“Yeah,” Creed said absentmindedly.
His primary focus was trying to figure out a way to get his mate and children out of the house. Winter got up and Jarrod grabbed him. He went to say something to Riley but realized that the man wasn’t beside him anymore. Jarrod started moving them towards the front door. Creed got the idea to be there to cut them off the second the door opened. His plan worked perfectly. By the time the door opened Creed was there ready to pounce. Terry saw him, and without speaking, he pulled Winter away from Jarrod just in time for him to grab the man in a headlock.
They struggled for a bit as Jarrod tried to get away from his grip. Creed grunted, and his grip loosened when Jarrod hit him a few times in his side where he’d shot him earlier. Jarrod got away and started running, but stopped when he noticed that he didn’t have a chance in hell of getting away. Rows of police cars lined and blocked his path. Creed groaned as he stood and watched Terry walk over to Jarrod, grabbing him by the shoulder.
“I’m going to enjoy this. Jarrod O’Malley, you are under arrest for attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, embezzlement, racketeering, and money laundering. You have the right to remain silent, but please get more off your chest that can be used against in a court of law. Give me more excuses to lock your ass up for a very long time.”
Creed stood there listening to the charges, and was surprised by the racketeering and embezzlement ones.
“All right, little brother, that’s enough.”
Creed turned and saw officer Rojas, the one who’d arrested Noah Ray. “Wait, did you just call him brother?”
“Yup, he’s been a pain in my ass since the day he was born, but he’s my family,” Rojas said standing beside Terry and Jarrod.
“It took you a while to find my note,” Rojas said.
“How the hell did you get into my office?”
“I have my ways,” he said winking. He turned to Terry. “I got this. I think you have some things to take care of.”
Creed turned and saw Winter standing at the door with Connor in his arms. He hobbled over to his mate and pulled both of them in his arms, thanking the gods that they were all safe.
“I was so scared,” Winter whimpered.
“I know, I’m so glad you’re safe,” Creed said pulling back, cupping his face then kissed him. They separated, and Creed winced in pain.
“Oh gods, you’re hurt.”
“Yeah,” Creed said, and then his knees buckled causing him to fall on the ground. He looked up and saw Winter crying and his mouth moving, but no sound was coming out. Creed tried to reach out, but his arms wouldn’t move as his world went dark.
