Page 81 of Chasing Creed

Kitten slithered up against Brodie’s legs, under the table then under the chair. Hank stared up at her, that small crease in his big forehead that made him look worried.

So, her animals knew. They could feel her fear, smell her anxiety.

Ryder appeared alongside her. Pulled out the chair next to her. She hadn’t paid attention to where he had gone. Now he was back. He scooted his chair closer. She needed to pay attention in case she needed to listen. But she didn’t even glance at him. She didn’t blame him. Earlier, he had made it sound as if it was his fault. That he should have seen all this coming and stopped it.

“What are you thinking?” he asked her.

It wasn’t at all what she expected him to say. And this time, she looked at him. He looked tired. Worn out. But there was one thing about her brother that she could say. He did not look scared. He never did. How did he do that?

“I don’t want any of you to get hurt. Not because of me.”

“We’re going to make sure that none of us gets hurt.” He nodded at the men halfway across the room at the kitchen counter eating, talking, and sipping beer. Their intensity was obvious in their gestures and expressions. Jason held an iPad, and Benny pointed at something that drew all their attention. “They might look like a ragtag team out-boasting each other, but these guys saved my life once before.”

“Was it in Afghanistan?”

“Nope. It was right here. And it was before Jason had his prosthetic hand.”

All of that surprised her. Although she didn’t know much about their military service. Neither Ryder nor Jason talked about it. At least, not around her. But why hadn’t she heard this story?

“What happened?” she asked, genuinely curious but also anxious to fill her mind with something else.

“I managed to get on a hit list. A drug cartel sent out an elite squad to take me out.”

“And they came here?”

“Yup. These guys and our dogs took down an experienced group of hitmen.”

She thought about that as she studied Ryder. His eyes had left hers to watch the men and Hannah. When Brodie glanced over, she saw that Hannah now gestured to something Jason had brought up on the electronic screen. The men had stopped chewing and drinking to listen to her.

“What if we stop this assassin, and Iris just keeps sending another? And another? As long as she has the power to do that, how will I ever be safe?”

“That’s a good question. I wish I had an answer for you.”

When Brodie first came to live with Ryder and Hannah, she asked him never to lie to her, no matter what. She imagined this was one of those times he regretted making that promise.

“The only way I know to stop someone is to defeat them,” Ryder said. “Find their deepest fear and expose it.”

“I don’t think Iris fears anything or anyone.”

“Think about it for a minute. She’s going to a lot of trouble to find the surviving Charlottes.”

“And kill us!”

“What is her deepest fear?”

This time he met Brodie’s eyes and waited. She stared at him. His deep blue eyes always reminded her of the sky at twilight, their slight sparkle the beginning of stars. Remembering those eyes, their warmth and kindness and humor had gotten her through some rough times.

“She fears us. The survivors,” she finally answered.

“And why is that?”

“Our testimonies. Without us to testify, she’ll go free.”

“That’s the power you hold over her. Right now, you and whoever might still be out there—you hold all the power over Iris Malone.”

Hannah brought over a mug of coffee for Ryder and a platter of cookies that she set in front of Brodie. Then she sat down across the table from them.

“I’m sorry, Hannah,” Brodie told her.