AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Considering Greg was lying on the ground unconscious with blood pouring from a broken nose, he was highly likely to have been concussed.
He found that he didn’t have any sympathy for him. It was the least that he deserved.
When he approached Greg, he saw the body of the scientist and the mess Howard had made with his neck. He avoided blood as much as possible. A large amount of blood had arched over nearly everything.
Several chunks of flesh were ripped, ragged, and loosed from his neck as if a predator had bitten into it and shaken him. Nick had seen enough when he observed thin, sinewy veins and ropey muscles.
He nudged Greg with his foot and heard Mallen chuckle. Except for moaning, Greg didn’t utter a sound. After a long sigh, he bent down and picked him up.
Drey offered, “I can get him for you.”
“Nah, I got it,” he said. He was still in decent physical condition, so he easily moved the unconscious male into a cell on the bed. When he had placed him in the nearest open cell, he laid him on the bed.
Greg mumbled, and Nick frowned. “Greg?” he asked.
“Wasn’t…supposed…to be…like this. My last job…retiring,” he managed to say before falling asleep again, his eyes fluttering as he struggled to regain consciousness.
At the entrance, Mallen snorted and looked at Greg with an unimpressed expression.
He was furious. “Retire,” he murmured while clenching his fist, trying to avoid hitting Greg. He shook his head. “Retire,” he repeated because he couldn’t stop himself. He was shocked, outraged at Greg’s temerity. Retire! For goodness’ sake, Greg was younger than him.
His phone beeped.
Drew had sent him a message, which he examined for a moment. He lifted his head and said, “They pointed one of the cameras up so they could have a better view of the surroundings, and they caught a vehicle approaching from the left.”
“What vehicle?” Drey asked, peeking around the corner. Sneering at Greg, he flicked his eyes back toward Nick.
Nick stared at Mallen, making a face, and said hesitantly, “Er… Perdy’s.”
Mallen stiffened; his face contorted into a frenetic snarl. He turned on his heel and began running for the lift before they could speak. Drey pointed his thumb toward Mallen, indicating he would follow Mallen.
He nodded.
The doors closed, and he sat in silence for some time.
As if the prisoners were aware not to push them, all the other cells were conspicuously quiet today.
He was on a tightrope and running on autopilot, and he was about to fall off at any moment. When he was alone would he be able to express his anguish? Right now, the oppressive cold stone walls locked all his screams in.
Except he wouldn’t be alone, Harper would be at home, and he couldn’t regret that decision. He considered it to be the only bright part of his day.
His relief at not having to return home to a dark and empty house warmed his heart. When he returned home, the house would be filled with light, comfort, and a warm female presence.
At the end of the day, he didn’t regret keeping her safe or having her in his home. He was relieved to have someone to fall on after being alone for such a long time.
Now he would have someone to help him make sense of the situation. Though he didn’t expect her to, and he wouldn’t place that responsibility on her.
Nick was never going to understand why Greg behaved the way he did, and just like Cain said, he would never comprehend Greg’s explanations or excuses. That was the sad truth.
Having sat quietly with his thoughts for quite some time, he jolted from his bent over position when he heard a sound.
Nick heard the lift descend.
He sighed heavily and focused his attention on Greg. The growl, followed by a thud, announced Mallen and Drey’s return, and he winced when he heard a feminine voice say, “Very mature.”
There would be a lot of anger on Perdy’s part.
In part, Greg was responsible for her mate spending years in a prison cell. Nick felt a great sense of guilt in the depths of his soul.
