Page 51 of The Protective Gryphen

That Gryphen could…

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Ian asked. “What am I missing?”

Graham put a kettle on the stove and turned it on to boil some water for tea.

“Let me make you something to warm you up, Mr. Patterson,” he offered.

Gryphen stopped him.

“Or you can tell me what the fuck is going on,” he said. “because you’re not a driver, and I like to know who is staying in the same building as I am.”

He could see the tartan tattoo on his arm, and it gave it away. Like a flag and Marine Crest, Gryphen knew many soldiers.

Well, so much for staying under the radar. It appeared that was done.

“I was honest. I’m the butler here. On top of that, I was hired to watch you both.”

Ian stood there.

“By whom?” he asked, wanting to hear the rest before Gryphen lost it. The man tended to be paranoid.

All Marines were.

“The Blackhawks. As for me being a soldier, I was in the British Army. I was Black Watch, but now, I was hired to make sure this place is safe for when Callen and Chris bring their family here. You are family, so I’m here to watch over you.”

“Oh,” Ian said, trusting the man. “Okay. What’s for dinner?” he asked, as he moved around him and into the kitchen.

Gryphen stared at him like he was insane.

“Ian! We don’t just assume everyone is safe and trust them because they tell us something they think we want to hear.”

He laughed.

“Gryph, he’s cooking dinner not roasting a woman over the spit. I think that it’s safe to say that Callen wouldn’t let a serial killer in his castle.”

Graham agreed there.

He found the man amusing.

“Likely not, Lad. I’m pretty sure the missus would be a wee bit angry.”

Gryphen didn’t like this.

Why?

He.

Hated.

Surprises.

Now, here came the interrogation.

“Do you come here often?” he asked. “Or just when the animals need to be fed?”

Gryphen was watching him like he was going to attack Ian.

Graham had been warned by Callen about this man, and not in a bad way. He told him he was a good man, a protective man, and that he took time to trust.

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