Page 49 of Assassin

“You can put your head on my lap, Gamble, and close your eyes. It won’t take us long to get back to my home. I’ll watch over you. If you begin having a nightmare, I’ll pull you out of the dream.”

Gamble did as he suggested, and he immediately closed his eyes and wanted to escape.

When he was settled, Poe opened the file folder, and began reading about the man lying on the seat next to him with his head in his lap.

Gently, he placed his hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him.

As he read, he was astounded by what he saw in the folder. The missions, the jobs he’d done, the CIA operations he’d been part of as a soldier.

He was three days beyond decorated. His Marine friends had under exaggerated his accomplishments.

As the man whimpered in his sleep, Poe stroked his wild and longer hair as he tried to reassure him. Luckily, it calmed him down, and he stayed asleep.

Poe wasn’t quite sure how much time went by, but when he looked up from the file, they were heading toward the gate that led to his home.

The man resting was silent.

Hopefully, this place would help Gamble.

As for him, he loved it here because it was a calming place that no one came to. He didn’t bring patients here for long term stay.

Maybe to the stables for a ride, or equine therapy—but that was it.

“Gamble, we’re at my place,” he said, grateful the man got a good twenty-minute nap.

At his name, he sat up, snapping awake.

Yeah, he’d definitely been a soldier.

As the Mercedes rolled through the gate, Gamble looked around. It was a giant-ass house, and around it was lots of open fields and a barn.

In the field, there were some beautiful horses running, having hay, and playing.

“Are they yours?” Gamble asked, watching the horses move around so freely, and wishing he could do the same.

“Yes, they are. I love to ride,” he admitted. Only, Poe didn’t mention that equine therapy was also part of his recovery plan for many soldiers.

Horses were good at judging character.

“Do you ride?” he asked Gamble, seeing the first interest in anything coming from him.

He was honest.

“I can. I haven’t in a long time. I used to have a mare on my grandfather’s farm. She was my favorite animal. I loved her and…”

When he paused, Poe touched his hand.

“And what?”

“She left me too.”

Okay, then, Poe had a plan of action. After some food, nourishment, and getting the man a little stronger, they would focus on the horses.

“Would you like to ride again?” he asked, keeping it light and not reminiscent of actual therapy.

At first, he wasn’t sure what the man was going to say to that.

Then, he went there.

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