Page 64 of Bloom: Part 2

“He was…he was like a wild animal,” Crowe said. “Feral. He was sitting there with the two dead bodies, still driving a knife through them without any expression. Attacked me when I reached out to him. He was so fucking hungry he swallowed a piece of my flesh when he bit me.”

Jesus. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked.

“Who would treat a child that way? Has he ever talked about what happened? How he…”

“Killed them? No. Never.”

“I see.”

“We think he relives it every November, which is why he gets so erratic around that time. This is one of his better years. We’ve had to have him sedated for most of November before because he got so violent we were afraid he would hurt himself and others. Last year was especially rough for him, but he seems to be getting better. I think the psychiatrist he’s been seeing has been helpful.”

“Dr. Simms? He doesn’t like going.”

“Doesn’t matter if he likes going, Doc. If it’s helping him, you should encourage him to keep going. He listens to you, so it’s your responsibility now to ensure you’re taking care of his mental health. He won’t always like what’s good for him.”

Crowe’s words lingered, heavy in the air. “That’s a fair point.”

I couldn’t help the twinge of guilt for not being more insistent that he continue his sessions with Dr. Simms. He used to go so religiously and then stopped after he got injured.

“For god’s sake, Gunner, don’t be fucking Ben on that couch,” Grimm growled. “I’m not cleaning up your spunk.”

Gunner laughed, hauling Ben off his lap and getting to his feet. “You don’t mind if we borrow your office, Grimm, do you?”

“Or you could just go the fuck home!”

“Too far. We can’t wait that long. I have a rogue cop to bend over and handcuff.” Ben’s face had turned crimson as he and Gunner tumbled from the room, lips locked and hands tangling in each other’s clothes.

Saint rose to his feet. “It’s getting late. I should get Jasper and drive him and the baby home.”

“You coming back to the clubhouse?” Crowe asked.

Saint scratched the back of his neck. “Depends if he needs me. Uh, you know, to help with the baby. Sometimes he’s up at all hours of the night, so Jasper’s sleep deprived.”

“And that’s your business because?”

“It just is.”

Sarge chuckled as Saint strode from the room. “I can stay all night ’cause I got no place to be.”

“Can’t say the same.” I put my glass down on the table. “It’s getting late, and I should take Bloom home. I’m trying to get him to rest as much as possible. Grimm, thanks for inviting us. It wasn’t as bad as I feared it would be.”

“Thank Jamie when you see him,” Grimm said. “It was all his idea. If it was left up to me, I wouldn’t go through all the trouble.”

“I’ll make sure to do that.” I stood up from the table and pushed my chair back. “Crowe, Sarge, night. I’ll see you around. Thanks for sharing about Bloom’s past. It helps me to understand him better.”

I left the men behind and huddled into myself as I walked toward Grimm and Jamie’s house a few meters away from the clubhouse. The temperature had dropped, and cold air bit at my cheeks. When I opened the door, a shadow on the porch moved.

“What the hell?” I took a step back.

“Sorry about that.” The young man stood, straightening his glasses. “I didn’t mean to scare you. Dr. Collier, is it?”

“Umm…yes.”

Joel smiled. “You’re really Keegan Agosti, aren’t you?”

I froze, the ground feeling like it had dropped away beneath me. The air turned razor-sharp, slicing through my composure, and for a second, I couldn’t think past the terror gripping my chest.

“How…” My voice came out as a croak, barely audible. I forced myself to swallow and try again. “How do you know that name?”

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