Page 11 of Bound By Pain
“Shiloh.”
I startle when Orion speaks. He’s remained silent and withdrawn throughout our journey. “Yes?”
“When we get back to Starburgh, can you drop me at the mental health clinic? My therapist agreed to an emergency session.”
My shoulders relax. Knowing he is taking steps to care for himself puts me at ease. If he is coherent enough to ask forhelp, there is hope he will pull himself together without my intervention.
“Of course.”
“And I’m sorry.” He turns to look at me, a mixture of fear and anger swirling in his eyes. “I know I have been a burden to you today. Lost in my fear when I should have focused on finding Bea like you have.”
With a sigh, I reach up and loosen my tie. “Your reaction is understandable, Orion. After losing Serenity and having that pain resurface when you helped Belemorph through their loss, it can’t be easy to differentiate between reality and memory. But she’s going to need us. When they find her, we have to be prepared to set our needs aside and focus on her recovery.”
“I know. I will. That’s why I need to see Mia. To work through the fear and cut off this spiral before I lose myself to it.”
Nodding, I let him soak in the comfort of my support. There isn’t much more I can say to ease his distress, not when there are so many unknowns still at play.
Pulling up at the address Lex sent me, I’m immediately annoyed by the lack of a car in the driveway. I do not know how I will track this man down if he isn’t at home.
Shutting off my engine, I leave Orion in the car and walk up to the small front porch. The one-story house is quaint, if in need of landscaping. Maroon shutters offset light gray siding, and flower beds run around the front of the porch. A swing hangs at one end, looking out over the small front yard.
As I step onto the porch, my brows pinch. The mailbox is overflowing. Hoping this Alpha just doesn’t enjoy going throughthe advertisements, I knock loudly on the door. Minutes pass, and no one answers. Scowling, I peer through a side window, but there are no lights on inside and no one appears to be home.
Noise draws my attention to the driveway, where an older woman heads toward me. “You lookin’ for Creed?”
“Yes, I am. I suppose he isn’t home?”
She stops at the bottom of the porch steps, leaning on the railing. “You work with him?”
Shaking my head, I explain without too many details why we are here. “Do you have any idea when he will return?”
“Ain’t seen that boy in weeks,” she grunts. “Isn’t unusual for him to be away for extended work trips, but he usually has the post office hold his mail and hires someone to keep his grass cut. I was hoping you had heard from him.”
Frowning, I glance back toward the door. Lex said he worked for the FCDA, but given that they are currently working on a joint operation with the DAU, I assume they would know if he was pulled away for work.
Digging a business card out of my wallet, I hand it to Creed’s neighbor. “If he returns, would you call me? We could really use his help.”
“Sure, sure,” she mutters as she snatches the card from my hand and turns to return to her home.
Once she is safely inside, I pull my phone out and dial Ridley’s number.
“Did you find Creed?” Lex asks.
“No, there’s no one here.”
“Where the hell is that asshole when I need him?” Lex growls.
“According to his neighbor, your friend hasn’t been home in weeks, so I don’t think he will be able to-”
“Wait, she said what?”
Narrowing my eyes, I repeat what the old woman told me. I’m getting very tired of these two interrupting me every damn time we talk.
“Do you want me to-”Click.Pulling my phone away from my face, I huff a frustrated breath when I see he’s hung up on me.
With one last glance at the empty house, I return to my car. Since this stop was a waste of time, I am more than ready to return to Starburgh. Orion needs to meet with his therapist, and I need to update the other label execs and security teams.
If I haven’t heard from Ridley or Lex by tomorrow morning, I will catch the first flight to Alabama and start searching for Bea myself.
