Chapter Twenty-Eight

Creed entered the bunker just behind Holden and Beckett, who’d been out in the parking lot when Wrath had dropped him off.

The assassin had taken off pretty much without a word, but Creed knew that was Wrath’s way. While the man may help out when Dave needed it, Wrath was a loner, through and through.

When the metal cylinders of the bunker’s locks rolled into place locking them inside, Creed let out the breath he was holding.

“First thing is to get you to medical,” Beckett said. The ex-Special Forces soldier had been a medic during the Army.

“No, not the first thing,” Creed growled at Beckett, but his eyes were on the hallway across the room where Kellum had appeared.

The slender blond launched across the distance and Creed opened his arms to catch and hold him close. He cupped the back of Kellum’s head and carded his fingers through the silky hair.

They needed a moment and he reached down and took Kellum’s hand before he walked into a nearby conference room and shut the door. He spun and scooped up Kellum again to hold him close. At some point over the past few hours, Kellum was crying and Creed stooped over to keep the man’s face tucked into where his shoulder met his neck.

“I know I sprung that on you,” Creed said, gazing up at the ceiling.

“W…what?”

He eased Kellum away and drew the man over to sit in one of the chairs. He gingerly lowered him down and Kellum gasped.

Creed figured Kellum had been too upset to really get a good look at him and was now in shock.

“You need to go to the hospital!”

“It’s okay, I’ll have Beckett check me out after we talk.” He kept Kellum in his chair with a hand on the man’s knee.

Kellum traced a finger just beneath his jaw, it was probably the only place that wasn’t bruised.

“So…” Creed said. “About what I said. I know it was fast, we may have known each other for roughly a year, but we really haven’t talked or dated.”

“Mmmm,” Kellum said with a slow up-nod. “That’s true.”

“So, I was wondering if you’d want to go on a date…with me?”

“Dating after sex.” Kellum’s eyebrows lifted. “Is that possible?”

“Well, I think we can postpone sex while we date…” Too late, Creed saw the laughing light in Kellum’s eyes and he squinted.

“I can’t do that,” Kellum said.

Creed cleared his throat and winced. “Can’t what?”

“Give up sex with you while we date.” Kellum grinned.

Creed gave a smirking huff when he realized he’d been teased and when Kellum climbed into his lap, Creed made sure not to make any sound of pain. Gently, he closed his arms around Kellum and held him. Lowering his cheek to the man’s bright hair, he closed his eyes.

Kellum pulled back and lifted his mouth to kiss him gently. Creed brushed his mouth over and over Kellum’s parted lips before he swept in, his tongue tangling with Kellum’s.

Growing breathless, Kellum drew back, his throat moving with several hard swallows, tears brimmed again, and Creed cradled him close.

“I’m okay. Don’t worry.”

“I’ll try.”

“I don’t want the kids to see me like this,” Creed said gruffly.

“It’s okay. After someone called Owen and spilled the beans about your condition, I told the boys that you fell down. Dylan might cry, but I imagine if you hold him, he’ll want to kiss your boo boo.”

Creed chuckled and eased Kellum from his lap. Together, they left the conference room and sure enough, Aaron and Dylan were in the bull pen.

“Creed,” Aaron said loudly, a sob catching in the back of his throat. He hurried across the room to the man who’d become his hero and gave a huge hiccupping gulp when Creed crushed him close.

“Cweeeed!” Dylan cried and launched himself at them.

Aaron drew back just enough for Dylan to get in and then Creed was scooping them both up tight.

Sure enough, Dylan leaned in and kissed Creed’s cheek. “Tiss a boo boo.”

Creed and Kellum chuckled and Aaron broke out in laughter and tickled his little brother, making Dylan squeal.

It would take another couple of hours for Creed to be checked out by Beckett and then him and Kellum were to be debriefed by Ace.

After that, Kellum drove them home in his truck. They still hadn’t discussed living arrangements, but Creed was satisfied that Kellum and the boys would be in his life. The other stuff was the fine print and he could wait.

If it meant waiting for Kellum to love him.

He could wait the rest of his life.