Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

SHEP (SHEPARD)

I'd just been taking the butter pecan muffins out of the oven when the back door opened. The only people who used that door were my brothers, Mason, and JJ. Even Lizzy, who worked the register, came through the front.

I placed the muffins on the counter to cool and spun around with a big grin…which promptly fell as soon as I took in the situation.

JJ, my delicate little venomous viper, was holding hands with a guy who looked like Hell had spit him out and the devil himself had stamped No Refunds on his face.

"Whatcha got there, babe?" There was no hiding the What the fuck? in my voice.

He guided the man to the small table in the corner. The stranger appeared so lost but was fine with JJ dragging him wherever.

"Take a seat; I'll get you something to eat." He removed his hand, and that was the moment I noticed it was bloody.

"What the hell?" I grabbed his wrist and swiftly moved him away from the threat. I flipped his hand over, searching for the cut.

"It's not mine," he whispered.

"His?"

JJ shrugged. "I don't know. He's dirty, but I can't tell if he's hurt. He hasn't said two words to me. I found him in the alley, gawking at a dumpster."

"You didn't think to call 9-1-1?"

He pursed his lip and quirked a brow. "When have we ever thought 9-1-1 was a good idea, Shep?"

He had a point. We tended to deal with our own problems. Those who were supposed to be out in the world protecting us never served us any good.

I peered at the guy. He was still as a mannequin, transfixed with the tabletop.

"Let's get him some water and a muffin."

JJ smiled, lifted on his toes, and pressed a kiss to my lips. I lived for those kisses; I'd give everything up just to stay lip-locked with my JJ.

"You're the best, Shep." He rushed over to where the muffins were cooling, dropped one on a plate, and got a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"Hold up." I stopped him on his way to the table. "Those are still hot. Give him a cupcake instead until they cool." I took the plate with the steaming muffin and put it on the counter.

The lemon bar cupcakes were cooled and iced, so I handed one to JJ instead.

"Thanks." He placed the cupcake and the bottle of water on the table and stepped away.

"You gonna stare at him?" I asked as I moved beside him.

"I don't know what else to do with him."

"Keep your distance. Angel is gone with the twins, so we don't have any medical help. If he's really hurt, as much as I'm loath to do it, we'll have to drop him off at the hospital."

JJ sighed but nodded. "If he'd eat or snap out of it, we could maybe wash him and see if he's hurt."

JJ helped people. It was what he did and why I loved him. Before everything had gone down a couple of years ago, he'd been studying to be a lawyer so he could assist people who couldn't afford representation. He'd passionately explained that there were too many families out there who were losing food stamps, rental assistance, and medical care and being forced to accept what the government told them because they couldn't pay a lawyer to fight them. That's where JJ would come in. He wanted to go face to face with these assholes and make the world a better place. He was kind, selfless, and all mine. I hoped one day he'd go back to it and fulfill his dreams.

JJ looked at me and was about to speak, when a soft voice said, "These are good."

We jerked our heads in the man's direction. He was holding the cupcake as if it were a little chick. He licked the frosting and took the tiniest bites.

"I'm glad you like them," I answered.

The guy nodded and chomped on the cupcake.

JJ darted over to him faster than I could grab him. "Hi, I'm JJ."

"I know. You said." The guy wasn't rude, just matter of fact.

"Oh good, you heard me." JJ chuckled. "I wasn't sure you did. What's your name?"

He spared JJ a glance but instead of answering, he continued to eat. JJ wouldn't be deterred. Nope, not my guy.

"Are you hurt? I see blood on you."

The man shook his head. "Not mine." Chomp chomp chomp.

JJ peered around his shoulder at me, and I shrugged. "I guess it's good that he isn't hurt."

JJ furrowed his brow at me, clearly done with my shit. "Not helpful, Shep."

He faced the cupcake nommer again. "We have a shower here and spare clothes. Would you like to clean up?"

He finished the cupcake and put his frosting-covered fingers on the table, never drinking the water. His stare became vacant once more.

"Interesting," I said.

JJ came over to me. "Interesting? What's interesting, Shep? This is weird and scary."

I cocked my head and took in the stranger, who no longer was moving or talking. I'd seen something like it once and remembered Angel talking about it.

"Your dad's a doctor; he'd be a great person to talk to about this. It's like he has catatonia, which fits with the whole not talking, letting you move him around, and showing no reaction to the outside world. But when you gave him the cupcake, it jolted him out of it. That falls into the unusual behavior…not to mention the blood and dirt. But I don't know if this is a disorder or something more mentally traumatic."

JJ hummed. "You're a smarty, Shep. But what does this mean for us—for him?"

I shrugged. "I think it'll be a good idea to get him cleaned up and checked out, if he'll let us, and then go from there."

He nodded. "Okay. I'm going to tell him first, see if he can consent."

I chuckled. "You're sweet. But I don't think he'll answer you. Unless…" I walked to the cooling rack and handed him a big chocolate chip cookie. "Give him this, and then ask him."

JJ appeared confused but followed my instructions and placed the cookie in front of the guy.

As if someone had hit a switch, he looked down, smiled so slightly, and began eating.

JJ's eyes widened. "You're on to something, Shep. Hey, friend…I'll call you that since I don't know your name, and it's okay if you don't want to tell me. Um, would it be okay if I took you to the shower and helped clean you off and put some nice clean clothes on you? We have fluffy socks."

We had a whole room with a shower and clothes in case any of us needed to wash off a "situation" and they were closest to the bakery. It hadn't gotten much use, but some.

The man nodded. "Can I finish my cookie first?"

JJ beamed. "Absolutely!"

He returned to his cookie…and I watched him like a hawk.