Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

JJ

After he finished, I was sure to keep my actions slow. I took his hand again and he followed without resistance. Shep stayed close by, and I knew he was on guard in case the man tried to hurt me. I didn't know why I wasn't worried—perhaps I should have been.

He sat on the small bench in the other room while I started the shower and got it nice and warm. I rinsed my now dirty, bloody hand off and turned.

"I'm going to help you remove your clothes. If I do anything you don't like, say something or…" Or what? He'd said it was okay, and this was clinical.

"Go on, I'm right here." Shep smiled. His blue eyes sent warmth straight to my heart.

Shep helped me while I removed his clothes. I tried not to look to give him some privacy, but I needed to see if he had any serious injuries. With Shep behind him, I could only see his front.

Shep steadied him as I lifted his leg to remove the pants; then came the shirt. The bloodstains were old—days or weeks, even.

"Can you lift his arms?" I asked, and Shep did. When I pulled the shirt off, I saw he was caked with dirt and smears of even more blood, which was odd under his clothes. It was strange, but it was Shep's gasp that concerned me.

"What?"

"His back."

I guided the stranger forward toward the shower and got a first glance at what had startled Shep. His back was covered in scars from past and present whip marks. Behind his knees and calves as well.

"Jesus," I whispered.

"We have to clean him up, JJ. I'll give Angel a call when we're done here and see what he suggests."

He was right. I could call my dad, but my parents didn't truly understand what all of us did for a living. After the shitstorm that had happened with Mason and of the lot of us a couple of years ago, they knew we'd been through things. But as far as they understood, Saintly Sweets was a bakery we ran together, and we helped some people who were in need of assistance.

I guessed my dad would see this as helping the less fortunate. But he'd also push for him to go to the hospital.

"Okay, if Angel has no ideas, I guess I can call my dad, but honestly, I don't know if that's a great idea."

Shep nodded and helped me get the cupcake man into the shower. He never flinched even as we scrubbed some really stuck-on gunk. We had to wash his hair three times, and it turned out the color was strawberry blond.

Once we dried him off and dressed him in a pair of sweats, a T-shirt with a hoodie, and fluffy socks, we walked him over to the table again.

Throughout the entire process, he never moved or spoke.

"Hey, Boss." Lizzy walked into the back. "Oh, I didn't know you had company…" she tilted her head.

Lizzy was a senior in high school, graduating at the end of this year. She only took one class a week currently because she'd been smart her first three years. She'd found herself with too much free time, needing money for college the following year and had come in one day when she'd seen the help wanted sign in the window. She was a tiny thing with wicked black curls cut short to her ears, her dark eyes framed by bright-blue glasses. She always wore a pair of overalls she'd personally made with the Saintly Sweets logo on them. She knew something was up with this place, more than just the baking, but she never spoke a word or asked questions.

"Sorry, Lizzy, I didn't mean to leave you holding the bag. The lemon bar cupcakes can go out, and the butterscotch muffins are good too." Shep smiled. He had a soft spot for the girl.

"Right, okay, sure thing. I could use a little help, though. It's getting crowded." She grabbed the tray of cupcakes.

"I'll be right out." Shep took the muffins. "Don't go near him until I return. I'll call Angel in a few."

"I can call." I waved my phone at him. "Go help Lizzy. I'll stand here."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Promise!"

With a sigh, he went up front.

I opened my contacts and pressed Angel's name. It rang three times before he answered.

"Please tell me you're calling because you have another job that requires twins."

I chuckled because there was no doubt Noel and Nick were driving Angel crazy.

"Sadly, no. However, Shep and I have a guy here…" I went on to explain everything to Angel from finding him, to talking while eating sweets, to the shower and our discoveries.

"Anything beside the markings? Is his skin yellowish, gray? Lips and fingernail beds blue?"

"His skin appears fine. He's pale, not yellow or gray. No blue lips. I can't go closer to him; I promised Shep I'd wait for him to get back here."

Angel snorted. "Fine. How about the whites of his eyes. Were they yellow?"

"I don't think so. He's just thin and broken, Angel."

"I can't make any calls without seeing him. You need to dress the wounds, keep an eye out for fever. Hydrate him and get him to eat something more than cupcakes and cookies. Once this job is done, I'll get there ASAP."

"Okay, Angel. Thanks."

We disconnected the call, and I just stared at the man. He may not have talked, but I believed in my heart that he was listening.

"I wish I knew your name. I can tell you've been through a hell of a lot. I have a friend—my best friend, actually—a couple of years ago, he was hurt real bad, and I'd never seen anyone so shattered as I did Mason."

I inched closer, eyes on the door, waiting for Shep to barge in and growl at me.

"So much of his recovery he's had to do on his own, but we're always here for him and he's learned to lean on us when he needs to." I got no reaction, so I kept going. "I'd really like to help you."

I had to get real food in him, but I had to hear him talk. I saw that Shep had left the cookies, so I took a few and quickly slid them in front of the guy and stepped back.

Sure enough, he started eating.

"Can't help me," he said after he took a bite. Which meant he'd heard everything.

"We're very capable."

He dipped his chin and ate his cookie. I waited, hoping he'd say more.

"The clock ticks."

I looked behind me at the clock that hung on the wall. It was digital and in fact didn't make noise.

"What clock?"

He tapped his head. "Ticktock."

I swallowed, wishing Shep were here right now. "Clock for what?"

"Have to move soon."

He spoke in fragments, and every fragment was a piece of a puzzle. He had to go somewhere, but where?

"Where are you moving to?" I tried to sound nonchalant, but my voice cracked slightly.

"Next place, next termination."

Well, fuck me sideways. I needed Shep.…I needed everybody.