Lowlander Silverback (Gray Back Bears #5)(19)

“Not congratulations,” Beaston said softly. “Condolences. What about Layla?”

Kong jerked his attention to the wild-eyed Gray Back. He’d never told anyone about Layla, but Beaston was calling him out? “What about Layla?”

“She’s the love of your life. Even human. Even soft and full of tears, Layla’s good. You watch her like she’s yours, so she is.” Beaston leaned back against the bench and draped his arm around his mate’s shoulder, then frowned at the two men unloading lumber. “I don’t want you to go.”

“I don’t want to go either,” Kong admitted low, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

“I could kill them for you.” And there it was, the crazy side of Beaston that Kong adored. He’d said the words nonchalantly, but his offer wasn’t to be laughed off. Beaston would really give a go at offing them if Kong approved.

He clapped Beaston’s leg and leaned back with a private smile. “You’re a good friend, but I have to handle this one my own. It’s my duty.”

“Bullshit,” Beaston scoffed. “Layla’s your duty. Her happiness is your duty. Her safety is your duty.” He jerked his chin toward Rhett and Kirk. “No pretending those animals have anything to do with duty.” Beaston stood and spat in the dirt. “Your face looks like shit.” He pulled Aviana up and led her toward the now empty truck. Halfway there, he stopped and tossed Kong a glare over his shoulder. “Don’t go.” Then he shook his head and walked away.

“Bye, Kong,” Aviana said with a small wave. Her eyes swam with sadness that hit him right in the gut.

Easton made sure Aviana was safely tucked into her seat before he strode around the front of his truck. He lurched at Rhett and snapped his teeth so close to his face, Rhett had to jerk back or get bitten. Then Beaston climbed up behind the wheel and pulled away from the sawmill. And right as he passed Rhett, Beaston stuck his middle finger out the window and gave him a feral smile.

“Crazy,” Rhett muttered as he watched the truck pull away with his hands hooked on his hips.

Crazy? No, Beaston got things other people failed to. He had seen right through Rhett’s fa?ade straight to his inner * in no time flat.

Kong scratched his lip with the back of his thumbnail as he watched Beaston and Aviana drive away. He’d grown attached to so much here.

He would never find a way to satisfy the hole this place was about to leave in his life.

****

Kong paced in front of the hospital room, clutching the quickly written apology in his fist. He couldn’t see Layla again. Not now. Not after the call from Fiona, but it gutted him to think of leaving her without a goodbye. Even if it was just a note passed through Mac.

Kirk was waiting in the parking lot in case he tried to bolt, but at least his handler had been kind enough to let him come into Tender Care alone. There was no risk of him screwing up here. Layla was working her shift at the bar now and no threat to his handlers’ jobs. She may as well be a million miles away.

Huffing three quick breaths, Kong knocked softly on the door that a nice nurse named Sherri had said was Mac’s.

“Come in,” a cracking, aged voice said.

Kong pushed open the door slowly and smiled, his chin to his chest so the old man wouldn’t feel threatened. It worked on his people, but he didn’t talk to humans much, so hopefully this would work.

“I thought you would pace those halls forever before you grew the nuts to walk in here,” the old man said, his wrinkles deepening with a smile. “Kong, I’m guessing?”

“Yes, sir,” he murmured, approaching the bed to shake Mac’s offered hand. It was cold and frail in Kong’s grasp, and he reminded himself to be gentle, like with Layla.

“Mac,” the man said, gesturing to a chair beside the bed.

Outside the large picture window, the sun had gone down and the evening was doused in shades of navy. Inside the room, it was sterile and white, and Kong’s work boots squeaked with every step he took toward the chair, but the soft glow of lights over Mac’s bed warmed up the room. That and all the pictures pinned to the wall behind his headboard. Kong studied the ones closest to him and smiled in surprise. They were all of Mac and Layla. Some of them, she didn’t look older than sixteen.

“My wife and I never had kids,” Mac said with a dreamy look at the photo Kong was staring at. “We tried, but it didn’t happen for us before she got sick. And then Layla came along, and I got my shot at raising one after all. Funny how things work out sometimes.”

Kong sat down in the chair and relaxed into it. “She told me about her parents leaving.”

Mac’s lips ticked as he shook his head in disgust. “They weren’t fit in the first place. Layla fell to pieces when they left, but me? I was glad they were gone. At least Layla had a shot of a couple of normal years before she went out on her own. It was late in her life to give her stability, but she took to it. Most kids would’ve acted out, but not her. She was a Steady-Eddie. Responsible beyond what the kids at her school were, but she’d already been on her own a lot by then.” Mac swung his intelligent gaze to Kong. “I’m so proud of that kid I don’t know what to do with myself.”

Kong grinned and nodded. “She sure loves you.”

Mac nodded slowly, thoughtfully. “Do you know what she does every morning, first thing?”