God of Pain (Legacy of Gods #2)(18)

Cecily volunteers with me—she’s all for humanitarian activities—but she usually comes later, while I have to leave early or else guards would swamp this place.

But oh well, I can just talk to the animals. They’re better friends than people anyway and I’d cut any bitch who tries to hurt them.

I place baby Tiger on my thigh and he tugs on my dress with his claws in his attempt to climb up. “I specifically wore cotton, you little fashion terrorist, so you won’t be able to ruin it like you did the other dress.”

“Are you talking to a hamster?”

My head whips up and I cease breathing.

The last person I expected to see at the shelter is standing in the doorway, or more like blocking it.

For a moment, I think maybe I’m imagining things, like that cryptic dream I had last night in which he glared at me and then disappeared.

Considering how things went down yesterday, I expected Creighton to come after me again—there was just something strange in his gaze, something absolutely nefarious—but I didn’t think it’d be this soon.

“It’s not a hamster, it’s a cat, and his name is Tiger.” I clear my throat. “What are you doing here?”

“Volunteering.”

“Why?”

“Cecily asked me to.”

“And you just listened?”

He doesn’t reply, which is his cue that the conversation is over. But you know what? I’m done trying to impress him or get on his good side. That didn’t work anyway, and I seriously want to cut ties right now, so why the hell is he making it harder?

“I find it hard to believe that you decided to volunteer just because Cecily asked you to.”

“She said you were short on staff, but if that’s not the case, then I can tell Dr. Stephanie you don’t want me around.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You implied it.”

I narrow my eyes and he stares at Tiger, who’s fallen asleep on my lap, curled up in a ball.

He slowly slides his attention from the cat to my face. “What should I help with?”

“Ask Dr. Stephanie.”

“She said to ask you.”

“You can lift the bags of food and litter from the truck outside and put them with the stock.”

He doesn’t make a move to leave, and I desperately need to get out of his vicinity. Surely he knows that he sucks all the air out of the room whenever he’s around.

Creighton might be tall, muscular, and a renowned fighter at REU, but it’s his freezing stare and cold eyes that are intimidating.

“What?” I ask when he remains in place.

“What about you?”

“Me?”

“What will you do?”

“I’ll go check on the animals and finish some paperwork.”

“And then?”

“You’re awfully talkative today.”

His blank expression doesn’t falter. If anything, it’s cemented. “What will you do after you check on the animals?”

I purse my lips, and he regards me with that shimmering intensity again. The one that brims under the surface with the promise of exploding in a supernova of colors.

No, not colors. Probably just gray.

“Don’t make me ask the question again.” His voice deepens, brimming with authority.

And usually, I’d hate it. I’d try to subtly rebel against any form of a command. Not now, though.

This is different.

And I really don’t want to see what happens if he asks again.

“I’ll go back to school,” I let out in a low murmur.

He shoves a hand in his pocket, his jaw clenching.

What is he getting mad about now? I answered his question, didn’t I?

After what seems like forever, Creighton throws a glance at Tiger, who’s still peacefully sleeping on my lap, then heads to the exit.

I release a long breath and hug Tiger to my chest. “What the hell is wrong with him, huh?”

The cat gives me a yawn as an answer and I shake my head before putting him back into his cage.

I get busy with work and manage to ignore the nagging emotion scratching at a corner of my heart.

After I finish some paperwork, I stretch my arms and stand up. We’re really short on staff, so if I miss a day, administrative things would pile up to the point of being overwhelming.

I’m about to grab the smoothie I brought with me when a commotion from outside catches my attention.

Which is weird. Besides me, Cecily, and a few others, we barely get any volunteers. If ever. Dr. Stephanie and the two other technicians don’t come out much either.

Hearing noises or conversations is rare.

Unless something happened to one of the animals?

I dash out of the small office and head to the patio leading outside.

Bubbling energy reaches me in waves as the two technicians, Harry and Zoey, and one of the volunteers, Sandy, an American who studies at my brother’s university, stand there with their noses practically glued to the glass.

I inch closer to them and stop when I find the scene that’s put them in a state of spellbound shock.

Outside, Creighton has removed his shirt and is lifting two heavy bags of pet food at a time.

His abs ripple with the effort and sweat glistens over honed muscles. A spider tattoo covers his left side, bleeding into the Adonis-shaped lines on his abs. Usually, spiders would look gruesome, but on him, it’s…mysterious, camouflaging something a lot deeper.