Gladiator Bear by Murphy Lawless

Author:Murphy Lawless [Lawless, Murphy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Miz Kit Productions
Published: 2020-03-03T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Telling Susan Connolly—telling anyone—the truth of his heritage had seemed impossible a day earlier. With Anna at his side, though, Garius thought he could face it. Especially if she was right about Susan being in trouble because Garius had never been brave enough to tell her in the first place.

"I used to watch this TV show," he said quietly to Anna as they approached the foundation hall. "Superheroes, villains, all that, except it was about the hero when he was young, and at the time, the eventual bad guy was the hero's best friend."

He went silent for a moment, looking for the words. "It was always really clear to me that if the hero would just trust the villain with his secret—because the villain knew, he just couldn't quite prove it—it could have stopped him from going down his dark path. I know they had to do it for storytelling reasons, but it always killed me. If he could have just trusted him, you know? Except if you're right...then I'm the hero who couldn't trust his friend and sent her into darkness. That...." He swallowed. "That sucks."

"Did he ever fix it? In the show? Did the hero ever tell his friend?"

Garius shook his head, and Anna reached out to touch his thigh. "Then you're not him. You're going to turn out to be better than that."

"What if it's too late?"

"It's never too late to do the right thing." Anna squeezed his leg and straightened up again as they parked. "The good news is she's expecting me, so we won't have to wait."

"I'm the head of the foundation." Garius managed a faint smile. "I never have to wait."

"Must be nice." Anna opened her own door this time, but let Garius come around to give her a hand down from the vehicle. The receptionist at the front desk gave Anna a confident smile and Garius a more curious one that lifted as Anna said, "He's with me," blithely.

"Of course, Dr. Liffey. I believe Director Connolly is expecting you. Please take the second elevator on the left."

Anna said, "Thank you," and waited to laugh until they were safely in the elevator and away from prying ears. "Then again, no one actually recognizes you, so maybe being the head of the foundation isn't worth that much if you want immediate attention."

"To be fair," Garius muttered, "I usually come in through my private lift and go directly where I want to, instead of using the front door."

"Oh my god," Anna said cheerfully. "The rich really aren't like the rest of us. Come on." She knocked once on Director Connolly's door and pushed it open, gesturing Garius in ahead of her.

"How chivalrous. Thank you." He stepped past her into Susan's office, and into a wall of wolfish, fearful scent.

* * *

Director Connolly sat rigidly behind her desk, cords standing in her neck and her heartbeat so loud that Garius could hear it even in human form. His bear snapped to wakefulness, growling low and deep in his throat.

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