Shadows Creed (Shadows Creed #1)

Strawberries

Strawberries were in season and Val was having a field day with the ten punnets Matthew had bought from the markets. Incidentally he’d kept a punnet to himself and was busy eating them while going over his resignation papers.

Val still couldn’t believe her husband had actually quit from the Creed. That was unheard of. No one, no one ever left the Creed. Ever. Not unless they were killed in service or were too old. Matthew was the first to resign out of hand. She paused on the fruit salad she was preparing for the big campaign luncheon to check up on her husband.

Matthew sat at the kitchen table pen in hand, doodling absently on a napkin while reading over his papers. His gaze lifted as Val sat opposite him, leaning her elbows against the top of the table. He smiled slightly at her.

“How’s prep going for the lunch?”

“Slow. How’s that going?” She nodded at his paperwork. Matthew scratched at his hairline with the end of his pen and scowled a little.

“You’d think resigning would be simple…” He sighed. “James said he’s coming around in a few to speak to me.”

Val tilted her head to the side. “The shrink has to get in on it?”

Matthew snorted. “First time anyone’s ever quit? Yeah, guess they don’t want to set a precedent.”

“So, they want to figure out what’s wrong with your head so they can prevent it happening again?” She was irritated by the thought of that. Her husband shrugged as he scribbled his signature on the bottom of the last page. “That’s a bit sad…”

“Sad is not the word, Val,” Matthew muttered. He popped another strawberry in his mouth, chewing slowly. Then he picked out another particularly juicy one and turned to face her. “Here, open your mouth.” She blinked at him; the corners of his mouth curved in a mischievous grin. “I want to feed you. Looks like you could do with some sweetening up.”

Val cocked an eyebrow at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Matthew held the strawberry out to her. “You haven’t stopped all morning…all week.”

“Neither have you…whatever it is you’re up to.” Val pursed her mouth in a severe line.

He sighed putting the strawberry back in the container. “Val.”

“Yes? You know if you told me what you and your friends are doing-”

“It’s illegal.” The words dropped like stones between them and shock registered on her face. Matthew just shook his head and returned to his paperwork, effectively ending their conversation. Val wasn’t having any of it. She pulled his paperwork from his hands and leaned in close.

“What the hell do you mean ‘it’s illegal’?” Her voice was sharp.

Matthew looked at her, expression guarded. “I mean if we get caught we could be charged for it.”

Val stared at him, incredulity mixed with her surprise. She sat down again and blinked rapidly, shaking her head. She couldn’t get her head around the idea that her husband who seemed to be so against any form of illegal activity was engaging in that very kind of thing.

“What exactly…?”

Matthew frowned, brow creasing as he was obviously considering whether he should answer her or not. She bit at the inside of her cheek then looked down at her hands, feeling a little miffed.

“Please…I just want to understand…”

He sighed. “I can’t tell you. Not for a little while…”