Chapter 9

Leaving the supplies with Seth, Quint approached Rhodey, who was on his feet, facing off with Jared, both Doms speaking in harsh tones. On the porch, Wren had wrapped a thick blanket around Danny’s shoulders, gently guiding him inside while Danny watched the trees as though praying Pike would run out of them like he had.

Why didn’t I keep a better eye on him? Why did I let myself get so damn tired he was able to get out of that bed without me noticing?

There was no real point in dwelling on his failures now, but the fear and dread building up, weighing on him like cement solidifying inside his chest, wouldn’t help him keep a clear head. He needed to find Pike. Then do whatever necessary to make sure this never happened again.

Stopped a respectful distance from the Doms, Quint lowered to his knees. “Rhodey, if it pleases you to hear me out, sir?” He kept his gaze down, subjugating himself a strange comfort in the midst of so much uncertainty. At Rhodey’s gesture for him to go ahead, he continued. “I’m grateful that you had your sub stay close to protect Pike, but they’re both out of reach now. We need as many men as we can spare looking for them. Could you—?”

“Yes, now get up. Get Curtis.” Rhodey waved Dallas and Keiran over. “Head out in the direction of the beach, a mile North. I’ll take the North East point. Seth, Quint, and Curtis can spread out in between, I doubt they’d have gotten any further.” He glanced over at Jared. “I need you and Lawson standing guard here.”

“About damn time you see reason.” Jared gave Rhodey a long look, then turned his attention to Quint, cupping his cheek. “He’ll be all right, my boy. I know you’ll blame yourself, and nothing I say or do will change that, but just know you won’t be the only one keeping a very close eye on him from now on.”

Quint nodded, steadying his breaths to match his Dom’s, much like he had so long ago during surgeries only meant to stabilize the patients who could be saved, many he knew would die in transport if not on his table. But he had to try anyway. “Thank you, sir.”

Every instinct had Quint wanting to simply run into the trees, calling out Pike’s name, but this mission would take far longer than necessary if not done right. So he forced himself to go inside, to the bedroom Curtis shared with his men.

Seated in a plain wood chair pulled up to the side of the three beds that had been pushed together, Curtis glanced over as Quint stepped into the room. “Did you find him?”

“We’re going to look now. We need to spread out.” Quint held his breath as Curtis looked to Reed, who must’ve been woken during the commotion.

Putting his hand over his Dom’s, Reed shifted a bit, drawing in a sharp breath even as Curtis stood to help him. “You need to go, sir. I...I was really harsh before. Yeah, it really messes with me when you leave and I don’t think that’ll ever change. But I was scared and angry because of all kinds of shit and that wasn’t all on you. I’m sorry.”

Bracing his hands on the pillow at either side of Reed’s head, Curtis leaned down to brush a kiss over his lips. “Some of it is on me, though, sparkles. You’re not wrong, I wanted the training so I could end the hell my family’s put us through. It made me feel better to do something, but it meant I wasn’t there when you needed me. You didn’t feel important enough to even ask me to come back, and that means there’s some trust still broken. Trust that I will fix, even if it means gluing myself to your side until you really believe I’m not going to disappear on you again.”

“After you find your cousin.” Reed trailed his fingers down Curtis’s cheek. “And if you don’t get tired of me being moody and sad and mad all the time. I’m not the boy you fell in love with anymore.”

Curtis rose up a bit, pressing his lips to Reed’s forehead. “Yes, you are. Maybe it doesn’t feel like it right now, but for as long as I’ve known you, you’ve been just as willing to call me on my shit as you were to look at me like I hung the fucking stars. I didn’t ask you to marry me because I wanted just the sparkle. I want it all, and I’m not walking down that aisle with you until I prove it.”

Lashes glistening, Reed gave Curtis’s shoulder a light shove. “Go before you make me cry. Bring Pike back here so I can yell at him, too. I’m gonna kick his ass for scaring all of us if he’s not hurt enough to make me feel bad about it.”

“I like that plan very much.” Curtis straightened, turning to Quint. “Let’s do this thing.”

If nothing else, it seemed like Danny and Pike’s actions had given everyone else something to rally around, mending a few fences. Tall, strong fences the two would have a hard time getting past for the near future.

Along with some good, old fashion chains. Fuck coming off like a Dom, he’d put them on the subs himself if he had to.

But I might have to get in line.

After briefing Curtis on the situation as they made their way out, Quint went to divvy up the blankets and the smaller medkits Seth must’ve grabbed from the SUVs.

“There aren’t enough tools to go around, but if you find him first you’ll be able to stabilize him while Avery heads out to find me. Flares would make this a lot fucking faster, but could also bring the wrong kind of attention, so we just do this quick and dirty.” Seth’s tone was nononsence, his whole bearing more at ease now that he’d regained some control over the situation. “The temperature’s dropping fast, but Avery would know to keep him as warm as he can. The issue will be if the water’s risen enough to cover any part of him.”

Curtis blew out a breath. “And if the water’s high enough to drown him and you won’t get there in time?”

“Make a clean cut and we’ll be able to save the terminal portion of the limb. Hopefully, that won’t be necessary…” Seth headed back to the shed. “Bones can be hard to break through. But these will work.”

Three axes. All perfectly sharpened.

From the look on Curtis’s face, he didn’t want to touch a single one anymore than Quint did.

But Seth didn’t give them a choice. He continued speaking as they headed toward the trees. “This is worst case scenario, but you need to be prepared for anything. The only acceptable outcome is him coming out of this alive.”

And whole. Please let him come out of this whole.

Quint didn’t argue with Seth. Did nothing but nod and take the direction he’d been assigned.

Because his Dom was right.

The mission would be a success so long as Pike was still breathing. So long as he survived.

And Quint got another chance to hold him close. And never let him go.