Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
Quinn leaned against the counter, pain throbbing through his head, all the cuts from the shrapnel burning to life. A by-product of the adrenaline starting to wane.
Gus crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing Quinn for a long moment before releasing a rough breath.
“Then, I guess it’s fortunate that you’re staying here since your house is likely compromised.
” He focused on Darwin. “Get them patched up. We’ll go over what Zadie found once I’m convinced Corporal Taylor isn’t going to pass out on us. ”
Gus walked past, grabbing a pop out of the fridge before disappearing into his office.
Quinn rubbed his eyes, pinching his arm to check if he’d somehow passed out without falling down. “Maybe I hit my head harder than I thought, because I swore the general was just… Nice.”
Scout stepped in close. “He acts all gruff, but inside, he’s a softy. Just don’t tell him I said that.”
Quinn smiled, tripping a step when the floor slid sideways.
Darwin tsked, corralling them toward the med bay. “Looks like the general has a point. You’re five shades paler than when you walked in, so…”
Quinn pushed off the counter when Darwin motioned to the hallway, palming the wall in an effort to stay on his feet. He made it to the first exam table without falling, choosing to sit before he smashed his face onto the thin padding.
Bright fluorescent lights stung his eyes, the strong scent of antiseptic wash and bleach assaulting his senses. Scout took the table next to him, shivering despite the way she clenched her fists and firmed her jaw, the accumulated chill from earlier in the evening obviously still taking a toll.
He studied her for a moment, taking in the long sleek line of her neck, the way she snagged her bottom lip between her teeth, worrying it for a few moments before catching his gaze, steeling her resolve.
Wynn appeared at her side a moment later, helping her remove the layers of clothing, baring the heavy cost of her blowing those regulators.
A patchwork of purple and blue bruises covered her torso, one spot on her ribs raw from where the impact had broken the skin. She closed her eyes as Wynn examined the sites, wincing whenever her teammate pressed on her side.
Quinn cursed under his breath, wishing he could have a redo, only this time, he’d insist on having her back. “Christ, Scout. You look like those men used you as a pinata.”
She glanced over at him, arching a brow as he removed his shirt. “Says the man who’s bruised as fuck. At least I didn’t try to drive a forklift through a blast door after shielding me from a grenade.”
“Both worked.”
She laughed, swearing as she grabbed her ribs. “Don’t make me laugh.” Her grimace faded into a soft smile, her gaze sliding over him as Darwin pushed and prodded, shaking his head the entire time.
Grunting, Darwin walked over to one of the cabinets and removed some skin adhesive.
“Fortunately, none of the lacerations are that deep. Some glue and bandages should be enough. Just try to keep them clean and dry, and for god’s sake, don’t get hit again until these heal or you might end up puncturing a lung.
” Darwin looked over his shoulder at Scout.
“That goes for you, too, Scout, because your bruises look even deeper.”
Scout sighed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“I swear, if Gus had warned me how stubborn you all are…”
“You still would have asked us to stay.”
“That’s up for debate.” Darwin tugged off his gloves and tossed them in the bin. “Coulter and Neve are bringing you some new clothes. Try not to ruin those in record time, too.”
Quinn waited until Darwin left before sliding off the table and ambling over to Scout’s side.
He moved between her legs, admiring the way her hair fell across her shoulders in gentle waves since she’d taken it down. Or how a hint of red crept into her skin as he stopped a breath away, his bare chest nearly colliding with hers. “I gotta say, for a mad scientist, he’s extremely sane.”
Scout sighed. “If it weren’t for Darwin, we’d all be dead a few times over. He’s the only reason Kane’s been able to walk again.”
“Which is your subtle way of telling me, I need to stop looking at him as a suspected fugitive and see the man beneath the accusations.”
“It wasn’t subtle.”
“Wouldn’t have expected it to be. And he’s right about one thing…” He tucked some of that silky mass behind one ear. “Your bruises are definitely worse than mine.”
Scout palmed his chest, avoiding the swath of purple across his skin. “That sounds like a challenge.”
“More of a statement, but if you want to wrestle later…” He closed his eyes, resting his forehead on hers.
Scout slid her hands up his chest and around his neck, threading them through his hair as she held his head tight to hers. “She’s going to be okay. We’ll find her, and we’ll bring her back.”
He swallowed, hoping he didn’t choke. “Just don’t trade your life for hers, because that would kill me.”
She lowered her hands to his face, palming his cheeks. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
“Nothing with you has ever been easy.”
“Oh, sounds like another challenge.”
He grinned, brushing his mouth over hers, wanting nothing more than to lose himself in the heat of her touch, the way her skin moved beneath his hands, when Neve called Scout’s name.
He dropped a chaste kiss on her lips, glancing over his shoulder for a moment. “Your teammates have impeccable timing.”
Neve rolled her eyes. “Like you were gonna do anything other than kiss her in the med bay.” She stopped beside Quinn, her next breath hissing out. “You two look like shit.”
Quinn placed his hand on his chest. “That’s hurtful. And why the hell isn’t Coulter on one of the tables. He took some shrapnel too.”
Coulter grinned as he handed Quinn some clothes. “Because I’ve been here long enough to know to change out of the bloody evidence before Darwin catches the scent. The guy’s like a damn shark. Can smell a drop of blood from fifty paces.”
Neve laughed, hooking her arm through Coulter’s. “Coulter’s were all superficial. I checked them, myself.”
Scout eyed Neve. “I’m sure you did.”
“We weren’t the ones caught a breath away from making a poor decision.”
“It wouldn’t have been poor.”
“Awkward, then.” Neve stepped back. “Maybe you two should get some rest. Zadie can catch you both up later. When you don’t look like you had a grudge match with death and lost.”
“No way.” Quinn slipped the hoodie over his head, grunting through the resulting burn through his ribs. “My sister’s still out there. I can heal once I know she’s safe.”
“I don’t know why I had the romantic notion that you’d be the reasonable one.
Obviously, you’re equally difficult.” Neve took a step back.
“We’ll give you two a couple minutes to change and grab a drink before we expect you in the comms room.
If you’re not there in five, I’ll send Kane in to fetch you. ”
Scout stuck out her tongue at Neve as the other woman laughed, holding Coulter’s hand as they walked out of the room, their footsteps fading toward the kitchen.
Quinn shucked his wet pants, shaking his head at Scout when she cat-called him. He tugged on the sweats, then helped her off the table.
She held his gaze, smiling as he tugged her pants down her hips, helping her shimmy out of the cold, stiff fabric. Sliding on the yoga pants Neve brought, he paused with his hand on her ass.
He leaned forward. “Are you sure you’re okay because…”
She looked like she should be in the ICU with tubes and monitors, and the constant beeping sound that assured him he hadn’t lost her.
“I’ll live.” She touched his chest. “Though, a bed is definitely in order for any future… Wrestling.”
“Baby, with how bruised you are, you’re gonna need bubble wrap.”
“Pretty sure I won’t feel anything but you.” Kane bellowed her name from down the hall, and she groaned. “That’s our five-minute warning. Any longer, and he’ll come and stare.”
“We’ll put a pin in it.”
She giggled, swatted him even though it likely jostled her ribs, then claimed his hand, glaring at Kane as they passed him. Kane trailed behind them, moving fairly well for a guy Scout had said wouldn’t have walked again without Darwin.
Another reason to cut Darwin some slack. It wasn’t as if Quinn had been a model cop recently, tonight’s adventure topping the list. Hell, he’d broken into a warehouse, fired illegal weapons and possibly injured people, all without a warrant. Without any legal justification.
Except where people’s lives were on the line. Brea’s life. And he’d be damned if he stood by while that giant motherfucker broke her.
Zadie glanced up from her monitor as he and Scout walked in, her gaze dropping to their joined hands then back. She smiled, looking a bit too smug before she motioned to the set of chairs. “You two should sit before Darwin’s wheeling you both out on gurneys.”
Scout scoffed. “I’ve been hurt worse and had to do more, so…”
“Tell Quinn that because he looks as if he wants to put you in some kind of protective bubble. Not that it wouldn’t be warranted.”
Scout all but collapsed onto one of the seats, shifting so her thigh touched his when he claimed the seat beside her. “We’re fine. So, stop stalling.”
“The bruising around your neckline suggests differently but…” Zadie launched a screen, plastering that motherfucker’s photo on the monitor.
Quinn straightened. “You found out who that guy is?”
“You’re new here, so I’ll let that skepticism in your tone slide. Don’t let it happen again, Mountie. As for our friend… Meet Ives Hackett.”
Coulter ambled over, getting up close to the large monitor. “Hackett, huh.” Coulter tapped his chin. “I know he’s not former JTF2, but he’s got military written all over him. Police maybe? Something international like SAS?”
Zadie leaned back in her chair, ignoring the way the hinge squeaked. “Neither. In fact, he’s not in any national database.”