Chapter 22 Relief
Cade
After the wet work, all Cade wanted was to get back to Tristan, to touch something solid that represented the good in the world and the reason he sometimes did horrible things.
He didn't enjoy the wet work. Really, who would, except for psychopaths?
It's not that it bothered him; mostly, it was just messy and tedious. It didn't make him feel sick or nauseated or even guilty.
When it was necessary, he tuned out his empathy, compartmentalized, and remembered that those who sat in his chair had lost their humanity, had become unworthy of compassion when they victimized others.
When he thought about the heinous things they had done, he didn't see people; he saw monsters hiding under human skin.
But he did feel satisfaction that those animals had suffered, that he had exacted revenge for the torment they inflicted on their victims. And this time, that satisfaction felt more profound because he had avenged people he knew and cared about.
The "interrogation" had been an effective outlet for his wrath over Tristan's abduction and attempted trafficking. The fury had clawed inside him like a monster itself, begging for a target, demanding to be unleashed on the people who had made Tristan and Natalie suffer.
Appeasing the monster, freeing it, had been a relief.
And now that it was done, the rage had faded, and he was ready to put it all behind him, to move forward.
All that was left was to find out if Tristan still wanted him, could accept him and his job and all that came with it.
Looking down at the man in question, Cade's heart squeezed a bit.
Tristan looked so pale and weary that Cade wanted to carry him off to some quiet, secluded place where he could rest, safe in Cade's arms. But that would have to wait, because he needed to get him back to Natalie and then to a hospital.
When Tristan took Cade's outstretched hand and rose to his feet, he swayed precariously.
"Whoa, are you okay?" Cade asked as he steadied him.
"Just a little dizzy."
Despite Taylor's assessment, Cade's anxiety over the possibility of a serious injury returned.
He studied Tristan's eyes, searching for obvious signs of concussion, but got distracted by the tenderness there.
Pure wonder crowded out the worry, and he marveled that anyone could look at him like that, like he was special and somehow worthy.
Unable to resist the impulse, he skimmed his knuckles across a stubbled cheek and leaned down for a gentle kiss that Tristan melted into. Cade lost himself for a moment, feeling that Tristan's lips were softer and his sighs sweeter than he remembered. Or maybe, he just appreciated them more now.
When Tag called to them from the front door, pulling him back to reality, Cade eased back reluctantly and watched Tristan's eyes flutter open, still a bit hazy and unfocused. It could be from the kiss, he supposed, but because it could also be from a concussion, concern resurged.
"I still want to get you checked out."
Blinking a few times, Tristan mumbled his agreement, which Cade considered a small victory. Taking Tristan's hand, Cade led him outside, where they found Tag leaning against a white car in the driveway.
Cade asked, "Did you call the cleaner?"
"Yeah, he's on his way."
Tag climbed into the driver's seat, and Cade opened the car door with one hand while the other guided Tristan into the back seat. The redhead stumbled again, causing Cade another bout of panic.
"What the fuck?"
"I told you, I'm a little dizzy."
Cade's fear was back, making his heart race. "I'm taking you to a hospital. Your head injury could be worse than Taylor thought. It might be a brain bleed."
"I don't have a brain bleed," was the huffy reply.
Cade rounded the car and got in beside the reluctant patient, insisting hotly, "You could, so I'm going to get you checked."
Tristan wrinkled his nose, but it didn't have any energy behind it, giving Cade another reason to be concerned.
"Fine. But I want to see Natalie first."
He stared Tristan down, hoping to intimidate him into submission, but the redhead, weak as he was, held his own until Cade relented.
"Fine, but not for long, then the hospital," he grumbled, recognizing yet again that he was incapable of saying no to this man.
In response, he got an angelic smile and a teasing, "Are you worried about me?"
"I didn't rescue you just to have you drop dead," he muttered as he caught Tag's smirk in the rearview mirror.
Jesus, this asshole was insufferable, never missing a chance to dish out shit or knock him down a peg.
Cade scowled darkly and narrowed his eyes, silently warning Tag to keep his mouth shut. Not that that usually worked.
"Aww, you do care," Tristan cooed.
When Tag snorted, Cade glared ferociously at him, envisioning how easy it would be to add poison to his coffee. A tempting idea he would revisit later.
After Tag dropped them off at Hamm's house, Cade led Tristan to the basement, and as soon as they were in sight, Natalie launched herself off the sofa and at her brother.
"Tris! Are you okay? I was so worried," she cried, wrapping her arms around Tristan's middle, while he pressed a cheek to her hair and hugged back.
"I'm fine, Nattie."
As tears pooled and spilled down Tristan's cheeks, a knot tightened in Cade's throat.
Joy and relief swelled at the sight of the siblings together and safe at last, and all he could think was that he wanted them to be his — his responsibility, maybe even his family.
The idea made him feel ridiculously pleased and terrified at once, and he coughed to mask the sudden emotion.
The two redheads held each other for a long moment, but when Natalie finally leaned away, her gaze slid down and locked onto the colorful marks on Tristan's neck.
"Tris? Are those... hickeys?"
Cade's breath caught, and he watched the fuchsia color creep over Tristan's face, betraying him more than any words could.
When Tristan's gaze darted to his, Natalie's followed, and heat flooded Cade's face as his eyes pinged around the room, silently wishing a rock would magically appear so he could crawl under it.
Thank god Tag wasn't here to razz him again.
"Ohhh," Natalie drawled out as her facial expressions morphed from wide-eyed surprise to frowning comprehension to flushed embarrassment.
Cade had not expected to feel so ashamed, called out by a sixteen-year-old for his inappropriate behavior, but Natalie's reaction had him vowing to keep any future marks where Tristan's clothes would cover them. He did not want to ever see that look on her face again.
"So, um," Tristan croaked, his voice sounding like a teenage boy in the throes of puberty, "How about you? You're not hurt or... anything?"
He scanned over her, looking for injuries, but Natalie assured him, "I'm okay. They didn't do anything to me because of the auction."
Tristan hugged her again. "That's good. I'm so glad you're here and safe. God, I was so scared."
"Yeah, me too."
"It's over now. We're okay."
Cade swallowed hard past the lingering tightness in his throat and stepped away to give them some privacy as the pair moved to the sofa. Hamm was on the phone, so he approached Annabeth, clicking away on her keyboard as usual. When he leaned against the table, she looked up at him and smiled.
"Hey. Everything good? You done having a nervous breakdown?"
Scoffing but knowing he couldn't deny it, he ignored the question. "I just wanted to thank you. For, you know, helping to find him... and everything," he fumbled.
"Of course. Just doing my job."
"Well, you're amazing at it," Cade began, then paused. The concept of expressing himself was unfamiliar and vaguely terrifying, but he forced the words out.
"I just... Without you, I... we might not have found him. I want you to know it means a lot... and I appreciate all you did."
Annabeth gave him a shit-eating grin. "Why, King. I do believe a certain someone has made you soft."
"Soft? Yeah, right," Cade huffed, again knowing she was completely right. "Okay, fine, maybe a little. But, Jesus Christ, don't tell Tag, or I'll have to kill him, and then Hamm will be pissed."
Annabeth laughed. "Sorry, Cade, but I'm sure Tag already knows, just like anyone else with eyes."
Ugh, was he really that transparent? Looking back, losing his shit and spiraling out of control when Tristan was missing was probably a fairly good indicator.
Fucking hell, Tag was about to become even more unbearable. Maybe Cade needed to move up the timeline on that poison.
"Anyway," Annabeth continued, "I'm happy to help. I'm glad we got the outcome we wanted. And Cade, I really hope things work out between you and Tristan."
"Yeah, I hope so too," he replied, desperately wanting it to be true.
But doubt still niggled at him. He wasn't entirely sure Tristan would still want him, and honestly, he wouldn't blame him if he didn't, not after seeing firsthand how dangerous and gory this life was, how cold and merciless Cade could be.
But still, he had no regrets; he had done what needed to be done.
He had upheld the code and kept his promise.
Tristan was safe, and the bad guys were eliminated. He'd let the cards fall where they may, would accept the other man's decision, even if it destroyed him.
But fuck, he hoped Tristan hadn't changed his mind.
Leaving Annabeth with her codes and encryptions, Cade moved to the chair next to Hamm, who had just put down his phone.
"Glad you're back. I understand everything went according to plan," Hamm said.
"Yeah, no complications. What happened with the drop?"
"They brought Rodriguez out in the wig, hoping they could fool the courier from a distance, but Taylor said the driver was fidgety, so either that spooked them, or they could tell Rodriguez wasn't Tristan.
The pickup never happened. They waited for a while, then gave up. They're on their way back now."
"Shit, I was hoping we'd get the Gem Collector too."