Page 105 of Adrift

“What the hell were you two blokes thinking?” Zane’s back. Alone. “Don’t answer that. You fucking weren’t. You weren’t thinking about anything other than your damn selves. Scaring the shit out of Haley?” His eyebrows shoot up. For a second, I think he’s going to hit me. “You’re supposed to be our bloody leader, Calvin.” His chin is up in my face. “Act like it.”

Easton pauses up ahead. “She’s okay with the storm?”

“I don’t know. I was almost to the stream when the ground shook. I took the long way around to keep from being out in theopen too long.” He eyes us both. “Did you get everything?” He takes the tarp from my hand. In slow motion, the damn machete falls free from the tarp.

I drop the other things and reach for the handle of the machete, but I’m not fast enough. The damn thing slides out of the tarp. It lands tip down in Zane’s foot. It vibrates from side to side, like a cartoon. It even takes Zane a second, but then he’s screaming.

“Fucking shit,” Zane gasps. “Fuck, fuck bloody fuck.” He reaches for it, but Easton’s there to stop him.

“Don’t touch it.” Easton looks up at him, and then at me. From the look on his face, it’s not good. The chair is still looped through his arm. Easton frees himself from it and kneels at Zane’s foot. “Hold still. Let me take it out.”

“How the bloody hell do you want me to hold still? There’s a rusted cleaver sticking out of my foot.”

“Machete,” Easton and I say at the same time.

“For fuck’s sake. You two should have beaten each other unconscious.”

Chapter 42

Refitting

Dante

When I hear the thundering footsteps of idiots, I know they’re on their way back to the raft. As heavenly as it is to hold her, touch her... I need to slow things down, anyway. I’m not letting my first time with Haley be when they’re bringing their own chaotic energy here.

Haley freezes. I give her another quick kiss before I roll from her sweet embrace. “Don’t move.” But I know she will. I know whatever bedraggled condition either of them are in, she’ll be upset. It’s one of the reasons I still have my dick in my pants. It’s the reason I haven’t unwrapped Sassy like the amazing Christmas present she is. Fuck, I can barely move.

Easton pulls the flap back, and it practically flies off the side of the raft.

“What the hell?” I shout. “Calm yourself the shit down.” Then I see past Golden Boy. Calvin is carrying Zane on his back. There’s a trail of red blood mixing with rain flowing down Calvin’s leg. And it’s not the giant’s blood. Calvin tosses Zane’s shoe to the right of the raft entrance.

“Get out of the way.” Easton pushes past me.

“Zane?” Haley’s voice rises.

“These fuckers tried to cut off my foot.” Zane growls, his arm clenched tight about Calvin’s neck.

“He’s exaggerating,” Easton retorts.

“Piss off.” Zane slides off Calvin’s back and hops on one foot, then dives into the raft. “Shift over, you bloody idiot.”

Haley’s by my side. And the second Calvin and Easton see her, their shoulders drop like they’ve been caught by the police. “Oh Zane. What the heck?”

“How can I help?” With Haley at the entrance too, it’s become a bottleneck. Zane’s foot is wrapped up with Calvin’s shirt and some rag I’ve never seen before. He rolls onto his side.

Zane smiles at Haley through gritted teeth. “It’s fine, Little Bird. It doesn’t really hurt that much at all. I’m just going to get the sand out of it. And maybe use one of the sterile wipes if everyone thinks that’s okay?”

“Is that okay? Of course it’s okay.” She gasps. “How did this happen? Did they do this on...?” Haley’s mouth hangs open.

Zane grabs the knob of her knee. “No. Haley. They’re shitheads but not... well, I don’t know. They’re reckless, but there was no mal-intent. I grabbed a tarp out of Calvin’s hands, and the bloody machete fell on my foot.”

I want to chime in with my two cents that the testosterone-filled balloons masquerading as men are going to be our doom. But I’ve got the sense to know that now isn’t the right time to bring it up.

“How bad is it?” Haley turns to Easton, who is still standing in the rain.

“It’s not too bad. Infection will be the worst thing to worry about. And tetanus.”

“To work on the ship, you have to be current with that and all your shots.” I glance at him. Am I grateful for what he didfor me while we were on the ocean? Sure. But I’ve got my level certifications, including medical. Two years ago, I just didn’t feel like cooking. I thought about moving to being a captain. I took shit tons of classes only to realize I was bored with the boat I was on, not being a chef.

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