Unbreakable Stories

by Jocelynn Drake

  An unmistakable and regrettable smell hit Snow’s nose. “Rowe, your bacon is burning,”

  “Shit!” Rowe jogged back to the pan and started pulling out the blackened strips. He bit his lip.

  “I’m not helping,” Ian announced. “You’re on your own.”

  Snow saw a hint of a smile lurking on Rowe’s face and his heart warmed. Yeah, it was hot and sticky and they were going to eat burned bacon, but this entire trip would be worth it if it coaxed a few of those out of Rowe. He walked over to look down at nearly half a pound of ruined bacon and cradled the bowl of eggs to his chest. “I’ll do the eggs.”

  Just then heavy rustling sounds came from the woods and they all turned as Lucas and Andrei walked around the trees and into camp. They both had reddened cheeks and swollen lips and Andrei’s T-shirt was ripped at the shoulder. His blush actually showed through the stubble burn on his face, but Lucas just strolled uncaring into camp, a lazy, sated expression on his face.

  That disappeared when he sniffed, then saw the state of the bacon.

  “There’d better be more,” he growled.

  ###

  “You’re enjoying applying that sunscreen a little too much,” Andrei said as he lifted one eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder.

  Snow leaned back against Rowe’s duffel and watched Ian rubbing sunscreen onto Andrei’s back. He was sure Ian’s red cheeks had a little to do with the heat from their hike, but a lot more to do with how much he was enjoying touching Andrei. Snow cracked up when Lucas gave Ian a hard frown and snatched the bottle of sunscreen out of his hands.

  “Spoilsport,” Ian grumbled before shooting Snow a wink. “Everyone around me is having all kinds of sex. It’s only fair you throw me a bone.” The twist of his lips was positively wicked.

  “Andrei’s bone isn’t up for grabs. Go see if Snow will share his man’s.” Lucas was grinning, though, as he turned Andrei around and started rubbing sunscreen on his chest.

  “Yeah, I can do that part,” Andrei said, rolling his eyes. He murmured something to Lucas, who turned and watched Ian walk to the edge of the water.

  Snow squinted—the sun was too fucking bright—as he followed Lucas’s gaze.

  Ian was limping.

  He’d been grouchy over his cooking and over stolen food, but he hadn’t complained once on the hike up Sheltowee Trace Trail. He’d stopped to look at blue lizards and to point at some of the most scenic views Snow had ever seen, but he hadn’t bitched about pain. Sighing, Snow got to his feet and walked to Ian. He pulled him away from everyone else, settled him onto a big rock and knelt in front of him.

  “Um, Snow…” Ian, eyes the size of saucers, turned bright red. “Not that I’m complaining or anything, but you know I was just joking, right?”

  Snow stared at him a moment, then laughed. “I’m not about to blow you. I’m checking your leg.”

  “Oh.” If anything, Ian turned redder. “If I say damn, will you hold it against me?”

  Snow shook his head, still chuckling as he ran his hands over Ian’s leg. “What kind of pain are you having?”

  “I never said I was in pain.”

  Snow merely lifted an eyebrow.

  “It’s a deep ache. In the bone itself.” He looked around for Rowe, but still leaned close and lowered his voice. “I was told it would take months to heal. I’m surprised it’s hurting this much. I’m usually on my feet most of the day and night.”

  “Yeah, but you aren’t usually hiking rough terrain and changing elevations. And sleeping on the ground.”

  “I started out on a mattress,” the younger man grumbled.

  Snow massaged Ian’s thigh while feeling for swelling or knots. “It can take a long time to heal from the kind of breaks you had, Ian. You’re doing really well, getting your muscle tone back. It’s healing well, but I’m not surprised you’re hurting.” He frowned and worked the muscles with his hands. “You’re not going to be able to hike tomorrow. We’ll find something else to do.” He winked. “That doesn’t involve blowjobs.”

  “You suck.”

  “Often.” Snow jerked when Rowe yelled his name. He turned just in time to see Jude take a running leap off Jump Rock into the creek. Although he knew a lot of people leaped off this rock every year, his heart shot into his throat because it looked shallow. The yellowish water splashed in a high arc as he hit the surface and Snow didn’t breathe until Jude’s laughing, gorgeous face came up to the surface.

  “You really love him,” Ian said softly. He reached out and touched Snow’s face. “I’m so happy for you, Ashton.”

  He looked up at Ian and as always, his heart swelled. This sweet, incredibly loving young man had instantly crawled into his soul when he’d first met him and he’d just nestled in and claimed a spot all his own. Snow couldn’t imagine life without Ian and he didn’t want to. The car accident had not only taken one of their own, but it had nearly taken this beautiful human being who deserved everything life had to offer. He came up on his knees, grabbed Ian and hugged him tight. “I love you,” he whispered.

  Ian froze, obviously surprised—Snow knew he was stingy with the love words—then hugged him back so hard, his spine made a cracking noise. “I love you, too. I love you all. So much.”

  Snow pulled back, feeling the heat on his face.

  Ian only reached out to wrap his arms around him again and laugh. “You guys are my family and nobody on this earth is as lucky as I am. Nobody.”

  Snow should have said something, but his heart was so full, he couldn’t speak. They were the lucky ones. Ian had no idea how much. He’d turned their solid friendship into a family.

  “Hey General,” Jude called out from the water. “I want to see you jump!”

  Never one to resist a challenge, Snow let go of Ian and stood up. He gave the younger man a stern look. “No jumping. I mean it.”

  “Not this time, no,” Ian agreed. He got up and put his arm around Snow’s waist. “But I’ll walk you to that crazy rock.” He kissed Snow’s shoulder. “Then I’ll do nothing more than tread water.”

  “Good.” Snow kissed the top of Ian’s head and held his breath until he was staring down at a grinning Jude below him. Jump, hell. Snow loved the look of shock on Jude’s face when he dove in headfirst.

  Chapter 4

  Jude stretched his feet into the Red River, the cool water lapping at his ankles and even higher as Snow and Andrei took turns trying to outdo each other as they jumped off the rock. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he watched the showboating of both men. They’d moved from the smoothest entry to the biggest splash to who could splash Lucas more, as the millionaire bobbed in the middle of the river watching their performances and offering up stern words of warning.

  Shaking his head, Rowe waded through the shallows over to Jude, water running down his lean, sun-kissed body as he approached. Rowe was definitely a good-looking man and his tattoos were eye-catching, but he could see what Snow had grumbled about when they’d first reached Jump Rock and Rowe had taken off his shirt. The man had lost some weight. He looked thinner than Jude remembered him in the winter but not necessarily unhealthy.

  Not that Jude could blame him. His eyes darted back over to his general as he launched himself off the rock and into the water, torquing his body in such a way to send a concentrated spray at Lucas—or rather it would have if his target hadn’t dove under the surface first. For a couple of heartbeats—as he had every time Snow had jumped—he held his breath until Snow’s head popped above the water again. Jude had jumped several times from that rock and he knew that the water wasn’t shallow there and he’d encountered no stray rocks lurking to harm the men, but it didn’t stop the fear that rose up to steal his breath each time. He didn’t want to think about what he’d do if Snow was hurt…or worse.

  “If I didn’t know better,” Rowe started as he dropped onto a large flat stone next to Jude on the bank, “I’d say Andrei had no idea how much he was torturing Lucas.”

  J
ude snorted. There was no way he didn’t know. Lucas had been shouting warnings and then threats each time Andrei and Snow jumped. He’d even had a few choice words for Rowe the two times he’d jumped. The only ones who hadn’t gone off the rock were Ian and Lucas, but the younger man was treading water out past Lucas and scoring Andrei’s and Snow’s jumps.

  “Has Lucas always been like that?” Jude suddenly asked.

  Rowe ran his hand through his hair, pushing drops of water off his forehead. “Yeah, Lucas is a worrier,” he said with a chuckle, then he shrugged. “It works for him. He’s also a brilliant planner. He’s good at figuring out how shit can go wrong and then coming up with an easy way around it.”

  Jude nodded, his eyes on Lucas as he waited for Andrei to surface after his latest jump. As soon as his head was above water, Lucas wrapped one arm across his chest and started to backstroke with his free arm away from Jump Rock. He could see the wide grin across Andrei’s face as he leaned his head back against Lucas’s broad shoulder, allowing himself to be carried away. Maybe Lucas wasn’t the only one who was a brilliant planner.

  “He worries less because of you,” Rowe suddenly said, drawing Jude’s eyes back to him. “We all do.”

  “Snow—”

  “Is happy, Rowe interrupted.

  “I’m happy.”

  Rowe nodded and opened his mouth to say something but suddenly stopped. He twisted around back toward the trail, his head cocked slightly to the side as if listening for something. Jude turned too, straining to hear anything over the others’ shouts and laughter. But after a second, the sound of a motor rose above the noise. It was faint, but growing louder. Rowe surged to his feet and gave one loud, sharp whistle. Jude looked back to find Lucas and Snow quickly swimming toward the shore, grim expressions on their face, while Andrei and Ian followed behind them, looking confused.

  “What is it?” Jude demanded, rising to his feet.

  “Four-wheeler.”

  “I didn’t think something like that was allowed back on these trails.”

  Rowe shook his head, taking a couple of steps closer to the trail, putting himself between his friends and whoever was approaching. His right hand dropped down to the knife still strapped to his waist. “It’s not. Most places are too narrow.”

  As the sound of the motor grew louder, Snow clapped a hand on Jude’s shoulder and squeezed. “Four-wheeler?” he asked.

  “Could there be trouble?” Jude asked.

  “Possibly,” Andrei said.

  “How? We’re in a state park,” Ian asked. He dropped down heavily on the rock Jude had been sitting on just a second ago. The young man seemed to wilt slightly from exhaustion. They’d spent the first couple of hours of the morning hiking and now another hour swimming.

  “It’s a big state and national parks are great places to grow and make illegal things. Park rangers can’t monitor every square inch of these places.”

  “Oh…”

  Andrei stepped around the group to approach Rowe, but he quickly looked over his shoulder and flashed them a smile. “But it’s unlikely since we’re so close to a major trail. “Lucas, Snow, hang back. I’ve got Rowe.”

  As if they had done it hundreds of times before, Lucas and Snow closed ranks in front of Jude and Ian, while Andrei took up position just behind Rowe’s left shoulder, his hands loose at his side. Jude had only seen glimpses of Snow and Rowe in action…and it was both unsettling and sexy—at least when it came to Snow. The man simply became a powerhouse of strength and speed. It was intoxicating to know that he manhandled such a strong man every chance he got.

  They had to wait only another thirty seconds before the mud-splashed, yellow four-wheeler came into view with a man wearing a brown ranger’s uniform on the back. All the men breathed a sigh of relief at the sight and instantly relaxed. Jude knew they weren’t overreacting. Although Jagger had been quiet while under a new, recent investigation, they’d still had no idea why he’d sent his ex-goon after them months ago, so they stayed partially on edge at the first hint of danger. The ranger tipped his hat at the gathering before shutting off the motor.

  “Afternoon, folks,” he called. “Didn’t mean to disturb your swimming.”

  “No problem, Ranger. Just trying to cool off a bit before we continue our hike,” Rowe replied. He threaded his fingers together and propped them on the top of his head. “What can we do for you?”

  “We got a lost young’un, I’m afraid.”

  Ian gasped and even Jude’s heart skipped a beat.

  “How old?” Jude asked.

  “Five. His name is Michael Bonner but answers to Mikey. Short brown hair, brown eyes. Was last seen wearing a blue and red shirt with a dinosaur on the front. Red shorts. I take it you haven’t seen him.”

  “No, I’m sorry,” Rowe said softly. “Where’d he go missing?”

  “He was camping with his parents up off Rough Trail. Looks like he wandered off alone while his parents were still asleep. He’s been missing for a solid four hours now. We’ve pulled in all the rangers and we’re alerting hikers as we find them. But tracking ain’t been easy.”

  “You call in Spellman’s hunters yet?” Andrei asked.

  The Ranger looked at Andrei a bit funny. Even Jude looked over at Lucas who had raised a brow at his boyfriend. For the first time since he’d met Andrei, the slight hint of a southern twang had entered his voice. Most of the time, it sounded like the man didn’t have an accent at all.

  “Old Spellman’s got his dogs down near the Tennessee border, doing a training of some pups ahead of hunting season. We got a hold of him, but he can’t get his dogs here for at least another six hours at best. How do you know about those dogs?”

  “Had one of my own growing up,” Andrei said with a little shrug. “Though the only thing Viktor ever wanted to chase down was a cheeseburger.”

  “Holy shit! You’re Milos’s boy! I ain’t seen you or your pa in years.”

  “That’s cuz Dad can’t haul his ass up and down this gorge anymore,” Andrei said, then quickly turned them back to their main conversation. “Any lead on the boy’s direction?”

  “No. We’ve checked the immediate area of their campsite and come up empty handed. That’s why we’ve branched out.” The ranger pulled off his hat with one hand and scratched his sweat-soaked hair with the other before putting it back on. “We’re just asking hikers to keep an eye out. If you see him, get him to stay with you and just stop on the trail where you are or head to the nearest trailhead. If you can, send one of your party to a high point and call the ranger station. Most people don’t have a signal down in the gorge.”

  “In this heat, the boy is going to be severely dehydrated, or worse, sick from drinking the water in any of these streams,” Jude said, stepping up between Lucas and Snow. “Do you know if he’s got any ailments that we need to be aware of?”

  “No, we’re lucky in that respect.”

  “I’m a paramedic and he’s a doctor.” Jude reached back and wrapped his fingers around Snow’s wrist to try and ground himself. Hundreds of times he had been called to help with a child who’d been hurt, and it was never an easy thing to see. But knowing that a little boy was lost in this massive and dangerous forest was even worse. “Is there anything else we can do?”

  “You just hiking today?”

  “Camping,” Rowe corrected. “Got a site up off Half Moon Trail. We’re planning to be here through the weekend.”

  “You mind if we call on you gentlemen when we find him? Just give him a look over. I have a feeling that getting him to you would be a might faster than getting an ambulance in here.”

  “Of course,” Snow said. He stepped up to the ranger and quickly gave both his and Jude’s cell numbers. “Even if you don’t need us, send word when you’ve found him.”

  “I’m grateful, doc,” the ranger said with a big sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. After a few more words of both warning and gratitude, he jumped back onto his four-wheeler and continued
on down the trail.

  When the ranger disappeared, Jude watched as Rowe slowly turned around and looked at them, scratching his jaw before shaking his head. That look didn’t sit well with Jude.

  “We should head back to the camp,” Rowe said. “It’s high ground and if they find the boy, it’ll be the easiest way for them to reach Snow and Jude.”

  “You mean we’re not going to help look?” Ian demanded loudly before Jude could even draw a breath to ask the same question.

  “The Gorge is a big fucking park, Ian,” Rowe started. “And you—”

  “All the more reason for us to be looking for him!” Ian looked over at Snow and then Lucas, but neither of the other two men spoke up. “Really? You guys are fucking ex-Army. You went out hunting down bad guys and rescuing people, right? There’s probably no one else better in this entire forest to find Mikey.”

  “Ian, you can’t handle it,” Lucas said softly.

  “What? I can—”

  “Your leg is killing you,” Rowe snapped. He put his hands on his hips and frowned at the younger man. “I know you’ve been trying to hide it, but you’ve got that pinched look on your face from the pain and you limped all the last quarter mile. If we do this, we gotta move fast and light. You can’t keep up and I don’t want you hurting yourself more.”

  Ian dropped back down onto the rock he’d been sitting on, his hand going to the same sore spot that Jude had watched him rub for months now. He had a feeling the pain would continue to haunt the young man even after the leg had completely healed.

  “Go without me,” Ian said after only a moment.

  “Ian,” Rowe sighed.

  “I’m serious. Go without me. I can manage at the campsite alone while you guys look for the little boy.”

  “You can’t stay at the camp alone. It’s not safe.”

  “I’ll stay with Ian,” Lucas said suddenly.

  “You sure?” Snow asked, obviously surprised. Jude was too. Lucas always struck him as the type of person who would want to be in the middle of any major plan, not sitting on the sidelines.