by Carol Lynne
Lochie tilted his head back enough for Jamie to give him a quick kiss. “Hold that thought while I go tell Jacko and the mates what the police said.”
Lochie left and Jamie got out the big skillet. He suddenly realized he hadn’t seen Blue. Jamie ran to the living room. Lochie was standing in front of the large picture window talking to Jacko, Trev and Chooka. “Blue,” Jamie interrupted as he skidded to a halt. “I haven’t seen Blue for a while.”
Lochie glanced from Jamie to Jacko. “Have you seen him?”
Jacko’s jaw tensed. “No. Did he come out when Trev and Chooka drove up?”
Jamie shook his head. “Why didn’t I notice?” He tried to swallow around his thickening throat. If something happened to Blue, Lochie might never forgive him. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I wasn’t paying attention.”
Lochie wrapped his arms around Jamie and planted a soft kiss on Jamie’s temple. “We’ll find him, babe.” He glanced at Trev and Chooka. “One of you want to come with me to the big shed? That’s usually where he sleeps during the day if he’s not under the verandah.”
Jamie grabbed Lochie’s sleeve. “You can’t go out there. If something’s happened to Blue, then that just proves someone’s out there. Can’t you just try calling him first through the window?”
Lochie gave Jamie a squeeze. “We’ll try it.”
Lochie broke away and Jacko moved to take his place.
“It’ll be okay,” Jacko murmured against Jamie’s forehead.
Lochie opened the door a crack. “Blue? Come on, boy!” He whistled and repeated the call several times.
The entire room went silent as Lochie called for his beloved pet.
Jamie grabbed on to the front of Jacko’s T-shirt. “Please don’t let him go out there. It hurts enough that something’s probably happened to Blue. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to Lochie, too. Please, Jacko. Stop him.”
Lochie closed the door before returning to Jamie’s side.
Jacko leaned in and gave both of them a kiss. “We’ll see what happens when Red and Zeb get out of their truck. They’re pulling up now.” Jacko left Jamie in Lochie’s arms. Armed with Lochie’s shotgun, he went to the front door. He glanced at Chooka. “Keep your eyes peeled to those sheds. Brian and his friends could be hiding behind one of them.”
Chooka nodded and stood to the side of the window, peering out.
Red, with Zeb right behind him, didn’t waste any time getting into the house. Red had his shotgun and Zeb had a large canvas bag Lochie assumed was carrying shells and other gear. The moment the door was shut behind them, Jacko threw the lock into place.
Jamie stared at the rifle in Red’s hand. “You think the guns are really necessary?”
Lochie nodded. “I don’t know why Brian’s targeting you, but if he’s out there, it isn’t a friendly visit.” He turned toward the rest of the group. “What’s the plan? Are we going to wait for Brian and his group to attack us, or do we flush them out?”
Zeb stepped forward. “The first thing that we need to do is post someone at windows on all four sides of the house. Let’s give it an hour to watch for any movement in the yard. If no one sees anything within the hour, we’ll go out.”
“But there are only two guns,” Jamie interjected.
Lochie nodded. “We should team up into pairs if we have to go out. Whoever stays in the house will have to arm themselves with whatever else they can find.”
“I agree,” Zeb said, opening the canvas bag he’d carried in. He withdrew three walkie-talkies. “I only have three, but one should stay in the house. When we go outside, each pair will carry one.” He stopped talking and met Lochie’s gaze. “Only one of you should go.”
“What the hell are you talking about? Jacko and I should go out together as a team.” Lochie stalked toward Zeb until he was nose to nose. “Who made you the boss, anyway?”
Red put a hand on Lochie’s forearm. “He knows what he’s doing. Let him finish.”
Lochie pulled his arm away from Red.
Zeb moved his head from side to side until Jamie heard a loud pop. “If you and Jacko go out there together and something happens, it will most likely happen to both of you. Jamie doesn’t strike me as the type to get over the death or injury of the two people he loves.”
Anger shot through Jamie at the thought of either Jacko or Lochie putting themselves into harm’s way for him. He swung out and knocked an old lamp off a nearby table.
“Jamie,” Lochie said, starting for him.
Jamie held up his hand. “I don’t want this. Any of it!” Jamie zeroed in on Lochie’s. “I won’t risk losing you, and I sure as hell won’t risk your friends. This is my fight.”
The men around Jamie exploded with denials.
Lochie put his hands on Jamie’s shoulders. “Brian’s targeting you because he sees you as weak simply because you’re gay. Look around, babe. This room is full of gay men. You may not think it’s our fight, but it is.”
Jamie glanced around the room. “Can I at least make a suggestion on how to do this?”
“Sure,” Lochie finally answered.
Pleased that he was finally being given a chance to give his opinion, Jamie turned to the rest of the group. “Brian wants me. Whether it’s because I’m weaker, queer or he secretly finds himself attracted to me, it’s me he’s focused on.”
“I don’t like where this is heading,” Jacko said.
“I say we give him what he wants,” Jamie declared.
“No!” Jacko shouted, coming up to stand in front of Jamie.
Jamie gave Jacko a quick kiss. “Yes. But you didn’t let me finish. I’ll go out with two of you holding shotguns. The others can try and sneak up on them from behind. I’ll try to draw Brian into a verbal assault first. That should give us his location.”
“And then what?” Jacko asked. “We just let him shoot you?” He shook his head. “No. No way.”
Lochie rubbed the back of his neck. “I hate to say this, but it’s a damn good plan.”
“Are you crazy?” Jacko turned his anger on Lochie. “Who’s to say the minute Jamie steps out that door Brian doesn’t just start shooting?”
“Who says they even have guns?” Jamie interrupted. “Hell, there’s a room full of farmers and ranchers right here and we only have two shotguns between us. This isn’t the United States, where anyone can get hold of a gun.”
Jacko pulled Jamie into his arms. “I can’t lose you,” Jacko whispered.
Jamie cupped Jacko’s jaw. “I really don’t have a death wish. If I seriously thought I’d be shot walking out that door, I wouldn’t do it.” Jamie gave Jacko a soft kiss. “I need you to believe in me. You guys spend all your time doing for me and trying to keep me from harm. Well, now it’s my turn.”
Jacko looked at Lochie. “I’d like to walk out with him.”
Lochie growled. “I’d like to stomp my foot and refuse, but I know I don’t have the right to do that.” He glanced at the rest of the group. “Can you guys take the watch while I have a few minutes with Jamie and Lochie in the bedroom before we do this?”
They all nodded and Red went to sit beside the front window, out of sight but still able to see the yard. The rest of the men dispersed in various directions.
Jamie exchanged glances with Jacko. “Is he horny?” he mouthed.
Jacko shrugged.
Lochie led them down the hall by the hand. When he’d closed the bedroom door and made sure the curtains were drawn, Lochie pulled them down on the bed. “You both know how much I love you, right?”
Jamie winked at Jacko.
“I think Red and Jacko should walk out with you,” Lochie told Jamie. “But know that I’ll be close. I won’t let anything happen to either of you.”
“I know,” Jamie said. “We’ll get the shitheads run out of town so they’ll never give us a moment’s trouble again.”
Lochie gave Jamie a deep kiss. “I would be perfectly content to lie h
ere and never get up.” He pushed his thigh between Jamie’s legs and applied pressure to Jamie’s cock.
Jacko grunted and moved closer to Jamie’s back. “I want in.” He kissed Jamie’s neck.
“I’m so proud of you for stepping up to do this,” Lochie whispered in Jamie’s ear. “I know it isn’t easy for you.”
“It’s not, but it’s the right thing to do.” Jamie closed his eyes and committed the moment to memory. It wasn’t that he thought something would happen to one of them, but it never hurt to have a supply of good memories banked.
Lochie reached over Jamie and smacked Jacko’s ass. “We’d better get this over with before I chicken out of the whole idea.”
“I thought we were going to fuck,” Jamie pouted.
Lochie stood before helping Jamie to his feet. “Later. Count on it. First, we have to go take out the trash.”
Jamie squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”
* * * *
While Red, Jacko and Jamie made a show of standing at the front door, Lochie, Chooka, Trev and Zeb slipped out the back. Lochie gestured for them to spread out and circle around behind the sheds.
Lochie tightened his grip on the shottie. At the last moment, Jacko had given him the gun and told him he’d trust Red to keep them safe until Lochie could find Brian. As Lochie crept through the untended brush, he prayed Jacko’s faith in him was warranted.
Lochie was only about a third of the way to his targeted shed when Jamie called Brian out of his hiding place.
“I’m here. You want me, you cocksucker? Well, here I am.”
Lochie inwardly cringed. The point of Jamie walking out of the house was to create a diversion, not piss Brian off even more. Lochie picked up his pace. A warning shout across the yard drew Lochie’s attention. His guess was that Zeb had caught one of the little fuckers.
Evidently, Brian had the same idea. From that point on, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. A crack sounded and Jamie’s body jerked before he was thrown back onto the ground.
“No!” Lochie screamed as Jacko immediately threw himself over Jamie’s body.
Lochie ran toward Jamie with his shotgun still at the ready. Brian stepped out of the shadows at the side of the big equipment shed with a rifle aimed at Jacko. Lochie launched himself toward Jacko in an effort to shield him from the gun aimed at his back.
Another shot rent the air. Brian crumpled to the dirt, howling in pain. Red tried to protect the men on the ground from the continuing shots, but Lochie was too concerned about Jamie. After making sure Jacko was okay, Lochie scooped an unconscious Jamie into his arms. Despite the continued gunfire, he ran to the house, shielding Jamie with his body. When he reached the verandah the post beside the stairs exploded. Lochie ducked before taking the stairs two at a time. Jacko pushed past him to open the door.
Lochie placed Jamie’s limp body onto the bed. So much blood. Bile rose in his throat. How much has Jamie already lost? He left Jacko and ran to the bathroom. He came back with towels and a pair of scissors. Lochie cut Jamie’s T-shirt at the neck and tore it down and off. He covered the hole in Jamie’s shoulder right below the clavicle with a towel.
Lochie felt numb. “Go and call the district hospital. Ask them if they have a helicopter available.” Jacko stared down at Jamie’s pale face and took off.
“Come on, baby. Stay with me. You know we can’t make it without you. Remember? You’re our cream filling, our glue.” Lochie was so engrossed in talking to Jamie and applying pressure to the wound, he didn’t even notice that the gunfire had stopped. It wasn’t until he heard Zeb yelling and running down the hall that he looked up.
Zeb barreled through the door with his canvas bag in hand. “Jacko’s talking to the hospital.” He went around to the other side of the bed and opened his bag. “I need you to trust me, Lochie. I can help him until we can get him to a doctor.” Zeb pulled out a box of first-aid supplies and set it on the bed. “Do you trust me?”
Lochie was so confused he didn’t know what to say. He nodded. “Help him if you can.”
Zeb pulled the blood-soaked towel away from the wound. “I need you to help me turn him. I need to check his back.”
Zeb helped Lochie gently roll Jamie to his side before moving to inspect Jamie’s back. “The bullet’s gone clear through. That’s good. Our main problem is that we need to stop the bleeding. I’m going to pack his wound with gauze and then we’ll apply as much pressure as we can until help arrives.”
Jacko was back and standing over Lochie. “They don’t have anything in the area. We’ll have to drive him. They’ll be ready for him when we get there. I also told them we have two other injuries, but the police will need to transport them. Red’s calling them.” Jacko gripped Lochie’s shoulder.
Lochie turned his head to place a kiss on his partner’s hand. “What happened to the rest of Brian’s men?” he asked.
“Trev and Chooka have two of them tied up and Brian and another one aren’t going to be running any time soon,” Jacko said as Zeb began to pack the hole in Jamie’s shoulder.
“Brian’s not dead?” God forgive me, but I thought I’d seen the last of that bloody bastard.
“No. But thanks to Zeb he’ll have a permanent limp.”
Lochie owed Zeb a debt he’d never be able to repay. “Thank you. That was some bloody good shooting.”
Other than a slight nod of acknowledgement, Zeb didn’t comment on his actions. When he had the wound fully packed he grabbed two more towels off the bed. “Red, I need you to hold this against the wound and I need Jacko”—he handed Jacko the other towel—“to hold this to Jamie’s back. Apply as much pressure as you can while I try to get that sliver of wood out of Lochie’s arm.”
“Huh?” Lochie asked, confused. “What are you talking about?”
Pointing toward Lochie’s arm, Zeb took the scissors and cut away the long-sleeved shirt. Embedded in Lochie’s arm was a piece of wood from the post that had been shot as he’d been getting ready to climb the stairs. The wound appeared painful as hell, but the funny thing was, he hadn’t even known it was there.
Zeb shook his head. “I don’t think I’m going to mess with it. Right now, there isn’t much bleeding, but that’s a pretty big piece of wood. I have no way of knowing how deeply it’s buried, so I think you’d be better off to wait and have a doctor remove it.”
Lochie nodded. “Let’s stop worrying about my splinter and get Jamie to the hospital.”
Jacko waited for Zeb to replace his hold on the towel. Once Zeb had taken over, Jacko picked Jamie up off the bed. Jacko ran through the house with Red and Zeb, still trying to apply pressure to Jamie’s shoulder. Jacko glanced at Lochie, who’d passed them in the hall. “We should take Trev’s pickup. I think we’ll need to ride in back so we can maintain the pressure on the wound. There won’t be room for all of us in the ute.”
Lochie grabbed a blanket off the couch as he rushed out of the house. Trev was in the yard with Chooka watching over their prisoners. Both Brian and Toby were holding their legs. Brian had a belt wrapped around his. “Trev, we need to take your truck,” Lochie called.
“Keys are in it. Call when you find out something,” Trev called.
“Hey, what about us?” Brian yelled. “You can’t just leave us here to bleed to death.”
Watch me. Lochie spat on the ground next to Brian. “The police will be here in a few. Guess you should have thought of it before you came onto my station wielding guns. I’ve no room in the truck for a bloody bastard like you.” Lochie gave Trev and Chooka a nod of thanks.
Jacko climbed into the bed with Jamie still in his arms.
“Here.” Lochie did his best to tuck the blanket around Jamie without dislodging Zeb and Red’s hold on the towels. He kissed Jamie’s forehead before jumping over the side to climb behind the wheel. Sick with worry, Lochie put the truck in gear and took off at lightning speed toward the hospital.
* * * *
“
Jamie? Jamie, it’s time to wake up. Come on, babe, open your eyes for us.” Lochie’s voice wrapped around Jamie, pulling him out of the darkness. He tried to open his eyes but only managed a flutter of his lashes.
“That’s it. Come back to us. Jacko and I need to see those baby blues of yours.”
Jamie tried again and was able to open them a crack. The bright light in the room hurt and he closed them again quickly. “Too bright,” he croaked through a dry and scratchy throat.
“Why don’t you turn off the overhead light,” Lochie asked Jacko. “Okay, Jamie. Try it for us again.”
Jamie slowly opened his eyes a slit and gazed into the handsome faces of the men he loved. He gave them a slow smile. “Water,” he pleaded.
Lochie poured water from the pitcher beside the bed into a small glass already set up for him. He held the glass and placed the straw at Jamie’s lips. “Just a few sips.”
Jamie took several sips and nodded to Lochie. After putting the glass back on the table, Lochie bent and gave Jamie a kiss. “We were so worried.”
Jacko elbowed Lochie out of the way before brushing his lips across Jamie’s. “Don’t ever try and protect us like that again.” He kissed Jamie once more. “Love you,” Jacko whispered.
“Love you, too,” Jamie sighed. His brain was so fuzzy he couldn’t remember what had happened after he’d walked out of the house. “Brian?”
Jacko kissed Jamie’s hand. “He’s down the hall. After he shot you, Zeb shot him in the thigh. Zeb’s still at the police station trying to get everything sorted. The others are in police custody. They’ll probably be charged with possession of unregistered firearms, something the police, and Zeb, oddly enough, seemed very interested in.”
“The main thing you need to know is that Brian will be going away for a very long time,” Lochie said, taking over the conversation. “He’ll go to jail for sure. He not only came after you but was stupid enough to shoot an unregistered rifle without a license. Australian police don’t think too highly of that.” He squeezed Jamie’s hand. “Brian and his mates were there before Chooka and Trev arrived. Seems they were waiting for Jacko and me to get home. Brian wanted the two of us to see you die.” He smiled and winked at Jamie. “One of his mates is singing like a bird to the police. None of them know why Brian hates us all so much. He kept insisting to them that he needed to rid the bush of perverts.”
