Rise & Fall (THIRDS 4)

Cael reached the end and climbed onto the narrow steel ledge as the beam dropped. With a cry Dex threw his arm out. Cael snatched his wrist, the other hand holding on to a piece of metal piping. He held on tight to Dex as he dangled in midair, the whole fucking place falling apart around them. The girder dropped with Hogan and the tiger Therian to the floor, the combined weight tearing through the wooden boards. Hogan’s screams mingled with the tiger Therian’s roar as they fell, until the beam hit the girders and steel shafts below, along with Hogan and his friend. The screams stopped when the two fell through the collapsed set of stairs at the canal’s basin, impaled on rusted reinforcement bars.

Cael pulled Dex up, and they hugged, relief causing the both of them to shake in each other’s arms for a slip of a moment. Dex closed his eyes and held Cael close before he pulled away and looked him over.

“Are you okay?”

Cael nodded. “I think he fractured something in my leg, but I’m okay.”

“Let’s get the hell out of here before the whole place collapses on us.” They edged along the wall to a thick pipe near the stairs which ran down and through the floor. Dex slid down first, then Cael with Dex’s help. There was enough floor left for them to make it to the stairs, though they were as quick as they could be going down. Thankfully the stairs from the roof hadn’t been destroyed with everything else. Dex helped his brother down to the first floor.

“Cael? Dex?” Ash came running with Seb on his heels. They both looked like hell. Ash was out of breath, his face smudged with dirt and blood. When he saw Cael, he stopped in his tracks, his expression conveying what Dex could only assume was heartache. It had been rough on Dex seeing Cael smacked around. He had no doubt Ash was feeling something similar.

Ash rushed toward Cael, and Dex stood by as his little brother gently pushed away from him to limp in Ash’s direction. Cael threw himself into Ash’s open arms where he was lifted off his feet and held tight against Ash, his large hand to the back of Cael’s head.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt? I—”

Ash’s words were cut off by Cael’s mouth on his. It took Ash a moment to react, and it wasn’t how Dex had expected. Closing his eyes, Ash returned Cael’s kiss. At Ash’s response, Cael threw his arms around Ash’s neck, and the two kissed like nothing else in the world existed.

Out of breath, Ash pulled back. He smiled at Cael before carefully placing him on his feet. He ran a hand over Cael’s head. “Are you okay?”

Cael nodded, a big, wide smile on his face, cheeks flushed. “I’m great. Leg hurts like a bitch, but other than that, I’m good.”

Seb walked over to Ash and Cael, his hands held up in front of him when Ash moved in front of Cael, shielding him with a low growl.

“It’s okay, Ash.” Cael came out from behind him, a hand going to Ash’s bicep. He gave it a pat and faced Seb. “I’m sorry, Seb. I wasn’t playing you. Like I told you, I really like you, I’m just….”

“In love with someone else,” Seb said, smiling softly. “I remember.”

“Don’t give up, Seb. Find out how he feels. If there’s the tiniest bit of hope, try.”

“Thanks.” Seb turned his hardened gaze to Ash. “Take good care of him, Ash. He deserves it.”

Ash nodded when they heard the blare of sirens in the distance.

“Sounds like backup is arriving. You guys better get the hell out of here.”

Dex watched stunned as Ash swept Cael off his feet. His brother arched an eyebrow at Ash. “I can walk. Sort of.”

Ash gave him a wink. “I know. But this way is quicker.”

With a playful smile, Cael wrapped his arms around Ash’s neck. “All right, then. What are you waiting for?”

Dex and Ash hurried down to the ground floor and out toward the van, and Dex was relieved to see the rest of their team doing the same. Sloane opened the back door, and everyone climbed in before he slammed the door shut and told Calvin to get them the hell out of there.

Looking around, everyone looked worse for wear, scratched, bloodied, covered in dirt or dust, but in one piece. Ash put Cael down on the bench and took a seat beside him, his arm coming to wrap protectively around Cael.

Dex had no idea what would come next for his brother and Ash, but he hoped whatever it was, they’d work it out. As much as the thought of his little brother being loved up by Ash horrified Dex, he’d deal with it if it meant Cael was happy. Speaking of happy, he smiled when his partner wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

“Are you okay? What happened?” Sloane’s amber eyes watched him worriedly. He saw the marks on Dex’s neck and cursed under his breath before he reached out and tenderly ran a thumb over his bruised skin. “Jesus, Dex.”

“Cael and I handled it. You know what they say. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”

Sloane chuckled and bumped his head against Dex’s. His smile reached his eyes, the affection and love shining through.

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Chapter 12

“KARAOKE?”