“Don’t move,” Ethan whispered.
“What happened?” Justin asked in a hush voice. It was really hard to catch up his breath. There were under a cascade hiding in a cavern that had form there. The blond was sure they were as good as dead.
Ethan had his gun out trying to listen for any noises. He looked at Justin who was shaking and wished he hadn’t put the blond in so much danger. His brother was probably going to kill him. After he had shot out the first round of bullets it was like a war out there. He wondered what had happened but they didn’t have the luxury of staying to find out.
“Do you hear something?” Justin asked.
Ethan shook his head.
“What are we supposed to do now?” Justin asked terrified. “We don’t even know where Brian is.”
“We keep going,” Ethan said. “We have to find Brian before they do.”
Justin nodded his agreement.
“Let’s move out,” Ethan told him.
Justin wished he could find the rest of the guys and that Brian was with them. They kept walking and Justin wondered where Ethan had learned so much. When they were close to dangerous plants Ethan wouldn’t walk through them and warned Justin about it. Or when there was a terrain that was too soft to walk on without falling through the edge Ethan would go around it. He always knew where they were going and kept him out of harms way.
“Shhh,” Ethan said and stopped. He took his gun out and waited. To his relief it was Michael whistling. He whistled back and Michael and Ryan came in front of him.
“You were so close of me blowing your head off,” Ryan informed him.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Michael asked.
“Thank you for saving our lives would be nice,” Ethan hissed at him.
“Let’s go,” Michael said.
Justin was happy to see them. He looked at Ted and Andrew and wondered where Sam was. He sat next to the one eye man. “Where is Sam?”
Andrew looked at Justin and frowned. He looked back to the gun he was cleaning.
“He’s dead,” Ted informed him. “We got Henry and I think we injured Boris.”
Justin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His eyes watered because he had lost a good friend. A few of the ones he had. He got up and walked over to Ethan that was arguing with Michael. “Have you seen Brian?”
Michael sighed and shook his head.
“We’re moving,” Dante said coming to them with Franck behind. “They are headed this way.”
Justin was tired of everything but he wasn’t leaving. He was going to find Brian one way or another. When they had walked about ten minutes someone opened fire on them. They started running as fast as they could. Andrew was closest to him and it was who pulled him with him.
Justin couldn’t believe people actually lived like that. One moment they were standing and the next they were running for their lives.
“Come here,” Andrew said pulling Justin with him. “Be quiet,” he said while they hid by some undergrowth.
They waited for a long time and when finally Andrew got up and started walking with Justin he was shot. Justin opened his eyes wide and threw himself on the ground. He shook Andrew with force. “Andrew, Andrew,” he called to the man.
“He’s dead,” Kenneth said with a smirk. “And it looks like you’re next.”
“Hold on,” Brendan said. He walked over to Justin and extended his hand.
Justin looked at the hand and up at Brendan. He was so pissed at the man. All he wanted was to choke him. He wanted to kill all of them, but if he had learned something being with a pirate was to survive. His hand grabbed the knife that Andrew kept on his waist. He swallowed not sure if they were watching him; he hid it on his sneakers. Then he grabbed Brendan’s hand and stood up.
Brendan pulled him close and kissed him. Justin felt like he was going to puke but kissed the man back.
“We don’t have time for this,” Kenneth hissed.
Brendan turned to look at Kenneth. “Right,” he said as he grabbed Justin’s wrist and they started walking.
Justin only hoped the guys found Brian before. Then he started planning on how he was going to escape or kill Brendan, whatever came first. One thing he had was a lot of patient and a big imagination.
***
The blond flinched as Brendan ran the alcohol soaked swab over his wounds. He was trying to keep calm. Kenneth and two other guys he didn’t know were there.
“There, all done,” Brendan said.
Justin smiled at him. “Thanks,” he told him. He looked once again at the guys. “Is there any other place that we could go to? A bit more private,” he suggested.
Brendan smiled as he got up. He went and got a bottle of whiskey then he came back. He told Justin to follow him. Justin got up and did. They walked away and then sat down in a clearing by the river.
“Do you want some of this?” Brendan asked opening the bottle and taking a sip.
“It makes me sleepy,” Justin told him. “I want to be awake,” he said trying to sound sexy.
Brendan smiled and took a big gulp before he set it down. Then he moved closer to Justin. He was so happy to be there with the blond.
“So, wow,” Justin said and put a hand on Brendan’s arm. “I can’t believe you guys had the guts to go against Brian. Everyone is always so scared of him.”
Brendan shrugged with a smile. “I’m not.”
“How did you ever do it?” Justin asked. “I mean, it was only a few of you guys. Anything could have happened.”
“I used to work for Zeke,” Brendan said.
“But I thought you didn’t like him,” Justin pointed out. In the many conversations that he had with Brendan the man had told him about his boss and how he was a monster. That scared him even more; he didn’t want anything happening to Brian.
“I don’t,” Brendan said. “But I made him a deal. I would stay with Brian’s boat and he could take the gold Brian was coming to get. All he had to do was take Brian and his crew out of the equation.”
“You were going to kill me,” Justin with a pout.
“No,” Brendan assured him. “You were supposed to stay at the beach. Justin, now we can be together.”
“Are you sure Brian is dead?” Justin asked trying to show a bit of fear as if to Brian.
Brendan frowned. “We’re working on it. Don’t worry. You have me to protect you now.”
Justin wondered if Brendan was that stupid that he thought he would ever want him over Brian. He grabbed the bottle and opened before he gave it to Brendan. “Thank you,” Justin told him.
“Did he do this to you?” Brendan asked touching Justin’s wrists.
Justin looked down and blushed. Brian and him had gotten into really rough sex more than once. It was like their makeup sex opened a few doors in their sex live. He loved to feel Brian taking possession of him like a mad man of course they had found a safe word for it to work.
“It’s nothing,” Justin said and cleared his throat.
“Don’t worry,” Brendan said and drank the amber liquid. “Soon it will be over, Justin. He won’t be able to hurt you anymore. We’ll kill Brian and his stupid brother and it will be fine. You and I can be together. I know you want to be with me. I feel it each time we kiss.”
Justin was shocked out of his mind. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. They were going to hurt his men. He could have laughed at that a year ago. But now it was different, Brian was his lover and Ethan was his friend, like a brother. The Kinney boys held a place in his heart and no one was going to mess with them. He knew really well that Brian and Ethan would do anything for him so he was willing to do the same. “Thank you,” Justin said moving forward and kissing Brendan. “Thank you.”
“I knew you would be happy,” Brendan said.
Justin nodded and then pulled Brendan into a kiss. He gave it all he had; his hand slowly moving to reach the knife. He was going to burry it deep in Brendan’s heart.
“Brendan!” Boris called like a mad man.
Justin looked in the direction of the voice. His hand slowly moved to his lap. He then looked back at Brendan. “Maybe he doesn’t want me here.”
“Stay here,” Brendan told him.
Justin got up as well and pulled Brendan to him. He kissed him hard and then moved back and smiled. “Don’t take too long.”
Brendan nodded and left. Justin quickly grabbed the bottle not sure why would he needed. Then he followed Brendan back to where they had set camp. He hid so they couldn’t see him and pulled out his knife, his other hand gripping the neck of the bottle; he was ready to attack anyone that came too close.
“What is it?” Brendan asked.
Justin watched and wondered what he should do.
“They told me that you brought Justin with you,” Boris hissed. “What the fuck are you thinking?”
“It’s okay,” Brendan said shrugging. “He’s going to be with me now.”
“Where the fuck is he?” Boris asked looking around.
“Waiting for me,” Brendan told him.
“You stupid fuck,” Boris hissed. “Why would he want to be with you?”
“Brian treats him like shit,” Brendan pointed out. “I treat him well.”
“This is fucking bullshit!” Boris hissed. “I can’t fucking believe you! Are you this fucking dumb?!”
“Come on,” Brendan protested. “Justin wants to get away from Brian. He’s told me so.”
“If he wanted that?” Boris asked. “Why did he come back to Brian on his own free will once he had escaped? You fucking moron!”
Brendan frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Justin got up in a flash and started running like his life depended on it, which at the present time, it did. Funny, he thought, that happened more often than not. He could hear them still arguing but he couldn’t worry about that.
He kept running until he was out of breath. He looked around and never felt so scared in his life. He was completely alone. He started crying because desperation was getting the best of him. It wasn’t because he was in the middle of that jungle and had no idea where he was going or that that pirates were after him; not even the fact that there were natives that could skin him alive bothered him as much. It was because he had seen the dead set look in Brendan’s eyes about killing Brian. His lover was in danger and he was lost without being able to help him.
He looked up at the sky and wished for a miracle. He could hear the river but didn’t know how far away he was from it. He knew that if he wanted to go back he had to walk along side it. When he finally found it he heard laughter. He squatted as quickly as he could and tried to see what was going on.
It was a couple of kids playing around. He wondered where they had come from but by their looks they were the children of the natives. He backed away and two pair of strong arms grabbed him. He fought as best as he could but it was pointless. He couldn’t believe he had let his guard down. He couldn’t even reach for the knife he had and the bottle he had fell to the ground while he struggled.
“Let go of me!” Justin hissed when everything else failed.
“Shut up or they are going to hear you,” Luke whispered. “I’m on your side.”
Justin frowned. “You’re with them,” he spat out.
“No,” Luke answered then he let go of the blond. “Here,” he said giving Justin a gun.
“But,” Justin whispered as he took the gun. He wasn’t sure what was happening, apparently, it was everyone on their own. “You’re Brendan’s friend,” he said and pointed at Luke.
“So?” Luke asked. “This is fucked up. I’m going to betray anyone. The captain’s been good to me.”
Justin arched a brow and still pointed at Luke.
“Nothing happened,” Luke amended. “He refused me.”
“But you still want him,” Justin pointed out. He wondered if they should be fighting over Brian at that moment.
“Yes,” Luke answered sincerely.
“Shit,” Justin said lowering the gun. “Are you always this truthful?”
Luke nodded and shrugged. “He was babbling how much he loved you. He pushed me away,” he informed the blond.
Justin lowered his gun.
“No matter how many times I tried,” Luke added.
Justin pointed at him again. “Asshole.”
Justin smirked a bit. “Sorry.”
“What happened?” Justin asked and slowly lowered the gun again.
“When we were ambushed everyone started running to different places. Then everyone started shooting, it was a war out there. I was running as fast as I could and Brian was behind me,” Luke said. “But then when I looked back he wasn’t there. I went back and they had shot him.”
It seemed like Justin could turn whiter than he was. He held his breath not wanting to believe what Luke was telling him.
“He’s still alive,” Luke quickly added when he saw that Justin was about to pass out. “I’ve been taking care of him. I was down here because we needed water. He told me that we were supposed to move to high ground but he can’t be moved any longer. He’s lost a lot of blood.”
Justin started crying again. He couldn’t lose Brian. “Please, take me to him.”
Luke nodded. “Follow me,” he told him.
When Justin thought everything was right again someone started shooting at them.
***
“What the fuck happened this time?” Brian asked with his eyes closed. He had heard the shooting and for a moment he was afraid that Luke had been killed. He would be stuck there forever and he would never again see his blond boy.
Justin kneeled in front of the man. He couldn’t believe that he was really in front of Brian.
“We thought Luke was going to kill Justin,” Michael said.
Brian’s eyes snapped open. He was currently staring at Justin, Michael and Luke.
“We have to move,” Ethan said coming inside.
“What is he doing here?” Brian asked angry as he looked at Justin. “And who the fuck gave him a gun?”
Justin smiled and put the gun on the ground. Then he moved closer to the brunet and put his head on Brian’s shoulder. He threw his arm over the man’s chest.
“Where is he shot?” Ryan asked coming inside. He opened a bag and started pulling things out.
“It’s pretty bad,” Luke said. “I did what I could.”
Ryan nodded as he checked Brian. He cringed at the damage. “The bullet is still inside.”
“Yes,” Luke said. “I didn’t have the tools to pull it out.”
“Is he going to be okay?” Justin asked.
Ryan looked at the blond and then at Brian.
“Of course I am,” Brian told the blond. “Luke.”
“Yes,” Luke said taking a step closer.
“Can I ask you for a favor?” Brian asked.
Luke nodded.
“Do you think you can go back to the yacht without getting caught?” Brian asked.
“Of course,” Luke told him. He knew how to become invisible.
“I want you to call my father and tell him to come. We need all the help we can get,” Brian said.
“Okay,” Luke said.
“Brian,” Michael said moving to the man’s left side with Ryan.
“Okay,” Ryan said pulling out a needle and filling it with morphine.
Brian grabbed Justin’s hand. Justin knew that the brunet was squeezing his hand but he could barely feel it. The man had lost so much strength that it worried him. The blond didn’t cry this time; he had to be strong for Brian.
Ethan frowned and went outside with Andrew, Ted and Franck. He couldn’t stand to see his brother like that.
“Is going to be okay,” Justin said to Brian.
Brian closed his eyes. Ryan started to do the best he could with Michael’s help. He was no doctor but when James wasn’t around to tend to the men’s injuries he was the one that did it. Then after Brendan came he didn’t have to, except Brendan had turned on them.
“Mmm,” Brian groaned feeling the pressure but not the pain. The morphine was already working on him.
“Is infected,” Ryan informed them. “I can stop the bleeding thought.”
Michael looked at his friend and then at Justin. There was a high probability that Brian wasn’t going to make it. It had been so long and Brian needed blood fast. There was no way that they would reach the boat in time.
“We have to carry him out of here,” Ryan said. “He needs water and food.”
“How are we going to do that?” Justin asked.
Michael stood up and went outside.
“Is he going to be okay?” Justin asked Ryan. “Please don’t lie to me.”
Ryan was dressing the wound. He didn’t dare look at the blond. He didn’t know what to say.
“Ryan!” Justin shouted.
“I don’t know, okay,” Ryan answered. “He might not make it. Is that what you want to hear?”
Justin felt crushed. He looked at Brian and a tear ran down. He knew that Brian should have stayed with him. All of them should have stayed away from the goddamn island they were at now.
“Okay,” Michael said coming inside. “We’re going to get Brian out of here. Look Justin,” the man said kneeling next to Justin. “I need you to do everything Dante tells you.”
Justin nodded. “What about Brian?”
“Brian is going to be taken care of. We’ll make a cradle as best as we can to carry him on,” Michael said. “We’re not leaving together. We have to divide and try to be as quiet as possible. We’re going back.”
Justin looked at Brian and frowned. He’d just found the man he didn’t want to let go of him.
“Ryan and me can carry Brian out of here,” Michael said. “You can run fast as well as Dante,” the man kept saying. “Ted, Franck and Ethan will create a distraction.”
“Michael,” Justin said.
“What?” Michael asked as he looked outside where Ted was signaling that they were ready.
“Please bring him to me no matter what happens,” Justin said, his voice breaking. “I love him so much.”
Michael nodded understanding what Justin meant. Even if Brian died on the way Justin wanted Brian to reach them. And he would do so; he wasn’t about to leave his best friend in some goddamn island no matter what.
***
Justin fell down his hand hit something hard and then he felt the pain. When he looked his blood was covering his hand. He blinked a few times before he got up. No matter how much it had hurt he didn’t scream. He knew he had to keep as quiet as possible.
“What is it?” Dante asked as he reached the blond.
“I’m okay,” Justin assured him. “I am.”
Dante got on his knees and pulled out a silver can. He twisted the top and then threw the white liquid over the blond’s arm and hand.
“Fuck,” Justin hissed.
“Alcohol,” Dante told him. He took a sip and got up. “Move.”
Justin nodded and kept on running. He kept turning each time Dante told him. He was so tired but they couldn’t stop now. It had taken them about a day and a half already to get back and Dante had promised they were only about half a day away from the beach. When they had stopped for the night he found out how exhausted he was. This time he didn’t sleep because he was too worried about Brian.
“Hold on,” Dante said.
Justin stopped and they lowered themselves into the ground. Dante pulled out a canister, a brown leather one.
“Have some water,” Dante told him.
Justin grabbed it and drank from it greedily. When he was done he gave it to Dante who only took a few sips.
“How long?” Justin asked.
“About an hour,” Dante informed him.
Justin looked behind them. It was already getting dark. “Do you think they are right after us?”
“With a few hours of difference,” Dante said getting up. “Come on.”
Justin kept running with Dante. They kept stopping and hiding, listening around them in case anyone was close. They had to keep an eye out for Zeke’s people and the natives as well. When Justin reached the beach once again he wanted to cry. He was back where he started and once again Brian was not there with him. He felt impotent. Both of them jumped when they heard someone behind them. Luke was there pointing an automatic rifle at them.
“I thought you were someone else,” Luke said as he lowered it. He had gotten to the yacht and come back to land fully armed. “Where is everyone else?”
“On their way,” Dante said. “We’re going to the yacht now. We have to be ready to sail away.”
“Let him stay,” Justin said. “In case the guys need him.”
Dante looked at Luke and nodded. He and Justin took the motor boat back to the yacht. Justin went to the room where they kept all the medical equipment. He wasn’t sure what they needed from there, but he started taking a couple of things from everything he could carry. He took it to the deck and hoped they got there soon.
“Jack is on his way,” Dante said coming out of the cabin.
“It’s getting so dark,” Justin said. “I want to go back to the beach. Please, we have to go back anyway to get them.”
“There is another motor boat there, Justin,” Dante pointed out.
Justin was about to shout at him that they needed to go back when he heard the motor. He turned around and looked over the rail. He couldn’t see a thing. He ran inside and went to get a flashlight. He ran back and pointed the light at whoever was coming their way.
“Is us,” Ethan shouted.
Justin frowned thinking the worst. Ethan, Ted and Franck were the last to head in their direction. His eyes watered thinking the worst. He ran to the back of the yacht waiting for them. He had never been so happy to see Brian before. The only ones missing at that moment were Luke and Franck.
“I have to go back for Luke and Franck. They stay in case they needed to slow Zeke’s guy down,” Michael said when everyone was inside the yacht; he was still on the motor boat. “Be ready to leave when we get back,” then he left.
“Come on,” Ryan said. “We need to…”
“What’s going on?” Ethan started shouting.
“He’s going into shock,” Ryan yelled.
“Do something,” Justin hissed as he tried to hold Brian’s body down.
Brian’s body convulsed a few more seconds before it stopped.
“Brian!” Justin yelled as he looked at the brunet. “Oh my god!”
“Jesus fuck,” Ted said kneeling next to the brunet and Justin.
Ryan checked for a pulse but there wasn’t one. He was certain that Brian was gone for good.
“No!” Justin shouted. “Brian!”
Ethan put his hands on his hair and pulled it back. He stared at his brother knowing there was nothing he could do.
“No, no, no!” Justin shouted with all his might.
“Come on,” Ted said pulling Justin away from the captain.
“No!” Justin yelled trying to reach for the brunet.
“Justin,” Ethan said grabbing the blond as well. He had tears in his eyes.
“God,” Ryan muttered.
“Do something Ryan!” Justin yelled. “Ryan, please do something!”
***
“I like this part,” Daphne said as she grabbed some of the popcorn from the bowl that Emmett was holding.
“I know honey,” Emmett told her rolling her eyes. He knew his best friends pretty well, so he didn’t have to be reminded of each thing every single time.
“No!” Justin said shaking a bit.
Emmett looked at the blond and shook his head. “That’s what happens to him for eating so much candy so late and falling asleep right away.”
“Is he at it again?” Daphne asked. “Jeez, that’s some kind of nightmare.”
“He was laughing moments ago,” Emmett pointed out. “Who knows what he’s dreaming about.”
“No, no, no, no!” Justin yelled but still slept on. “Ryan, please do something!”
Daphne and Emmett looked at each other.
“He’s scaring me, Emmett,” Daphne told him.
“Okay that’s it,” Emmett said getting up. He put the bowl on the sofa and moved towards Justin. He shook the blond but Justin wasn’t waking up.
“Justin,” Daphne called out to him. She got up as well and instead of shaking him she pushed him to the floor.
“What?!” Justin asked looking around. He cleaned his mouth with the back of his hand and looked up at his friends.
“You were screaming,” Daphne told him. “Ryan, please do something. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Who the hell is Ryan?” Justin asked as he stood up. “God, did I fell asleep?”
“That you did,” Emmett told him. “Ten minutes into the movie.”
Justin looked at the TV and back at them. “Sorry,” he told them. “God I’m so sore. I feel like I’ve been running a marathon.”
“Excuse me,” Gavin said coming into the chambers. “We were setting the course like you asked but we might have to go back.”
“What?” Justin asked. “Why?”
“We found a man floating in the waters. He looks pretty dehydrated,” Gavin informed them.
Justin, Emmett and Daphne went with Gavin to the deck. In there the medic was taking care of the man. When the tall brunet opened his eyes he tried to pull away.
“You’re okay,” Gavin said to the guy. “What’s your name?”
He looked at them not sure where he was and worst of all, who he was. “I’m...I’m...”
“Relax,” Gavin said. “You’re in good hands.”
“I guess we have to go back,” Justin said frowning a bit. He hated that his plans had to be cut short. “Do you know your name or not?”
The brunet turned to look at him and glared. He put a hand over his forehead trying to remember what had happened to him. “Fuck.”
“He’s hot,” Daphne whispered to Emmett.
The taller teen smiled from ear to ear and nodded. “Where did you fount him?”
“He had that lifesaver,” Jonathan another man from the crew said. “He was lucky that we were passing by.”
Justin looked at the man and wondered if he had seen him before. There was something familiar about the man lying at his feet. “Do you know anything at all?” Justin asked him.
“Fuck off,” the guy said.
“This is my boat,” Justin informed him.
“Your point being?” the man asked.
Justin grunted his dislike for the brunet. “Take him out of my sight.”
“Justin relax,” Emmett said.
“We’ll set him on in one of the chambers,” Gavin said. “Let’s get him up.”
Justin walked over to the seats at the front of the yacht. He sat down and sighed. “Great,” he muttered.
“Oh come on,” Emmett said. “We’re saving someone. Isn’t that great?”
“Don’t worry, Justin,” Daphne said. “We only had a month left anyway. We have enjoyed this trip a lot.”
Justin shrugged. “Fine,” he said. “But he’s such an asshole.”
Emmett sat down next to him and threw his arm around the blond. Daphne sat on Justin’s lap and kissed him on the cheek.
“Forget him. Think of your fabulous guy at home. Chance is waiting for you,” Emmett said.
“Yeah,” Justin said smiling widely. “He is.”
“We’ll have fun at home as well,” Daphne told him. “You’ll see.”
“Yeah,” Justin relented. He had been a little mad that he had to cut his trip short because of the stranger. He thought about the tall brunet and thought he was so rude. He decided not to think about that and thought of Chance and when he was home again. He was going to celebrate his birthday and Chance had said he had a big surprised for him. He couldn’t wait, after all in the island they had been a lady had read his fortune and told him he would soon be reunited with his soul mate, after all it looked like she had been right.
This is the end of this story but of course there would be a sequel. There wasn’t going to be one so you all should thank my lovely beta, Helen. She made me do all this and now there will be more soon. Hope you guys enjoyed this and are ready for more. Hugs, Tay