A Whole New Crowd(109)

We were led to a black SUV and I sat next to Tray, scooting so close that my leg was pressed right next to his. Comforting someone wasn’t my thing. I didn’t like to be comforted and I felt awkward when I tried to comfort others. It was hard to search for words that would ease someone else’s pain and in this case, there were none. I only hoped my presence would help. When Tray rested his hand on my leg, rubbing it back and forth in an absent-minded motion, I knew he wasn’t going to push me away. I stuck to him like glue until the SUV came to a stop. As we got out, I paused.
Tray got out behind me, his hand came to rest on my hip again, and he turned to the side. “Your headquarters is my house?”
Chance flashed him a grin. His hand raised to the radio attached to his shoulder, and he pressed the side of it, saying, “We’ve arrived at home base.” He released the button and said to Tray, “Literally.”
Tray shook his head. “You’re still annoying.”
It was meant as a tease, but the hollow sound from him caught his brother’s attention. Chance frowned, studying his brother for a moment. Tray acted like he didn’t notice. A glazed look was in his eyes, and I knew he was remembering Galverson’s words from the tunnel. Then Chance caught my eye and raised an eyebrow in question. I looked away. It wasn’t my place to say anything.
“Well, okay then,” Chance mused. He pointed inside. “I had the guys stay out of Mom and Dad’s old room. I saw you two have been using it. Go ahead, shower, sleep, and eat. Do whatever you need to rest up.”
Tray nodded and started forward.
“Taryn,” Chance called me back.
Tray stopped and waited. I knew what his brother was going to ask so I waved him forward. “Go ahead. I’ll be right in.”
He nodded, but it was a half nod. As he left, his shoulders were still strong and straight, but there was a slight droop to them. No one noticed. His brother only caught it just now, but Tray was in pain, like the deep aching pain that buried deep inside a person and took root, never to leave. I understood because I felt it too. Mine was named Brian.
“What gives?” Chance interrupted my thoughts. He was frowning in the direction Tray had gone. “We have a lot of stuff to go over, but what happened up there?”
“The guy on the boat said you found Gray. He’s okay?” I was stalling. I wasn’t ashamed of that.
His frown deepened and he scratched his head. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
I hesitated and then said, “I would like an update on Gray.”
“Okay. Fine. Your friend was taken to a government medical facility. He was mainly dehydrated. He’ll stay there to recuperate. When he’s cleared by the doctors, he’s free to go.”
As those words left him, a sense of finality filled me. It really was over now. “Thank you.” I started to go again.
“Taryn.”
I didn’t look at him, but I paused.
“You two will have to undergo an intense debriefing with myself and other officers. You will tell me what happened up there.”
I half-turned to him. My heart was upstairs, wherever Tray was. “You will get all the information, but what you’re asking about is personal, and it isn’t for me to tell you.” With that said, I left.
Different members of the DEA were in every room. Laptops, printers, fax machines, and other machines were placed on the kitchen table. I knew people were sitting there and working. Others were in the living room. A few were coming down the hallway. All of them paused as they saw me, but I ignored every single one of them. I only had one place and one person I needed to be with. When I got to the master bedroom, the shower was on. I didn’t pause. After locking the door, I went to the bathroom. Tray was inside, a hand braced against the wall, and his head was bent forward. The water was streaming down on him.
He turned, saw me there, and leaned against the far wall of the shower. He was still in his pants and shirt. The water pelted down on him, making his clothes cling to him.
He was beautiful. And I couldn’t move for a moment. God, I loved him.
“What?”
I was damned lucky. Stepping inside, I barely felt the water. He was in my life. Reaching out, I took hold of his shirt and moved closer. Glancing down, my forehead rested against his chest. His hands went to my hips and he pulled me against him. I felt him drop a tender kiss to my neck. My hands fisted around his shirt and I struggled to choke out, “Thank you.”
He swept my hair to the side, cupped the back of my neck, and tilted my chin so I looked up. Our gazes met. He asked, “For what?”
“You never left.”
A corner of his lip lifted in a slight smile. A fierce expression was in his eyes. I couldn’t look away. As his thumb rubbed over my cheek, he said, “I never will.”