Well, that was concerning.
“They told me to go check for myself if I didn’t believe them. Said the ocean’s gone quiet, and it has, Ciaran. I’d had a few drinks, and I kinda spiralled. I’m sorry about that. But I spent days out there, getting home.” His wide eyes were so earnest, so innocent. “And they were right. It is quiet.”
“I know,” Ciaran said. “We’ve noticed it too.”
He paled a little. “Does that mean...?”
“We don’t know, but we’re monitoring it. I’ve spoken to the Maori consortium. They’re our closest allies, and?—”
“And what did they say?” Hendrix asked.
“They were concerned,” Ciaran said, answering as diplomatically as he could. “They’re looking into it as well. I’ve tried to contact the Bass Strait boys, but...” He shrugged. “No answer.”
“They’re gone. Up north. Or so they said,” Dylan offered. “Warmer waters, where she... where she won’t go.”
Ciaran didn’t have to say how ridiculous that was. Because if she was coming back, no ocean was safe. And how the Bass Strait boys thought they’d cope with warmer waters was stupid too.
But that wasn’t for Ciaran to voice out loud, especially not to Dylan.
Ciaran gave him another smile. “Thank you for telling me. I’m glad you’re back and that you’re safe. You feeling okay? Rested enough? You went a fair distance on your own.”
“I’m okay,” he said softly, his smile thankful.
“Well, take it easy,” Ciaran said. “Make Hendrix here get off his arse and look after you.”
“Hey,” Hendrix said, duly offended. “I’m right here.”
Ciaran laughed, and, putting his hands on his knees, he stood up. “Okay, I gotta go. If you need anything, and I mean anything, go see Fray. He’ll come get me. Stay here with the consortium. No one goes near the trench while I’m gone, okay?”
They both nodded.
Then Hendrix’s smile became a grin, and he waggled his eyebrows. “Have fun at the hut.”
Ciaran felt his cheeks heat, and he tried not to smile. His hearts thrummed at the reminder of where he and Sawyer were going. What they were about to do.
“For what it’s worth,” Dylan said. “I like him. He seems like a nice guy.”
“He’s hot,” Hendrix added.
Ciaran snarled at him, kinda playfully, kinda not.
He put up both hands in surrender. “Just stating the obvious, and I am not sorry.” Then he waved his hand in a shooing fashion. “Go, cousin. The longer you stand there, the less time you have with him. And I know what I’d rather be doing.”
Ciaran considered snarling at him again, but the little shit was right. He levelled a glare at him along with a smirk that said as much, and Hendrix opened his mouth to speak, but Ciaran beat him to it. “Don’t even think about saying it.”
He grinned. “Say what? I was just gonna tell you good luck.”
Ciaran narrowed his eyes at him and just made it out the door before Hendrix added, “And maybe swing past Kellan’s and grab some burn cream, because damn. Sawyer’s a braver man than me.”
Ciaran paused mid-step, and for a second, he considered going back in to deliver that smack to the back of Hendrix’shead, but he saw a lone figure walking toward the pier with a duffle bag.
Sawyer.
Hendrix and his smartarse mouth forgotten, Ciaran ran over to meet him. “Hey,” he said, taking Sawyer’s duffle bag for him. “No second thoughts?”
Sawyer’s ice-blue eyes met his, determined and true. “None. You?”
“No.” He shook his head. “None.”
