Page 31 of Hollow Trace

Neve laughed, hooking her arm through Coulter’s. “Coulter’s were all superficial. I checked them, myself.”

Scout eyed Neve. “I’m sure you did.”

“We weren’t the ones caught a breath away from making a poor decision.”

“It wouldn’t have been poor.”

“Awkward, then.” Neve stepped back. “Maybe you two should get some rest. Zadie can catch you both up later. When you don’t look like you had a grudge match with death and lost.”

“No way.” Quinn slipped the hoodie over his head, grunting through the resulting burn through his ribs. “My sister’s still out there. I can heal once I know she’s safe.”

“I don’t know why I had the romantic notion that you’d be the reasonable one. Obviously, you’re equally difficult.” Neve took a step back. “We’ll give you two a couple minutes to change and grab a drink before we expect you in the comms room. If you’re not there in five, I’ll send Kane in to fetch you.”

Scout stuck out her tongue at Neve as the other woman laughed, holding Coulter’s hand as they walked out of the room, their footsteps fading toward the kitchen.

Quinn shucked his wet pants, shaking his head at Scout when she cat-called him. He tugged on the sweats, then helped her off the table.

She held his gaze, smiling as he tugged her pants down her hips, helping her shimmy out of the cold, stiff fabric. Sliding on the yoga pants Neve brought, he paused with his hand on her ass.

He leaned forward. “Are you sure you’re okay because…”

She looked like she should be in the ICU with tubes and monitors, and the constant beeping sound that assured him he hadn’t lost her.

“I’ll live.” She touched his chest. “Though, a bed is definitely in order for any future… Wrestling.”

“Baby, with how bruised you are, you’re gonna need bubble wrap.”

“Pretty sure I won’t feel anything but you.” Kane bellowed her name from down the hall, and she groaned. “That’s our five-minute warning. Any longer, and he’ll come and stare.”

“We’ll put a pin in it.”

She giggled, swatted him even though it likely jostled her ribs, then claimed his hand, glaring at Kane as they passed him. Kane trailed behind them, moving fairly well for a guy Scout had said wouldn’t have walked again without Darwin.

Another reason to cut Darwin some slack. It wasn’t as if Quinn had been a model cop recently, tonight’s adventure topping the list. Hell, he’d broken into a warehouse, fired illegal weapons and possibly injured people, all without a warrant. Without any legal justification.

Except where people’s lives were on the line. Brea’s life. And he’d be damned if he stood by while that giant motherfucker broke her.

Zadie glanced up from her monitor as he and Scout walked in, her gaze dropping to their joined hands then back. She smiled, looking a bit too smug before she motioned to the set of chairs. “You two should sit before Darwin’s wheeling you both out on gurneys.”

Scout scoffed. “I’ve been hurt worse and had to do more, so…”

“Tell Quinn that because he looks as if he wants to put you in some kind of protective bubble. Not that it wouldn’t be warranted.”

Scout all but collapsed onto one of the seats, shifting so her thigh touched his when he claimed the seat beside her. “We’re fine. So, stop stalling.”

“The bruising around your neckline suggests differently but…” Zadie launched a screen, plastering that motherfucker’s photo on the monitor.

Quinn straightened. “You found out who that guy is?”

“You’re new here, so I’ll let that skepticism in your tone slide. Don’t let it happen again, Mountie. As for our friend… Meet Ives Hackett.”

Coulter ambled over, getting up close to the large monitor. “Hackett, huh.” Coulter tapped his chin. “I know he’s not former JTF2, but he’s got military written all over him. Police maybe? Something international like SAS?”

Zadie leaned back in her chair, ignoring the way the hinge squeaked. “Neither. In fact, he’s not in any national database.”

Quinn stood, joining Coulter in front of the screen. “That asshole’s seen battle. No one walks through bullets the way he did unless he’s spent a lot of time getting shot at, enhanced or not.”

“Agreed, which is why I switched to scrubbing the shadow-broker ledgers and Interpol red notices. I mean, if he walks and talks like military, but isn’t, he’s gotta be a close cousin.”