Catch and Release

by BA Tortuga

  “Give me the dark ones. I’ll stain the white.”

  “Sure.” He wanted to shout. Still. Instead, he stripped out of his jeans and wrapped a towel around his waist before starting to dry off Dakota.

  “You have the best belly.” The soft words surprised Jayden, and he blinked up, just stunned. Dakota’s lips quirked. “What? I’m not dead, Jayden. Not even close.”

  “I’ve been working on it. Crunches and shit.” His cheeks heated. “You inspire me.”

  “It shows.”

  He didn’t know what to say—all the come-ons, all the pickup lines that he’d heard, and nothing had ever been so right as those two words in Dakota’s husky voice.

  Not that they could do a damned thing right now. He swaddled Dakota in a towel and led him to the bedroom, wanting to get him stretched out, as comfortable as possible.

  Sage had pulled the comforter down and turned the ceiling fan on.

  “You sure this is okay?” Dakota asked, and Jayden just nodded.

  He was sure. He got Dakota settled before bending to kiss Dakota’s forehead. “I’m gonna make you some tea, okay? It will make everything feel better. You doze.”

  “Okay. Okay, tomorrow we’ll be at the lake. Tomorrow.”

  “Yep. Even if you spend all weekend ordering me around from a hammock.”

  Dakota chuckled, but the sound turned into a moan.

  Okay, he needed to get help. This wasn’t working for him. “Be right back, honey.”

  “’Kay.”

  He headed to the kitchen, relieved as hell that Adam Winchester stood there, drinking a bottle of water. “I need some help, man.”

  “What can I do?”

  Jayden closed his eyes, just for a second. When had he found this—a tribe of men who had his back without any good reason? He wasn’t sure he deserved it, but damn, he was happy to have them.

  “Someone has to look at Dakota’s ribs.”

  “Let me grab my medic kit.”

  “You have a kit?”

  “When you live with a cowboy, you have a kit, Jayden.”

  “Oh. Good to know.”

  Sage rolled his eyes. “He also runs a security detail. People get hurt.”

  “Mostly you,” Win shot back, chuckling as he rummaged in the mudroom.

  “Never.”

  “Six stitches in your hand. More broken fingers than I can count. There was the time Fred kicked you in the chest.”

  “Shut up.”

  “Or the smashed toes. What about when you fell off the barn roof? Or stepped on the nail in your house shoes.”

  “I will make it so they don’t find the body, Adam Winchester.” Sage was almost grinning. Almost.

  “I’d love to see you try, babe.”

  “Oh, man. I have no idea who to put my money on.” Jayden was torn. Win was ex-military, ex-cop, and in tough shape. Sage was ex-con and current cowboy. Both were Texans. That would be a death match if they didn’t purely love each other.

  Hot but brutal.

  “Me, of course. I play dirty.” Sage winked at Jayden. “What can I do, Adam? How can I help?”

  “Go ahead and cut tape strips.” Win grabbed a roll of med tape out of the bag. “I’d like him to have an X-ray, but since we all know that won’t happen, I’ll do basic triage and treatment unless he has complications. Jayden, I want you in there with me, since I scare him. After the tape, tea. It will soothe his throat and help with the blood he’s swallowed.” Adam reeled Sage in for a kiss. “You make something easy, huh? Grits and eggs?”

  “I can do that.”

  God, Win was good at what he did. Jayden followed him, but Win passed the guest room and went to the master, then returned with a pair of sweats. “You’re losing your towel.”

  “Oh, sorry.”

  “Yeah, no one should get to admire your ass before Dakota gets his piece of it.”

  He barked out a surprised laugh. “Freak.”

  “Asshole.” Win winked, then knocked gently on the guest room door.

  “Coming.”

  “No. No, honey. I’m coming in. I have Win to help tape you up.”

  Dakota sat up as he came in, the act making Dakota gray as ash. “I didn’t start it.”

  “I know that, man.” Win gave Dakota a measured look. “You’re a decent guy, okay? Peace. I’m just gonna fix you up.”

  “Okay. Steel-toed boots suck.”

  “No shit on that, man.”

  Jayden thought he might pass out, and if he did, Win would never let him live it down. So he swallowed down the bile and moved to do whatever Win needed him to do.

  Which turned out to be holding Dakota down in some seriously awkward positions while Win checked for ribs that had sharp edges.

  Dakota was drenched with sweat by the end, but he never made a single fucking sound. Not one.

  “Jesus, you’re tough, man,” Win muttered, and Dakota looked at him, teeth gritted together.

  “Like whip leather.”

  “Yep. Well, the good news is there’s nothing that I can tell is snapped. I bet some are cracked, but nothing seems displaced. If I wasn’t gonna be with you all weekend, I would send you to the ER now, but I can keep an eye on you. Now.” Win gave Dakota the fish eye. “If you feel nauseated, dizzy, or feverish beyond the normal healing process, which I know you’re aware of, you tell me right away.”

  “Yes, boss.” Was that a smile?

  Win snorted. “Yeah, yeah. Okay, I’ll tape you up. That will help you breathe.”

  “I’m all over breathing.”

  “Yes. I prefer my lovers breathing.”

  Dakota’s eyes went as wide as they could, and his lips parted.

  “I get you.” Win began this complex taping process, and everyone was sweating again by the time he finished. “Okay, buddy. Rest a minute. I’ll send Jayden back with tea.”

  “Rest. Rest is good.” Dakota leaned back, closing his eyes.

  Jayden covered him with a light blanket before slipping out with Win. “So?”

  Win shrugged. “So what? I told him the truth. If he starts to have extreme pain, swelling in his belly or chest, or fever beyond ninety-nine or one hundred, we need to look again.”

  “Okay. Okay, that’s fair. I want to stay with him tonight.”

  “I think Sage would insist.” Sage’s dry-as-dust voice slipped into the conversation.

  “Insist on what?” Win rolled his eyes.

  “Staying.” Jayden grinned. “I want to make sure he’s okay.”

  “Oh. Totally. You can, and then we’ll head to the lake tomorrow.”

  Jayden noticed that no one seemed to think he was going to cancel their weekend because of severe beatings and violence.

  “We’ll have to run by his place and mine to provision, but sure.”

  Sage handed him a mug of tea.

  “Oh, smells good.”

  “Yep. I’ll make you your own cup. That one has half an oxy in it.”

  His eyes went wide. “You’re drugging your best friend?”

  “He sees his parole officer on Wednesdays. This will be out of his system in twelve hours.” Sage fastened him with a look. “I’m totally drugging him.”

  Win nodded. “Sleep is the best thing for his body to get through the inflammation and pain to begin with.”

  “Okay.” Jayden wasn’t sure about the whole business, but he did know oxy would ease all the pain. It was good shit. Made a man float.

  And he was there, right there in case something happened.

  “Just give him his tea, Jayden. I’m not going to hurt him.” Sage looked fierce for a second, and Jayden thought that, maybe, the guys who’d beat Dakota up had more than him and Dakota to worry about.

  “I know that.” He pressed the hand not holding the mug to Sage’s shoulder. “Thanks for everything. I mean it.”

  “He’s my friend.”

  “He is, and he’d do the same for you.” Okay, Sage and Win probably needed to vent to each other or whateve
r, and he wanted to get back to Dakota. The urge was irresistible.

  Dakota’s eyes opened when he walked in, the dark irises just visible in the bruises.

  “Smells good.”

  “Lots of honey and lemon, I think.” And better living through chemistry! Jayden knew hysteria was close, and he tamped it right back down. Bang.

  Dakota took the cup and drank it. No sipping, no bullshit, just sucked it down like he knew there was something to help. Then he handed the cup back. “You called me your lover.”

  “I did. You are.” They might not have made it physical reality, but he loved Dakota, so why lie?

  “I am.” Dakota’s lips tightened for a second, then relaxed. “They’re going to kill me. You know that, right? Eventually they’ll do it.”

  “No way.” No. Jayden would do whatever he had to in order to keep that from happening. No one was getting his Dakota. “I don’t want to have to bring charges against McCarthy, but if I have to, I will.”

  “I love that about you, that you believe that would make a difference.”

  “Oh, honey, to a guy like McCarthy, it can. He may have one foot in the old boy network, but he also has to maintain a reputation.” Jayden shook his head. “It won’t go that far. Your rape kit test will prove it.”

  “Do you think they’ll believe it? That they won’t accuse me of cheating it or faking it? They need someone to blame.”

  “They do. I looked into the collection and chain of custody on your case. It looks good. Really good. Not much for them to argue with. If we’re the luckiest bastards on earth, a new perp will match in CODIS.”

  “And if we’re not? I mean, what do we do if there’s nothing? If there’s no semen in there or something? Are you still going to want me?”

  What the hell kind of question was that? Jayden scowled. “Of course I am. I mean, I know you didn’t do it, Dakota. I just know how much easier life will be when we prove it.”

  “How? I mean, it’s not like the last twelve years come back. It’s not like I’ll call my parents and suddenly they’ll love me, or that I’ll suddenly be someone anyone wants to hire. I’ll still be an ex-con that’s never had a beer.”

  Jayden blinked at Dakota’s vehemence. Shit, what did he know? It might not change anything, but Jayden had to believe in the justice system or he’d lose the platform his whole life was based on.

  “I just figured, with your record clean, it would be better for you, honey.” Jayden spread his hands. “I’m sorry if I overstepped.”

  Dakota opened his mouth, then closed it, pursing his lips before he sighed and relaxed. “Ignore me, man. I’m just tired and down. Been a long day.”

  “I can tell.” He reached out and covered Dakota’s hand with his. “You don’t have to clam up, you know. I may not get it, but I can listen.”

  Dakota squeezed his fingers, but that was it for a long time. Jayden thought Dakota had fallen asleep, but when he looked, Dakota was staring at their fingers, tangled there on the sheet. Dakota’s hand was covered in cuts and nicks, in a dozen little pink scars from his job. The skin was the color of really rich sun tea in a glass pitcher, the nails ragged and torn to the nub. Jayden wore his college ring, and he’d had a quick manicure before he went before a judge last week. He wasn’t pale, but his skin was lighter, barely tanned, his watch a heavy, solid thing of gold with silver arrows worked into it. He’d bought it in Santa Fe.

  Yeah. The contrast was stunning.

  Jayden smiled, leaning down to press a kiss to Dakota’s cheek where he saw no hard bruises. “Can I stay tonight?”

  “I’d like that. Please.” Dakota’s nod was sure. “Have you ever thought that everything’s happening backward?”

  Jayden tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

  “This isn’t how you’re supposed to do it. I’m totally off with everyone else.” Dakota blinked at him, like a big bruised owl. “Did I knock you into weirdness with me?”

  “I have no idea.” Jayden laughed, which loosened something in his chest. “I mean, I was out of step with the world not too long ago. I feel like it’s all new.”

  “Yeah? You’re not… sorry? I feel like I’ve sort of smudged you with all my shit.”

  Smudged him? Hell, he’d never felt so sure, so alive. He stroked the back of Dakota’s hand with his thumb.

  “You have to start realizing you’re totally worth it, honey. I’m in, all the way.” He just needed Dakota to believe this wasn’t all his own fault, that he didn’t deserve beatings and bad jobs and all the crap that came his way.

  “Cool. Me too, for whatever it’s worth.” Dakota leaned back, closed his eyes. “It’s almost your birthday.”

  “It is. Cupcakes.” Jayden smacked his lips, an exaggerated sound that made Dakota grin a tiny bit.

  “We can go swimming.”

  “We can.” Somehow he doubted Dakota would feel like it, but he wasn’t going to argue. Right now he would agree to just about anything to hear Dakota be excited, to know he was looking forward to them spending time together. “I expect a lot of napping.”

  “Yeah? You needing a break from everything?” Dakota held on to his fingers, stroking them like he was precious, fragile.

  “Nah. I mean, I love taking time off, but I’m just basically a napper. Stretch out in the sun like a lizard and work on my tan.”

  “That sounds like heaven.”

  “Yeah. Yeah, it does. It’s nowhere near suppertime, honey. We could practice for tomorrow right now, you and me.”

  Dakota seemed to think that over for a second, and then he nodded once. “I think that’s a great fucking idea.”

  “Okay. You tell me if I hurt you.” Jayden just climbed right into bed with Dakota, hoping his body heat would help ease all that soreness. Like a giant heating pad.

  “I’m tired of so many people hating me. I’ve never done anything to earn it.” The words floated on the air, low and sad and soft.

  “I’m sorry, honey. I wish I could take on the whole world for you. You deserve so much more.” Jayden stroked Dakota’s hair, pushing him toward sleep.

  “I just hope you never figure out why.”

  “Why what?” Dakota was a good man, and Jayden knew it. There was nothing to figure out.

  “Why everyone believes I’m bad.” The last words slurred so badly he barely understood them.

  “People suck,” Jayden said bluntly. “Sleep, honey.” The pill was kicking in, Dakota going lax against him.

  People sucked. Dakota’s people sucked. The fact that Dakota got railroaded sucked. This whole thing sucked.

  Except for the simple, easy fact that Dakota existed. That solid, amazing, smart, strong little bastard was right here and loved him. That made a lot of shit better, if not okay.

  Jayden smiled, then closed his eyes, listening to Dakota breathe.

  This was… yeah. Jayden let his cheek rest on Dakota’s soft hair. It totally was.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “YOU DID it.” Jayden stared at him, blue eyes like chips of ice. “You lying bastard.”

  “I didn’t. I didn’t do anything.”

  “Liar. It says right here. You did it. You raped her. You cut her up, and you liked it. You sick little motherfucker!”

  “No.” No. No, it wasn’t true. He’d gotten his ass handed to him, and he’d run away like the fag coward he was. He’d gone back to the dorms and played video games. He’d never beaten that fucking game, either, because the police had come and broken his door and put him in handcuffs and taken his fancy-assed laptop his folks had given him for graduation.

  Jayden stood up, spit spraying as he screamed obscenities, calling him one name after another, and Dakota frowned, shook his head. When had Jayden become a cop?

  “I didn’t do it.”

  Stick to the facts.

  “I didn’t do it.”

  “I didn’t do it.”

  It was his mantra, his hymn, the beginning of his own personal fucking haiku.


  I.

  Didn’t.

  Do.

  It.

  He screamed the words, dropping them like giant stones in a still pond.

  “Dakota. Honey, you have to wake up.” Jayden didn’t sound angry now. He sounded worried.

  “I didn’t do it.” He tried to open his eyes, but they hurt. “Oh fuck. Jayden, I didn’t do it.”

  “I know that. Do you remember what happened? Can you sit up a little? I have more Advil for you.”

  “I got beat up and ran home. I made a pass at my best friend. It was bad.”

  “A pass at your best friend?” Jayden stroked his hair, which also ached.

  “Yeah. The other guys there caught me holding his hand. We never even got to kiss. Hell, when the cops came, I thought they were going to arrest me for trying to kiss him.”

  Steve had been so pretty, so nice to him, and the rumor was that Steve was gay too, was into boys like him.

  “Shit. That sucks. You liked him a lot, huh?”

  Okay. At least this Jayden sounded like his Jayden. Thank God. He didn’t think he could take it if Jayden turned on him. Was he still dreaming? His eyes didn’t want to open.

  “He was pretty, and he didn’t make fun of me.” Not the best basis for a relationship, but honestly, he’d just wanted to have his first kiss.

  “Yeah. Well, I bet he knows you didn’t do it, honey. Lift up a little.” Jayden slid one hand under his back.

  “I don’t know. I never saw him again.” He stopped talking for a second as pure agony rolled through him and he fought to hide it. This was Jayden’s birthday weekend.

  “Shh. Here. Swallow these. I’m so sorry you’re hurting.” Jayden’s low, soothing voice helped Dakota focus, helped him find his breath.

  “I’m okay. Is it time to go to work?” He might have to text in and beg off.

  “You’re off until Monday. Sage called Jim to make sure, but he doesn’t want to see you without a note. We can go to the clinic at the HEB Sunday if you don’t end up going to the ER.”

  “I’m fine. Just sore.” Possibly dying, but whatever. “You smell good.”

  God, he felt daring as all fuck. Especially given that he was as broken as he’d been in a long time. Not ever, mind. His first beating in prison had put him in the infirmary for two weeks. A great introduction to all his new best friends.