Page 104 of The Team

He’d never sat still for so long.

Yunho’s gym, while more than enough for them, wasn’t really equipped to suit a special ops team. The pool was great for cooling off and for recreation but too short for laps, and the ocean was out of the question because of all the deadly animals.

But what Tao could do in the pool was static apnoea.

Or as Jay called it, hisunderwater thing.

Holding his breath underwater for extended periods of time.

In his time with the Jiaolong Commandos, he’d done countless breath-holding exercises. Some static, some under adverse conditions, all depending on the drill, and all at varying depths.

Sitting at the bottom of Yunho’s pool was easy, by comparison. And something he could challenge himself with during his stay. He’d sit cross-legged in the deep end, close his eyes, and clear his mind.

The first time Tao had done it, the others had been quite concerned, worried he was about to drown. Until Hanyu, snoozing unconcerned on the sunbed, waved them off. “Many minutes he be fine,” he’d said, apparently.

Jun-mei’s worried face peering down at him the entire time had made him happy. Sometimes she sat with her legs in the water while he did it.

But this time when Tao looked up, he saw four silhouettes standing at the edge looking down at him. Rhett and Hanyu and two others he’d not seen before. One a similar size as Rhett, the other even bigger than Hanyu.

Tao checked his watch. He wasn’t anywhere near being done, but not wanting to be rude, he stopped the timer and pushed off the bottom. In one fluid movement, he took a gulp of air, put his hands on the edge, and lifted himself out.

Hanyu threw him his towel and Tao turned to face the guests, dabbing his face. “Sorry, I wasn’t aware we were expecting guests,” he said.

The guests, as they were, were two men. The shorterone, with dark hair and dark eyes, gave him a curious smile. The big man, blondish-brown hair, hard blue eyes, gave him a nod.

Tao recognised them from the video chat they’d had on the plane.

“Asher and Harry,” Rhett said, “this is Yin Tao.”

“Nice to meet you in person,” Tao said, giving them a bow of thanks. “We could not have saved my Jun-mei without your help. I am forever in your debt.”

And he was. He knew it, and he meant it.

Because it was these two that Rhett had called first, and they’d been the ones to involve Yunho.

And Tao would never forget it.

“It was our pleasure,” Asher replied. “We were just glad you got her out okay.”

Harry stared at him. “You sit at the bottom of the pool often?”

Tao smiled and gave a nod. “Sometimes, yes.”

“Don’t get any ideas,” Asher told Harry. “You’ve had two punctured lungs, remember?”

Two punctured lungs?

“Tao, darling,” Yunho called out. “You might want to put on some dry clothes. We’ll be eating soon.”

“Yes,” Hanyu crowed. “We buy all the food.”

“No more unseasoned-chicken jokes, for fuck’s sake,” Rhett said as he helped Hanyu carry it inside.

Jay laughed as he followed them inside, and it made Tao smile.

He gave Asher and Harry another nod before he headed back to the doors. Jun-mei joined him, her arm going around his waist, and he slung his arm over her shoulder as they went inside.

It wasn’t until they got to their room that he’d realised they would have seen his back, seen his scars. He’d been so used to not hiding anything these last two weeks, he’d forgotten...