Page 35 of Explorer’s Revenge

THIRTY-THREE

MAEVE

W ilder turns me and stretches my leg out on the seat. My sock is already off—one I stole from the others, as well as their spare boots—leaving my foot bare as I lean back against the truck door. I reach up and grip the oh shit handle as Wilder looks at me.

“Ready?” he asks.

“Do it,” I order, and he peels off the bandages. I grunt but bite down on the pain. It’s bad but not unbearable. As he exposes the wound, though, I know this is going to be terrible. He has a sterilized setup before him, and he grabs scissors and tweezers.

“I need to get rid of your stitches. If we were being rescued tomorrow, I wouldn’t, but I’m worried about the damage. There is a staple gun here, which will be better,” he explains as he leans over my leg. “This will hurt.”

“No shit—fuck me!” I scream as he cuts through the shoelace and starts to pick it out with the tweezers.

Each tug of my torn flesh creates pure agony.

I’m sweating profusely and trying not to punch him.

My tongue bleeds from how hard I bite it to stifle my bloodcurdling screams, not wanting to draw anything’s attention.

“Just pass out,” Rick tells me, gripping my hand. “It’s okay.”

I can’t, I don’t, and the pain only worsens as he slides the lace through my flesh. My leg jerks, and he looks at Logan. “Hold her down.” Climbing over me, he pins my legs as I cry and whimper.

“Fuck you, Wilder! You piece of shit. You’re enjoying this!” I rant, even if it doesn’t help. “You’ve always hated me, and now you’re enjoying this way too fucking much, you beautiful fucking bastard—ah!” I cry out as he continues unthreading the stitches.

“Maeve,” Rick says, and I turn my head, panting. “I’ll distract you, okay? Just don’t punch me.”

“What—” Before I can question him, his lips press against mine and his hand slides into my hair to hold me to him, even as I struggle.

My eyes are wide open, but when his brother hits something in my leg, I jerk and gasp, and his tongue slides into my mouth, allowing him to deepen the kiss. Without meaning to, I shut my eyes and give myself over to him, needing an escape from the agony.

“Keep her distracted,” Wilder tells his brother. “I’m going to clean the wound.”

His head moves higher as his kiss becomes hard, and he swallows my whimper of pain, tilting my head back for better access. Our heaving breaths fog the windows as he groans and breaks us apart.

His lips brush over my ear, his voice a shocked whisper as he says, “Do you know how many times I’ve imagined kissing you, Maeve Carter?

” I shiver, and he holds my head firmly as I feel burning liquid pour over my wound.

“How many times I’ve jerked off while thinking of you?

You’ll kill me later for saying that, but it’s true.

I’m your fucking stalker.” He guides my lips back to his, swallowing my screams as Wilder begins to staple my leg.

Wilder is quick and efficient as his brother eats at my mouth so hard our teeth clash together, but it does the trick, diverting my attention. It’s the most feral kiss I’ve ever had in my entire life, as if he needs me more than air.

The pain suddenly stops, and I feel my leg being covered, but Rick keeps going. He groans, kissing me deeper, and then someone coughs.

“I’m done,” Wilder says, and I jerk back, breaking apart from his brother.

My cheeks are hot with embarrassment and pain, but I don’t avoid their gazes. What’s the point? They all saw it. Aiy’s eyebrows are raised, and he’s gripping Way’s hand, which is trying to cover his eyes. Logan strokes my other leg as Wilder cleans up, blood on his hands and arms.

Rick pants as he grins at me, and I look at Wilder.

“All done.” He nods as he leans back.

“Good.” I slam my fist into Rick’s stomach. He doubles over, coughing. “That’s for taking advantage of me.” Gripping his head, I jerk him up and kiss him. “And that’s for helping.” I slump back, feeling exhausted.

He stares at me in bewilderment, but he’s smiling. “Worth it,” he mutters.

Settling in my seat, I let them pass me some water and rations.

We can’t cook tonight, so we make do as they stretch out.

Wilder slips onto the floor with his brother, and Logan squeezes in on the seat, lifting my legs onto his lap.

I should move, but I don’t as I press my face against the cool window.

“We’ll get up early tomorrow. I want to cover as much ground as possible.

We’ll reach the beach and retry the emergency signal.

If not, it should only be a few days before our boat arrives.

We can make do until then,” Wilder says, “so sleep and conserve your energy. It’s going to be a grueling few days. ”

He doesn’t turn out the lights, though, and no one seems eager to sleep.

“Despite it all”—I indicate my leg—“I’m glad I came, and I’m glad I met you guys here.”

“Don’t go acting nice, Carter.” Wilder smirks. “We are still enemies.”

I grin, and Aiy pops his head through again, smiling softly at me. “Where’s your favorite place to travel?”

“Hm, I really liked Peru and Norway,” I reply. “I love exploring and traveling. Doing crazy stuff is a bonus, but seeing the land and things others might never get to is my favorite part. That’s why I do it.”

“Your dad took you to those places?” he asks.

“Hmm.” I nod. “Peru was the last place we visited together before he got his diagnosis. I didn’t explore for a while after that, staying close, but he demanded I stop fussing and get my ass back out there. Ajax took me in and gave me a chance.”

“He saw what we do—you’re made to be an adventurer,” Way says as he leans against Aiy. “You’re one hell of an explorer, Carter.”

Not a woman.

Not anything else.

Explorer.

That makes me grin. “Yeah, well, you guys aren’t so bad yourselves, but if you tell anyone I said that, I’ll kick your asses.”

They laugh, and we lapse into silence.

“I liked Antarctica. There aren’t many people, and it was desolate but beautiful,” Wilder murmurs.

“Tibet,” Logan says.

“Greenland,” Way adds.

“Brazil,” Aiy shares.

“Canada,” Rick says, and we turn to him as he grins. “What? I like the food, and it was fun.”

We laugh again.

“What’s the scariest thing you’ve done?” Logan asks a while later.

“Besides getting a killer crocodile to chase me?” I tease as I look at him. “Leaving my dad behind. I don’t know if he’ll be there when I get back, and it terrifies me.”

I feel their gazes on me after that admission, making me feel vulnerable.

“We should get some sleep,” Wilder says, saving me. “We move again at daylight.”

“Will you guys be comfortable enough to sleep?” I ask curiously, since we are on top of each other and scrunched up.

“Eh, we’ve slept in worse places,” Logan replies softly. “Try to get some rest, okay?”

Nodding, I close my eyes and scoot down, trying to get comfortable, but it’s useless.

My body is one big, giant ache. The inside of the truck lapses into silence, and before long, snores fill the air.

Annoyance bubbles up at how easily they passed out, but I try to temper it since they’ve been taking care of me and helping me as much as they can.

“I’ll make sure you get back to your father.” Wilder’s soft whisper makes my eyes snap open, and I swear I see him leaning into me. “I promise, Carter, you’re going to make it back to him.”

Self-consciousness raises its ugly head for a moment as I stare at him.

I’m always so strong and sure of myself.

I’ve been in situations others would only have nightmares of and come out alive, but as I look at his face, I allow some of my vulnerability to come through.

“If I don’t, please tell him I love him. ”

He covers my hand with his, offering comfort. Despite our differences and the bad blood between us, he doesn’t hesitate to give me that. “You can tell him yourself. Now get some sleep, okay?”

“Thank you, Wilder, for helping me and coming in after me. You didn’t have to,” I tell him as I hold his hand, needing that connection.

“Eh, I just didn’t want Ajax to blame me,” he teases, and I chuckle, closing my eyes as I relax as much as I can. “We’re in this together, Carter. You don’t need to thank us. You saved us down there in that cave, so let us return the favor.”

Nodding, I clutch his hand like a lifeline. “Can you keep talking until I fall asleep? Part of me is terrified I’m going to wake up in that cave.”

It isn’t something I want to admit, but the terror is there. The moment I woke up alone and in pain will be ingrained in me for life.

“Did you ever hear about the time I got drunk when we were in a cabin in Alaska and had to fight off a bear?” I smile as he launches into this elaborate, soft whisper of a story, and my brain finally shuts down enough to allow me to rest.

I have a fitful sleep. Every time my body unconsciously turns, pain flares up my leg. It isn’t as bad as before, but it’s unexpected and wakes me for a bit.

Sometime later, when something rocks the truck, I groan, my eyelids feeling heavy as I force them open and look around. Everyone else is snoring, but I definitely felt something. Grabbing the light that’s near me on low, I crank it up and press it against the foggy window, trying to peer outside.

Was it a jaguar or a falling branch?

The light reflects back, however, and I struggle to see past the glass. Did I imagine it?

Frowning, I put the light down and glance around at the others.

They are still sleeping, no one else seems to have felt it, so it has to be me.

My other hand is still clutched in Wilder’s, and I focus on that as I try to get comfortable again, when something smashes into the truck. The force spins it, and I bolt upright.

The others do the same. “What is that?”

“What’s happening?”

Their voices blend together as I stare out of the window, searching for the source. “Shh,” I order, and they fall silent. “That wasn’t an accident or a falling branch.” I turn to Wilder. “I think it followed us.”