Page 47 of Explorer’s Revenge

FORTY-TWO

MAEVE

T hey converge on me as a group, huddling around me as they check me over.

I can’t keep up with their rapid-fire questions, so I just chuckle and hold them. “I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m really here. Are you guys hurt?” I run my eyes over them again, barely believing they are safe.

When they quite literally ran into my path, I thought I was seeing things.

“What the fuck, Carter?” Wilder snaps. “How? Why?” It’s clear he’s confused as hell and worried.

“We can talk as we walk. We need to move,” I reply. I want to examine them for injuries, but the longer we linger, the more likely it is that the croc will come back. We need to get going.

“You’re right. Sorry, you were all clean.” Wilder winces.

I laugh as I look down at the mud now covering me. “Meh, a little dirt never bothered me.” I wink. “Come on, let’s go.”

He nods, and they fall into step at my side as I watch their backs with the gun. Their gazes keep slipping to me, though, and I can sense their desire for answers.

“Go ahead, ask.” I keep scanning the area around us. I didn’t find them again only to lose them the next second.

“What happened?” Way speaks first, which is surprising. “Last we saw, you were being airlifted out of here. We thought you were safe, then the water took us.”

The fact that they saw my rescue and couldn’t do anything to join me makes my heart ache. They must have been so afraid and utterly hopeless, especially when no one came back and found them. I wonder how they managed to survive, but he asked first, so I decide to answer their questions.

“I was knocked out for a while,” I explain.

“When I woke up in the hospital, they told me the search was called off because of the weather, so I bribed my dad to help me get out, and I paid off a pilot to get me here. By now, Ajax will know, and a search and rescue team will be on the way. My dad will make sure it happens. We just need to get back to the beach, okay? Just hold on a bit longer.”

“We’ve survived this long,” Way says. “What’s a few more hours?”

“What happened?” I ask quietly.

“The water swept us away,” Wilder replies.

“When I woke up, we were in a cave. The last thing I remember was being washed away. The cave saved our lives, but it also trapped us. The flood water was so high, we would have had to swim out, but that thing found us and waited outside. We could hear helicopters every now and again, but we couldn’t get out to signal them.

They finally stopped coming, and I realized we needed to move or we were going to die there.

We distracted it and managed to get out, and you saw the rest.”

I chuckle. “Ballsy.”

“Ajax? Your dad?” Aiyaret asks.

“Both are okay. It was my dad who realized something was wrong and set all of this in motion. Ajax flew him out here with a team to find me, trusting him. I don’t remember much, since my body apparently shut down.

I almost died, but I was very lucky. It took a week before I opened my eyes and saw my dad.

When I learned they hadn’t found you, I knew I had to come back.

It was hard convincing my dad, but he caused a distraction so I could get out of the hospital. ”

“You broke out of the hospital to rescue us?” Rick gapes. “That’s so fucking hot.”

“Well, someone has to save your damsel asses,” I tease. “I knew if I came, Ajax would have no choice but to get some teams out here. Besides, I couldn’t waste any more time. What if something happened?” I cut off when we hear a roar.

We stay silent, our steps speeding up. We walk for hours before finding shelter on a small hill with trees for shade.

Unloading my pack, I pass out rations and water, and they eagerly dive in.

I wonder how long it’s been since they have eaten and drunk anything.

It makes me uneasy, but I only need to get them to the beach and then out of here.

It’s then I notice Wilder holding his arm oddly, so I pull out my first-aid kit and crouch in front of him. “Let me see.”

“I’m fine,” he says around a mouthful, but I narrow my eyes.

“Now,” I order sharply, and he grumbles but undoes his shirt and shows me his shoulder.

There is some type of bandage wrapped around it, but it’s soaked with blood.

I carefully unpeel it. He doesn’t make a noise, even though it has to hurt.

I can feel his eyes on me, but I don’t dare meet them, instead focusing on his wound.

When it’s revealed, I gasp. There are teeth marks all around his shoulder, and it’s a bleeding mess. “What happened?” I ask softly as I pull out what I need.

“I tried to get us out, but the croc wanted to play chew toy with my arm,” he says as I clean the wound and redress it. “Thanks.”

“You’re lucky. You could have lost it,” I murmur.

“I guess we have something in common now.” His eyes drop to my leg, and I smile as I stand, shaking out the aches before sitting against a tree as they rest. I needed to put some space between us.

I was so fucking worried, and now that they are here, everything feels right again. I never thought I’d see them again, and I told myself if I did, I wouldn’t hold anything back, but looking into Wilder’s dark, hungry eyes is unnerving, so I keep mine on the jungle instead.

No one speaks for a little while, and I start to relax.

“Why did you come back?” Aiyaret asks softly, and my eyes move to him. He’s sitting with Way leaning into him. I raise my eyebrows as I look at their joined hands, and he actually blushes. Chuckling to myself, I stretch out my legs as my bad one twinges.

“Why did you risk your life and come back here?” Wilder presses as he climbs to his feet. Whatever happiness he felt upon seeing me morphs to anger, and it makes my hackles rise. So much for gratitude. “You were saved. I kept my promise?—”

“But broke the one about us getting out of here together,” I snap before calming down. “I came back for you, you idiot, because I care about you all.”

Logan sighs. “We could have been dead.”

“I know that too, but I couldn’t just lie there and wonder about you for the rest of my life. No matter what it cost, I had to find you,” I argue, growing angry myself.

“Dammit, Carter, why?” Wilder yells.

“Because I care about you!” I shout back. “You think I could live with myself if I left you here? You never left me. You said we would do this together, didn’t you? So yes, I came back, and I would do it again. I’m just sorry it took me this long to return. I’m so sorry I was late?—”

My words end in a gasp as Wilder covers the distance between us and presses his lips to mine. I stare, wide-eyed, into his dark gaze. His eyes burn with desire and something infinitely more dangerous as he pulls back and lets me breathe.

“You stupid, beautiful woman,” he whispers. “Don’t you ever risk your life like that again, not for us.”

When I don’t respond, he wraps his hand around my throat and drags me forward until I fall into his chest, then his lips come down on mine again in a brutal, swift kiss. “Promise me. Promise me you won’t risk your life for us again.”

“I won’t make that promise,” I answer shortly. “You’d do the same for me.”

“So sure, Carter?” he mutters, our old rivalry raising its head, but there’s no heat, just teasing.

“Yes.” I press against his chest, and he backs up until he hits the tree, his eyes widening. “I know you would, so don’t give me that big bad Wilder attitude when we both know you would risk your life over and over to save me. I came back, so you should be thanking me. Thank me.”

His jaw clenches as he stares at me, and I raise my eyebrow. “Thank you, Carter,” he grinds out.

“That didn’t sound sincere. Thank me,” I demand. The others are staring, but I ignore them. Wilder and I have always butted heads, and even our kisses taste like anger and a fight. I love it, but I refuse to back down now. If I do, Wilder will try to walk all over me. He’s used to getting his way.

He needs someone to put him in his place.

“Carter,” he warns.

“You know what? A real thank you should be done on your knees to show how truly grateful you are for me coming to rescue your stubborn asses.”

“Don’t push it,” he growls, glancing from my lips to my eyes.

I wait, and he glares. Neither of us back off. I know one of the others will step in and cool us down, but he suddenly drops to his knees in the mud, and I freeze, gaping at him in shock.

Wilder kneels for no one.

“Thank you, Maeve, for coming back for us.” His words sound so sincere, I just gawk. “Isn’t that what you wanted? If I didn’t know better, Carter, I’d say you like seeing me on my knees.” His meaning is clear, and it breaks me from my stupidity.

I scoff as I step back. “Dream on, pretty boy.” Turning away, I find the others gaping, completely shocked as Wilder chuckles behind me and climbs to his feet. His heat hits my back as his mouth brushes my ear.

“You think I’m pretty?”

I elbow him, making him grunt, and ignore the flush in my cheeks. I started it, but I should have known he doesn’t play fair.

“Um, I missed you too, so do I get a kiss?” Logan jokes, and I know it’s to defuse the tension, but I stride over, grip his chin as his eyes widen, and kiss him.

He stares up at me in shock. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him speechless.

“Well, fuck, that isn’t fair.” Rick stands up and purses his lips. “I missed you the most.”

Laughing, I head over and kiss him softly, uncaring at this point.

It’s almost a game. Besides, it isn’t something I haven’t thought about before.

I turn away and freeze. Aiyaret and Way are watching me, and I simply smile as I walk over and press my lips to Way’s cheek.

There is something between us, but I know he loves Aiyaret, and I’m happy for them since they seemed to have figured that out.