 Clint cracked his eyes open and yawned. The motion of the car made him want to drift back to sleep. When he shifted, his hands and fingers tingled slightly, and he wanted to move, to stretch and wiggle to make the feeling return. When he tried to move his arms, they felt odd, as if held down. He groaned and tried to straighten his legs, but the space was too cramped. “Griff, can we stop?” Clint mumbled. His voice sounded like he had a mouthful of marbles, and he was so thirsty. “Need some water and a bathroom.” A dull ache jabbed at his lower abdomen every few seconds. He heard a low chuckle and thought Griff must be getting a cold or something—it didn’t sound much like him. When Griff laid his hand on the back of Clint’s head, Clint instinctively turned into his palm. Griff’s callused thumb brushed over Clint’s cheek. “Shhh, baby.” Clarity came swiftly, followed by terror. Griff didn’t have calluses on his thumb or any of his fingers, and he’d never once called Clint “baby.” Clint jerked his head away and promptly hit the car window. “It’s alright, baby. You’re safe now.” “What the fuck? Dylan? You asshole! What the fucking hell?” Clint slammed himself as hard and as fast as he could against the seat, then the car door. “Baby, baby.” Dylan looked at Clint for a few seconds before turning his eyes back to the road. “And stop calling me ‘baby’!” “But I always call you that. You love it,” Dylan insisted. Clint blew out a harsh breath. He looked down at his arms. They were tied in front of him with chain. Another chain ran from his wrists to a ring bolted to the floor of the car. Chains encircled his ankles that led back to the ring as well. “I have to take a leak.” “We’ll stop soon. Get some food, something to drink, use a restroom.” Dylan reached over and ran his hand over Clint’s thigh, using his fingertips to press against the sensitive part next to the inseam of his jeans. “Get your hands off me,” Clint snarled. “I don’t know what you think, but Griff’s going to kill you when he finds me.” The words tumbled from his mouth before he could stop them. Can’t hide behind Griff’s badge. I won’t hide behind Griff or his badge. His brief glance at his own leg made him realize these weren’t the jeans he remembered wearing last, nor was this his shirt. How he came to be in different clothing was something he decided not to think about. That decision didn’t stop a shiver from working through him. Dylan chuckled again. It was a sick, cold sound. “Oh, we won’t have to worry about Griff anymore. I promise.” He removed his hand from Clint’s leg and grabbed the steering wheel so he could hold his other hand up for Clint to see. “Or his dogs. Especially the bastard who bit me.” “Our dogs.” Clint’s voice broke. He wanted to believe Dylan wasn’t able to hurt Griff. Yes, Dylan had gotten the drop on Clint, but Griff was a professional whose life revolved around protecting others and himself. He had training and skills when it came to self-defense. Clint couldn’t get through this without utter conviction Griff was alive and well despite Dylan’s words. Phoenix and Fern he wasn’t as confident about. A silent cheer went through Clint’s head at the sight of the crude gauze bandage with blood oozing through it. He hoped Phoenix had chomped down hard enough to do real damage to Dylan’s hand. The sort of damage that prevented it from being used normally after it healed. “Anyway, I have a nice trip planned for us. You’ll see how much I want to be like you and love you enough to be with you,” Dylan said without taking his eyes off the road. “And you think threatening the man I live with, the one I actually love, and our dogs, then taking me by force is going to endear you to me?” Clint shouted and tried jerking his feet up and down again. “Stop it!” Dylan snapped. He punched Clint’s head twice. “This is our adventure into love. It’s just you and me and no one else from now on.” The punches stunned Clint. He sucked in a breath and tried to move away, but there was nowhere to go. Dylan’s fingers curled in Clint’s hair. He yanked Clint toward him, then away in rapid succession and slammed Clint’s head back against the headrest. Small sparks of pain lanced through his shoulders and down his back until Dylan released him and he could hold his head at a normal angle again. Jewel Cave is available in eBook, paperback and through Kindle Unlimited.    
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