(BL) Hunting The Field Guide novel Chapter 448

Chapter 448: A strong man crumbles

He woke up when strong, warm arms wrapped around him, pulling him up and into the lap of another man. Kellen didn’t need to guess who it was, and threw his arms around the other man, burying his head in his shoulder.

"No news." Rhys whispered, his voice broken. Kellen just nodded, knowing that Rhys was there, here with him. Telling him that he was keeping an eye on this while Kellen crumbled. "Pamela’s gone. Left an hour after Sakura had gotten everything to her. Lieutenant Fisher sent his own people as well. Everyone’s going. They’re going to make sure everyone is alright. We’ll find out who’s missing." Rhys promised and Kellen swallowed. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

"Morrison didn’t mention Brent." Kellen whispered, broken and Rhys let out a shaky breath.

"I know babe, I know. We’ll find him. He’s Brent. There’s no way he’s..." Rhys wouldn’t even say it, and Kellen appreciated that. "He’s fine." Rhys promised and Kellen just nodded. "What do you need, Kellen? What can I do for you right now?" Rhys asked. Kellen swallowed.

"I want a bath. With you." Kellen told him and Rhys nodded. He didn’t hesitate to pick him up, carrying the man upstairs. Rhys kept him with him as he turned on the taps in the tub, filling it up. Once that was done, he took Kellen to the bedroom, placing him gently on the bed and undressing him.

His way of caring for him, stripping him bare of his clothes felt like he was stripping away all of his boundaries as well. Kellen felt his throat tighten, his body shaking. He felt weak. Rhys’ gaze alone kept him strong.

The man wasn’t looking at him with pity. He was just looking at him with worry and understanding. There was a strength in Rhys’ eyes that kept Kellen together. Stable. Rhys stripped as well, tossing all of their clothes into the dirty hamper before he picked Kellen up again and gently placed him in the water. He added salts, bubbles, anything he thought would help before he too got into the water. Behind Kellen, and pulled the other man against him.

They sat there, Rhys waving a hand to turn off the tub before the water overflowed and Kellen just sat. His body against Rhys’, so tense he felt like a muscle might snap.

It took ten minutes before his shoulders relaxed.

"Why is this happening now?" Kellen asked finally. "Everything finally felt like it was falling into place." Kellen whispered. "It’s Gwen’s first fucking time on the front lines. Why now?" Kellen’s throat was thick with grief. Rhys wrapped his arm around his shoulders, pulling him against his back.

"I...don’t have an answer for that. I don’t...there wouldn’t ever be a good time for this to happen." Rhys whispered. "I...I will do everything I can." Rhys promised, but Kellen knew it wasn’t just up to him.

Kellen was the one who told him to give up rights to the gate. To the D.E.C.

This was now going to bite him in the ass. Kellen could feel it. Since they didn’t have rights to the gate, it meant that there was a chance people could drag their feet. Not the Espers. Never the Espers.

It would be the big fat fuckers who had never risked a day in their life on the front lines who were going to make this hard. Make this terrible for everyone involved.

"She’s resourceful." Kellen said. "They all are." Kellen didn’t know what he was saying, why he was saying it. Rhys squeezed him.

"She is. She’s got you as a big brother, and she was raised in the lap of one of the best Esper’s this city has ever seen." Rhys said softly. "She’s strong." But he wasn’t going to promise that she was going to get through this.

Kellen hung his head.

He couldn’t even get mad at Rhys. Kellen knew better, but he just couldn’t do it.

"Have discussions started about who is going to help?" Kellen asked quietly and Rhys sighed.

"We’ve started, but they want to hold off until Pamela gets there and gets the equipment set up again." Kellen’s jaw clenched tightly.

"Mom might visit them all while they’re sleeping." Kellen muttered and Rhys chuckled.

"And I think Charlie would agree to that too." Rhys commented. Kellen wasn’t so sure, but then again, Charlie was gaining his spunk back, and gaining a backbone.

He had also grown close to Gwen as well.

"You’ll look the other way?" Kellen asked, tilting his head back to meet Rhys’ gaze. Rhys’ eyes were warm, even if the stress from the situation was etched into his face.

"Look the other way for what?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. Kellen sighed, leaning his head back against his shoulder.