Page 11 of Wrecked

He tossed his duffle in the corner and then secured the hotel door. He slid the desk in front of the door so Rebel couldn’t make a fast getaway.

As it was, the kid would need to slide the desk and unlock the door. That would give Crow time to apprehend him again.

Stopping by the bed, he checked the teenager’s pulse, it was strong, and his lids squinted.

Was Rebel faking it?

He couldn’t be sure so he wasn’t going to risk a shower. He should have brought a pair of handcuffs with him, but maybe he had something that would work just as well. Returning to his duffle bag, Crow rummaged around until he came up with bundle of zip-ties. He selected two.

Perfect.

Returning to the bed, he zipped one around Rebel’s wrist and lifted it over the man’s head.

Before he could get the other tie around the headboard, Rebel attacked.

The man’s legs wrapped around his hips and Rebel’s teeth snapped at him trying to find flesh.

“Fuck!” Crow growled and rolled, taking them both off the bed. They hit the ground with a loud thud, sending the small table rattling between the beds. The alarm clock toppled to the floor.

Crow grabbed both of Rebel’s wrists.

“Let me go, Crow! I’ll fucking kill you!” Rebel screamed, and Crow power lifted the young man to his feet.

Crow spun Rebel around and planted him face-first in the bed. Holding him there, he pinned the man’s hands behind his back with one hand and pushed his face into the mattress with the other.

Rebel fought like a wild thing.

Crow frowned. The kid was panicking. He released the back of Rebel’s head and the kid’s head turned sideways, sucking in huge gulps of air.

“I can’t…can’t…breathe.”

Shit! Crow released the grip of Rebel’s hands and flipped him over. Bringing him upright, he sat on the bed and pulled the shaking man into his arms. He smoothed his hands down Rebel’s back.

“Just take a deep breath,” he murmured.

Rebel obeyed and then took another, laying limply against him. Crow soothed the teenager with low murmured sounds and a hand stroking up and down the guy’s back.

After another long moment, Rebel eased back and looked at him.

Staring into Rebel’s dark eyes, Crow couldn’t even formulate a thought in his fucking head.

Then Rebel gave him a death glare that should have prepared him, but didn’t.

Rebel head-butted him.

Hard.

In the nose.

Pain spread across Crow’s face. Stars filled his vision and blood poured from his nose. Rebel sprang from the bed and flew across the room and Crow launched after the guy.

Just as Rebel tore the desk away from the door, Crow was on the younger man. He had Rebel in a headlock. The kid fought desperately, but he wasn’t getting away.

Crow knocked Rebel out for the second time.

Damn it.

When Rebel passed out, Crow released his grip and the young man dropped to the floor.

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