Page 28 of Dance in the Stones

“True.” Damon settled more comfortably against him. “But the cottage has a bed, food, and a shower that fits two people if we’re creatively close.”

“You make a compelling argument.”

They walked back hand in hand, Redford feeling lighter than he had in years. His phone remained silent in his pocket - Wilson hadn’t called back or sent any desperate emails. In other words, the world continued turning without Redford micromanaging every detail. It was…good. Still weird, but Redford knew he’d get used to it.

Chapter Eleven

“There’s one hell of a storm coming.”

Damon looked up from the foundation stones he’d been examining to find Malcolm squinting at his phone, his frown lines deepening by the second. The older contractor had become a friend over the past month, teaching Damon traditional stone masonry techniques while apparently ignoring the odd time a stone mysteriously moved itself into a different position.

“How bad is it meant to be?” Redford appeared from inside the castle walls, dusting off his hands.

“Bad enough the weather service is calling it a once-in-a-decade event.” Malcolm scrolled through alerts. “High winds, with gusts reaching gale force, heavy rain, and potential flooding in low-lying areas. They’re recommending everyone secure loose items and stay indoors starting this evening.”

Damon exchanged a look with his mate. They’d made incredible progress on the castle over the past month. There was new scaffolding erected, the foundation was mostly reinforced, and there were tarps protecting exposed areas. All of which could be destroyed if they didn’t act fast.

“We need to secure the site,” Redford said, already moving. “Get the scaffolding tied down, equipment stored, tarps doubled…”

“Aye, I’m thinking the same.” Malcolm pocketed his phone and turned toward the main work area. “If we all pitch in, we can…”

The crack echoed across the courtyard like a gunshot and Damon’s hellhound surged forward, his instincts screaming danger a split second before Malcolm’s yelp of pain reached his ears. The contractor had stepped on a loose stone near the partially repaired staircase, his foot sliding out from under him. Malcolm went down hard, his leg twisted at an angle that made Damon’s stomach turn. Not a gunshot. Bone broken.

Redford reached Malcolm first. “Don’t try to stand.”

“Bloody hell.” Malcolm’s face had gone gray, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool air. “My leg…”

“It’s definitely broken,” Damon said, kneeling beside them. He could smell the injury, and Malcolm’s pain was clear to see. Unfortunately, healing or soothing pain wasn’t a hellhound skill. “We need to get you to the hospital.”

“The storm…”

“Is still hours away.” Redford’s voice made it plain he wasn’t going to argue. “Ross,” he called to one of the younger contractors who’d come running at the commotion. “Get the truck. We’re taking Malcolm to the emergency center now.”

“I can drive myself,” Malcolm protested weakly.

“You absolutely can’t.” Damon helped Redford carefully lift the injured man. Malcolm’s weight barely registered, though Damon made sure to grunt appropriately for their human audience. “You’re in danger of going into shock.”

Ross pulled the truck around while Redford grabbed Malcolm’s coat and phone. The other two contractors, Jamie and Thomas, hovered nearby, faces creased with concern.

“What about the site?” Thomas asked. “We can’t just leave it unsecured with the storm coming.”

“You can and you will.” Redford settled Malcolm in the truck’s passenger seat as gently as he could, but Damon could see Malcolm wincing. “All of you are going home to your families. This is exactly the kind of weather where people get hurt trying to be heroes.”

“But weeks of work…”

“Can be repaired.” Damon put a hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “Your safety matters more than any building. Go home, batten down your own houses, and we’ll assess the damage after the storm passes, all right?”

Ross climbed into the driver’s seat. “You two coming?”

“We’ll follow in my car,” Redford said. “Someone needs to drive Ross home from the hospital.”

They made it to the emergency department in record time, although it was plain Ross was driving as carefully as he could, likely so he wouldn’t jostle Malcolm’s leg any more than necessary. The hospital staff took Malcolm straight through, and Damon settled in to wait with Ross while Redford made phone calls to Malcolm’s wife.

He’ll be fine, Redford sent through their bond. At least it was a clean break, painful but straightforward to set.

I know. Damon watched nurses hurry past, the emergency department humming with pre-storm activity as people rushed to handle injuries before the weather hit. But I hate that he was hurt on our site.

Accidents happen, love. That stone’s been loose since we started - Malcolm’s been after us to fix it for two weeks, and we kept putting it off for more pressing repairs.