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“I’ve met people from what seems like every place in the world. All in this tiny little island.”

The wind intensified as they got closer to the exit for the Pali Lookout.

“What did you do to grab the short stick and pick me up?”

Riptide cast a look in his direction, shaking his head. “Pallas got called in to talk to some of the brass at KBAY. I volunteered to come and get you. Don’t make it sound like it’s a shit job. You’re family, Buck.”

There was a weight to those words that wasn’t lost on him.

Family.

It was true.

But not all families worked.

Not all families stuck together.

Families broke up when tragedies happened.

“We’re all glad you’re still here, man.”

Buck nodded.

He sat back against his seat and let out a breath through his nose.

He wasn’t the one who’s had it worse. “Did you go by the hospital?”

Riptide nodded. “Before I came to pick you up. I went over to Queens and stopped in to see Axl.”

Buck felt one corner of his mouth lift up at that. “What did he say? Did he tell you to fuck off?”

Riptide’s answer had to wait until they were out of the Pali Tunnel. The near dark interior was too tight and the sounds of cars passing through almost roared in their ears.

As soon as they popped back into the light, Riptide looked over at him.

“He didn’t say much of anything. Maile was there and you know how he sucks it’s up when she’s there.”

Axl was a strong man.

Hell, they all were, but Axl was trying to hold it together with Maile around.

He’d tried pushing her away when he’d been hurt, but if there was one thing that both Axl and Maile shared, it was how damn stubborn they were.

“Any word on when they’re going to release him?”

Riptide remained silent for a while as they went around the hard left curve of the mountain road.

Buck knew that Riptide was likely thinking that he should just go and see for himself, but he’d avoided stepping into hospitals as soon as he himself had been released.

The sounds and smells? They made him want to climb the walls.

“You could call him.”

Okay. That was a middle of the road answer.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “I’ll do that tonight.”

Riptide nodded at that and Buck thought he was just going through the motions.