Theo swallows hard. “The nightmares I had after that were… something else.” He rakes a hand through his messy curls.
“Why are you telling me this?” The less I know about these men, the better, and yet I can’t help but be intrigued by his life before the world went to shit. I’ve never met a paramedic but I know how horrific their work can be—my ex-fiancé was a doctor and some stories he told me of his time in Accident and Emergency were haunting. So I’m not surprised that he has nightmares from his work.
“Because I want you to know that you’re not alone in your trauma, Ollie,” he says softly. It’s almost jarring to hear him call meOllieand notprincess. “We all suffer. I have my own ghosts, so do Alexand Rhys. What happened today alone would be enough to send anyone off the deep end, but I imagine there’s more that’s happened in your life than this.”
How the hell is he able to read me so well? I tighten my jaw and roll onto my back to stare up at the ceiling, not wanting to expose more of myself to this man.
“I’m not asking you to bare your soul to me. Hell, you don’t have to say anything to me. But I can see that you’re adamant about leaving us in the morning and putting distance between us, and it doesn’t sit right with me. The world is dangerous out there and while you’ve done an amazing job of keeping yourself safe all this time, at some point, your luck is going to run out.”
I look at him sharply. “You think I’m relying on luck?”
“Aren’t we all? At least a little? I know Rhys, Alex and I do, but we also have the luxury of having each other as backup when shit hits the fan. Who do you have watching your back when your luck turns?”
We both know the answer to that.No one. I stay silent.
“We could be that back up for you, at least until we find a safer place for you.” He pauses, waiting for me to react, but I don’t move. He sighs. “All I’m asking is that you think about it.”
Silence falls and I half expect him to stand up and go back to where he was sleeping before, but he doesn’t. He sits there, staring off into space as if lost in his own thoughts.
I lie there and mull over his words. He has a point; I know he does. I’m alone on this suicide mission and so far, I’ve been super lucky. It’s only today that I was in real danger and even then, they saved me before things got bad. What happens if I get caught again and there’s no one to save me? And what happens to Tobias and Rachel if I end up captured like they did? Or worse, dead?
I chew on my lower lip as I glance at Theo. Can I trust these men to have my back? They saved me once, but will they do it again? Plus, even if I take up his offer, will they come with me to find Tobias? Or will they see it for the suicide mission it is and refuse?
I guess if they refuse to help me save my brother, then it won’t matter because I won’t go with them. He’s my number one priority, and I promised Andy I’d do all I could to save his daughter. There’s no way I’m backing out of that. But there’s only one way to know where these men stand when it comes to my mission…
“Let’s say I stick with you three,” I start, causing Theo to whip his head around to meet my eyes. “I have something I need to do, people I need to find. It’s the entire reason I’m out here; to save them. And while it’s dangerous as fuck, I don’t have any choice but to try. Are you guys going to stop me from doing that?”
He seems to consider my words for a moment, his eyes narrowing. “It depends on where you’re heading, I suppose. We’re also out here tracking people.”
“I was told that the gang who took the people I’m searching for are heading for Birmingham, so that’s where I’m going.”
Theo’s eyes bulge open as he hisses, “you’re going after theScourge?”
I can’t help but snort. That name is just too damn ridiculous. It makes me wonder what other gangs are out there with equally stupid names. Is there a gang called the Devils? The Kings of Pain? The Demons? The Sinners? Each name is getting more and more ridiculous, and I can’t help but huff a laugh.
“Ollie?” There’s concern in Theo’s voice.
Oh right, he asked me a question. “Uh, yeah, I’m goingafter them.”
“Alone?”
I nod and stare at the ceiling above me, not wanting to meet his eyes. Poor guy probably thinks I’m insane. Hell, I think am considering what I’m doing.
“Shit. You know that’s dangerous as fuck, right? That the Scourge are armed and deadly?”
I shoot him an unimpressed look. “No, really? And here I thought they were just a granny gang armed with knitting needles and handbags while riding mobility scooters,” I say, unable to stop the sarcastic remark.
He snorts as his lips twitch. “Honestly, that sounds terrifying. Grannies don’t give a fuck. I’ve seen one beat the shit out of a police officer with her handbag for arresting her son.” His silver eyes dance with mirth.
I can’t help the small smile playing on my lips. Unlike Rhys—who’d probably have raged at me for my sarcasm—Theo doesn’t get pissed off with my weird sense of humour or cutting remarks. If anything, he only adds fuel to the fire. I guess Alex was right when he called him the comedian.
“What do you think their demands would be?” he asks in a conspiratorial whisper as he leans toward me.
My smile grows. I’m not the only one with a twisted sense of humour. “They’d obviously clear us out ofWerthers Originals.”
“And wool for their knitting projects.”
I shake my head. “Oh no, they wouldn’t waste knitting needles like that. They save the needles for stabbing their enemies and crochet instead.”
