Just the thought of that man and his harsh words and fists is enough to make me grind my teeth.
“Here.” A metal canteen is shoved at my face.
Glancing up, I find Ollie standing over me. Her face is pale and her brow is furrowed with concern as she hands me the canteen with a trembling hand. Harlow is stuck to her side, panting, while Ollie clings to the thick fur on the scruff of her neck.
“Thanks,” I say, my voice still rough as I take it and gulp down some water. The cool liquid soothes the rawness of my throat. I drink a little more before handing it back to her. “Is everyone else okay?”
“We’re fine, Alex,” Theo says as he sets about cleaning the scratches marring the side of my face and arms. “You were the only one in immediate danger.”
“Although princess sure tried, cutting me off by dragging me through the shop like that,” Rhys grumbles.
“Oh fuck off, Rhys.” I can practicallyfeelher eye roll. “I knew what you were going to say, and we both know that splitting up in that situation was a bad idea.”
“That’s not your call to make.”
“And it’s not justyours,either.”
Rhys growls in frustration.
I don’t have to look up to know that he’s glaring daggers at Ollie. I’m starting to see why he threatened to tie her up with how much she winds him up. But I’m not convinced that it isn’t at least a little sexually motivated. The thought sits like a stone on my chest, sparking a flash of hot jealousy that I tramp down.
There’s no point getting jealous over something that hasn’t happened yet. Besides, I have no claim over Ollie and she doesn’t seem interested in changing that anytime soon.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Rhys’s hands flex, almost like he’s trying to hold himself back as the two stare each other down. I share an amused look with Theo. We both know he’s resisting the urge to grab Ollie, put her over his knee, and spank the stubbornness out of her.
“I understand your reasoning,” Rhys grinds out. “But that was still dangerous. I need you to not cut me off like that and trust me and my experience when I’m about to give you an order.”
Theo holds my head still as he tends to my wounds, so I can’t see Ollie’s expression, but I can feel the tension thickening in the air each second she stays silent. And then she sighs.
“Okay, you’re right. I need to trust that you know what you’re doing.”
Her acquiescence shocks the room silent. None of us were expecting her to give in so easily and admit defeat. Damn, maybe she isn’t as bullheaded as we all thought.
“Thank you,” Rhys says after a moment. “And I’ll try to trust your judgement in the future.”
Well, shit. I’ve never heard him compromise like that with anyone but Theo and me. Is the grump softening toward her? I scowl as another bolt of jealousy sears through my chest.Not sexual, my ass.
Theo pulls back and glances between the two of them with a furrowed brow. “Interesting,” he murmurs before turning to pack away his medical supplies.
I go to ask what’s sointeresting,but the door groans and shudders at my back. It’s a stark a reminder that while we may be safe right now, it’s only temporary. I wince as it jars my sore back and neck. The moans fromthe zombies grow louder, their attacks on the door heavier and more insistent.
The mood in the room grows tense.
“Shit, are there more out there?” Ollie whispers in horror.
“Sounds like it,” Rhys answers grimly as he slides down the door to settle next to me, adding his weight to keep the door secure. “There’s not much we can do about it now. We’ll just have to wait until morning and hope by then they’ll have got bored and moved on.”
Ollie pales and swallows hard.
Theo stands and moves over to her. “It’ll be fine. Those zombies aren’t getting through that door, not with those two stubborn assholes keeping it closed,” he says as he rubs her shoulder soothing, comforting her in a way I wish I could.
I mock scowl at him, trying to keep the atmosphere light as I push aside my envy. “Hey, who are you calling an asshole?”
He smirks at me. “I mean, considering you look and talk like one…”
“Twat.”
His smile widens. “You are what you eat.” He turns and winks at Ollie.
