While Doc wrangled both men from the cabin, I leaned my head against Britta’s door, hearing muffled noises coming from within. Slowly turning the knob, I found Ella seated at Britta’s bedside, her forehead pressed to the bed railing, clinging to it with both hands.
“It’s your fault, you know,” she was whispering. “I never would have slept with him if it hadn’t been foryougetting yourself hurt. So now you need to wake the fuck up and stop me from making even more bad decisions.”
Britta remained still and silent on the bed, her eyes closed, her skin shining with a light sheen of sweat.
“Jordy,” Ella groaned softly. “I can’t believe I had sex with…Jordy.”
Brows raised, I pushed the door the rest of the way open. “You had sex with Jordy?”
Ella’s head jerked up, her bloodshot eyes narrowing. “Don’t you judge me, Willow,” she snarled, sniffling. “Don’t you dare judge me with yourharem of brothers.”
My eyes went wide. Marching up to Ella, I glared down at her. “You know you don’t always have to be such a hateful bitch, right? Especially now…” Despite my anger, my voice broke. Spinning around, I inhaled deeply, trying hard not to cry.
Clearing her throat, Ella shifted noisily. “So, I’m guessing Logan isn’t back yet?”
I gave a brisk shake of my head.
“Yeah, that sucks.” Ella’s harsh tone softened slightly. “How bad are you freaking out right now?”
“Really bad,” I admitted quietly, turning to face her. “Really fucking bad.”
“Yeah.” Ella looked away, an apologetic look flashing across her usually frigid expression. “Well, just so you know, you dodged a bullet with Jordy.” Making a face, Ella pushed out of her chair and crossed the room. Pausing at the doorway, she said, “He likes to cuddle.”
As the door closed behind her, I stared for a moment, shaking my head.
“So you’ve clearly had a more eventful morning than I did,” I said to Britta as I took the seat at her bedside. “Ella and Jordy, huh? Care to spill all the dirty details?”
“On second thought,” I continued, wrinkling my nose. “I don’t think I really want to know…”
“Not much news on my end—they’re still not back. Oh, butBetseythinks they’ll be back any day now…” I trailed off with a scoff. “Only it’s been a week—a fucking week. What could have happened out there…” I trailed off again as an unwanted image arose—Logan and Lucas side by side, their blue eyes leeched of color, their skin shredded into ribbons of rot. Mauled by the very same horde, brothers in both life and death.
Gasping through my next breath, I squeezed my eyes shut, picturing Logan alive and well instead. In my vision, I reached for him, running my fingertips over the slant of his cheekbones, and across the harsh line of his mouth. I dipped my hands into his hair, unbound and wild with waves, before returning to explore more of his face. As I smoothed the pads of my thumbs over his heavy brows, he stared back at me, his ocean-blue eyes burning straight through. Up on my tiptoes, I was leaning forward to kiss him when Britta’s hand suddenly twitched in mine.
I bolted upright, my eyes flying open. It wasn’t the first time she’d twitched; however, it was the first time she’d twitched in a way that didn’t feel reflexive in nature, but very much deliberate.
“Britta,” I breathed, shaking her hand. “Can you hear me? Britta? Squeeze me if you can hear me.”
Britta’s dry lips parted, a wheezy groan rattling from her chest and I dropped her hand, my heart thudding in my chest. My gaze darted up and down her body, looking over her too-pale, sweat-slickened skin.Please be alive, I chanted silently.Please be alive.
“Britta,” I squeaked, terror squeezing my throat. “Britta?”
Her eyes opened—bright blue and fixed on me.
“Britta!” I cried, clasping my hands over my mouth. “Oh my god, Britta!”
There was a loud clatter beyond the door. Swinging open, the door crashed into the wall as Joe and EJ shoved against each other, plates of eggs tumbling to the ground as they raced to Britta’s bedside.
“Brit,” Joe gasped, his shotgun still in hand. “You awake, girl?”
“Britta.” EJ staggered to a stop beside Joe. “Are you…you?”
Another groan rattled as she attempted clearing her throat; her fingers wiggled in her binds, reaching for me. Clasping her hand between both of mine, I began to laugh even as tears poured down my cheeks.
Britta blinked sluggishly between the three of us, pausing on Joe. “What’s the… gun for… Joey?” she asked hoarsely and with immense effort. “You gonna shoot… little ol’… me?”
Joe’s slack-jawed expression morphed into a stunned smile. “Not you,” he rasped. “Just… everybody else.”
“You’re tellin’ me that Ella—the Ice Queen of the East, got her groove on withJordy?”
