I swallow hard, grateful that Rhys isn’t pressuring me. He simply stands there, allowing me to gather my courage while silently offering his support.
“Okay,” I whisper. “Just… when we’re inside, can you hold me?” It’s the most vulnerable thing I’ve ever said to anyone and while a small part of me braces for Rhys to refuse or laugh at me, the rest of me trusts him.
The grip on my chin softens. “Whatever you need,” he murmurs while leaning in to press a chaste kiss against my lips. “I’ve got you.” He pulls away and holds out his hand for me to take.
I’ve got you. Those three words are enough for me to summon the bravery I need to slip my palm into his grip and allow him to lead me to the car.
Each step has my heart rate skyrocketing and my breaths stuttering in my throat. The trembling in my body gets worse, although it’s hard to know whether it’s terror or the cold that’s causing it. I feel like I’m walking to my own execution.
By the time we reach the vehicle, my throat is almost closed shut, and I’m barely breathing. But I grit my teeth and practically shove myself inside, barely registering the freezing leather against my skin. Rhys slides in after me and slams the door shut.
That’s when the panic truly sets in.
Rhys immediately wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his lap. “Shh,” he croons into my ear while gently rocking me side to side. “You’re safe, princess. I’m here. I’ve got you.” He repeats the words over and over, one calloused hand rubbing my back while the other cups the back of my head.
While it does little to soothe the jagged edges of my panic and fear, I’m grateful that he kept his word. That even when I’m falling apart, he’s holding me together and keeping me safe.
It’s the last coherent thought I have before nightmarish images of blood, crumpled cars and ravenous zombies overrun my mind.
On a Knife Edge
Alex
Despair is thick inthe air as the depth of Elsa’s crimes come to light, one document at a time. After dropping Harlow off with Tobias and his wife, Theo and I sit in her abandoned office, surrounded by disgusting, enraging and heart-wrenching papers, all of them detailing just how much of a monster she is.
And just how blind we’ve been.
This has been happening formonths. Food, supplies and weapons have been going missing, funnelled out of Haven and into Scourge hands without any of us noticing. But that’s nothing compared to the sickening horror of the people who’ve been taken—sold—to these bastards. The attack two months ago was the first of many attempts by Elsa to get people out of Haven.
Andit almost worked.
Except she hadn’t accounted for me, Rhys and Theo to go after them and be successful. Or for us to ruin their secondary camp and cripple their farming operation.
But that’s little consolation for the people who’ve been sold since then. Something I plan on fixing once I can get my hands on those Scourge bastards.
The sun has barely risen when I finally sit back in my chair with a sigh. My head is pounding and my eyes are blurring after studying page after page of neatly scribbled notes. The rage that’s been riding me hard ever since Ollie and Rhys were taken has died down, overtaken by exhaustion, guilt and deep sorrow.
“This is so fucked up,” I say as I rub my tired eyes with bruised knuckles. “I can’t believe she got away with this for so long. How could we have been so blind?”
“I don’t know, but I refuse to be blind any longer.” Theo shifts in his chair and groans. “Motherfucker,” he growls, his face contorting with pain. “I should have taken my painkillers yesterday.”
“Probably,” I grunt as I stretch. My back clicks in several places and muscles scream from me sitting in that damn chair all night, causing me to wince. “Is that everything?” I glance around at the piles of papers and notebooks we spent the entire night reading through. “Are we done?”
“I hope so.” Theo hobbles to his feet just as there’s a knock on the door.
We both look over to see a ragged-looking Anthony standing in the doorway, wearing rumpled clothing. His hair sticks out at odd angles as if he’s been running his hands through it, and his sunken eyes are surrounded by dark circles. The guy looks like shit.
“She’s completely gone,” he says grimly as he steps into the small room. “We’ve cleared the entire site and Elsa’s not here.”
Theo nods with a sigh. “We figured as much, which is why we got a head start on looking through her shit. Here.” He slides our list towards Anthony and explains everything we’ve found.
The more he explains, the sicker and angrier Anthony becomes until he’s shaking as he clutches the paper between clenched fists. “And you’re sure about this?” he grits out, a thunderous expression on his face.
Theo nods grimly. “We’re sure.”
The other man shakes his head and curses. “And I thought things couldn’t get any worse.” He paces the length of the small office, the paper crinkling in his hands. “You’re sure this is everything?”
“From what we’re found, yes,” I say with a weary sigh.
