His best friend’s name is like a punch to the gut. My amusement is sucked from my body as I’m reminded of the other two important men in my life. Alex and Theo. The two men I’ve fallen for. God, I miss them so much.
And not just them, I misseveryoneat Haven. My brother, Lauren, Rachel, Andy… They must be out of their minds with worry after Rhys and I disappeared that night… And that’s if they’re still aliv—
I shove the thought away.Nope. I’m not going to allow myself to think like that, not when I’m trying hard to keep myself together. While my car-induced panic is under control, the same can’t be said for fear over what happened to everyone at Haven. It’s hovering just beneath the surface, waiting to pounce. My throat tightens, and unshed tears burn my eyes.
“I’ll do everything in my power to get us back to them, princess,” Rhys says softly as he presses a gentle kiss to my forehead. “I promise.”
I nod, not trusting my voice, and scramble off his lap, taking my tattered and bloodied blanket with me. Swiping a hand across the foggy car window, I peer through the glass to make sure there’s no Scourge or zombies lingering around before opening the door. Cold air rushes into the interior, chilling me to the bone, but I grit my teeth and force myself to step outside.
My feet scream in protest, my soles bruised and cut from our escape yesterday. Hopefully, we can find something to clean and treat them before they become infected.
Rhys follows, his blanket tied around his chest like a towel, leaving his hands free. I copy him, struggling a little with my numb fingers but finally get the blanket tied securely around me, turning it into a makeshift dress. Too bad it does little against the frigid wind billowing around us.
I wrinkle my nose. “If we ever get society back to the way it was before, I’m moving to Bermuda. At least then I can be warm when the next apocalypse happens.”
Rhys snorts. “Agreed. I’ll even pay for our tickets. Now let’s get a move on. I want to find something to eat and drink.”
Oh yes,food. I’d do anything for a fat, juicy burger and chips right now. Or an enormous bowl of hot tomato soup with a cheese toastie to dip into it. Or maybe even a fresh pizza loaded with melted cheese and toppings.
I groan at the thought and hurry after Rhys, who’s already striding away like a man on a mission.
It takes a while for us to pick our way through the rubble before we finally come across anything resembling a shop. Unfortunately, it’s completely barren inside with rotting food spilling across the floor and a decomposing body. The second store isn’t much better, although at least it doesn’t have a body.
The third is where we get lucky. A couple of unopened bottles of water have rolled underneath the shelving and remained undiscovered until now. Rhys also finds a packet of untouched paracetamol and throws back a couple of tablets to help with the pain I know he must be suffering. Even better, there’s a packet of salt and vinegar crisps lying next to them.
“Here,” Rhys says, handing the packet to me. “It’s not much, but at least it’s something.”
I take the packet and pop it open. The scent of salt and oil teases my nose, making my stomach clench painfully and my mouth water. But as ravenous as I am, I’m careful to only take half the bag before handing the rest to Rhys.
He shakes his head and pushes the bag away. “Take all of it, Ollie. I’ll be fine.”
“No, you need to eat, too, Rhys. Especially since you’re more injured than I am.” I practically shove the bag into his face, refusing to take no for an answer.
He scowls and refuses to take it.
“I’m not eating the rest, so either you eat it or we leave it here for the rats. Your choice.”
He sighs heavily, grumbling under his breath about stubborn women as he takes the bag from me and devours the contents within seconds.
After that, we continue our search for more supplies.
But as the day wears on, it’s quickly becoming apparent that neither of us know where we are. Or what direction we need to travel in to reach Haven. The streets have been decimated and any road signs have been destroyed or stolen, meaning we’re just having to go off Rhys’s theory that we’re somewhere in Cardiff. Not the worst place to be stranded, seeing as we’re only about twenty miles from Haven, but those miles are insurmountable at the moment with our lack of food, weapons and clothing.
By the time the sun sets, we’re both exhausted, starving and freezing. The prospect of spending another night trapped in a car sits heavily on my shoulders, and my stomach churns with dread.
Some of it must leak onto my face because Rhys moves closer, draping an arm over my shoulders. “We’ll figure it out,” he says as he pulls me against his side. “Whatever happens, we’ll get through it.”
I just nod and lean into him. I never thought I’d be able to trust someone else to help carry my burdens, yet here am I. WithRhysof all people. And it’s not just him. I trust all three of the men I’ve fallen for, not just with my life but with my heart. Something Ineverthought I’d do again.
Rhys squeezes my shoulder in silent support as the sky grows darker and our chances of finding a place to spend the night in somethingotherthan a car dwindle. My eyes scan the street, praying for somewhere safe enough to stay in for the night, but all the buildings are either burned, have no doors or windows, or are teetering precariously to one side.
There are a ton of cars, though.
I grow tenser by the second. Nausea claws at my throat at the prospect of suffering another panic attack for the second night in a row.
But it seems luck is finally on our side.
“Holy shit,” I whisper, eyes wide as I stare at the small building obscured by debris from a nearby building. “Is that an outdoor sports shop?”
