Rhys stops and follows my gaze. “Maybe,” he says cautiously before moving towards it.
It takes a bit for us to climb up and over the various piles of rubble and discarded cars before we’re finally able to reach the front of the shop. The sign above the boarded-up window and door is faded, the white lettering on the blue background almost illegible, but I’m able to make outSport. The shop itself appears to be intact, even though the buildings around it have collapsed or are heavily damaged.
Rhys peers at the building with a dubious expression on his face before moving closer to peer through a hole in the wood covering the window.
“See anything?” I ask, unable to hide my hope. I need this place to be safe enough for us to hide in for the night because I am not looking forward to passing out from another panic attack in a car.
“Not much. It’s too dark inside.”
He turns from the window to inspect the door for a moment before brandishing the Swiss Army knife and prying the wooden boards from the door. It doesn’t take long before the doorway is cleared.
“Stay there,” he orders, throwing methe lookover his shoulder.
I glare at him but don’t argue. As much as I hate being left behind like some damsel, I’m aware enough to know that I’d be useless in a fight without a weapon. So I do as I’m told as Rhys wrenches open the door and disappears into the darkness beyond.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take long for him to return, brandishing a torch and a wicked-looking hunting knife.
My jaw drops. “Where the hell did you find that?” Didn’t even know we had knives like that in the UK.
He grins. “You, princess, somehow spotted the only untouched outdoor sporting goods shop in the entire city.”
“It’s safe?”Please tell me it’s safe. I don’t want to sleep in a car again.
His smile widens. “It’s safe anduntouched.”
I dive past him and into the shop. Only to stutter to a stop because he’s not kidding. This place looks as if it just closed for the night, with everything neatly stacked on shelves. The only sign that it’s been closed for a while is a thick layer of dust on everything. Not that I care because there’sclothes.Warmclothes, too.
I almost weep when I stride over to the women’s section and pick out thick leggings, warm tops, woollen socks and a thick, waterproof coat. They’re so soft and comfortable that I’m dying to put them on, but I’m still caked in dried blood and dirt. Somehow we’re going to need to wash ourselves.
And it seems luck is still on our side because this place doesn’t just have clothes and weapons, butfoodtoo. There’s even bottles and jugs of water, all unopened. It’s like being a kid at Christmas all over again.
Exploring the shop further, we find a clean toilet at the back along with a staff room filled with a plush sofa and armchair.
“We’ll sleep in here,” Rhys says after inspecting the room. “I’ll grab a bunch of sleeping bags while you go wash.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice.
Using the jugs of water and soap, I wash my body and hair thoroughly. I pay special attention to my feet, making sure they’re thoroughly sanitised. It’s freezing cold and I’m violently shivering by the end, but I haven’t been this clean indays. It’s almost orgasmic how good it feels.
The warm clothes are even better.
I emerge from the bathroom a new woman and find that Rhys has been busy turning the staff room into a cosy space. A camp stove sits on the counter, already on and boiling water while the sofa is overflowing with pillows, sleeping bags and blankets. While the temperature in theroom isn’t that high, it’s still so much better than outside.
“Keep an eye on the stove; I’ll be right back,” Rhys says before disappearing into the bathroom with a handful of clothing.
I do one better and prepare a feast of pre-packaged freeze dried meals that we devour as soon as Rhys returns from the bathroom, clean and clothed. By the time we’re done, I’m warm, have a full belly and struggling to stay awake.
“Come on,” Rhys says, nudging me towards the sofa after securing the building. “We both need our rest.”
I don’t argue and shuffle over to collapse into the pile of blankets and sleeping bags with a heavy sigh.Fuck, I can’t remember the last time I was this comfortable. Even though the sofa is slightly lumpy, it’s a cloud compared to the icy, hard concrete I’ve been sleeping on the past few days.
Snuggling deeper into the blankets, I move over. Only to frown when Rhys walks over to the armchair. “Why are you sleeping over there?”
He pauses and glances at me. “The sofa is yours. I’ll be fine in the chair.”
I pat the space in front of me. “Get over here. We’ve already been sleeping with one another naked, and you need good quality rest.”
He hesitates for a moment before relenting with a sigh.
