“They’re not,” I call after him before sighing and following him like a lost puppy. The awkwardness from earlier dissipates, replaced with the familiarity of our banter.
“So, which one is it?” he asks as I reach his side.
I glance over at him with a furrowed brow. “Which one is what?”
He gives me a look. “Don’t bullshit me, Liv. I’ve known you your entire life; I know the look you get when you’re falling for someone. So which one is it? The grumpy guy, the mountain man, or the one with the tattoos?”
Oh, hell no. We’re not doing this. There’s no way I’m going to confess to my brother that my greedy ass can’t decide and that I’m falling for all three of them. Or that only two of them actually want me, and one of them is determined to get the others to agree to share me.
I shake my head. “I’m not having this conversation with you.”
He pouts. “Why not? Personally, I’m rooting for the mountain man. He seems the sweetest of the three. Plus, he can’t seem to keep his eyes off you.”
I’m guessing that’s Alex? I snort and roll my eyes. “You can root for him all you want; I’m still not talking to you about this. If you need gossip that badly, I’m sure someone else has tea to spill.” It’s been so long since we were around other people that I’ve forgotten what a massive gossip my brother is. Something in me lightens at the thought, at how normal this feels.
Tobias huffs. “I’ve spent the past few weeks with those people; I know all the gossip.”
“Well, I guess you’re just going to have to hope drama happens during the journey because I’m not giving you shit.” I level him with my best stern expression.
“Between you and those three guys?” He cocks an eyebrow. “Yeah, I don’t think I’ll have to wait very long.”
As if some deity was just waiting for him to say that, there’s a high-pitched squeal followed by a feminine voice shouting, “Rhys!”
“Right on time,” Tobias mutters under his breath.
My eyes snap toward the noise just in time to see a woman race over and launch herself at Rhys, ignoring the glares from Alex and Theo. The ex-SAS officer barely catches her, a pained expression on his face as she clings to him like a koala.
Well, fuck. Who the hell is that?
Done With This Shit
Rhys
Ieye the formercaptives as they filter in from the various buildings around the camp, all of them overloaded with supplies.
They’re weaker than I expected, making what is going to be a tough journey home even deadlier due to how slow they are. Half of them are struggling beneath the weight of the supplies they’ve gathered, practically hobbling over to us. There’s zero chance of us outrunning the Scourge, meaning I need to come up with a plan.
One that won’t get us killed.
I grimace. “This is fucked,” I grumble to Alex as he moves to my side after helping a few of the group repack the supplies to make them easier to carry.
Alex glances around and sighs. “It’ll be fine. We’ll make it work,” he says, everthe optimist.
Not that I can fault him for it. After everything he’s been through, it’s a miracle he’s as happy as he is... most of the time. Sometimes he can be a right surly bastard—much like myself—although those times are few and far between.
I pat him on the shoulder, a silent thanks for his support before stepping away from him. Time to get this shitshow on the road before the Scourge cart turns up.
However, before I can open my mouth, there’s a feminine squeal before Jerri, my ex-wife, careens towards me while shouting my name. She rushes straight past Theo and Alex, who both glare at her, to throw herself at me with more enthusiasm than I’ve ever seen her show.
“I’m so glad you came here to save me,” she says far too loudly into my shoulder as she clings to me tighter.
My skin itches, and I grimace while wondering what the hell I did to deserve this.
“Why, Jerri, I think that’s the most excited I’ve ever seen you greet Rhys,” Theo says with caustic amusement.
Alex snorts. “No kidding. I’m pretty sure the last thing she said to him before she got grabbed was something along the lines of him being an incompetent bastard who shouldn’t be in charge of anything while you slapped at his chest like an annoying mosquito.” He shoots me an apologetic look at my pained expression of being reminded of that encounter.
Even though I agree with both of them, I say nothing and instead untangle Jerri’s limbs from around me. She doesn’t notice because her attention has shifted to my two best friends.
