And she’s not happy. Then again, when is she ever?
“Well, maybe if he actually listened to me once in a while, I wouldn’t have to say things like that,” she says with a sniff. “Besides, my relationship with Rhys is none of your business. I’m not some disgusting whore you three share, so keep your noses out of it.”
Theo’s eyes darken and Alex’s jaw tightens as they both glare at her with naked hatred. Theo opens his mouth, and I just know it’s going to lead to a massive blowout between the three of them. Something we don’t have time for, even if a small, petty part of myself wishes we did.
“Alright, that’s enough,” I bark, stepping between them and cutting off their view of one another. “We don’t have time for whatever argument you’re working up to. We have to move before that Scourge cart gets here.”
Theo grinds his teeth as he glares at Jerri with murder in his eyes, his usually relaxed and charming façade gone. Alex looks like he ate something sour as he continues to glower towards my ex-wife. And Jerri? Well, she’s a mixture of pissed off and smug; an expression she’s honed to perfection over the years. Just standing in the middle of them is enough to raise my blood pressure.
Fucking hell. WhatdidI do to deserve this?
“Is everything okay over here?” Ollie asks, joining this fucked-up party. Her face is closed off, but I can see from the way her eyes flick from Jerri to me that she’s curious. Beside her is her brother, Tobias, his similar green eyes brimming with amusement and curiosity.
I bite back a groan of frustration. I don’t want Ollie to have anything to do with Jerri and her toxic vitriol. “Everything’s fine,” I grind out as I shoot Theo and Alex a silent look tobehave. There’s no point doing the same with Jerri; she always does what she wants, regardless of everyone else.
God, I can’t wait to get back to Haven.
Stay calm, I remind myself as I turn to the rest of the group. “Is everyone here?”
There are a few nods and murmurs from the group, but no one calls out, so I take that as a yes.
“Alright. I want everyone to stay together and to stay quiet. If you see any infected, call it out, and if you feel you can take care of them, do so. But know that if you get bitten, youwillbe put down.” I meet as manypeople’s eyes as possible as I speak that last part. Last thing we need are idiots thinking they’re fucking Rambo wandering off and getting bit.
A few people blanch, but most nod in agreement.
I continue. “If we meet gang members, you run and find cover. No heroics.” I direct that toward Ollie, who rolls her eyes. “You stay in cover until either me, Theo, or Alex—” I point to each of us “—say otherwise. Understood?”
Everyone nods.
“Good. Let’s get the fuck out of this shithole.” I push my way through the crowd and towards the road that leads to the front gate. It’s littered with dead bodies and gore; the sight nauseating in the weak morning sun, but there’s nothing to be done about it. The corpses can remain there as a grisly message to the Scourge; fuck with Haven and this is what happens.
I’d like to think that it’ll make them think twice about coming after us, but I’m not that stupid or naïve. We’ve probably barely made a dent in their numbers, so all this’ll do is piss them off. But hopefully, we’ll be long gone by the time they find it.
Although judging from the long, slow line of people stretching out behind me, I have little confidence in that.
Fuck.
“We’re going to be sitting ducks out there,” Ollie says next to me, having caught up with her dog, horse and magpie beside her.
I double-take, realising that unlike before, she’s not riding Bean. It’s a little strange seeing her walking beside me. The cut on her cheek has stopped bleeding, leaving a red smear across the side of her face and neck. Theo will need to look at that once I’ve found a safe place for us to spend the night.
“I know,” I say grimly as I turn my focus back to the road just as we exit the camp and head into the housing estate. “But we don’t exactly have much choice. None of us could leave these people alone to defend themselves, not when some of them are struggling to walk. I wasplanning to leave them with the Lodge but that’s no longer an option after what happened with your ex.”
Anger stirs in my chest at the reminder of that piece of shit. It’s a shame Ollie killed him because I’d love nothing more than to cut off his dick and make him choke to death on it.
Ollie clenches her jaw and tightens her hold on the reins. “Do you think Mark knew about the deal Ethan made with the Scourge?”
I blow out a breath and force myself to relax. “I don’t know, and I don’t think it matters. As the leader of the settlement, Ethan’s actions reflect on him whether or not he condoned it. Plus, you remember your time there; did it feel safe to you?”
She shakes her head.
“Exactly. Which means we’re somehow going to have to evade the Scourge all the way to Haven while at this pace.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah.”
Ollie glances over her shoulder and sighs. “I guess I’ll see if anyone’s desperate enough to ride Bean.”
