Page 48 of Shattered Love

Rainer had determined a meeting point before we had headed toward the camp. When he was outvoted, it was the one thing he could control.

Taking cover inside a faded diner, the sign outside crooked but large, we waited with bated breath for the others. Minutes that felt like hours passed until suddenly, there they were. Murphy, Sasha, and Warner skidded inside, all out of breath, their hair askew and chests heaving.

“What the hell did we do?” Murphy asked with wide eyes.

Apparently, they had seen the chaos back at the camp. I wondered how long it would go on. How many more lives would be lost in the name of survival.

“We don’t have time to waste,” Rainer snapped. “Grab our things and let's get the fuck out of here.”

We grabbed the bags we had stashed in the diner, retrieving more from the last house we had stayed in. Each of us slung supplies over our shoulders, ammo, clothes, and food stuffed inside each.

“Mina, you know the way?” Sasha checked in and she nodded steadily, although I noted the concern in her eyes.

It wasn’t easy to be in charge, to know people’s lives were in your hands. But I trusted her, believed in her, and if she needed reassurance, I’d be there to give it to her.

“What are we waiting for?” Warner asked and his words snapped us into motion.

Filing out of the diner, those with weapons readied themselves, but we had nothing to worry about. The streets were fairly empty, either the people had already moved on, possibly going back to their homes. Or they were still at the camp, fighting for a weapon.

For hours we trudged along the paths of the town, meandering through abandoned neighborhoods, until we finally reached the highway.

The sight was foreign. Several stalled out cars sat in the middle of the road, others driven off the edges, tilted into the hills on each side. There was no rumble of engines, no cars whizzing past, and it was as if the world had already ended.

“Do you think we’ll run into other people?” I asked whoever would answer.

Unease swirled in my gut at the idea. Would they attack us, try to take our food and weapons? I thought back to the two men who had found us in the woods. They hadn’t thought twice before attempting to rob us, and that was before anyone knew the truth.

Rainer shrugged, calling out from the front of our group. “I’d be surprised if we didn’t. Everyone should keep their guards up, just in case.”

The unease grew until an arm was slung over my shoulder, a husky voice in my ear. “Don’t worry, babe. Everyone has the same goal, they’ll leave us alone.”

I raised my brows at Warner, softening under the weight of his touch. “I didn’t think you were the optimistic sort.”

That role usually fell on Murphy. If I was to classify the three of them, Murphy was the optimist, Rainer the realist, and Warner the pessimist. Although, the more time I spent with each of them, the more facets I saw, realizing they couldn’t fit into the boxes I originally created in my head.

“Oh, that’s not me being optimistic. But your stress is contagious and we don’t need anyone freaking out.”

I glanced at the others, noticing that I indeed was not the only one stressed about the circumstances. Aiden hovered near me, his reach never too far away. Rainer and Murphy stood shoulder to shoulder, both of their gazes bouncing to every available space they could see.

Mina was beside them, giving instructions, but even her shoulders were tight. Stephanie and Lucas huddled between their parents, the four of them slightly separate from the rest of us.

The only two who seemed relaxed were Sasha and Warner. Sasha was nearly skipping as she walked, basking in the sunlight overhead, even as a chill bit through the air.

“And why isn’t my stress getting to you?” I asked Warner, leaning into his side as I took my next step.

“Because my only concern is you. And it just so happens that nearly everyone here would take a bullet from you.” He looked down at me with a teasing smile, the unfamiliar gesture lighting up the dark depths of his eyes. “Must be that personality of yours, draws everyone in.”

“Even you?” I asked.

I knew the answer. He had been more than forthcoming about his feelings for me. But as my gaze fell on Murphy and Rainer once more, I knew why I needed the reassurance. How could my heart beat in tandem with each of these men? And if it never ceased to do so, would they all be okay with that?

Warner leaned down, biting teasingly against my neck. “Especially me.”

I sat on the hood of a car, my arms wrapped around myself, the wind biting at me even through the coat. I stared up at the stars littering the sky; the sight reminding me of the nights spent in the woods, comfort wrapping around me like a blanket.

We had decided to stop an hour ago once it was nearly impossible to find our way through the darkness. So far, we hadn’t passed any other travelers, but that didn’t stop everyone from deciding on a watch schedule, alternating shifts every hour.

Several of the cars on the road were unlocked and we took advantage, climbing inside to escape the cold and find some rest for the night. Warner was on the first watch, but besides Emmanuel, Elizabeth, and the twins, none of us were ready for sleep yet.

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