Page 15 of Shattered Love

None of us talked about it. Besides the solemn conversation I had with Aiden, not a single word was spoken about the fate that awaited us. Was everyone content to accept that fate? I couldn’t imagine a world in which the people around me were okay with giving up. Where they didn’t fight for their survival.

“What would you have me do?” Warner took one last glance out the window before stepping toward me.

“Do you know how to stop a meteor?” Another step.

“Do you know where these bunkers are?” His feet touched mine.

“Or how about how to get to the bunkers?” His breath fanned over my face.

Standing my ground as he did against Rainer, I tilted my chin. “I don’t have the answers.” Taking my own step closer, I climbed on my tiptoes, our faces inches apart. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t find them.”

Warner arched a brow, huffing out a mix between a scoff and a laugh. “And how do you suppose we do that?”

This time I arched my own brow. He wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly what I was insinuating. But if he needed me to say it out loud, I would.

“There were thousands of files of information in those rooms. Probably more so on the computers. All the information we need is right there.”

The thought of entering that camp, that basement, sent a shiver up my spine. But I steeled the bone, refusing to back down from the idea now that it was out in the open. What other choice did we have?

Warner looked down his nose at me, that blank stare shielding me from his thoughts. “Your plan is to break into the place we escaped from?” His eyes wandered over my arms, dropping to my thighs, to the scars that I would carry for the rest of my life. “Back to the place that gave you those?”

I knew what he was trying to do. From the outside looking in, it would seem like he was trying to get me to back down. But even though I knew next to nothing about this man, I knew who he was. He wasn’t trying to get me to back down; he was trying to get me riled up.

“My plan is to survive.” I met his stare head on, letting him see the determination in my gaze.

I had taken a back seat to survival for too long. And it nearly cost me my life. I would never do that again.

The blank stare was no more as Warner continued to stare at me. Now, there was no mistaking the heat in his gaze. The stare warmed my entire body, and I found myself inching closer, unable to break from the hold his eyes had on me.

Warner leaned even closer, his lips a breath away from mine. Those lips brushed softly against mine as he said, “Good luck convincing the others.”

Several hours later, once the sun was beginning to set, the three of us made our way out of the house. After Sasha had woken up, I took the opportunity to rest myself. I had nothing more to discuss with Warner. I knew he would help, as long as I could convince the rest of the group that my idea wasn’t insane.

Sneaking out of the house, the three of us quietly made our way through the streets. Unfortunately, we quickly realized we had no clue where to go.

“Any chance one of you are from here?” Warner whispered, constantly glancing from left to right.

I shook my head in unison with Sasha. “I was driving through the area when the fires started. I’m not even from Montana.”

I looked at her curiously. It was the first I had heard about her past. She was as forthcoming as the rest of us, not sharing much.

“Where are you from?” I asked her, ignoring the look Warner gave me. I was whispering; no one was going to find us from my hushed voice alone.

“California. Right on the coast.” Tilting her head back, she closed her eyes. “God, I miss the ocean.”

“I’ve never even seen it,” I told her.

Sasha smiled. “It’s beautiful. And nothing beats swimming in the water during a hot summer day. Maybe one day you’ll see it.”

The words slipped from her mouth before she could think, her hand covering her lips a moment later. “Sorry,” she added, but I only shrugged.

It had always been a dream of mine to visit the ocean, hell, to even leave the state of Montana. But those were all they would be now, dreams. And it didn’t do me well to dwell on them.

“What about you?” Sasha asked Warner.

“What about me?” He returned, not even bothering to look back at us as he continued to lead us through the dark.

“Where are you from? Why were you around here?” Sasha elaborated.

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