Page 29 of Explorer's Revenge
“I’m sorry, Maeve. That must be very hard,” he replies.
I nod, and we lapse into comfortable silence.
I stare into the fire, my shoulders relaxing as I watch the dancing flames until a noise makes my head jerk up, and I see a figure next to us.
“Aiy, you okay?” Way asks cautiously as he looks between us.
“I’m okay.”
“Time to sleep.” Way offers him his hand and helps him up, but Aiy hesitates, glancing back at me.
“Goodnight, Maeve.” He swiftly looks away and lets Way lead him as far from me as he can.
“Goodnight, Aiyaret,” I respond softly.
I don’t really sleep. I stare up at the stars through the break in the canopy before my bladder makes itself known. I left all my gear and stuff back at my camp, so I am sleeping on a borrowed blanket they loaned me. Before morning, I’ll need to head back to where I dropped it.
If Wilder wants a race, then he’ll get one.
I head through the trees—not far since I’m not stupid—and when I’m far enough away that I can’t see them clearly, I crouch and do my business. I’m just standing and buttoning my pants when there’s a crack behind me.
I spin, raising my machete as a deterrent, when a flashlight runs over me.
“Put it down,” I snap.
It lowers to the forest floor, and I get a look at a smirking Wilder. “Caught with your pants down, Carter?”
“At least my fly is down on purpose,” I retort, and he swears as he looks down and zips his. “What are you doing out here?”
“Checking the perimeter to keep us safe,” he replies before he seems to remember whom he’s talking to. “Enough questions, get back to camp. I told you to be quiet, remember?”
“Stop being an asshole for one fucking second, Jesus,” I mutter as I drop my hands to my hips.
He steps back, leaning into a tree, running his eyes over me. “We only let you stay because you’d be dead out there alone. That doesn’t mean we like you, Carter.”
He recoils as my machete embeds in the tree at his side. His eyes widen as I walk over and pluck it free, our faces almost touching. “I can take care of myself. Never forget that or that I was the one who saved you.”
I trek back in the darkness and lie down, ignoring him as he marches into camp and gets into his bunk. Within minutes, snores fill the jungle, loud enough for one of them to scare any predator.
I doze on and off, jerking awake at every little noise until I finally give up.
I move around silently so as not to wake them, cleaning up the area I rested in and leaving it like I was never there.
Before dawn even arrives, I am on my feet, and with one last glance at their sleeping camp, I smirk.
Game on, Adreno junkies.
TWENTY-ONE
WAY
Staring down at the space where Maeve Carter was sleeping, I rub my aching head, already knowing how well this will go down—like a shot of bourbon before seven in the morning.
“What do you mean, she’s gone?” Wilder roars.
Yup, called it.
Aiy went to wake him, and when I turn, Logan is in the middle of falling from his hammock, half asleep. Merrick is sitting up, looking confused as his head swings between us.
