Page 66 of Shelter (The Wanderers 4)

“The people who spend most of their time out looking for others and bringing them into the fold. She has a savior complex. The woman doesn’t slow down for a minute.” Rush hesitated. “Although, I bet she has now.” He grinned.

Storm couldn’t read his expression. “Is she…yours?”

Rush flinched. “God no. She’s nobody’s.” He slapped a palm over his forehead. “Though I bet that’s no longer true either. The day I was taken by The Republic, that day I was out on a run to get more supplies, Maya had been missing. Stuart and I had known that, but we hadn’t known where to even begin looking. We’d begun to fear the worst.”

Storm cringed. He would go out of his mind if Haley went missing.

“Stuart and I had met up with Advic and learned that Maya had been injured and was staying at Advic’s clinic while she recovered. I got the distinct vibe Advic had no intention of ever letting her go.” Rush smiled. “I hope that’s the case. Maya has been a loner for too long. She deserves happiness.”

“We all do.”

Rush grabbed Storm’s arm. “We’re one step closer.” He nodded toward the bunker. “You want to tell the others? You should rest too. Send Riggs or Bray to watch with me.”

Storm shook his head. “I’ll let them sleep.”

Rush gave him a wry grin. “You don’t sleep much, do you?”

“No. Haley…” His voice faded.

“I get it.” Rush slapped him on the shoulder. “More and more every day.”

“How far do we need to go? Your friend Maya acted like it was a long way.”

“Yes. We can walk to the next outpost and keep going from post to post if we need to. Depends on how thin they’re stretched and if there’s a vehicle available.”

Storm grabbed Rush’s shoulder and squeezed. “We can’t thank you enough. You’ve saved our lives. Especially Haley’s.”

“You know the feeling is reciprocal. Without you, I’d still be in a holding cell in the basement. You could’ve left me there, and Lord knows what would have happened when Lorena no longer needed me.”

Storm looked Rush in the eye. “I need to say something. I’m not usually a mushy person, but this is important.”

Rush nodded.

“If anything…” He paused, swallowing his emotions. “If anything ever happens to me or Bray or Riggs. Any of us. Or all of us. Promise me you’ll take care of her.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to you, Storm.”

“Promise me.”

“You have my word. I’d lay down my life for Haley.”

Storm nodded. He believed this man. Rush owed them nothing, but he was definitely as enamored of Haley as the rest of them. He would never let her down. “She’s not going to let you walk away from us, you know.”

Rush nodded. “We’ll see.”

“Why do you insist on holding back?”

“Because she’s under too much stress to make that kind of decision right now. She needs time and sleep and shelter she can rely on before I would expect her to make life-changing decisions.”

“She won’t change her mind, Rush. She’s already claimed you. She did so the day you met her.”

Rush nodded again slowly. “We’ll see,” he repeated.

Stubborn man.

A sudden noise had both men turning toward the window and jumping to the sides to peer out.

“Shit,” Rush muttered. “I’d rather not encounter anyone.”

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