Page 162 of Entangled

“Give her some time, Lucky. She’s working through a lot right now.”

The haunted look on his face only worries me more.

“We might not have time,” I say softly.

I know what the eve of battle feels like. It might be days, or even weeks, but all this planning, all this energy, is building toward the break. Sooner or later, this tension will burst.

And who knows who will survive it.

* * *

Beau

We’re not going to survive this.

I’ve been going over our inventory list of med supplies, and what seemed like a lot for six people is not much of anything for over ninety. The good stuff will be locked away, and we have enough bandages and over-the-counter items to last for a little while, but if we’re hit hard, we’re going to need to start making some tough decisions on where resources go.

For the last week, I’ve been treating person after person for lumps and bruises, rotten teeth and hangnails, mis-healed bones, malnutrition, you name it. For what they’ve been through, they’re in good shape.

It’s just not fighting shape.

Someone pounds again on the door to our room, and I grit my teeth. I know who it is. Only one person pounds on a door like that at eleven at night.

“Open up, Beau. It’s been four days; this is getting ridiculous.”

I re-roll a long strip of cloth, not looking at the door.

On the bed, Eden looks up from her book and rests her pencil and pad of paper on her knee. She looks at me, her big eyes damp and red-rimmed, like they often are when she works through Jasper’s book.

I shake my head at her, and she sighs.

“I need to talk to you—as captain. At the very least, respect that.”

Like pulling the captain card has ever worked on me outside of combat.

My lips thin, and I refocus on the bandage. If Dom really needs anything medical sorted, he can talk to Clare or Leanne—the two nurses of the group—or Deanna, the ex-primary care physician. They know every person in this camp better than I do, and they’ve all been working with me day in and day out.

There’s a softthunkagainst the door, then a heavy sigh. “Beau, please... I need you.”

My throat grows thick, and I look at the door. Hedoesn’tneed me. He proved that when he decided to nuke The Plan.

At the end of the day, it’s not even about Heather.

Dom didn’t choose Eden. Not after she saved our lives, not after the river, not after the battle for Bristlebrook. He didn’t even choose her after running after her for weeks, knowing what almost happened. Not one of her amazing qualities are enough for him, not even knowing that I’m head over ass in love with her, and that all three of us could have had it all.

We’re not enough for him.

And I’ve finally realized, he’s not enough for us.

I feel Eden’s eyes on me, then she throws the covers back and walks to the door.

“Eden,” I say warningly, but she gives me a tight, unhappy look.

“You’re being unfair.”

Ignoring my scowl, she opens the door and steps into the frame to talk to him.

Their voices are too low for me to hear, but I can see them. She’s holding her nightgown closed at the neck to hide the deep cleavage. Dom leans against the doorframe above her, looking huge and imposing above her delicate figure.

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