Page 54 of A Second Dawn

Accordingtothemap,there’s nothing in this area, and driving here yesterday, we didn’t pass many cars or signs for an event.

Yet someone erected hundreds of tents. Where did all these people come from?

The subdued sound of music and laughter is whispering in the wind.

Is this some sort of festival?

For some reason, all of this is making me uneasy. My gut tells me we ought to stay away from them.

Perhaps this is an illegal gathering, and they’re about to get busted. Getting caught up in that could be the end of my escape plan.

And even if it was more innocent, there are bound to be pictures on social media. If I’m in even one of them, Uberto’s facial recognition software might find me.

Since that first shopping mission at the beginning of this trip, we’ve become more careful. Claudette is our nominated shopper. She buys as much in bulk as possible to limit any exposure to cameras in case Tiero’s guys are onto her too.

The steps of the RV creak behind me and I turn around to see Aiden walk out with two cups of tea.

“You are the sweetest,” I tell him, accepting the cup. “But why aren’t you still asleep? You must feel exhausted after last night.”

“I missed your warmth,” he says, and I don’t think he’s teasing. Of course my damn blush is back.

We take a sip of tea, and I sense Ade’s eyes on me, and just for one moment, I allow myself to bask in it.

“Thank you for taking care of me,” he whispers. His words are sincere, and a soft smile curves my lips.

“I do care for you, Ade,” I admit. “It pained me that you were suffering alone.”

He rubs his hands through his hair. “I hate falling apart like that,” he says, looking away.

I hope he’s not embarrassed that he did. If anything, I feel closer to him, having seen his vulnerable side.

“When it hits, I seem to be helpless to stop it. At least I know the panic will pass as soon as the storm does.”

“Does it happen with every storm?” I ask softly.

He shakes his head. “No. I’m fine inside a building. But put me in a position where my head believes I’m vulnerable and everything seems to shut down against my will.”

I nod, still not liking that it happens in the first place. Can I ask him what caused this trauma? Or would that be too much after just experiencing the panic again?

But I’m just too darn curious. Or perhaps it’s hope that I can somehow help him.

“Why do storms trigger such a strong reaction?”

He lets out a long breath. “When I was in the Green Berets, my unit had set up camp in a cave. There was an explosion, and the cave collapsed. My two best friends and I were the only survivors, but we got buried under boulders with no way out. We all were injured and hanging on by a thread. It was the worst night of my life.”

“And it was storming?” I ask, but I know the answer already.

“Yeah. It delayed our rescue for hours.”

“Oh Ade.” I grab his hand, squeezing it, relishing in the warmth of his skin.

I can’t imagine a world without him. Sure, we’ve known each other only a short while, but the impact he’s had on my life… it can’t be measured.

I hold on just a little tighter. What I really want to do is pull him into a hug and never let go. But for all the reasons that haven’t changed, I don’t.

“And you’re reliving the experience every time it’s dark and stormy?”

He shrugs his shoulders, still not meeting my eyes. His gaze travels over our surroundings for the first time since he stepped outside. It’s normally the first thing he does. That he hasn’t is a clear sign he’s still rattled.

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