After Today (The After Series Book 1)

by Jacqueline Hayley

  Chloe pushed between them, stopping him from hauling Mackenzie into his arms.

  “You’re not okay. You’ve got blood all over you!” Chloe shrieked, frantically patting him down to find the source of his injury.

  Catching Mackenzie’s gaze over Chloe’s shoulder, he willed her to come forward and claim him. Now, more than ever before, he didn’t want to play the charade of friends. He wanted her enfolded in his embrace. He wanted to soothe the wild look from her eyes and kiss all the concern from her furrowed brow.

  Most of all, he needed her to acknowledge the intense desperation they felt toward each other. To prove it was real. They were real.

  Instead, Mac stood mute, hugging her torso, gnawing on her bottom lip.

  “Let me look at you,” demanded Rachel, pulling Chloe away and running practiced eyes over him. “What happened?”

  “I got shot. It went through my side,” he said, pulling his shirt up to expose the makeshift bandages covering the wound.

  No one else noticed that Mackenzie choked on a sob. But for him, everything else was background noise. Every sense he possessed strained toward her.

  “No way, Romeo,” Rachel hissed at him beneath her breath. “I need you inside so I can look at this.” She glanced at Chloe. “Get your first aid kit for me. And please tell me it contains Dermabond, because he’s not going to like me stitching this up.”

  Behind Chloe’s retreating form, Jake captured Mackenzie’s hand, pulling her against him as they moved into the house, forgetting entirely about his traveling companion.

  “Um, hi?” Jesse had exited the vehicle and was standing awkwardly on the curb.

  “Who the hell is that?” Chloe asked, stopping in her tracks and looking over her shoulder.

  “Shit, sorry. This is Jesse,” said Jake, turning back around to wave his new friend forward, acutely aware that Mackenzie had again put distance between them. “Jesse, this is my sister, Chloe.”

  “Well, come on, don’t just stand there,” she chided him. “Are you hurt too?”

  “No, ma’am,”

  “Don’t ma’am me.” She huffed, waiting for him to reach her side before marching him after the others into the house.

  In the kitchen, Rachel instructed Jake to lie down on the counter so she could inspect the wound, muttering to herself as she ran hot water and Chloe returned with the first aid kit.

  “What can I do?” Mackenzie asked.

  “Cross your fingers that this kit has skin glue,” Rachel said, rummaging through the medical box. “Otherwise, this is going to hurt like a bitch.”

  “So reassuring,” he quipped dryly.

  “You’re the one stupid enough to get shot.”

  “Not the only stupid thing you’ve been doing lately,” Chloe muttered, glancing darkly between him and Mackenzie.

  Mackenzie visibly tensed. So, Chloe knew about them and, apparently, wasn’t happy about it.

  “Not the time or the place, sis,” he said.

  “Who shot you?” Mackenzie asked, her lashes heavy with unshed tears.

  Jake grimaced as Rachel began cleaning his wound, so Jesse answered for him, explaining about the motorcycle gang and how Rob and Lee were dead.

  Mackenzie and Rachel traded shocked glances.

  “I’ve never heard of an MC in Dutton,” Chloe commented, finally looking away from Jake’s hand clasping Mackenzie’s.

  “They’re not locals,” Jesse said. “They arrived about a week ago and have taken over the town. It’s bad. They’ve killed most of the surviving locals and have ransacked everything.” Jesse accepted a glass of water from Chloe and continued.

  “We found a barn to hide out in, but with both Jake and Lee shot, we didn’t have a hope of outrunning them.” Jesse nodded toward Jake’s wound. “I bandaged them both up as best I could, but we lost Lee.” He paused. “And then one of the gang members brought in a girl, and we couldn’t just do nothing.”

  “What do you mean, brought in a girl?” Mackenzie asked, her eyes flicking between Jake and Jesse anxiously.

  “A captive,” Jake confirmed, concentrating on holding still as Rachel pulled the skin around his wound together and applied the skin glue. “Jesus, Rach, this hurts more than it does in the movies. Aren’t you meant to be plying me with alcohol to numb the pain?”

  “Suck it up,” she retorted. “So you saved this chick?”

  Jake closed his eyes, so he didn’t have to see Mackenzie’s face when he shook his head.

  “We created a diversion and tried to rescue her, but these guys—” Jesse drew in a pained breath. “They’re psychopaths. They, uh, shot her before we could get her away.”

  “Have you been to town hall?” Mackenzie asked, wincing on Jake’s behalf as Rachel poured antiseptic over her handiwork and then turned him on his side to attend to the exit wound.

  “Came straight here,” Jake said. “Jim and the others got back okay?”

  “Yes, but Townsend threatened to throw Jim and his family out of the town if he didn’t fall into line.”

  “Fall into line?” Jake lifted his head from his bent elbow, ignoring the agonizing throb in his side. “That sounds extreme. Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand?”

  “It wasn’t a misunderstanding,” Mackenzie said firmly, pulling away from him. “He literally said he’d throw them out of town if they didn’t follow the rules.”

  “I know the rules might seem severe, but they’re for our protection,” he insisted.

  “He’s turned Sanford into a dictatorship!” Mackenzie exclaimed.

  “And he isn’t going to give up his power willingly,” Chloe muttered. “We’ve got a meeting planned at the distillery in a couple of hours to work out how we’re going to handle it.”

  “Not quite the safe haven I promised you, huh?” Jake addressed Jesse.

  “Better than Dutton.”

  “Jake, do those motorcycle guys know about Sanford? Know where you’re from?” Mackenzie asked. The worry etched on her features caused his stomach to clench.

  The front door slammed and Jake jerked, causing Rachel to curse.

  “Who is it?” Chloe called.

  “Who do you think?” asked Kat, coming into the kitchen with her nose crinkled in confusion. “Whoa! What the hell’s going on in here?”

  Her eyes bounced from one to the other, stopping on Jake’s prone form. “Jakey! When did you get back? What’s happened?”

  “Long story.” He grunted. “You about finished, Rach?”

  “Not my best, but not bad, considering what I had to work with,” she responded, standing back. “And you’ll live. I hope you brought back some antibiotics from the drugstore.”

  “Where’ve you been, Kat?” Mackenzie stood firm as Kat tried to push her away from Jake’s side to better see.

  Jake sat up with a groan and, ignoring Chloe, pulled Mackenzie to stand with her back between his knees. He was beyond relieved to feel her body relax into his as he wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder.

  “I’ve just come from Main Street. Townsend has lost his shit. Hey, who are you?” She jabbed a finger in Jesse’s direction. “I leave for a couple of hours and we adopt a stray? Lucky you’re cute.”

  Jake chuckled as Jesse noticeably reddened, shifting from foot to foot.

  “I’m Jesse.”

  “Kat,” she responded, losing interest quickly. “So anyway, they caught a couple of teenagers scavenging toilet paper from the Evac Zone and then selling it. Stupid kids got caught because they tried to sell some to Jefferies.” She shrugged, rolling her eyes. “And Townsend has accused them of looting and, get this, tied them to stakes as punishment.”

  Mackenzie cocked her head. “Are you being dramatic, or did that really happen?”

  “Swear to god. It’s Lucas Hernández and that other kid who works at the Dairy Queen, Jimmy Fowler. Townsend said they’d serve as a lesson to the town, and he’s leaving them there for twenty-four hours.”

 
“He can’t do that,” Rachel blazed.

  Kat raised her eyebrows. “He can if he’s got men standing guard with guns.”

  Mackenzie was vibrating in his arms, and Jake immediately assumed it was with terror. He tugged her tighter against him.

  “We need guns,” Mackenzie stated, pulling away from him so she could turn and look at everyone.

  Not terrified. Furious.

  “Now who’s being extreme?” he asked. “Since when do you want to carry?”

  “Since Grams disappeared,” Mackenzie replied, tipping her chin at Chloe.

  “What happened to Grams?” he growled, facing his sister.

  “That’s just it, we don’t know,” Chloe snapped, and then softened when she registered his anguish.

  Why hadn’t he checked in with Grams before he’d left on the raid? “What do you know?”

  “Rach and I went back, but just like before, it was locked up and no one answered our knocking. So we found a side door unlocked and got in… but no one was there. It was empty.”

  “And then Tom Brenner caught us coming out and said we were trespassing, and if we didn’t shut up about the old people, we’d wish we had,” added Rachel.

  “What the fuck?” he breathed out.

  “And that’s why I want a gun,” Mackenzie said. “We need to make a list of everyone we think would have firearms, and whether they’re here in town with us. If they’re not, we need to know where they live.”

  “Lived,” Rachel corrected quietly. “But everyone already handed in their weapons when this first happened.”

  “Get real, Rach. This is the United States. The only people who handed in weapons are the ones who already have a second or third one tucked away,” Mackenzie countered. “We meet with Jim in two hours. By the end of today, we should all be armed.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Tension strummed tight within Mackenzie as she glanced around the lunchroom of the distillery at those assembled. Maggie and her son, Donny. Jim and Caroline. Jesse, Henry, Buddy and Quinn. Gavin and Trent. And James.

  God, no wonder Rachel was still heartbroken over the man. He really was gorgeous.

  She reached under the table to grasp her friend’s hand and squeezed in silent support. She was pretty sure this was the first time Rachel had laid eyes on her high school boyfriend since he’d left town without saying goodbye, the night before their senior graduation.

  Jake stood behind her, his injury making it uncomfortable for him to sit. The weight of his hand on her shoulder was reassuring for her, but antagonistic to his sister. Chloe sat at the other end of the table, resolutely ignoring them. The pain of her disapproval was a sharp cut into Mackenzie’s already hurting heart. What if Jake hadn’t come back? What the hell was happening with their town?

  The virus. The motorcycle gang. The council. Threats pressed in on all sides and anxiety expanded in her chest, making it difficult to breathe and causing her to reach for her inhaler.

  “Are all the doors locked?” Maggie asked James, rising from her seat to stand before the group.

  “We’re secure,” he confirmed.

  “Right. Well, let’s get down to business. It’s fair to say things have escalated quickly with the council, and if we don’t stop it, we could be in some serious trouble,” Maggie said. “I’ve mentioned to some of you that key members of the council used to indulge in fantasy world-building, kind of like playing fantasy football.

  “Before anyone even knew this virus was a possibility, they’d already spent hours upon hours imagining how they’d structure their own post-apocalyptic world. The parts I overheard in The Strumpet were the essence of toxic masculinity. And our current situation has them with all the power; they control the food, and they’ve got all the weapons.”

  “Not all the weapons,” Rachel cut in. “We rounded up two rifles and a handgun.”

  “And there’ll be more,” Mackenzie spoke up. “We just didn’t have the time to search farther.”

  “I’ve got a hunting rifle I didn’t turn in,” Jim admitted, and Henry also raised his hand.

  “Good,” Maggie said. “Our biggest problem is that the council is already an established authority, and in times of turmoil people want to follow the familiar.”

  “Hang on,” Jake interrupted. “Are you suggesting we overthrow the council?”

  “I’m suggesting we give the town another option,” Maggie countered calmly.

  Jake crossed his arms. “Don’t you think we should sit down and have a conversation with Townsend before we stage a coup?”

  “Our place in this town is a given, not a negotiation,” growled Jim.

  Mackenzie shifted in her seat, apprehensive of Jake’s dissent.

  “I’m not arguing with that, Jim. What I’m saying is that outside of Sanford, there’s a virus that’s killed a huge percentage of the population, as well as a lawless and dangerous motorcycle gang. I think our best bet is to bunker down, stick together as a town, and stay safe.”

  “That’s just the problem, though. We’re not safe with Townsend,” Mackenzie said quietly, glad she didn’t have to look at Jake as she opposed him. “They’re tying kids to stakes.”

  Jake’s hand flexed on her shoulder.

  “They tied them up because they’re kids. If they were adults, they would’ve shot them,” interjected Gavin.

  Mackenzie noticed with increasing unease that Jake didn’t disagree with Gavin.

  “And what have they done with the people in the travel lodge?” asked Chloe. “Where’s Grams?”

  “They’re threatening to throw us out of town,” Caroline chimed in.

  “They’re being unnecessarily heavy-handed,” Jake agreed. “And we need answers to a lot of things. But I don’t think overthrowing the council is the right move.”

  “Let’s start with something smaller,” Maggie placated when the nervous energy of the room escalated. “James, why don’t you run us through some of your suggestions?”

  Rachel stiffened beside Mackenzie as James’s large form straightened from where he’d been leaning against a wall.

  “I don’t think we need to go in guns blazing,” he addressed Jake, before sweeping his eyes over those assembled. “I just think we need to be prepared. We need to decrease our reliance on the council, and have plans in place in case we need them.”

  James was steady and reassuring, and Mackenzie took her first deep breath in what felt like forever. This was what she needed. To make plans and gain back a semblance of control.

  Her breathing faltered when Jake’s hand left her shoulder, the absence of connection robbing her of oxygen.

  “I agree that making plans is a smart move, but I’m beat. I’m going to head home and get some rest,” Jake said, his voice strained with an undercurrent of pain. “You coming, Mac?”

  Her heart throbbed with indecision. She ached to be with Jake, to be held in his embrace and block out the rest of the world. But the rest of the world didn’t give a damn about what she wanted. She could want to be with Jake, but she needed to take control of her life—to wake up and smell the coffee.

  Damn it, why had she skipped her non-fat latte with caramel drizzle on that last morning in Chicago? Who knew when, if ever, she’d have Starbucks again?

  “Mac?”

  Mentally shaking herself, she swallowed before turning in her chair to face him. “I’m going to stay, just for a bit. I want to help…”

  He raised an eyebrow, indicating he could also use her help.

  Between him and Chloe, she was going to drown in guilt. Dex whined at her feet, sensing her distress.

  “I got you, Jakey.” Kat bound out of her seat and slung an arm around his waist. “I want to sneak some food to those kids who are tied up. You can help distract the guards.”

  Jake’s eyes held Mackenzie’s. A plea? A challenge? And she was the one to drop her gaze. She turned slowly back as he and Kat left, battling the desire to run after him.

  “You okay?” Rache
l murmured.

  She nodded, avoiding looking at her friend in case the tears that threatened spilled over.

  For the next hour, they discussed strategies, including stockpiling their own supplies and organizing a roster to sneak into the Evac Area when Quinn, Buddy or Henry were on guard duty to scavenge and note what was out there. Their primary task was subtly canvasing the town’s residents to find out who was on board with the council and who they could recruit to their cause.

  “We need to be smart about this,” Maggie said. “We can’t stage a rebellion without offering an alternative to the town. Let’s organize another meeting in the next few days, and in the meantime, think about how you’d like to see the community run. We need as many ideas as possible.”

  “And it goes without saying, keep this meeting to yourself,” Jim instructed. “The last thing we need is Townsend getting wind of any opposition.”

  “You don’t think your little confrontation with him today alerted him to the fact there’s opposition?” Henry asked. “He’s going to be watching you like a hawk. You need to lie low and steer clear of the rest of us.”

  “Yeah, okay,” Jim grumbled. “I’ll play submissive. But we need more information. The council confiscated the ham radio that Roland Oxley had, and we need to know what they’re hearing on it. Do you think Jake can find out?”

  He looked between Chloe and Mackenzie, neither of whom looked at the other.

  “You’re right about needing information,” Rachel intervened. “Because Townsend’s fascist system of oppression pales compared to knowing what’s happening with the virus.”

  “Okay, well, if that’s it,” Caroline said, standing, “I’m going to check in on Tabitha. She’s a mess after learning about Rob.”

  Everyone dispersed, until it was just James left with Mackenzie, Rachel, and Chloe.

  “Oh, hell no,” Rachel muttered, her chair legs squeaking as she pushed back abruptly. “I’m out of here.”

  “Ladies, nice to see you.” James doffed an imaginary hat and followed Rachel.