by Kris Norris
Gunner grinned at her though the open door. “Nope. Learned that growing up on the wrong side of the tracks.” He eased back, smiling at his work. “Okay, we’re good to go once we’re clear. I just hope she starts.” He nodded at her. “Okay, honey. In you get. You’ll have to eventually sit on someone’s lap. Hamilton, you’re in the flatbed. Make sure you don’t miss those targets. Wolfe has your back in case there’s more than two.”
“Ready whenever you guys are. Let’s get this baby rolling.”
Morgan gasped when Wolfe grabbed her by the waist and bodily tossed her into the cab. She tumbled against Gunner, his hard body stopping her from falling into the console. He helped her ease into the seat as the other two men pushed the truck, jumping on board when it started to roll down the short incline. Wolfe kept the rifle poised near the window, his body squishing her between the two men. His elbow brushed against her breast and she tensed, trying to make herself as small as possible.
He glanced over at her. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I’m not scared.”
His lips pushed down at bit. “No. You’re terrified. Look, I don’t know what Beau and his men did to you—well, we have an idea but—we said we wouldn’t hurt you and we won’t. Period. We’re not like them.”
She gave him a guarded look, not sure what to reply, especially when the only answer seemed to be, “I know.” But even with all they’d done, she couldn’t bring herself to mutter the words. She’d heard promises before. They’d always ended up being lies.
Instead, she sat between them in silence, dreading each second that seemed to drag by. It meant they were closer to the gate, and she wasn’t sure if they’d make it out. Gunner lifted one hand, making a series of signals she guessed were for Hamilton. Muffled noises sounded behind her a moment before the gate wavered into view. Two guys stood near the junction, turning toward them before clutching at their shoulders. Their weapons fell heavily to the ground as the men collapsed back against the wire, slowly sliding down until their asses hit the dirt.
The door beside her opened and Wolfe was gone, reaching the men as Gunner slowed their vehicle. Wolfe grabbed one, punching the guy in the jaw, allowing the man’s head to loll over to one side before circling his arms around the man’s chest. Hamilton followed suite with the other, dragging him to lie beside Wolfe’s guy at the side of the gate. Then they scanned the area, quietly disengaging the lock then sliding open the unit.
Gunner reached under the console, rubbing the wires together until a few sparks arced between them and the motor hummed to life. He maneuvered the machine through the small opening, stopping as the two men closed the gate then made for the truck. A bright beam of light suddenly illuminated the tailgate of the vehicle, the distinct ping of gunfire popping to life.
“I think they know we’re gone.” Hamilton’s voice sounded beside her as both men jumped into the vehicle.
She inhaled sharply as his hands slid under her thighs, sliding her on top of him. Hard muscle flexed beneath her legs the strength easing some of the tension bunching her shoulders. She resisted the urge to glance at him over her shoulder, trying to stay out of Gunner’s way as he barreled down the dusty road, when a body appeared in the headlights.
She screamed, shielding her face as the truck veered left, clipping the mirror on the zombie’s head. The creature bounced off the side of the truck, the sickening sound of its skull slamming into the ground following them.
Gunner glanced quickly over his shoulder, cursing when three more appeared in front of them. He swerved again, this time hitting two when they lunged at the truck. He compensated for the skid of the tires, somehow keeping the vehicle upright.
He rounded another bend, the headlights highlighting a small herd of infected. “Hold on.”
Gunner rammed them, avoiding as many as he could as he kept up the speed, blood and bone smearing across the windows. Morgan huddled into Hamilton, not caring what he thought of her and whether she’d regret her actions in the morning. Fear jacked up her heart rate, and she half wondered if she might pass out.
She cursed her involuntary reaction. Even after all this time, the damn things creeped her the hell out. And it wasn’t as if she hadn’t fought them off. She’d killed more than her fair share. But somehow being in the truck, vulnerable, unable to choose her own fate, made the fear threefold.
Hamilton held her tight when she turned to stare at his chest, whispering soothing words as the vehicle danced across the dirt road, spraying gravel and sand in every direction. He didn’t ask her to loosen her death grip on his shirt or to slow her suddenly erratic breathing, shifting her slightly so he pull her closer, her head now resting on his chest.
“Fuck!” Gunner’s voice sounded more than a bit angry. “Where the hell are they all coming from? There’re only small towns remotely close.” He huffed as the truck shimmied around another corner. “We won’t last long on this logging road. We need somewhere else to go, before we run out of gas still surrounded by these things. There’s not much fuel in the tank.”
Hamilton tensed beneath her. “Sorry, bro. Beggars and all that.”
Gunner chuckled. “You found a way out for us. Can’t ask for more than that. And the throws…” He whistled. “Nice. And you didn’t even kill them.”
“They could still die, but…”
Morgan sighed, knowing how the sentence ended. Hamilton hadn’t wanted to kill them outright. And that fact just made her heart race faster.
She spared a glance at the road. More infected lined the edges, their eyes glowing red in the headlights. She tried to judge which way they were heading, gasping when she saw a familiar marker. “Turn right at that rock up there. There’s a small two-track that leads higher into the mountains. There’s a ranger cabin near the peak. It’s surrounded by wildlife fencing. Should keep the majority of those things out. At least, it seemed to work that way the last time I was there.”
Gunner looked over at her. “A ranger cabin? Does Beau know about this place?”
“It was decommissioned years ago. I doubt he’s ever been up there. He preferred to stay in town. Had his fingers into everything. Always left the uncivilized duties to someone else.” She snorted in disgust. “Even if he does, he’ll never risk coming out at night. That’s if he even bothers to follow.”
Wolfe grunted this time. “Oh, he’ll follow. He doesn’t seem like the type to let others take what’s his.”
“I’m not his.”
Wolfe grinned. “Of course you’re not. But the guy’s too delusional to see that. He thinks he owns you. He’ll come looking.”
Hamilton gave her another squeeze. “Don’t worry. We can handle Beau. Let’s just get somewhere safe for a bit. We can work it out there.”
Gunner seemed to accept the reasoning and turned hard onto the narrow path after the rock. The truck shuddered as the tires fought to get traction then lurched forward, bumping along the trail as it wound its way up the side of the mountain. Nothing but trees graced the dirt track, the long, sweeping branches nearly touching the vehicle as they followed the road, finally stopping when a small cabin appeared in the twin beams of light.
Gunner slowed, finally stopping at an odd-looking gate. “Is this the place?”
She gave him her first real smile. “I know it doesn’t look like much, but…” She motioned to the gate. “It’s not quite as impressive as Beau’s complex, but it keeps the animals in and those bastards out. At least, it kept the old breed out. Who knows about this new one. Though the wire seems to be a bit harder for them to scale. It’s quite sharp.”
Wolfe nodded at the gate. “Does it just slide open?”
“Like I said. It’s not that sophisticated.”
Gunner grinned. “It’s a far sight better than that damn barn. Wolfe…”
The man did a quick scan of the area then jumped out, easily opening the gate. He marshaled them inside, closing it behind them before jogging toward the cabin, rifle at the ready. M
organ watched him disappear inside, not sure how she felt about him risking his safety for her—or them—even if the others seemed more than okay with it.
The man appeared a minute later, giving what she assumed was the ‘all clear’ signal. Hamilton shuffled her off his lap, climbing out of the truck before offering her his hand. She stared at it for several heartbeats before accepting. She managed about two steps before her legs gave out, and she fell against him, a whimper of pain hissing free.
Hamilton scooped her up, holding her against his chest as his lips brushed along her forehead. “Easy, baby. We’ll get you inside where you can rest. Promise. And I’m sure you’ll feel much better once you get your strength back.”
She wanted to assure him she was more than fine now, but as the edges of her vision started to fade, she knew she wouldn’t get it out before she succumbed to her body’s demands. She closed her eyes, enjoying the play of his muscles as he climbed the three short steps to the porch and entered the cabin, shutting out the rest of the world.
Chapter Five
Gunner reclined in one of the wooden chairs placed around the small table, hands loosely laced together as he watched Morgan toss restlessly on the couch. Hamilton had carried the girl in two hours ago, and she’d been out of it since. After the jolts she’d received from the baton, Gunner had expected her to sleep like the dead. But from the moment Ham had placed her on the sofa, she’d mumbled incoherent phrases, her limbs jerking roughly against the cushions, looking as if she were fighting invisible intruders in her dreams. Then she’d started screaming before staggering to her feet and trying to stumble out of the cabin, only to have Hamilton settle her back down. Even then, she’d fought him, lashing out before falling into his arms, barely lucid. He’d given Gunner a look that had damn near taken him to his knees. Pain. Remorse. It was a look he hadn’t seen on his friend’s face since they’d discovered their families were gone. That the damn apocalypse had claimed everyone they’d ever cared about.
Ham had finally gotten her to return to the couch, draping part of her upper body across his thighs as he gently stroked her hair, soothing the violent twitching of her muscles. She’d drifted off again, but the dreams had returned, and he’d spent the last thirty minutes trying just to keep her from waking up screaming again.
The door to the cabin opened as Wolfe entered, glancing at Morgan before scraping out the seat next to Gunner and falling into it. The frame creaked in seeming protest as Wolfe leaned the chair onto the back two legs as he stretched his feet out on the edge of the table, crossing them at the ankles.
The man let the rifle slip off his shoulder, setting it beside his chair. “Perimeter’s secure—what I could see of it with the limited beam from the flashlight and the intermittent moonlight. Morgan was right. The fences seem to keep the infected out, though I only saw two this past hour. Maybe the elevation deters them. Hell if I know. It seems all the old theories are gone to shit now, with them running and climbing.”
“Think they’ll get over the fence?”
Wolfe shrugged. “Maybe. It’s decently high, with some prongs at the top to keep animals from achieving that very purpose. And the motherfuckers seem to have a harder time with the thinner wire. But we’ll have to take turns keeping watch just to be safe. I’m hoping Beau won’t risk a night trip to search for us if that’s his intent. Even with the moonlight it’s darker than ass up here. But the guy’s obviously crazy, so… I also rigged the gate so it’ll clatter a bunch of pots if anyone tries to open it. Give us a bit of a warning. Wasn’t really any way to lock it or wedge it shut. Seems forest rangers are pretty trusting folk. The barrier is really just designed to protect wildlife, not be a fortress.” He glanced at Hamilton, giving Gunner a raise of his brow. “How long has he been sitting there holding her?”
“Half an hour.”
“She still stuck in some kind of dream?”
Gunner sighed. “Hard to tell. We can’t make out what she’s trying to say. Ham seems to have gotten her to calm down for now, though it’s anybody’s guess how long it’ll last.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “God, I hope that bastard Beau didn’t hurt her so bad she’ll never get free.”
Wolfe lifted the corner of his mouth into a smile. “She seems pretty damn tough. I think she’ll be okay. Besides, everyone’s vulnerable in their sleep. I seem to recall taking a few months to make it through the night after our last tour in Afghanistan.”
“You and me both, dude.” Gunner nodded at Ham. “Never seen Ham this taken with a girl. Not even before we started fighting dead people. Not quite sure what to make of it.”
“We’ve been denying that part of ourselves for a long time. Can’t blame the man for wanting more than…” Wolfe waved his hand at the cabin. “This. Even soldiers get tired of the fighting, Gunner. It was only a matter of time before one of us saw the light.” Wolfe’s gaze darted back to the girl. “Besides, Morgan isn’t your typical lady.”
Gunner groaned, allowing his head to tilt back. “Holy shit. You’re just as taken with her as Ham is, aren’t you?” He scoffed at the look Wolfe gave him. “Don’t even waste my time by denying it. It’s written all over your face. You’re attracted to her.”
“What’s not to be attracted to? The woman is gorgeous, and she fights like a damn badger.” He cracked a smile. “Pretty damn intelligent and resourceful, too. She’d make one hell of a partner for us.”
“Us?”
It was Wolfe’s turn to groan. “Talk about lying your face off. You’re not as removed as you pretend to be, buddy. I’ve seen the way you look at her. The way she makes you want to pull your hair out at the same time you want to kiss her senseless. The girl gets under your skin before you even realize there was a way in.”
“Fine. I find her…intriguing. That doesn’t mean I’m lining up to be one of those damn family units back at the base. And that’s assuming all three of us could turn off the alpha instincts long enough not to kill each other just to gain her affections.” He shook his head, allowing his focus to swing to the girl in question. “Nope. SEALs aren’t the sharing type, plain and simple.”
Wolfe chuckled. “How long you been practicing that speech?”
Gunner glanced at him. “Fuck off.”
“You first.”
“Shit! You’re a son of a bitch, you know that?”
Wolfe didn’t even flinch.
Gunner huffed. “Ever since she risked her better judgment and gave Ham the keys. But not everything I said is bullshit. We aren’t the type to share, Wolfe.” He kicked at the floor, feeling the truth of the statement clear through to his toes. Men like them didn’t share. They owned. Devoured. Claimed. They didn’t get off by watching another man with their woman.
He glanced at Wolfe. “We’re possessive bastards. Not like Beau, but possessive just the same.”
“True. But it’s not that black and white, and you know it. This isn’t sharing in the sense we’re going to give the girl to any jerk that happens along. We’re talking about committing ourselves to the same woman.” He let the chair tip forward as he leaned on the table. “Are you seriously telling me you wouldn’t do anything to save Ham’s or my life?”
Gunner punched the guy in the shoulder. “What the fuck kind of question is that? You know damn well I would. Anything. No hesitation. No regrets. Blood aside, we’ve been brothers for over a decade. I’d sacrifice anything for you two.”
“Do you believe me when I say Ham and I feel the same way about you?”
“Of course but…” He hit the man again. “Just say what the hell you’re trying to say.”
Wolfe shrugged again. “Just that if you’re willing to die for us, what makes you think you wouldn’t sacrifice a bit of that alpha pride in order to ensure the woman we all cared about was safe? Loved? Protected? Even if you weren’t able to do the job.” He leaned back again. “Sounds like a bit of a paradox to me.”
Gunner frowned. He’d never thought about it like that. Never stopped to
wonder how Colby, Darcy and Barrett managed to love Abby without it breaking into a fistfight, or worse. And those men were about as possessive as they got. Ex-military, they’d never seemed like the type to share, either. Yet Gunner had never seen the three men happier since they’d brought Abby home and become something far more than just a group.
He sighed, easing back in the chair. “This is all a moot point anyway. Morgan jumps out of her skin if any of us so much as graze her. I can’t see her welcoming one of us into her heart, let alone all three. She’s been through too much.” He nodded toward the couch. “Hell, she can’t even rest without being terrorized by what’s floating around inside her head.”
Wolfe glanced over his shoulder at her. “Call me crazy, but she seems better with Ham holding her.”
Gunner looked at the couple. Hamilton had his head tilted back, resting against the frame, one hand still slowly stroking Morgan’s shoulder as the other held her fingers tight in his. He’d closed his eyes, seemingly content to just sit with the woman, her body molding nicely to his.
Wolfe smiled at him.
He shook his head. “She’s probably just so damn exhausted she doesn’t have any fight left.”
“Or she’s been waiting for the right men to actually rescue her, instead of letting her down. And if three SEALs can’t rise to the occasion, not sure anyone can.”
“Sounds like you’ve been doing a lot of thinking on the subject while you were securing the perimeter.”
“It’s not like I planned to get blindsided by feelings I thought were long since buried. Hell, since we started fighting this war, I’d accepted the fact that part of my life was over. Even the women at the compound didn’t make me want to take the risk. But Morgan…” Wolfe brushed one hand across his scalp. “Shit, Gunner. I don’t know what it is about the girl. I just know she got my attention and won’t let go. So yeah, I’ve been thinking about it.”
“You talk to Ham?”