What Remains_Reckoning (21 page)

Wolfe sat up, swinging his legs over the edge. “Got your back.”

“When haven’t you?”

Wolfe sighed as Ham darted off, his expression sobering as he looked at Gunner. “We’re running out of time. You know that, right? And despite how much I’d love to just stay here, my gut’s telling me it’s not near safe enough. And there’s no fucking way I’m putting Morgan’s safety at risk. Kick ass movie-chick or not.”

“None of us want to see her get hurt. But it’s still a long way and her ribs…”

“I know. They’re not healing. Makes me wonder if that asshole did more damage than we thought. She needs Abby.”

Gunner grimaced, pulling Morgan closer to him. “We can take turns carrying her if we need to. Maybe we can find a car in one of the towns. I know we’ve been avoiding them, but… She’s worth the risk.”

“Then it’s settled. We let her rest today then move out. If our luck holds, we can be back at the compound in about three weeks, accounting for our slower pace.”

“You know, if you boys are going to talk about me, maybe I shouldn’t be in the same room.”

Gunner snapped his head down, his breath hitching at the simple beauty of her face. “Fuck you’re beautiful.”

She smiled then tsked at him. “Don’t think that your flattery will get you out of trouble. My ribs are fine. And I can keep up.”

“Your ribs aren’t healing the way they should, and if you keep pushing hard, you’ll kill yourself.” He kissed her hard, effectively shutting her up. “We’ll take it a day at a time. Just know this. We won’t put your safety or your health at risk. Period.”

She huffed. “As long as I get to have the same privileges…”

“Deal. Now let’s get that sexy ass of yours in the shower. Then we’ll rest.”

“If by rest you mean I get to watch you guys love each other again, I’m all in.”

“Wench. But I’m sure that can be arranged, especially if Wolfe has anything to say about it.”

“Fuck you, Gunner. You’re just as damn invested as I am.”

“Help me give the lady a shower, and you can put that theory to the test.”

Wolfe growled. He pushed to his feet then reached for Morgan, scooping her into his arms. He dropped a soul-searing kiss on her lips then headed for the doorway, pausing halfway out. “Hope your stamina hasn’t waned because as soon as we get back to this bed, your ass is mine.”

He marched out, Morgan’s laughter floating on the air. Gunner stared up at the ceiling, rubbing his chest as it tightened again. Wolfe was right. They wouldn’t survive losing Morgan, not after she’d brought them together. And he had a bad feeling the trip home wasn’t as simple as any of them hoped.

“Gunner. Get your fucking ass in here.” Wolfe’s voice bellowed through the cabin.

“On my way, jackass.” He’d get them safely back. Whatever the price.

Chapter Fourteen

Morgan threw open the door, stepping aside as Hamilton darted inside, clearing each direction, his feet moving silently across the floor. Dust clung to every surface, dots of it floating in the air, shining white against the setting sun. He shuffled to the first doorway, disappearing into the next room. She moved to follow him when Wolfe’s hand landed on her arm, stopping her. She glanced at his fingers then up at him, arching a brow in question.

Wolfe gave her a grim look. “You know better than to follow any of us before we’ve cleared the premises. There could be an infected trapped in a closet or something. Another way in Ham hasn’t found. Or just crazy-ass people hiding in here.”

“What about Ham? He’s alone.”

That smug grin lit his face—the one she sometimes wanted to smack off. If she’d thought the boys were protective of her before, it didn’t compare to how their demeanor had changed since they’d become lovers. They were constantly edgy—more than just their normal paranoid instincts—making her follow behind one of them whenever they traveled, always ensuring she wasn’t more than a couple of feet away. She’d had to toss a stone at Gunner when he’d tried to follow her off the path just so she could use the ladies’ room. He’d growled at her! Actually fucking growled, conceding only to turn his back with a ‘be quick’ tossed over his shoulder. And when they stopped for the night—she knew damn well they barely slept, too busy watching the perimeter or her. She’d woken the other night to find Wolfe sitting in a chair by the door of a tower they’d reached, alternating his gaze between her and the entrance.

Wolfe just stood there, grinning. “Ham’s a big boy. He can take care of anything that might be lurking in the shadows.”

Morgan swatted Wolfe in the shoulder, crossing her arms on her chest. “I’m not some fucking damsel that needs rescuing. As you’ve observed before. I got you boys out of that stall. I can kick as much ass as needed. You three don’t have to pretend as if I’ve suddenly lost my ability to jab my elbow into some creep’s ribs or pop an infected in the head.”

Wolfe bore down on her, backing her up until her shoulder blades hit the wall. One hand palmed the wood beside her head while the other landed close to her waist, effectively boxing her in. His breath rustled the hairs curling around her face as he leaned in close, his mouth hovering an inch from hers. “Just because you can kick some creep’s ass doesn’t mean we’re going to stop being vigilant.”

“This isn’t vigilance. It’s obsession.” She raised her hand, brushing it along his jaw line. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m not going to do anything stupid to put my life at risk. Promise.”

His expression grew serious as his gaze swept the length of her body, but he didn’t speak.

She frowned, mixed emotions coloring her tone. “Wolfe. I only went with Beau because I
knew
him. Thought I could trust him. Not a lot, but I sure as hell didn’t think he was some kind of psychotic rapist. Obviously, I was wrong. I won’t make that kind of mistake again.”

“Shit, Morgan. Beau wasn’t your fault. You
should
have been able to trust the bastard. He’s sick.” He leaned in, resting his forehead on hers. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you’d made poor decisions. It’s just… Damn. It’d kill us if anything happened to you. If we allowed you to get hurt.”

“Don’t you think I feel the same?”

He smiled. “God, I hope so.” He backed up, taking her hands in his. “Just give us a bit of time. It isn’t easy to brush years of training aside. We’re protective by nature. And that’s for people we don’t even know. You…you’re a whole new kind of protective.”

The honesty in his voice cooled the anger simmering just under her skin. Still SEALs, even after the world had gone to shit. And it was hard to stay angry when she knew she’d shove him aside just as quickly if they faced a threat.

“Fine. I’ll give you three some adjustment time. But don’t think I won’t kick your ass if you keep playing the part of the Neanderthal.”

“We’ll do our best to evolve.” He tugged on her hands, snapping her against him before wrapping one arm around her waist. “And for the record. You can do anything you want to my ass.”

The husky timbre of his voice coiled arousal tight in her belly, pooling moisture along her cleft. Just a word or a touch, and she wanted them. Felt her body prepare to take them inside her. “Have I told you how much I love the way you throw yourself into a mission?”

“It’s the SEAL way, sweetheart.”

“What was that about love and missions?”

She twisted in Wolfe’s embrace, smiling at Ham and Gunner as they stood in opposite doorways, the setting sun highlighting the different streaks in their hair. Ham’s bronzy-gold and Gunner’s slightly auburn. Shadows played along their jaws, and their eyes gleamed in the low light. Damn, they were handsome.

She eased out of Wolfe’s arms, walking over to them, allowing them to sandwich her between them. “I was just complimenting Wolfe’s work ethics. But what I was really trying to say is how much I love you guys.”

Gunner’s hands tightened around her then his lips pressed hard to her mouth, the kiss firm but sensual. He took his time, thoroughly tasting her before pulling back. Hamilton followed suit, his more gentle and playful. She drew in a ragged breath as Wolfe stepped up to the side, taking his turn then smiling down at her.

He glanced at Ham. “I assume it’s clear?”

“Wouldn’t be standing here sporting a boner if it wasn’t.”

Wolfe’s gaze dropped to the man’s crotch, his pupils dilating as his breathing roughened. He lingered, seemingly weighing some unspoken question before sighing out a harsh breath. “We should get a fire going. Barricade both doors and ensure nothing can get in through the windows.”

“Don’t I always take care of it? And I found a rifle and some shells. A half a dozen knives. It’s not much but everything helps.” Ham huffed, marching into the other room, his irritation ringing out with every step.

Wolfe cursed under his breath. It was obvious all the men were tense, and she had a feeling the fact they hadn’t been able to delve further into their burgeoning relationship weighed heavy on all their minds.

He glanced at her. “Can’t remember the last time you ate something.”

“Same time you, Ham and Gunner did.”

Gunner grunted. “You’re half our weight. And you haven’t got anything to spare on you. You should be eating more frequently. We’ll go on short rations if needed.”

The food they’d brought from the other cabin had almost been depleted, and she knew they’d go without before allowing her to make the same offer.

“I’m fine. Besides, what I’m hungry for isn’t in those bags.”

Gunner’s mouth pulled tight at the edges. “Safety first. Food and warmth a close second. Then we’ll see what we can do.”

“It’s been a week since—”

“Don’t think for a second we don’t want to take you into that room, strip you down and make love until you scream our names. But we can’t do that if there’s a chance it’ll compromise your safety.” He glanced at Wolfe, his obvious desire raging higher as he stared at the man. Gunner closed his eyes, looking as if he were straining to find some kind of inner strength.

Wolfe placed his hands on her hips. “Gunner’s right. We all miss the intimate contact, the connection. And once we’re back at the complex, we can spend the first week relearning every inch of each other. We just want to make sure we don’t do something stupid to risk that chance. My damn spider sense has been bothering me since that last town. Feels off. And I know better than to doubt it.”

She gave them a forced smile. “I understand. Truly I do. It’s just… These cabins are about as safe as it gets. We’ve only run across a handful of infected, and the next town is an hour’s walk from here.”

“There’s always a possibility, sweetheart.”

“I know. And that’s my point. Everything is a possibility. There aren’t any more guarantees. Every day is a gift. I just think that sometimes, we need to focus on what’s in front of us, instead of what’s on the horizon.”

She turned, following the path Hamilton had taken, needing the momentary distance to rein in her emotions. Making love to the guys had affected her on more levels than she’d ever anticipated. It was like having an itch just under her skin that no amount of scratching could touch, and she wondered if she’d ever get enough of them. Ever get to a place she was content just to be with them without touching and tasting.

Hell no.

The thought rang loud and true in her head, drawing a deep sigh from somewhere inside. She didn’t blame the boys for being wary. She simply hoped they didn’t run out of time. Ham glanced up at her as she trudged into the back room, leaning against the far wall, toeing the floor. His gaze openly assessed her, and he tossed in another log across the flickering flames before closing the stove door and moving over to her.

He gathered her close, resting his chin on the top of her head, the scent of smoke clinging to him. “They can’t help it, you know. None of us can. It’s in our blood. You…you mean more to us than we ever imagined. Just don’t know what we’d do if we lost you.”

She smiled against his chest. “I know. But we can’t live being afraid to actually
live
. I’ve never felt anything like what we’ve shared. I just can’t help but think that if I were to die tomorrow, I’d have wanted to feel that again tonight.”

Ham’s jaw tensed against her head, and she knew he’d clenched his teeth. “You’re not going to die any time soon. None of us are. Which is why we’re being so vigilant.”

“Ham. Nothing’s written in stone. I respect what you, Wolfe and Gunner are trying to do, but you can’t cover me in bubble wrap and place me on the shelf just to keep me safe.”

“We love you, Morgan. Can’t blame us for trying.”

She nodded, pulling away before crossing the room, lowering her ass to the floor as she rested against the wall. “Tend your fire. I’ll be here when you guys figure shit out.”

She closed her eyes, listening to Ham mutter under his breath as he dealt with the fire. Footsteps sounded just beyond the door then continued in, moving over to where she knew Ham had been. Hushed voices murmured in the background, but she let it fade, picturing all the things she wanted to do to the guys once they realized their version of safe might not exist anymore. That there’d always be risks, situations beyond their control, and that they needed to savor every moment. Bleed as much life out of their time left as they could. That love was their one reward for making it through each day.

She huffed, warring between being touched by their sense of duty and honor and wanting to hit them across the head for being so stubborn. It seemed an impossible situation. They wanted to keep her safe, but she needed them to hold her…make the fighting worthwhile. Feet padded close to her before a body plunked down beside her, his arm touching hers.

She chuckled. She knew it was Gunner without opening her eyes. “I already told you it’s fine, Gunner. Now go get all alpha somewhere else and let me rest.”

He huffed. “How the fuck did you know it was me? You didn’t open your eyes. I know. I was watching.”

She kept her eyes closed as she pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. “Please. All you guys have a unique scent. Spicy, but male. It’s hard to describe. And your bodies feel different against mine.”