Sanctuary (the Affliction Trilogy #2)

Chapter 29

Twenty-Nine

“ H ey,” River says, shaking my shoulder.

I wrench my eyes open and lift my head from my arms folded on top of the mattress. “Hey,” I say, shifting my neck side to side, I try to work out the worst kink.

“How's he doing?” she asks, leaning over and placing her hand on Ryland's forehead.

“He was out cold all night.”

Her lips tighten as she sits next to him. “He still has a fever, but he doesn't feel as hot. I'm going to get him to eat some broth.”

“Do you need me to do anything?” I ask.

River puts a thermometer in her pocket. “No, but the boys asked to have a word with you. Go talk with them, and I'll take care of Ryland.”

I stand and stretch my hands over my head. “Thanks, Riv.”

“No problem.”

I find the guys down an aisle, sitting in camping chairs. They've formed a circle around a battery-operated lantern like it’s a campfire. I greet them as I slide into the vacant seat between Noah and Wes.

Aiden leans forward with his hands clasped between his knees and says, “We spoke with River this morning and think it’s best if we stay put for a few days. Not only is Ryland too sick to travel, but honestly, you, River, and Noah could use the time to prepare for what's ahead. The three of you are not in any shape to walk the rest of the way to the island.”

I'd love to argue with him, but he's right. I didn't have to do the military training the others did. Just running around the mountain had me out of breath yesterday. I'm not ready to face everything awaiting us in the outside world.

“So, what's the plan?” I ask, crossing my legs and glancing at each of them.

Wes says, “We thought we could do some smaller runs and check out the other warehouses around here. Major Spencer gave us enough provisions for a few days, but if we have to stay longer, the food will run short.”

“Ridge gave you food?” I ask.

“He didn't tell you?” Aiden says.

“No.”

“When River and Noah were set free, we ran into trouble,” he explains. “They thought Ryland was coming out after them, and we waited around too long. Your brother and some other soldiers caught us taking the truck. At the time, we didn't know it, but they followed us back to Grasser’s Dome. I'm not sure how it went down, but Spencer was able to call off the troops, and that night, he came back alone. He was a little worse for wear when he showed up at the visitor's center and nothing like his usual demanding self.”

I bow my head, thinking about the evening after we tried to escape and the way I attacked my brother. It wasn't my proudest moment, and it makes me ashamed. No matter how angry and hurt I was, he didn’t deserve to have my rage physically taken out on him.

Aiden clears his throat and says, “He brought us boxes filled with food and ammo, and handed us a few guns. I don't think he knew we had already stolen two, but we didn't complain. He told us that you and Ryland would be released from the Sanctuary in the morning, and we needed to be waiting for you on the other side of the mountain. At first, we thought it was a trap, but we couldn't risk leaving you to fend for yourselves.”

I sit silently for a few minutes, absorbing what he has said. Ridge had done his one brotherly act toward me in a bigger way than I thought. His kindness toward me had extended to the rest of my friends. Granted, he isn’t innocent when it comes to what happened to Ryland or the part he plays in the Sanctuary’s ultimate goal. But for one morning, his intentions were that of a big brother taking care of his little sister. It might be the only good I ever find in him.

“Is there anything else I need to know?” I ask.

“Yes.” Wes mischievously smiles. “Go shopping in the apparel department for some workout clothes. Zombie survival boot camp starts in fifteen minutes.”

“You used to be a pretty kick-ass fighter before you started living a posh lifestyle,” Noah says, ruffling the hair on the top of my head.

I swat his hand away.

“It's true,” Aiden chimes in. “You've kind of gone soft.”

“Okay, okay.” I raise my hands and stand. “I get it. I'm out of shape.”

“There's absolutely nothing wrong with your shape,” Aiden says, winking at me. “It's your endurance we're worried about.”

Wes shakes his head and says, “I see someone is brave, now that Ryland can't kick your ass for flirting with his girl.”

Aiden laces his fingers behind his head and crosses his ankles. “I look forward to him getting better, so I can do it in front of him and watch as he gets irritated. It brings me immense joy when his face turns bright red.”

I shake my head and smile as I walk away. It's nice how things have a way of falling back to how they used to be with so little effort. I just hope that I can say the same for my Z-battling skills.

“What's she doing?” River asks.

I find a foothold between two boxes and reach up for the next row of shelves two feet above my head.

“Trying to prove a point,” Noah answers.

I don't dare look down, but knowing my cousin, she has crossed her arms and cocked her hip to the side.

“That she can break her neck falling twenty feet to the floor?” she says.

“No,” I grunt, pulling myself higher. “That I can still carry my own.”

“You egged her on!” River accuses Aiden and Noah.

I ignore them and reach the top shelf. Sitting on top of it, I cross my legs, propping my elbow on them, and rest my chin in the palm of my hand.

River strains her neck to look at me. “All right, smartass, now let's see you get down without plunging to your death. I don't know what you have to prove to these idiots. You already beat them in a race around the building.”

I smile at the memory. Before taking the dare to climb to the top of the shelves, I raced them around the inside of the warehouse. I didn’t just win once, but twice. Ever since we arrived here two days ago, I've risen to whatever challenge they've thrown my way, determined to regain my status in our group.

Months of living a comfortable life have made me lose some of my agility and strength. When I shot the gun at the door the other day, I was disappointed in myself. Not only was I not on target, but I also reacted to the sound of the blast. I want to overcome my physical shortcomings and reacclimate myself to fighting.

“I'll get down in a second. I might as well see what's in these boxes while I'm up here,” I say, pulling the compact flashlight from the back of my workout pants.

Choosing to check out this warehouse was a brilliant decision. We've found so much that will be useful if we have to trek the rest of the way to the island by foot. One such item is the hunting knife I've strapped around my thigh. I pull it out of its sheath and cut open the first box. Inside is a bunch of classical books, none of which are helpful to our survival, but they might cure Ryland's boredom.

His fever has been off and on, and he is having more and more good moments. He has been drinking water, eating, and moving around on his own. He doesn't last long on his feet before fatigue hits him, but every day he's pushed himself to do a little better. It's still going to take some time to get back to where he was. And spending his days lying around is driving him insane. Hopefully, a little reading will help.

After rummaging through several boxes, I've gathered a nice little collection of books. I toss them to the floor and laugh as everyone dodges out of the way. After I climb back down, I pick up the books.

“Are you going to talk to him?” Aiden asks, stacking the last book on the top of the pile.

The supply run the boys and I have planned is a necessity. We've found a lot of useful items here, but we're running low on food. Wes swears he saw a grocery store warehouse a mile or so away. It will be the first time we've stepped away from this place and selling Ryland on it is going to be tough.

“Yeah, I'll talk to him about it. Just be ready for his wrath. He won't like us going without him.”

River shrugs. “He doesn't have a choice. Doctor's orders.”

I chuckle and bump her with my hip. “Good luck with that and remember you're the one staying behind with him. He's going to be impossible the whole time.”

With the books in hand, I make my way to the alcove acting as my and Ryland's bedroom. I reach the front of the aisle when hushed voices stop me.

“I honestly thought you were going to be the eternal bachelor,” Wes says.

Ryland chuckles. “So did I, but she's it.”

I lean against the end of the shelving unit, knowing I shouldn't eavesdrop, but I can't help it.

Ryland continues, saying, “She keeps teasing me because I brought up getting married. But the more she talks about it, the more I like the idea. I can see the life we could make together.”

“One girl for the rest of your life. You had it good back in Giran, and you never complained about being lonely. Are you sure you want to give all that up?”

I peek around the corner. The two of them sit side by side in the bed with a stack of pillows behind their backs and their heads leaning against the wall. They're at total ease in each other's company, and I love seeing them have moments like this—their guards down and interacting as brothers. I'd give my left hand to capture it in a picture.

“For Quinn, I'm willing to give it all up,” Ryland says.

The biggest smile spreads across my face, and I've heard enough. It's time to quit being the nosy girlfriend and make myself known.

“He'll still make a good wingman,” I offer, moving toward them.

Ryland matches my smile, not seeming to mind that I caught the end of their conversation.

“He may have the looks, but I've got all the charm. He used to need me more than I needed him,” Wes says.

Ryland raises an eyebrow. “Sure I did.”

“Anyway, keep believing that.” Wes holds out his fist, Ryland bumping it with his.

“I will.”

Wes stands and says to me, “He should be good for a bit. I just took him to piss and fed him.”

“You make it sound like I'm a dog,” Ryland says with a frown.

Wes's laughter resonates as he disappears around the shelves.

Ryland tilts his head at the books in my hands. “What have you got there?”

“I thought you might be getting a little bored, so I grabbed you a few books.”

I lift the first title, and he reads it before saying, “A bunch of guys stuck on an island—that might hit a little too close to home for me.”

I toss the rejected book onto the floor and move to the next. It's an erotic novel that was hugely popular before the Affliction. “This?”

“Tempting, but why read about what I can do with you in real life?” He crosses his arms, and one side of his mouth pulls into a sexy crooked grin.

My cheeks flush and I discard the book over my shoulder. “We can come back to that topic when you're feeling better.”

I still have four more books for him to choose from, but I pick one I know he'll appreciate. With it in my hands, I fall back onto the mattress. My head lands beside his hip and I hold the book out to him with a smile.

He takes the paperback and thumbs through the pages until he reaches the end. It’s the same book he read over and over again when I first met him. “I was once told that this is a morbid book,” he says.

“It is, but who am I to judge your comfort read?”

His eyes soften as he looks at the cover. “Thanks.”

I roll onto my stomach. “I need to talk to you about something.”

He gives me a sideways glance. “Why do I have the feeling I won’t like this?”

“Because you won’t,” I state. “Aiden, Noah, Wes and I are going to scout the nearby warehouses.”

“Without me?”

“Yes.”

“Absolutely not, Quinn.”

Everyone chose me to broach the subject with Ryland for this very reason. They thought I'd be able to sweet-talk him into it. Not for one second did I believe it was going to be that easy. Ryland has been a part of every major outing we've embarked on. The man refuses to let us take any risk without him.

I brush my fingertips over his knuckles, hoping it will relax him. “You're not well enough to go, and we need to replenish our food supply.”

He runs his hand over his face, releasing a puff of air. “So let the guys go, and you can stay behind with River and me.”

“You know it's better if there are four of us. We can partner up and cover more ground.”

His head tilts back as his lips form a tight line. I know he's thinking of how to make this work in a way he approves of, but it's useless. He has no choice but to surrender to the inevitable. It has to be done, and my help is needed.

“When are you going?” he finally asks.

“Now. Everyone is waiting for me to talk to you.”

“I hate this.”

I crawl up the bed until I'm kneeling across from him. “I'll be careful.”

“Stay with whoever your partner is and don't leave his side,” he demands.

If it were any other man, in any other circumstance, I'd take offense, but I know he's driven by fear and a longing for my well-being.

“I won't leave their side, and I promise to be careful at all times,” I say.

His hand moves to the back of my head. Pulling me toward him, he kisses me. At first, I think it's a harmless goodbye kiss, but then his hand reaches for the back of my thigh. He guides my leg over his lap until I'm straddling him. With a palm flat on my lower back, he pulls me close. I place my hands on his shoulders, and he deepens the kiss, pushing his hips into the juncture of my legs.

This is what it's like to see Ryland scared shitless. Our heated kiss is a way for him to forget about what I'm about to do. It’s also an attempt to persuade me to stay. I know because if it were him leaving, I’d do the same thing. I must admit it’s a good effort.

A throat clears from behind us. I separate my lips from his and rest my forehead to his, catching my breath.

“Quinn, the boys are ready,” River says, stifling a giggle.

“I'll be right there,” I reply, keeping my focus on Ryland.

He hugs me close. “Nothing stupid, okay?”

I nod and get to my feet. “We shouldn't be gone too long. We're staying in this area.” I lean in and give him another quick kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

I leave Ryland with my stomach in knots. He'll worry about us the entire time we're gone, and that stress is the last thing he needs. I wish we could have left and returned before he noticed we were missing, but it would have been obvious. The best I can offer to ease his worry is to keep my promises to remain safe and come back to him in one piece.