Chapter 42 #2
“Here,” Rhys says, handing the packet to me. “It’s not much, but at least it’s something.”
I take the packet and pop it open. The scent of salt and oil teases my nose, making my stomach clench painfully and my mouth water. But as ravenous as I am, I’m careful to only take half the bag before handing the rest to Rhys.
He shakes his head and pushes the bag away. “Take all of it, Ollie. I’ll be fine.”
“No, you need to eat, too, Rhys. Especially since you’re more injured than I am.” I practically shove the bag into his face, refusing to take no for an answer.
He scowls and refuses to take it.
“I’m not eating the rest, so either you eat it or we leave it here for the rats. Your choice.”
He sighs heavily, grumbling under his breath about stubborn women as he takes the bag from me and devours the contents within seconds.
After that, we continue our search for more supplies.
But as the day wears on, it’s quickly becoming apparent that neither of us know where we are.
Or what direction we need to travel in to reach Haven.
The streets have been decimated and any road signs have been destroyed or stolen, meaning we’re just having to go off Rhys’s theory that we’re somewhere in Cardiff.
Not the worst place to be stranded, seeing as we’re only about twenty miles from Haven, but those miles are insurmountable at the moment with our lack of food, weapons and clothing.
By the time the sun sets, we’re both exhausted, starving and freezing. The prospect of spending another night trapped in a car sits heavily on my shoulders, and my stomach churns with dread.
Some of it must leak onto my face because Rhys moves closer, draping an arm over my shoulders. “We’ll figure it out,” he says as he pulls me against his side. “Whatever happens, we’ll get through it.”
I just nod and lean into him. I never thought I’d be able to trust someone else to help carry my burdens, yet here am I. With Rhys of all people. And it’s not just him. I trust all three of the men I’ve fallen for, not just with my life but with my heart. Something I never thought I’d do again.
Rhys squeezes my shoulder in silent support as the sky grows darker and our chances of finding a place to spend the night in something other than a car dwindle.
My eyes scan the street, praying for somewhere safe enough to stay in for the night, but all the buildings are either burned, have no doors or windows, or are teetering precariously to one side.
There are a ton of cars, though.
I grow tenser by the second. Nausea claws at my throat at the prospect of suffering another panic attack for the second night in a row.
But it seems luck is finally on our side.
“Holy shit,” I whisper, eyes wide as I stare at the small building obscured by debris from a nearby building. “Is that an outdoor sports shop?”
Rhys stops and follows my gaze. “Maybe,” he says cautiously before moving towards it.
It takes a bit for us to climb up and over the various piles of rubble and discarded cars before we’re finally able to reach the front of the shop.
The sign above the boarded-up window and door is faded, the white lettering on the blue background almost illegible, but I’m able to make out Sport.
The shop itself appears to be intact, even though the buildings around it have collapsed or are heavily damaged.
Rhys peers at the building with a dubious expression on his face before moving closer to peer through a hole in the wood covering the window.
“See anything?” I ask, unable to hide my hope. I need this place to be safe enough for us to hide in for the night because I am not looking forward to passing out from another panic attack in a car.
“Not much. It’s too dark inside.”
He turns from the window to inspect the door for a moment before brandishing the Swiss Army knife and prying the wooden boards from the door. It doesn’t take long before the doorway is cleared.
“Stay there,” he orders, throwing me the look over his shoulder.
I glare at him but don’t argue. As much as I hate being left behind like some damsel, I’m aware enough to know that I’d be useless in a fight without a weapon. So I do as I’m told as Rhys wrenches open the door and disappears into the darkness beyond.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take long for him to return, brandishing a torch and a wicked-looking hunting knife.
My jaw drops. “Where the hell did you find that?” Didn’t even know we had knives like that in the UK.
He grins. “You, princess, somehow spotted the only untouched outdoor sporting goods shop in the entire city.”
“It’s safe?” Please tell me it’s safe. I don’t want to sleep in a car again.
His smile widens. “It’s safe and untouched.”
I dive past him and into the shop. Only to stutter to a stop because he’s not kidding.
This place looks as if it just closed for the night, with everything neatly stacked on shelves.
The only sign that it’s been closed for a while is a thick layer of dust on everything.
Not that I care because there’s clothes. Warm clothes, too.
I almost weep when I stride over to the women’s section and pick out thick leggings, warm tops, woollen socks and a thick, waterproof coat. They’re so soft and comfortable that I’m dying to put them on, but I’m still caked in dried blood and dirt. Somehow we’re going to need to wash ourselves.
And it seems luck is still on our side because this place doesn’t just have clothes and weapons, but food too. There’s even bottles and jugs of water, all unopened. It’s like being a kid at Christmas all over again.
Exploring the shop further, we find a clean toilet at the back along with a staff room filled with a plush sofa and armchair.
“We’ll sleep in here,” Rhys says after inspecting the room. “I’ll grab a bunch of sleeping bags while you go wash.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice.
Using the jugs of water and soap, I wash my body and hair thoroughly. I pay special attention to my feet, making sure they’re thoroughly sanitised. It’s freezing cold and I’m violently shivering by the end, but I haven’t been this clean in days. It’s almost orgasmic how good it feels.
The warm clothes are even better.
I emerge from the bathroom a new woman and find that Rhys has been busy turning the staff room into a cosy space.
A camp stove sits on the counter, already on and boiling water while the sofa is overflowing with pillows, sleeping bags and blankets.
While the temperature in the room isn’t that high, it’s still so much better than outside.
“Keep an eye on the stove; I’ll be right back,” Rhys says before disappearing into the bathroom with a handful of clothing.
I do one better and prepare a feast of pre-packaged freeze dried meals that we devour as soon as Rhys returns from the bathroom, clean and clothed. By the time we’re done, I’m warm, have a full belly and struggling to stay awake.
“Come on,” Rhys says, nudging me towards the sofa after securing the building. “We both need our rest.”
I don’t argue and shuffle over to collapse into the pile of blankets and sleeping bags with a heavy sigh. Fuck, I can’t remember the last time I was this comfortable. Even though the sofa is slightly lumpy, it’s a cloud compared to the icy, hard concrete I’ve been sleeping on the past few days.
Snuggling deeper into the blankets, I move over. Only to frown when Rhys walks over to the armchair. “Why are you sleeping over there?”
He pauses and glances at me. “The sofa is yours. I’ll be fine in the chair.”
I pat the space in front of me. “Get over here. We’ve already been sleeping with one another naked, and you need good quality rest.”
He hesitates for a moment before relenting with a sigh.
It’s a tighter squeeze than I was expecting. I’m half tempted to take the armchair instead, but Rhys grabs me before I can and plants me firmly in front of him while spooning me from behind.
“Stay,” he orders as he snakes his arm across my stomach.
His arms caging me in like this should trigger my claustrophobia, but it doesn’t. I feel warm and protected and it isn't long before sleep takes us.