UnHinge Me (Savage Beast MC #6) - Hayley Faiman Page 0,117
happens. You are not a goddamn dictator. Known you since we were kids. As my friend, you should have fucking called.”
“I didn’t call as your friend because I knew there was nothing you could do. I didn’t want you to get in an accident racing home. You can believe what you want, but I love you, Mountain, and I kept it from you because of that.”
“I don’t know about you fucks, but I’m going to Donkey Puncher territory and I plan on packing—heavily.”
Without another word, I turn from Dragon and follow Taz into the armory. I plan on packing too—heavily.
Chapter Forty
LEIGHTON
I sit in the mud surrounded by leaves, pine needles, and whatever else is on the forest floor. My legs are pulled up and I wrap my arms around my knees, my eyes pinched closed as I shiver. I’m still wearing the same jean shorts and tank top that I was taken in. On my feet are the same sandals and it’s really really fucking cold.
“We’re going to be okay,” Trista promises, again.
I want to believe her. A few hours ago, I did. We haven’t moved much past the hiding spot that we found when we heard the bikes ride by. We started to walk a little ways, then heard them again.
Now we’re just waiting. Waiting to be found or die. I’m going with dying before we’re found to be honest. I can see the soft light rising in the sky and I let out a sigh at the sight. This could mean warmth, if nothing else, maybe we won’t shiver for more hours on end.
“We need to get up and move, we need to try to find a phone,” Trista suddenly announces as she stands to her feet.
I don’t know how her body moves as quickly as it does. I’m thirsty and my stomach feels like it’s cramping. I’m hungry too. I try not to think about how long it’s been since I’ve eaten or drank anything. I try not to think about what that means for my baby. Thinking about it just makes me want to cry.
“Do you really think we’re going to walk out of these woods alive. That we’re going to get ahold of the Beasts and that they’ll magically arrive before these Donkey Punchers find us? I think you’re living in a fantasy if you believe all of that is going to happen,” I say.
Trista licks her lips, shaking her head a couple of times. “I’m sure that I am, but I’m not going to give up trying,” she states.
Inhaling a deep breath, I slowly stand to my feet. “Okay,” I breathe. “Okay. I’m not going to give up either.”
“Good.”
Together, much slower than we were hours ago, we start to walk. We still don’t know where we’re going, but we know that if we stay where we are, we won’t survive. Together, arm in arm, we walk.
“What’s the first thing you want when we’re back in Arizona?” she asks.
I almost laugh, knowing that we’ll probably never get back there. Instead, I lick my lips and tilt my head to the side as I let the now rising sun warm me as much as it can. My clothes are soaking wet from the damp dew of the night and early morning, they’re also muddy and dirty from sitting on the ground for hours.
“I want something really fatty and bad for me. I don’t care what it is, ice cream, pizza, pasta, whatever. I just want it.”
Trista laughs softly. “Me too,” she whispers.
We walk and walk, and walk some more. We’re still on the edge of the road but tucked back enough that we can’t be seen from the road. Instead of stopping like we did last night, we continue to walk, albeit very slowly, more like a shuffle.
Our legs and feet hurt so bad that we stop our conversation altogether. The morning sun moves into the afternoon sun, then the early evening sun. There hasn’t been a gas station or anything the entire day where we feel comfortable stopping to use the phone.
We passed a few private cabins, but both of us shook our heads. There’s no way we’re going to some mountain cabin and hoping that there is a decent person living there, we know enough about the evils of this world to know that it’s a dumb idea.
Leighton.
I hear my name on the wind and I stop. “Did you hear that?” I whisper to Trista.