of supplies every day. While the food we’d gathered would be enough for a couple of weeks, I’d need to venture out eventually.
That is if I couldn’t hunt down and kill the motherfuckers.
“Anything else you need?” the store clerk asked, darting her eyes from one of my arms to the other.
“Gas cans.”
She shifted her gaze to our carts as well as studying Chloe. I turned my head, eyeing the lovely student. Her act of disinterest was enough to provide a level of comfort to the clerk.
“They’re outside in a shed by the door, five-gallon containers. Do you want me to add one to your total?”
I held up my hand, showing her two fingers. We’d spent far too much time in the place. “I’ll need to fill them with gas.”
“Of course. How will you be paying for this, sir?”
I pulled out my wallet, tossing several hundred dollar bills across the counter. At least the SUV had been filled before leaving the small town. The amount should be enough.
For now.
The girl seemed surprised but didn’t utter a word, merely finishing the transaction. After loading things into the vehicle and filling the cans, I took a few seconds to study everyone around us.
“Do you really think they found us?” Chloe asked. “I have no idea how they could have.”
“Don’t ever underestimate your enemies, Chloe. They will strike when you least expect it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
We remained in total silence as I navigated the rest of the way, finally pulling down a long driveway.
The cabin was rustic as fuck, the relatively small building secluded in a bank of trees. There was no mailbox highlighting the almost dirt road, only a small marker that had been difficult to find given the growth in the forest surrounding the property. At least the privacy would create a shield for a certain amount of time. The area was also far enough away from any main roads that I felt a sense of safety surrounding us.
However, I’d never let my guard down again.
I could see a separate shed as well as piles of wood that had been cut and stacked, the overhang shielding the pieces from the majority of weather conditions.
Chloe hesitated before exiting the vehicle, shielding her eyes from the hint of sun glistening through the trees as she studied the front façade. “Interesting.”
I didn’t bother addressing her comment, merely unlocking the door and moving inside. The hinges creaked, the hardwood floor popping as I walked further inside. It was obvious Travis hadn’t been at the location for some time, the amount of dust indicating at least a few months.
She moved through the place, jerking open blinds, coughing as the dust continued to fly. “We have to stay here?”
I shifted my attention to the fireplace, the massive stonework likely the most appealing part about the place. I didn’t bother answering her question. She was doing nothing more than pushing my buttons. “We’ll need to bring in some wood.”
“It’s May and gorgeous outside, not that we can see any of it.”
“And the nights are still cold.” She studied me intently as I moved through the house, checking on what we had to deal with. When I realized she was following me, I had the same reaction as always.
Lust.
Filthy, vile desire.
Shoving it aside, I moved toward the back door, hissing given the condition of a lock. It would need to be fortified. The attached deck had seen better days, the handrailing rickety as hell, but given the house backed up to a slight slope and nothing other than trees, I felt more confident that our location wouldn’t be located for some time.
However, if they discovered the slight relationship I had to Travis, all bets were off the table. I should have insisted he leave town.
She blew by me, jogging down the two stairs and peering up at the limited view of the sky. I would need to check the surrounding area in more detail, but that could wait until we were settled.
I leaned over the railing, taking a deep breath for the first time in almost two full days. I’d yet to hear anything from Ivan, which didn’t bode well in my mind. One thing was certain. Decent food and rest were vital. I had no doubt a bloody battle would ensue. I rubbed my eyes, loathing the exhaustion as well as the intense headache that had settled in.
The single cracking sound forced my normal reaction, the weapon in my hand in two seconds flat. As I scanned the