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Her eyes drift open for a split second as she nods before shutting them again.
“I knew you’d come for me,” she murmurs.
My chest is tight as I press the gas. Steering with one arm and holding her up with the other, I begin driving through the brush as fast as the ATV will go.
Duke is speeding down the highway, assaulting me with questions from the front seat about what happened.
“Slow the fuck down. The last thing we need is to get pulled over,” I snap.
The tweezers are vibrating in my hand. I’m trying to remove all the wood splinters from Rosie’s arm without hurting her. Everywhere I look, she has bruises in various stages of healing. I have to use self-control not to go back and slowly peel the skin off of Jed’s dead body in an effort to reach retribution.
“Where are we going?” Duke asks, glancing in the rearview mirror.
“Fe Leon. You don’t have your phone, do you?”
He hands it back to me. I roll the window down and toss it out.
“Stop at the next gas station and get us a couple of burners.”
He nods, concern filling his eyes as he looks at Rosie. “Who would do this to her?”
She opens her eyes, meeting my gaze. “They were waiting for me in my apartment. They wore ski masks.”
I get the last of the splinters out, scrunching up the napkin and tucking it into the door.
“Do you have any food?” she asks.
“Where’s the food you packed?” I ask Duke.
He hands back a lunch box. I unzip it and offer her the contents. She points to the bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich Dolly must’ve packed from this morning’s breakfast. I unwrap it for her. She takes it with trembling fingers.
“When was the last time you ate?” I ask, fearing the answer as I move my hand to gently cup the back of her thigh. I can’t stop touching her, but I’m afraid I’ll hurt her.
She shrugs. “I got a sandwich yesterday, I think. Maybe that was the day before. I can’t remember.”
I’m overcome with a new wave of rage.
I try to keep my voice steady. “They’re all going to die soon.”
She takes a bite, chewing slowly. “Who would’ve thought you’d end up killing for me?”
I’d do more than kill for you.
“What else hurts right now? Do you need a doctor?”
She shakes her head. “My ribs hurt, but they can’t do anything about that. They have to heal on their own. I just need to eat … and shower.” She looks embarrassed, pulling back from me. “I know I smell bad. How long has it been?”
“Six days.” I don’t even need to count. Each one has been agonizing.
Her eyes grow wide. “Six days?”
“Someone texted Dolly from your phone. They told her you were with your family, looking for your mom. When you didn’t show up for work this morning, your aunt came looking for you. That’s when we knew you weren’t with her and your father.”
She blinks with uncertainty before taking another bite of the sandwich. I reach up to brush a piece of tangled red hair out of her eyes. Again, she pulls away from me.
“I’m a mess.”
“You’re perfection.” I grip the bottom of her chin, my eyes focused on her lips.
