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Rhiannon bent down to sign to Michael, but he didn’t give her the chance. He launched into her arms and wrapped his tiny arms around her neck.
Did he feel warm?
She pressed the back of her hand against his cheek. He did, but it was ungodly hot in here and there was almost no air circulation. She hugged him tight, murmuring soothing nothings against the top of his head. She remembered when her mom used to do that for her after a nightmare. Without her hearing aids in, she hadn’t been able to hear the words, but she’d felt the hum of her mom’s throat against her head and had always found comfort in the vibrations, even more than the words.
“Shhh, love,” she whispered, her heart aching for the boy. “We’re going to be okay. We’re going to figure this out.”
“I’m scared,” Hailey said, and Dottie draped an arm over the teen’s shoulders, pulling her in for a side hug. “Why is Will listening to them?”
“I don’t know,” Dottie murmured.
“What are we going to do?” Brooke asked.
Rhiannon felt the weight of Michael’s small body against hers, his soft breaths hitching with every tremor of anxiety that rippled through the room. Alan’s voice boomed like thunder, electrifying the air with a crackling tension. His followers all nodded in agreement, their expressions hardened with determination, convinced they had found their savior in the man who whispered promises of safety and retribution.
Rhiannon glanced at Pierce, his hardened expression unreadable as he stood at the edge of the chaos, arms crossed tightly over his chest.
She caught his attention with a wave of her hand. “We need a plan.”
Pierce’s lips thinned as he nodded, his eyes darting between Rhiannon and the growing mob. He stepped closer, his movements fluid and purposeful, and waved their small group in for a huddle.
Gareth lowered his voice. “We need to leave.”
Pierce’s jaw clenched, a muscle ticking beneath the skin. He gave a sharp nod, then gestured toward the blocked hallway.
“No, I don’t want to go back over there,” Brooke said. “What if the floor gives out?”
Pierce and Gareth looked at each other and despite the language barrier, she had the feeling they were sharing the same thought. Pierce’s hands moved swiftly, signing to Rhiannon.
“He says we don’t have a choice,” she translated, keeping her voice low. “The main entrance is completely impassable.”
Dottie’s brow furrowed. “But what about the structural damage? We could be walking into a death trap.”
“It’s our best shot,” Gareth said, his gaze cutting toward Alan. “It’s more dangerous to stay here. They could just decide, fuck it, and kill us in our sleep.”
Pierce grunted to get their attention.“Until we get the hallway clear, we need to sleep in shifts. We also need to gather anything we can use to defend ourselves.”
When Rhiannon translated, Dottie’s eyes widened. “Defend ourselves? Surely it won’t come to that.”
Pierce’s expression remained grim as he signed again.
Rhiannon swallowed hard before relaying his words. “He says we need to prepare for the worst. Alan’s group will become more volatile by the hour.”
Brooke hugged herself. “This is insane. We’re supposed to be working together, not... not turning on each other like animals.”
Gareth gently squeezed her shoulder. “It’s human nature. When people are scared, they look for someone to blame.” Then he looked at Pierce again. “I’d keep your dog close.”
“No,” Dottie gasped, her hand flying up to cover her heart. “They wouldn’t hurt sweet little Razzy, would they?”
Pierce nodded, his expression dark.“They want to hurt me, so they’ll go for the people I care most about first— Rhia, Razzy, and Micheal. But I’m not worried about Razzy. They’ll underestimate him. Everyone always does, and he’s more dangerous than he looks.”
Michael stirred in Rhiannon’s arms. She stroked his hair, wishing she could shield him from the harsh reality unfolding around him. “We won’t let them touch Razzy or Michael.”
“No, we won’t.” Hands on her hips, lips pressed into a disapproving line, Dottie shook her head. “Not on my watch.” She glanced toward the checkout counter, then leaned in closer and lowered her voice. “I have a gun locked in a safe under the registers. We were robbed a few years ago, and I started keeping it there during my shifts.”
Rhiannon stared at the others, a cold pit opening up in her belly. “Does Will know you have it?”
“No, I don’t?—”
