AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Give us an address,” I demand.
“Your funeral,” she says, pushing her chair back and standing up.
“My appetites’s been ruined by you sons of bitches. I’ll text you Eden’s address once I’ve spoken with her.”
Callum goes to say something, but she puts her finger on his mouth. He deliberately grabs it, but instead of pushing it away, he holds her finger tight in his grip.
“Before you object, I just want to say that I’ll convince her to allow me to give you the address. But I’m giving her the dignity of knowing about your intentions.”
Callum still holds onto her finger.
“Please?” She pleads with him, but I know he’s not hurting her. He’s majorly pissed off with her attitude.
As soon as he lets go, she turns to me. “We’ll be in touch. Next time, come alone and leave the rabid dog at home.”
“You know you love me deep inside that wicked heart of yours, Brit!” Callum calls out with a mischievous grin as she walks onto the pavement. Her only response is a quick show of her middle finger, walking away from us.
“Eden has more spunk than Brittney. This is only going to get worse.” I mutter, staring at the woman disappearing down the road.
“Birds of a feather stick together. At least she’s had her over the years.”
Did she, though?
If I catch onto Brittney’s description, Eden’s been living solitary and isolated from life in some desert for the past ten years. The mere contemplation of the hardships she might have endured to survive such an ordeal sends a shiver down my spine, making me wonder about the kind of resilience she must have to endure the challenges she willingly subjected herself to.
The deeper I think about this, the more I’m convinced she released that video to the media and she’s been punishing herself all these years for her mistakes.
Chapter 7
For the last fewhours, we drove primarily in hushed silence. The air inside this SUV is thick with tension as we journey across the vast and unforgiving Mojave Desert.
The midday sun beats down relentlessly, casting harsh shadows over the arid landscape that stretches endlessly in all directions. The rhythmic hum of the vehicle's engine provides a steady backdrop to the apprehensive stillness inside here.
Watching Jagger in the driver’s seat via the rearview mirror, he squints at the GPS on the dashboard, his brow furrowing in skepticism.
“Are you sure this thing knows where we're going?" he asks, tapping the screen as if expecting a more reliable response.
“Maybe Brittney sent you a false address. One last joke before we all perish in this desert,” I mumble from the back seat.
We’re four rockers from London, hardly dressed for the desert, and will be royally screwed if this vehicle breaks down.
I shake my head at our predicament and peer out the window at the desolate scenery. The horizon seems to stretch infinitely, offering no clear landmarks to guide our way.
Asher, sitting up front with Jagger, squints into the distance. "Mate, I swear we've been through this same patch of sand dunes at least twice now. Are we going in circles?"
Forced to sit behind with my brother, Callum looms over between the two front seats to gaze at the GPS with a hint of distrust.
"It keeps saying we're getting closer, but I'm starting to think it's just leading us to the middle of nowhere. I’m beginningto think Eden’s vanished into thin air, and Brittney got us on a wild goose chase."
“Sit back and put your seatbelt on. Anything could happen,” I say, sneering at him.
“Aw, big bruv, cares about me. How sweet,” his voice laced with mocking sarcasm, grates on my bloody nerves.
“I don’t want your brains spilled over my jacket if this vehicle side slips and tumbles down some canyon. I happen to like this jacket.” I say, turning towards the window because I don’t need to witness the smirk on my sodding brother’s face.
The SUV rumbles over uneven terrain, causing us to bounce slightly in our seats. The landscape outside remains unchanged — a vast sea of sand and occasional shrubs devoid of discernible landmarks.
"Maybe we should've hired a guide or something," I suggest, glancing around as if expecting a helpful guide to materialize from the barren landscape.
