Page 81 of Bound in Ashes

We made it to Hale House far too quickly.

There was a sign on the door that said Welcome! Make Yourself at Home.

It was handwritten with black marker on orange construction paper with stenciled leaves and pumpkins. Someone had put effort into it, and it was the kind of cheerfulness that made the desperation that much more palpable.

I grabbed one of the keys and went to a room, not really seeing anything, knowing that this situation was fraught.

Jack followed behind me, each step giving away his rage.

We entered the room.

The door clicked shut behind us.

I locked it.

Turned to Jack.

Waited for the explosion.

THIRTEEN

Asia

It didn’t come.

Jack walked the room, checked the bathroom and closets, looked under the bed, out of the windows.

Then he stood still.

Silent.

Terrifying.

“Jack—”

He gave a single shake of his head.

I said nothing, stood there waiting for Jack to unleash everything he’d held back all day—the rage at Hayes, the jealousy over Christopher, the fury of being trapped.

I’d seen it building.

Felt it in the way his hand tightened around my wrist. In the deadly quiet of his voice when he told me “not now.”

I braced for it.

Wanted it, even.

Because at least then I could lose myself in the violence of it. Could let him take what he needed and not have to think about what I was giving.

But Jack just stood there.

Watching me.

“You should shower,” he said finally, his voice flat. “Get that filth off you.”

I looked down.

He was right. My shirt was splattered with dust and blood from the zombies Hayes killed.