Page 160 of After the Burn

“It sits really far off the main highway down a long country road.” Wren nodded. “I haven’t seen it personally, but that’s the only place it can be.”

Adrian folded the map carefully. “Then that’s where we’ll go.” He turned to Finley. “Barricade the door with the desk when we leave.”

Finley nodded. “I’ve got enough food in my pack for a couple of days.”

“Can anyone spare a few more bottles of water for them?” I asked everyone.

Together, we managed to spare six bottles, in addition to the three Finley already had.

“Max will hunt for himself if you let him out.” I leaned down to scratch him between the ears, and he let out a pitiful whine.

“We’ll be fine for a few days,” Finley reassured us.

Adrian nodded. “If everything goes well, we’ll be back long before you run out. If not, and you have to leave, we’ll follow your trail until we catch up.”

Rory shifted on the mattress, and Max lifted his head, then settled again when she rested a hand against his neck.

She didn’t ask where we were going, or when we’d get back. She just watched us with tired eyes while Finley unpacked what little food and water we had left beside her.

Wren crouched and whispered something in her ear, and Rory gave the smallest hint of a smile. Then Wren snuggled Mojo more firmly beside her.

Finley looked at all of us. “I think you’re crazy for doing this, but I understand why you have to.” His eyes moved toward Rory, then back to us. “Make sure you come back.”

Something about the way he said it made the room fall silent. It wasn’t because he doubted us. It was because Harper hadn’t.

I nodded. “We will.”

Beck moved first, stepping out to check the tree line. Adrian came to me and tightened the strap on my pack, while Lucas moved behind me and rested a hand at the back of my neck.

I looked from one to the other. Then toward Beck, who had already turned back to make sure I was still where he’d left me. “What?”

“Nothing,” Beck said, widening his eyes innocently.

“You’re all doing the thing,” I said, exasperated.

Adrian raised an eyebrow. “What thing?”

“Circling.”

Lucas’s thumb moved once against my neck. “You do have a tendency to take off for parts unknown.”

“I always know where I’m going,” I smirked. “I just may not always let you in on it.”

Beck snorted. “Ain’t that the truth.”

I stared at them.

Three beautiful men.

Three completely different kinds of difficult. Yet somehow, when things went bad, they fit together like parts of the same weapon.

Maybe that was why this might just work.

None of them had to be everything. They only had to be themselves. And that worked for me.

Adrian touched my back. “Stay close.”

Lucas leaned down beside my ear. “And try not to get kidnapped, Menace.”