Page 29 of After the Burn

“Just offering opportunities.” Gideon’s tone remained calm. “Strong men earn respect here.”

And probably more than respect.

I’d already noticed the way some women looked at the fighters. Not exactly with attraction, but more with calculation.

Strength now meant protection, and protection meant survival.

Gideon moved on without another word, stopping to greet people along the street like some kind of politician at the end of the world.

I hated him more every second we were here.

“He wants to test you,” Adrian said once Gideon disappeared into another conversation.

“No shit,” I frowned.

“If you fight, people pay attention to you instead of me.” He looked thoughtful.

“That may be so, but I’m not claiming any women.” I sneered. “Taryn, is it for me, and I’m not giving you the opportunity to claim otherwise.”

Adrian spoke calmly. “The thought never crossed my mind.”

I glanced at him sideways. “Sure, it didn’t.”

He sighed. “It was just an idea.”

The guy looked exhausted beneath all the composure.

We both were.

Neither of us had slept much since arriving, not because we were scared, but because we both wanted to be with Taryn.

That realization still irritated the hell out of me.

“You know I didn’t want to come with you,” I muttered.

“Yes.”

My jaw tightened. “But you guilted me into it anyway.”

“Yes.” Not a single ounce of remorse in his voice.

Back at the farmhouse, Adrian deliberately manipulated me by using Avery and Emery. The girls were so hungry that Lane pretended he had already eaten to ensure they got his portion. That alone made me agree to go. I couldn’t stand seeing a child suffer.

I smiled slightly.

That’s what drew my evil queen to me in the first place. She’d thought that seeing me beat that perv to death would put me under her power.

It seemed like a hundred years ago.

“We needed information about this place,” Adrian said quietly.

“We needed to stay with Taryn.”

“We needed to make sure this place wasn’t a threat before they found us themselves.” He leaned closer. “And we need the food they have.”

I hated that he was right, almost as much as I hated leaving Taryn behind.

Despite how much Adrian pissed me off, I trusted one thing about him… If it came down to Taryn or himself, he’d choose Taryn.