“I can wait. You’re worth it, baby. You better be ready though,” he smolders.
“I will be.”
Brazen returns to the bunk beside us, and Hale intentionally kisses me hard right in front of him as a way of staking his claim.
I suppose it’s better than pissing on me.
Brazen just rolls his eyes at the excessive show of affection. I smile against the possessive lips owning mine, and then he releases me with a smile of his own.
“We’ll stop in twenty minutes to let everyone stretch their legs. The sun will be tinted again by then,” Hale says to Brazen.
“How far ahead is this group?”
“At least seven hours. They’ll have to make camp at some point, and we’ll catch up to them then,” Hale asserts.
“Do we really want to catch up? We don’t know enough about them,” Brazen murmurs as his eyes look to me. “Maybe we should leave Araya at Hilbrook. It isn’t too far from here.”
“Hell no,” I bark.
Hale’s arms tighten around me, and I can see the glimpse of betrayal in his eyes. He’s considering this to be an option.
“Don’t you dare side with him. This is the first time I’ve been out in the field, and Clay said I was doing good,” I scold.
“Baby, I think this could get worse, and you’ve already had a rough several weeks.”
“If it gets worse, you’re going to need me - unless you’re planning on bringing your gift out of slumber.”
I climb free from the bed to raid the cabinets in my quest for liquor.
“Araya, I’m not saying you’re not good, I’m saying I don’t want to see you getting hurt,” Brazen explains.
“Until Clay says I can’t go, you can both kiss my ass.”
I feel hands heating against my waist, and I turn to face the soft eyes of Hale.
“I’ll kiss your ass, and then I’ll tie you down to keep you safe,” he murmurs to lighten the mood.
“Don’t be cute right now. I’m pissed. I’m not some infant. I realize there’s a fucked up piece of my life, but that doesn’t mean I need to be sheltered for the remainder of my span. I’m sick of being held back, and I’ll go on my own if you try to leave me behind. If you don’t believe me, try me. I know a thing or two about tracking as well.”
I barge by him, and I head to the front of the vehicle to sit in the passenger seat beside the driver. He almost jumps at my sudden appearance, but he stays quiet as I stare into the full glow of the sun that is shaded by the curtain behind us.
I know it’s Hale coming through the curtains since Brazen would burst into flames, and I look away before his face comes into view. He lifts my body from the seat, and he climbs under me to pull me into his lap.
“I love you, baby, and I’m worried what could happen to you,” he mutters while nestling his head against the nook of my neck.
“I’m worried about what could happen to you too. Does that mean you won’t go?” I snark.
“Araya, please understand.”
His huffing, pouting plea is brought to a halt by a faint sense of urgency coming from the dash. He reaches past me to tune the screeching noise that squeals into my sensitive ears. I cringe while pushing a fingertip into my left ear - the one closest to the machine mimicking the shrill scream of a banshee. The radio finally comes to life as the panicked voice scratches through the static-laced connection.
“There’s a stage five storm rolling in. Anyone not in a secure facility, please find shelter now.”
Fear shivers through my spine as the stage five images of the past flood through my mind. She continues her shrill warnings, and Hale turns it back down shaking his head.
“Turn here and take us to Hilbrook,” Hale says to the driver, and then he speaks to either me or himself when he mumbles, “I’ll call Clay.”
I look up to see the clouds starting to swirl violently to form the inward funnel spiraling in reverse from a tornado’s threat. Soon it will be sucking the ground into the sky, savagely ripping apart anything it brings into its vast mouth.
