Despite the fact Lucy had slept decently last night, she was passed out beside her, her head on Sasha’s shoulder, sounds of her breathing filling Sasha’s ears. She had her arm wrapped around Lucy’s shoulder, keeping her close.
They weren’t speaking, but she felt Malachi’s presence surround her, and not just because he was sitting right beside her. His body heat seeped into hers, his presence and masculinity making her feel feminine.
She looked over at him and stared at his profile, the hard set of this jaw, the way his facial hair covered his cheeks, his beard starting to grow fuller, thicker. His lips were full but brutal in appearance. His nose looked like it might’ve been broken at one point, but that just made him even more attractive. His eyes were set, hard, dark, and every time he looked at her, Sasha felt like he was looking right into her very soul.
“Where we going now?” She saw the way the muscle under his cheek ticked after she spoke. He glanced at her before facing forward once more.
“North,” was all he said.
She processed that one-word response. “North? As in Canada, Alaska? Like that north?” He gave a gruff nod but didn’t verbally say anything.
More silence passed. “How do you know people are up north?”
He shook his head. “I’m hoping there aren’t people up north. Isolation seems like it would be the best course of action right now. Immediate danger is being around other people. They’re in survival mode. All they are thinking about is taking what they need and want in order to survive.” He looked at her then, their gazes holding, his stare holding so many answers, yet so many questions as well. “There is no more law, no more rules, Sasha. I told you I will keep you and Lucy safe, and I’ll do that until I draw my last breath.”
The emotion in his voice had her feelings swelling, a thick lump forming in her throat. “There are people out there that are good. People like Lucy and me, people like you.” He looked at her then and she saw surprise move across his face after she said that, admitted it.
He stayed silent as he stared out the front windshield, but then he exhaled slowly and shook his head. “Sasha, I’m as far from good as you’ll ever meet.”
The sun was starting to set, and they’d been driving all day.
“As much as I want to keep going, we need to rest.” He looked at Sasha “Besides, we need to scavenge for supplies and fresh water.”
She’d seen a sign a half hour back showing the next town coming up. The population had told her it was smaller than the previous one, which could benefit them, or it could be overrun with looters and survivors.
She just didn’t know how things were going to go.
Now people were shifty as hell on the regular, so it was hard to tell if they were just in survival mode, or they were pieces of shit.
“I’m going to stop at the next town. Find a place before the sun sets, see about finding some supplies.” Although they had supplies in the car, they needed more. They needed a lot fucking more.
“Okay,” Sasha said softly.
Lucy was fast sleep. Aside from the few stops they’d taken along the way, just enough to stretch their legs, they’d been driving so long that Sasha’s body was starting to ache. Not to mention they needed to look for gas.
At the entrance to the small town, he slowed and pulled off to the side of the road, cut the headlights, and just sat there for a minute. Lucy had woken up, but we stayed silent.
Then he went back onto the road and slowly entered. She saw a pharmacy and a small grocery store. There were a few houses scattered about, presumably more farther from town.
Thank God there were no theaters.
He pulled into the small gas station and cut the engine, the windows rolled up, his focus trained in front of him.
“I’m going to check if there’s any gas. You girls stay here.” They nodded and he climbed out. He shut the door and looked back at Sasha.
She knew that no matter what, he’d make things safe for them.
Chapter Thirty
Help him
Lucy let out a little yawn and slumped back against the seat.
“I’m so tired.”
“I know, sweetie.”
“I miss Mom and Dad.”
Sasha stroked the hair back from Lucy’s face. She was going to have to cut it soon, along with her own hair. It would be easier to keep it at a manageable length.
“I miss them too.”
“Malachi is so cool.” Lucy sounded in awe and excited that Malachi was on this journey with them.
“He’s okay.”
“Come on, you know he’s cool. I think he’s amazing.”
Looking out of the window, she frowned when she saw no sign of Malachi. In the pit of her stomach, she knew something was wrong, but she couldn’t leave Lucy.