He looked at me. “Do I look not okay?”
“It’s just… you’re very quiet. Are you just thrown because we switched partners for the night?”
“No. I don’t care. I just can’t hook up with you.”
I reeled back. “Hook up with me? Why would you think that’s even an option?”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m a very good catch. But Irina is very possessive. It’s why we broke up the first time. She promised to cut off my balls if we hook up tonight and she’s crazy enough to do it. No amount of nookie is worth my balls. Except for…” He stared off into space like he was considering his answer before he shook his head. “Nope. Not even her.”
Awkward.
“Okay, I’ll be back,” I said.
I found the well, filled my canteen and looped it over my shoulder. Then I searched the forest floor for firewood, and it took me more than an hour to find a single fallen branch. But it was something, so I dragged it back to camp, sweat pouring off of me when I arrived.
Everything was spinning. I sank down to the ground right next to the branch, but the spinning continued. I lay down, curling into a ball and closing my eyes.
It took so much energy to do the most basic things, but I had to eat, and I wanted to earn my keep.
I felt myself dozing off to sleep right on the ground, and I figured a nap wouldn’t hurt.
When I woke up and looked up at the sky, I could tell it was evening. The smell of fish cooking over the fire made me sit up.
Maksim was sitting next to the fire, devouring the fish. The branch I’d dragged back to camp was still sitting next to me, untouched.
He wasn’t going to share the fish. I realized it when I saw the discarded bones of two of his three fish on the ground next to him. He was tearing into the final one, not even looking at me.
“Did you not save any for me?” I asked, floored.
“Was I supposed to?”
“Do you and Irina not work together?”
“Define working together.”
What a dick. I got up from the ground, grabbed my canteen and drank until it was empty, then walked back to the well to refill it.
I felt better after sleeping, but I was still so hungry I felt sick. I walked back through the camp and headed for the beach.
The only option I had was to gather snails to eat. It took a lot of energy for just a little food, but I had to get something in my stomach.
As I piled snails into my shirt, which I was using as a basket, my mind wandered to Archer. Poor Irina had to spend every night with Maksim. At least tomorrow I could return to my camp and my partner, who had more consideration in his pinky finger than the naked Russian had in his entire body.
I was already motivated to win, but the thought of taking out Maksim brought on a newfound energy. Screw this guy.