Page 19

A gunshot rings out split seconds before the window explodes in a shower of glass. The blonde's head snaps violently sideways, blood and part of her skull painting the wall. The knife she held clatters useless to the floor.

“Holy fuck!”

Shoving the woman's body off me, I tumble to the floor, scrambling to grab my clothes as three more gunshots echo. I force my half-hard dick into my boxers and yank on the rest of my clothes, then take a final glance at the dead blonde sprawled on my bed.

Bitch tried to stab me just as I was about to come. I spit on her, then carefully make my way downstairs.

I don’t think twice about who just saved my ass.

At the bottom of the stairs, I step over the dead body of the older man that was part of the girl’s group and carefully head to the kitchen where my pack and coat are.

Strong, rough hands grab the nape of my neck and yank me back.

I slam into the wall, air rushing from my lungs.

“You dumb fuckin’ kid.”

Mac leans closer and snarls in my face, his hand now wrapped around my neck, squeezing hard.

He pulls me away from the wall by my throat only to slam me into it once more, ringing my bell. “Was the pussy worth it?”

I shake my head rapidly, gasping for air as I wrap my hands around his wrist, trying to get him to let go.

Mac inches forward, his heated breath skating over my face, his eyes narrowed and full of fury. “You cost me four bullets.”

I try to squeak out an apology but only end up coughing. With a frustrated groan, he releases his grip and I drop to the floor, taking a moment to get as much air in my burning lungs as I can.

“Mac?”

“Shut the fuck up, Cal, and get into the attic. Only saw four come into town but doesn’t mean there ain’t another one sneakin’ around.”

He looks over his shoulder, those dark brown eyes still blazing, making the side arm he has drawn somehow even more threatening. “Don’t come down ‘til tomorrow afternoon.”

I stand and reach for his forearm, only he’s quicker and grabs my hair, yanking so hard I’d swear part of my scalp is being ripped off. He jerks his hand back and I fall to my knees. “Get the fuck in the attic or I’ll shoot you too.”

Mac releases his grip, adjusting the strap around his shoulder that’s attached to some kind of military rifle with a high tech scope, then disappears around a corner with his side arm drawn up.

I head into the kitchen, grabbing my jacket and pack, then return upstairs to my parents’ bedroom and into their closet where the access panel to the attic is.

Once up there, I bunker down and wait, rubbing the back of my scalp.

Shit.

The skin hurts like a bitch.

Plus, it’s so damn cold my bones ache.

This December weather’s worse than it’s normally been in the past. And none of the houses in town have any heat since the power went out after the viral pandemic hit killing off most of the world’s population.

I probably should’ve moved on with the remaining survivors who were in town at that point, but this is my home.

Where I grew up.

Where my parents and sister are buried.

Plus, there’s a creek nearby that provides an endless supply of water, and I’m good at fishing.

So, now I live in a desolate town, population two.

It’s just me and Mac.

I carefully make my way to the far corner where a nest of blankets is hidden behind old boxes. It’s not my first time hiding up here, and it’s where I should’ve been anyway.

But the girl and her group didn’t appear threatening, so my dumbass decided to let myself be known.

God, I hate how stupid I feel right now. A twenty-year-old hiding in the attic?

Pathetic.

Yet, here I am because I have no clue how to really protect myself any other way.

I lay down and pull some of the blankets over me just as another gunshot rings out.

Mac’s military rifle has a distinctive bang to it and I know it’s him. But . . . fuck. There was someone else out there.

If it wasn’t for Mac, I’d be dead.

I curl up into a tighter ball. “He’s right. I’m such a fucking dumbass.”