“He said he was keeping her alive as long as I behaved.”
I don’t need to look at her to know she’s rolling her eyes.
Nodding his head, Z pulls out his phone, starting to make a call. “Shit.” He looks at us. “I’m gonna go meet up with them now.” He walks over to where we’re standing, and if I were to look away for a moment, I would miss the nod he gives me as he closes the distance. As if he’s trying to tell me eventually we’re going to be okay, I’m not sure if I believe that yet.
My arm lets her go just long enough for him to hug her, and as he pulls back, he smiles at her. “I’m…” he trails off, the words he’s trying to find being difficult for him.
“I know.” She nods.
Z steps back, turning around as my arm finds its way back to her body, pulling her back and keeping her safe.
Tate remains in the doorway. Z pauses for just a moment to give her a kiss and whispers something I’m sure along the lines of heloves her before he moves back towards the bunker’s entrance. She watches him as he leaves.
“We should get going.” I nudge Drew, but she remains still.
“Did you miss something?” giving me a tilted grin before looking down to where the chain wraps around her ankle, and a similar lock that was on the door, securing it.
“Shit,” looking over at Tate. “Is there a key out there?”
“Eli, we can’t just wait; they’ve been coming back to check on me.”
My eyes widen as I look at her, knowing what she’s asking me to do.
“I can’t.”
“You can. I trust you.”
My hands shake as I grip the handle of the gun. She sits down on the ground, pulling the chain as far away from her as possible, but it’s still only a couple of inches, at best. Closing my eyes, exhaling deeply. Before opening them, dispelling any doubts. Aiming at the lock, pulling the trigger, before I can overthink it.
“I don’t see —” Tate starts, being silenced by the shot
Drew’s lips curl upward as she springs from the floor, launching herself at me and wrapping her arms around my neck, hugging me close.
“I love you, too.” She whispers to me, saying it so quietly that it’s a moment only between us.
“The‘fucking Eli’comment makes way more sense now.” Tatecalls out from behind us, making us break away, giggling, as we look at her.
“What?” Drew laughs asking.
“Your brother came in muttering aboutfucking Elithe other night, wouldn’t tell me what was going on, but now it makes more sense.”
“Come on. We’ve got to get back to the clubhouse.”
“What!?”Drew shouts immediately, seeing her eyes widen and anger rising. “No!I have to go back. I can’t leave Low there.”
“Drew, Z will kill me… look, let me get you two safe, and I’ll come back and make sure she gets out.”
“Eli…”
“I can’t.” I shake my head. “I’m sorry.”
Tate ascends the ladder first. Turning, I motion for Drew to go before me, but there’s nothing. Turning around, I look down the dark tunnel.
“Fuck.”
“What?” Tate looks down into the hole.
Skipping multiple rungs as I move up it to her. “Drew’s gone.”
