Shattered World (Shattered #3)

Chapter Seven

I mmediately, I regretted my decision to meet with Caroline on my own. Or at least regretted not taking a weapon like Aiden and Murphy had suggested. How had I gotten myself into this situation again?

Haven’t you learned anything? I could hear Rainer’s taunt in my head.

Don’t do anything stupid. Warner’s voice followed.

Everyone had told me how bad of an idea this was, even the voices in my head, but I hadn’t listened.

My guard up, I froze in place, trying to decide the best course of action. I needed to get out of this room and then we all needed to get out of this hotel. Screw the information she may have, we’d find another way.

Caroline let out an annoyed sigh as I internally freaked out, my eyes darting to her. The annoyance didn’t match with what was brewing in my head.

“I see that intelligence only takes you so far. Why would I admit to you that I worked for the government if I was going to harm you?”

Her words should have been a relief, but delivered in her cold and calculating tone, they were anything but.

“I’m supposed to believe you’re going to help me out of the kindness of your heart?”

As if I would ever believe that. I may have fallen right into a trap, but that didn’t mean I didn’t realize how this world worked.

“Now, I didn’t say that. You see, I’ve been working with the government for the past twenty years. Worked my way up the ranks from an assistant to working with confidential cases. Imagine my surprise when nearly two years ago I received details on the creation of bunkers.”

Following her timeline, that was around the same time when my dad and Emmanuel had discovered the meteor. Before the government shut them down. How unfair that the two men who discovered the end of the world didn’t even have a chance to survive it?

“You don’t seem surprised,” Caroline added, and I debated how much information I should give her.

Deciding I had nothing left to lose and only something to gain, I said, “My father was the scientist that discovered the meteor.”

Caroline nodded, her eyes narrowing as if filing away that information for later. “I didn’t think anything of the assignment. Why wouldn’t we save the people of our country?”

Realizing where this was going, I asked, “When did you realize they weren’t even planning on saving half?”

I couldn’t help the snark in my words and she cut her eyes to me sharply. “Not until much later. Around the time that they started implementing the plans to destroy the cities. And when I did, I realized I couldn’t simply go along with their plan any longer.”

By her sharp tone, I knew she had no intention of explaining the reasoning behind her decision. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t ask another question.

“Why did they do that, anyway?” It wasn’t necessarily important anymore, but no matter how many answers I got, that one was always still a mystery. Why couldn’t they have let everyone enjoy the rest of their lives in peace?

Shrugging, she said dismissively, “Too many resources would be wasted if life continued as it was. Do you know how much electricity we use? Gas? Food? All of those things are needed to continue life in the bunkers, and plenty of it. Making sure that no one had unlimited access to those things anymore was the first step in the plan.”

That made sense. Except for one thing. “And yet this city is still standing. People are still going to work, using all those precious resources.”

“It may seem like that as you walk about. But many people have been displaced, kicked out of their homes and sent away. The people you see milling about are all working either for the government or on the bunkers. Plus, those who paid their way into the shelters, as you so eloquently said.”

Nodding, I wracked my brain for the questions I had prepared, wondering how much she was willing to share. “Where are the bunkers?”

It was a bold question. One I was sure she wouldn’t answer, but I was even more surprised when she let out a bewildered laugh.

“Do you think I’d be sitting here, doing all of this, if I had any clue?”

Any hope I had walking into this room deflated like a balloon. What was the purpose of her sharing this information if she didn’t even know where the bunkers were?

Shuffling through papers on her desk, she pulled out several maps, setting them before me. Leaning forward in my seat, I scanned the lines, dark circles penned in different areas.

“I’ve been scouting the city for months now, trying to find where the bunkers are. I don’t have high enough clearance for that information.”

“But you have a spot in them,” I stated. She wouldn’t have access to this much information if she didn’t.

“Correct. However, there’s always a contingency plan. They don’t want some loudmouth feeling guilty and telling everyone. Until the day comes when they are needed, only a select few know the exact location.”

The news settled in my gut like a stone. The odds of us finding someone that already knew the location were slim. Although I knew this, it didn’t explain why Caroline was sharing all this information with me.

When I told this to her, an eerie smile graced her lips. “Dozens of people have come through my doors, seeking a place to stay. I mean, what better business to run when you’re searching for people with nothing to lose?”

Swallowing roughly, I realized I had played exactly into her hand. I had blatantly admitted that I would do anything to survive.

“As I said, I’ve been scouting the city for months. And yet, either the people I send come up empty-handed or never return. I’m sure that’s no coincidence.”

“You want me to try to find the bunker? I’ve never even been to this city.” I knew the excuse was lame, but I struggled to come up with another. Even if this was something I wanted to do, and in this moment it wasn’t, I knew Aiden and Murphy would never let me venture into a situation this dangerous on my own.

“That is what the maps are for.” Reaching forward, she gripped my hand in hers, refusing to release it. “I can see the indecision in your eyes. But you need to understand, you don’t have a choice.”

Releasing my hand, she leaned back in her chair. Even if I wanted to speak, her words had my voice frozen, my entire body unable to move. There was no other way to take her words than the threat they clearly were.

“Everyone who enters this hotel, who is given safety at the top of my hotel, must do their job. Bring the others down with you this afternoon.”

Without another glance or word, she dismissed me. Moving woodenly, I stood from the chair, exiting the room with an extra weight on my chest. The ride up the elevator seemed too short. I didn’t know how to tell the others about this new situation. Didn’t know how to tell them that some crazy lady downstairs wanted to put our lives on the line once again for the sake of saving others.

The communal area was full when I stepped off the elevator. Immediately, five sets of eyes fell onto me, Murphy jumping up from his seat and striding toward me.

Bending until our eyes met, he whispered, “What’s wrong?”

I was still frozen, unable to form words. Plus, this wasn’t the place. There were too many prying eyes and listening ears.

When Murphy realized I wasn’t going to say anything, he gripped my hand, leading me down the hallway and into our room. The others hadn’t followed and for that, I was thankful. This would be much easier to explain to one person right now.

Settling us on the bed, he held both my hands, his eyes begging for an explanation. As quickly as I could, I reiterated my conversation with Caroline to Murphy. When I was finished, he slumped back against the pillows, pulling me with him.

“You won’t go alone. If she wants all of us to do something, I’ll make sure I’m with you.”

Before I even finished, I always knew that was going to be his response. These men I had found through the turmoil didn’t know how not to protect. But I had learned the same about myself through all this.

“You won’t,” I told him, no room for disagreement in my tone.

Murphy whipped his head toward me, a frown pulling his lips down. “I won’t agree to that.”

Shaking my head, I told him, “Yes, you will.” Placing my hand over his mouth, I didn’t let him respond before I continued. “I’ve lost my family. Lost the people I love. But you still have someone out there, someone who could be here any day.”

His eyes shuttered with emotion, and I knew he was thinking of his mom. He didn’t speak about her much anymore, there was too much going on, but I knew he still held out hope that she heard his message.

“You still have Aiden,” Murphy mumbled around my palm, and I dropped my hand.

“And that’s why we’ll go together. I won’t let you miss out on the chance to see someone you love because of me.”

“But -”, I cut his words off by pressing my mouth against his before he could finish the statement.

The words he wanted to say had been reflected in his eyes. The words we hadn’t said aloud, but both so deeply felt. But I wasn’t ready for them yet. Not when everything was still so uncertain.

Murphy immediately melted into my kiss, his lips molding against mine. The anxiety of the morning faded away as his hands smoothed up my sides, pulling my body until I was straddling him.

Breaking away from the kiss, I whispered, “I want this moment with you.”

Murphy pressed his forehead against mine, closing his eyes. “We have time.”

And then, without another word, our lips found each other’s again. My hands pressed against his chest as our tongues tangled, one of Murphy’s hand reaching to my hair, pulling the tie that held it together.

The long locks immediately fell down my back, Murphy’s fingers tangling in the mass of dark curls. His mouth left mine, skating across my cheek and down my neck. He sucked the sensitive flesh there, my hips grinding against his hardness as a breathy sigh escaped my lips.

Moving his other hand to my waist, he pulled the fabric of my shirt up, pulling his mouth away to tear the shirt off my head. Before I could move to do the same, his own shirt was gone, our bare chests meeting as our lips collided.

Unlike the last time we had been together, there was no rush. No fear that this would be the last time we touched. Instead, we took our time exploring each other’s bodies.

His hands slid up and down my sides, memorizing each curve of my body as I touched each plane of his chest and stomach. His abdomen clenched as my nails lightly scratched his skin, dipping below the waist of his pants.

Unbuttoning the pants, he lifted his hips, allowing me to slide the material down his legs. Once they were near his ankles, he kicked them the rest of the way off, his briefs soon joining them on the floor.

Situating myself back on his lap, my eyes rolled back at the feeling of him underneath me. Rolling my hips over him, I bent to kiss his chest, slowly making my way down until I hovered over his cock.

Wrapping one hand around the base, I lowered my mouth, licking the tip before taking him all the way in.

“Fuck me,” he groaned and I smiled around him.

Working in tandem, I moved my hand up and down as I swirled my tongue around the head, licking and sucking until Murphy gripped my hair. With a pop, he pulled my head up, my tongue peeking out to lick at my lips.

Before I could say anything, I was flipped onto my back, Murphy hovering above me. “I want to be inside of you,” he murmured, inching his length toward my center.

Sliding my legs open, he settled into the opening, slowly pressing forward, his forehead resting against mine. Inch by inch, he slid inside of me until he was pressed to the hilt, a moan spilling from my lips at the fullness.

Together, we moved slowly, our hands skating over every inch of skin we could find. Leaning forward, my lips found the soft skin of his shoulder, my tongue peeking out to lick at the salty taste of his skin.

Murphy’s hands found my breasts, rolling my nipples between his fingers as he increased his pace. Wrapping my thigh around his back, I pulled him in deeper, his thrusts becoming more erratic, my breaths coming faster and louder as pleasure built in my core.

Moments later, my teeth found the tender flesh of his shoulder, biting down to muffle my sounds as I spiraled over the edge, blackness dotting behind my eyes.

Murphy groaned into my ear, his movements pausing as he spilled inside of me. Chests pressed against each other, our breaths matching in rhythm, his deep gaze met mine.

The words I so desperately wanted to say lodged in my throat, and I knew I couldn’t hold them back any longer. My heart may always be broken, searching for the other two parts that filled it, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t embrace the man who was here.

“I love you,” I whispered and Murphy’s face shuttered with another wave of pleasure.

His lips found me, his tongue trailing across mine, before he pulled away. “I am so deeply in love with you, Alessia. Everyone is terrified of the world ending, of there being no tomorrow for them. And I’m scared of the same.”

My brows scrunched together, my mouth opening to ask why he was saying this. But he covered my mouth with his hand, shaking his head with a simple smile.

“The only difference is that you are my world. Without you, there is no tomorrow for me. Not one worth living.”

Tears sprung to my eyes at his words. Rolling onto his side, he pulled me into his arms, his embrace filled with warmth and love. Closing my eyes, I snuggled deeper into his chest, hoping that his love, his comfort, would be enough to fill the gaping holes the others left behind.