Waves of Fury (Surviving Earth Chronicles)

Chapter Forty-Two

Tyler

I can’t believe I actually found him.

I’d been so ready to throttle him for leaving me, but then he apologized and it was like we were never apart. He was sorry. I could feel it. I believed it.

As Kellen strips out of his wet clothes beside the van, I make my way back over to the borrowed car I got from the people of Goodland. Inside, I grab a plastic tote filled with some blankets, food, water, a battery-powered lantern, and extra clothes. I also snag my backpack. By the time I get back to Kellen, he’s laid out his clothes on top of the van for them to dry and is waiting inside the van for me.

“Got stuff for us.” I push the tote into the space. “I’m going to get out of these clothes.”

While Kellen starts pulling stuff out of the tote, I remove my own clothes and lay them out beside his. Light illuminates from inside the van and I glance over at him to see he’s discovered the lantern. He makes quick work of putting one blanket along the floor of the van and puts the other one over his legs. I crawl inside and shut the hatch.

We don’t speak with words.

Our mouths and bodies do all the silent talking.

He pulls me to his chilled, naked body and then yanks the covers over both of us. We’re both hard and aching for each other, the two of us grinding shamelessly against each other’s dicks.

“So good,” Kellen murmurs against my mouth. “You’re so perfect, Tyler.”

“Did you find the lube?”

He pulls back to frown at me. “You have lube?”

I manage to grab hold of the tub and pull it to its side. Then I rummage around until I find the bottle. Kellen chuckles at my find.

“Priorities,” I say with a smirk. “The people of Goodland do not disappoint. Their access to useful supplies is admirable.”

A dark look flickers over his features. “Where are the others? Your brothers?”

“Shh,” I murmur. “I don’t want to talk about them right now.”

Our mouths meet again.

Everything around me disappears until it’s just me and him.

Making love.

Uniting in the most intimate of ways.

We both murmur professions of love and promises of a future together. It’s everything I’ve ached for and more.

I love this man and he loves me too.

I feel it in my soul that what he’s saying is true. He’s not going to ever leave me again.

After we finally peak together and are drained of all energy, we lie quietly together, hearts beating in tandem.

I stroke my fingers through his wet hair, relaxed and happy here with him. He presses adoring kisses on my chest, collarbone, and neck.

“Thank you for coming for me,” he whispers against my flesh. “I’m sorry you had to, but I’m grateful you did. You’re right. I do need you.” He sucks in a deep breath and then sighs.

“But?”

“But I still need to find my brother. Will you come with me?”

I relax at his question. “You don’t have to ask. I’m with you until the end.”

“What about your brothers?” he asks, voice nearly a whisper.

“We’ll see them again. Once we get to Ransom and deem it safe, we can have them join us.”

“And if it’s not safe?”

“Then we go back,” I tell him firmly. “Like you said in your letter, Goodland is a hospitable, safe place. It has a future.”

“Did you steal the car?”

I snort out a laugh. “Nah. Didn’t have to. Mary lent me hers.”

“Lent?”

“In a week, Aaron and the rest of our group will be riding out with a couple of Goodland people. If it’s safe and welcoming, they’ll stay with us, and the Goodland people will drive both cars back.”

Kellen sits up and finds some fast-food napkins stuffed in the side door pocket. He uses them to clean us both up. Then he makes sure I drink some water before tucking us both into bed. I curl around him, inhaling his unique scent. The deodorant he wore has faded and I’m awarded the faint smell of his musk that I secretly love.

“Get some rest,” Kellen murmurs. “We’ll pull this Band-Aid off first thing in the morning. If he’s not there, we’ll be back to the others by dinner tomorrow night. Either way, tomorrow we’ll know where our destiny leads us next.”

“As long as it’s with you, I don’t care where we go.”

Kellen takes my hand, threading his fingers with mine. “I love you, Tyler.”

My heart trembles with happiness at hearing his words.

“I love you too.”

Kellen is tense as he sits ramrod straight in the passenger seat. We’re nearing Ransom and everything around us is utterly devastated by tornadoes. Homes have been stripped to studs, trees are nothing but sticks in the ground, and debris litters the land everywhere.

I get a sinking feeling in my gut.

Apparently, Kellen feels the same because he nervously drums his knuckles on the side window and fidgets in his seat. I want to assure him that his family and their farm are fine, but I’m not one to give false hope.

As we pass through the tiny town of Collyer, Kansas, we marvel at the fact that the brick church is the only thing left standing. Someone has tagged the brick with a spray can.

The end is here. Repent before it’s too late.

Several men step out of the church, shotguns in hand, and watch us with warning stares as we pass. We give them a respectful nod but don’t slow for a second.

The rain has long stopped, but the wind continues to blow. It’s hazy, smoke from nearby fires cloaking the white vehicle in soot. Knowing we’re able to drive through these things rather than Kellen walk them alone is relieving to say the least.

We soon turn off Old Highway 40 onto 531 that’ll take us straight south into Ransom. According to the map, we have about another thirty to forty-five minutes before we reach town.

Kellen grows more and more anxious as we drive. We left this morning before sunrise, not bothering to eat breakfast. Now, my stomach growls and I wonder if we should take a break.

“I’ll find us some food,” Kellen grunts. “Keep driving.”

He reaches into the back, rummages around, and then returns with a bag Mary sent me with. Inside are some blueberry muffins, homemade jerky strips, and some nuts. We eat as we ride in contemplative silence.

I’m nervous about meeting Knox. His family doesn’t sound as if they’re close like me and my brothers are. What if Knox rejects me? Or worse yet, what if he rejects his own brother?

A sick feeling twists my gut, making the muffins sour in my stomach.

No matter what, me and Kellen will be together. It’ll be in Ransom or Goodland or some other place. Regardless, we’ll be together.

The town of Ransom isn’t much to look at. It’s old and pretty bare save for a couple of churches, a bank, a restaurant, and a school. In a blink, we drive through the main part of town without issue and are on the outskirts. When we come to a dirt road, Kellen motions for me to pull over.

“Is this it?” I ask, gesturing at the small wooden sign with the name Bennett and the road number carved on it.

He nods and then turns a pleading look my way. “Let me go alone. In case there’s trouble.”

I snort out a laugh. “Really?”

Without answering, he climbs out of the passenger side and meets me on the driver’s side. He opens the door and reaches in to unbuckle my seat belt. Anger quells up inside me as I climb out.

“Was everything we talked about a lie?” I demand, hurt making my voice quiver.

He drops into the seat and then rests his head on the steering wheel. I stand nearby, arms crossed over my chest, waiting for an answer. My fingers twitch with the urge to rub the tension out of his shoulders, but I’m mad at him, so I refrain.

“Kellen,” I grit out. “Talk to me. You promised.”

He sits up and lets out a heavy sigh before casting me such a heartbroken expression that all anger evaporates out of me. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t a lie. I do want you with me. It’s just…”

“It’s just what?” I frown as I consider another possibility. “Are you embarrassed of me? That you’re with a man?”

He gapes at me as though I’ve slapped him. “What? No. Of course not. I’m just nervous as hell to see what’s become of my uncle’s farm. I think I’m afraid you’ll see me as some big failure.”

He sure is dense sometimes.

I close his car door and then trot around to the passenger side. I sit down and then reach across to take his hand in mine.

“We can face this—face anything,” I vow, my words fierce, “as long as we do it together. You’ll never be alone again, Kellen. Got it?”

His lips curl into a sheepish grin. “Yeah, I got it.”

My lips meet his for a quick, reassuring kiss. Then I squeeze his hand and nod toward the dirt road. “Let’s do this.”