This Would Be Paradise (Book 3)

Chapter 26

"Zoe is my friend too. There's no way I'm not goin'," Ethan said firmly the next morning.

We were standing outside by the cube van. The sun was barely up in the sky and the air was just a little chilly. Back home this would have been considered summer weather, but in Louisiana, this was cold.

"Ethan, you're still injured," I said.

"So are you!" He pointed to my leg.

To be honest, I had completely forgotten about being shot-well, grazed. Between the events at Hargrove, worrying about Zoe and her rescue, and having to find food or risk starving, I had paid no attention to my physical condition. The truth was that I was tired and hurt pretty much everywhere. Once I get Zoe back, I will be locking myself in one of the hotel rooms and sleeping for days. Until then, I couldn't afford to "take it easy." I scowled at Ethan for bringing it up.

"Plus, Crystal said I was fine," he added.

Crystal was with us, her arms crossed. "That's not what I said. I said that you are more than likely okay if you're still standing today. That doesn't mean you should run off and go to war." Sheri was nodding in agreement, but it was kind of hypocritical of her. She didn't take as easy as she should have when she got shot in the kidney.

The thought of Ethan coming with us made me nervous, but I couldn't stop him. If I were in his shoes-hell, I have been-I would have insisted on going as well. My wounds were physical, his extended past that into the brain with his concussion.

I bit at my lip again for the hundredth time this morning. John had already added to my stress when I had explained the flimsy plan to him last night by voicing his extreme concern. I had asked him how his plan to rescue me from the hospital was any different and he gave me that disappointed parent look. But I had been right. Only the two of them had come after me when Wyatt had spilled the beans about where I had been taken. For all they knew, Wyatt was lying-exactly what John had accused Lucas of.

This siege would be different. We would have more people coming along. Myself, John, Lucas, Rose, Leo, Sheri, and now Ethan, made seven. I was no idiot. I knew it was going to be dangerous as we were not only dealing with infected. There was an armed militia out there of really bad men. But that was precisely why I couldn't just leave Zoe to them. It would be easy to cut my losses and count her for dead, but that was one thing I couldn't do. John hadn't done that to me and I won't do that to Zoe.

Colin interrupted by inner pep-talk. "I want to go too. Zoe was hot."

I rolled my eyes. "You sure as hell aren't coming."

"I survived by myself all that time, you really think I can't handle this?" He was actually angry.

"You can barely stay awake!" I said, then immediately regretted my words.

"Plus you're a kid," Roses added some dirt to the wound.

"Screw you guys," Colin said through clenched teeth. He stormed off, forcing people to move out of his way.

We already had Ethan to worry about, I sure as hell wasn't taking another person who would be more of a liability than an asset. And it really wouldn't be good for him. I didn't know how much time he had left and I didn't want to be responsible for cutting it even shorter. Selfish, I know. But a person can only deal with so much at once. One thing at a time.

"You think the kid will listen?" Rose asked.

"I don't know," I said. I starting biting at my lips again. At this rate, they were going to be shredded to bits.