The Red Sky Series Box Set Books 1-4: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Series Read online

  “But it wasn’t the right thing,” I said my voice shaking. “I want you to pay.”

  “It’s not my fault your friend died,” Tom said. “It’s their fault. They are the ones you should hate, not me. For all I know, they’re still out there.”

  “They hated you,” I said trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m sure they had a very good reason.”

  Tom shook his head. “What makes you so sure of that? They hate everyone. Anyway, I should get back to my quarters. Nothing like being held inside a room and not being allowed to leave, right?”

  “I don’t think anyone is stopping you from leaving,” I said with a raised eyebrow. “In fact, I’m pretty sure we all would be thrilled if you left.”

  “Everyone?” Tom asked. He confidently clicked his tongue. “I don’t think that’s true.”

  “You’re right,” I said grinning at the man. My eyes were hot with hate. “I’d rather you were dead.”

  “I’m sure one day your wish will come true,” Tom said lowering his gaze for a moment. “But today isn’t that day.”

  Tom left the room leaving me standing there staring at the empty hallway. One thing I knew for sure was that I no longer felt hungry.

  I walked quickly down the hall and over to Blair. Before I even reached her, I could tell why she hadn’t stopped Tom from going into the kitchen.

  She was sitting, her shoulders rounded forward and her head was tilted to the side. Her breathing was slow and deep.

  “Dammit, Blair!” I said kicking the chair.

  Her eyes popped open, and Nick stirred on the sofa. He instantly pushed himself up.

  “What’s going on?” Nick asked.

  “Guess who I ran into in the kitchen?” I said my nostril flared as my fiery gaze practically seared a hole into Blair’s head.

  Nick shook his head. A looked of confusion and concern washed over Blair’s face. I could tell she was afraid of what I was going to say.

  “Oh, Tom. Yeah, Tom was in our kitchen helping himself to our food and water,” I said drawing in a breath that squeezed my lungs like someone trying to pop a balloon with their bare hands.

  “Jesus,” Nick said rubbing his eyes. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” I said softening my voice.

  Nick stretched his arms over his head. “What are you doing out of your room anyway?”

  “What? Don’t even try to blame this on me,” I said jerking my thumb at Blair even though my eyes shot to the guest room door. “I should be able to go anywhere I please inside my grandmother’s home.”

  “Of course,” Nick said holding up both palms. “I wasn’t trying to suggest you couldn’t… it’s just that for your own safety—”

  “For my own safety, for all of our safety, we should kick Tom out,” I said. “But that is neither here nor there. We can’t have people falling asleep when they’re on watch. It would have been better for me to be out here.”

  Blair’s eyes were wide as she drew a fingernail to her lips. “Gwen, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. It’s just so dark and boring. I’m still exhausted from traveling here.”

  “Then you should have told us that,” I said rubbing my fingertips to my temples. My head hurt as if I’d swallowed a popsicle and my brain was freezing.

  “I’m really, really sorry. It won’t happen again,” Blair said.

  “Yeah, it won’t because you’re off shifts until you’re well rested,” I said.

  Blair snorted. “You can’t do that.” She turned to Nick. “Tell her she can’t make that call.”

  Nick looked back and forth between us. He held up his hands as if he didn’t want to get involved.

  “Nick,” Blair said biting her frown. “It’s never happened before. You have to believe me.”

  “We’ll talk about it later,” Nick said.

  It was clear to me that he not only didn’t want to take sides, but he also didn’t want either of us keeping watch. But of course that wasn’t an option.

  “Let’s just calm down, and lower our voices before we wake up the entire house,” Nick said, but it was too late. Bronx’s footsteps were moving quickly through the bedroom and down the upstairs hall.

  After he skipped down the first two steps, he slowed down and narrowed his eyes at me. Bronx looked around the room before settling his eyes on mine.

  “What’s going on? You’re supposed to be upstairs,” Bronx said.

  I shot Blair a look before meeting Bronx’s eyes. “I got hungry and didn’t want to wake you.”

  “You should have woken me,” Bronx said putting his arm around my shoulders. I didn’t miss the quick look he shot toward the guest room. “Let’s get you back upstairs.”

  “This is my place I shouldn’t have to hide out,” I said.

  “No, you shouldn’t,” Nick said. “But you’re going to because I can’t take any risks.”

  I wanted to argue, but I was too tired to argue. Too frustrated to argue. They didn’t know what Tom was capable of, but I did. Scratch that, I was sure he was capable of far more than I even knew. Having him in our home was like living in a nightmare.

  “I want some food,” I said, firmly planting my feet on the ground.

  Nick and Bronx exchanged a glance, and I did my best not to roll my eyes. One brother watching out for me was more than enough. Especially when I didn’t need anyone looking out for me at all.

  “I’ll go with you,” Bronx said.

  The second we left the room Blair started whispering to Nick. I could tell by the harsh desperateness that she was pleading her case. I could also tell that she felt terrible about what had happened.

  Bronx didn’t ask me about what had happened, at least not until we were back up in the bedroom. He stood there staring at the floor with his arms crossed as I went over everything in detail.

  Bronx didn’t get angry until I finished talking. “I’d like to throw my fist into that guy’s face.”

  “Me too,” I said.

  His exterior relaxed as he looked me up and down. “But you’re okay right?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” I shook my head. “I’m angry though.”

  “Why?”

  I looked at him with wide eyes.

  “I meant why specifically.”

  “Because it seemed like he was telling the truth when he said we need to worry about the others out there. His enemies.” I chewed my lip. “It was like he truly seemed afraid of them… I mean, like he thinks that they are the bad guys.”

  Bronx pressed his lips together. “Well, the bad guys rarely think they are the bad guys, right?”

  “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “Besides, who knows if they even survived,” Bronx said. “For now, we have to worry who’s here.” Bronx pointed aggressively up at the ceiling. “We have to worry about the man under this roof.”

  I turned so I didn’t have to see his eyes, but he stepped in front of me. He held my arm so I couldn’t turn away from him again.

  “Please, please don’t go down there again, at least not without me,” Bronx said his gaze shifting down to my neck. I could feel his breath as it moved past my ears.

  I nodded, but I didn’t verbally respond. There was no way I was going to make any promises I couldn’t keep.

  But it was easy to agree because for one thing, I didn’t have any desire to go back downstairs, at least not anytime soon. And for the second thing, I needed to find a way out of Bronx’s space before I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from leaning into him and placing my mouth on his.

  Chapter 24

  It was three days later when I demanded to leave the room. Bronx didn’t object. I was pretty sure he could see in my eyes that I was about to lose my mind if I had to spend another minute in the room.

  There hadn’t been any further issues with Tom, at least not that Nick had told me about on his daily visits. They still hadn’t allowed me to keep watch. Blair would keep watch during the day, and then Bronx and Nick would alternate throughout the
night.

  The second we stepped out of the bedroom, Bronx placed his arm around my shoulder. He was trying to be protective… or comforting… I couldn’t tell.

  “Breakfast and then a nice sit at the downstairs window?” Bronx asked.

  “I really wish I could just go outside,” I said looking around the hallway. It wasn’t enough to just be out of the room. I wanted to be out of the house.

  Bronx shook his head. “Not until Nick deems it safe.”

  “What do you think? Do you think it’s safe?”

  “It doesn’t matter what I think.”

  “What do you think?” My eyes were wide as I waited for his answer.

  Bronx shrugged. “He was out there for who knows how long and he seems perfectly fine.”

  “My thoughts exactly,” I said stopping and turning to face him before we reached the top step. “And Nick was practically out there too although not for long.”

  Bronx placed his hands on my shoulders and drew in a deep breath as he looked into my eyes. It was as if he was trying to encourage me to take a matching breath.

  “We’re not going out there. It’ll rain soon enough, and then I’m sure Nick will be more open to the idea,” Bronx said.

  “Who put Nick in charge anyway?” I said puffing out my lower lip.

  “He’s not in charge… it’s just that he could be right about this.” Bronx ran his fingers through his hair. “Neither of us want anything to happen to you. How would you feel if I wanted to go out there? Or Nick?”

  A sudden heaviness filled my chest as the idea set in. I wouldn’t want either of them to take any risks. The only one I would gladly step aside and let leave the house was Tom.

  “Let’s go get food,” I said turning away from him. I caught him grinning in the corner of my eye. He couldn’t have been happier with himself.

  After we got something to eat, we sat in the living room with Nick and Blair. The room was quiet except for the squeaks that came from Nick’s chair as he rocked it back and forth.

  I picked up the book I had pretended to read many times before. The pages felt rough against my fingertips.

  I scrolled through the pages and tried to read, but the room was too quiet. And I couldn’t stop thinking about Tom in the guest room.

  What was he doing in there? What did they do all day? I wondered if he was making a big plan to kill me.

  The guest room door creaked open, and I dropped the book on the floor. Bronx looked at me, but Nick looked over his shoulder.

  I was pretty sure we all assumed that Nina would be making her way out to gather some food for her family. But it wasn’t her. It was Tom.

  Blair grabbed the shotgun and followed him into the kitchen. “Get back in your room.”

  Even though she was in the hallway, her voice was strong, steady, and unwavering. She was serious.

  Tom laughed.

  “Hang on,” he said. “Just grabbing a few things for my family.”

  Before Blair even opened her mouth, Nick was on his feet making his way to the kitchen.

  “I said, get back to your room,” Blair repeated.

  “I’ll just be a minute,” Tom said.

  Bronx and I both got up at the same time and joined Blair and Nick. I watched as Nick took the gun from Blair.

  “Nina can gather whatever you need,” Nick said. “Come on man, you know the rules.”

  I could hear him moving around the kitchen. He was opening and closing cabinets as if he were looking for something.

  “Seriously, I’ll just be a minute,” Tom said. One of the cabinets slammed shut. “Maybe we should talk.”

  “There isn’t anything to talk about,” Nick said with a chuckle.

  “I disagree. I’m tired of the rules. It’s not like I’m armed or even care to do anything to any of you.” Tom laughed. “Whatever, I’m changing the rules.”

  It was Nick’s turn to laugh. “The hell you are.”

  “What are you going to do about it?” Tom said stepping into view. He moved until he was only a few inches away from Nick. “It’s not like you’re going to do anything. Not when my son is in the other room.”

  Nick cocked his head to the side. “Shall we make a bet?”

  Tom looked to the side before all traces of the smile that had been on his face vanished. Anger replaced the smile as his hand darted forward and grabbed the barrel of the gun. He raised it up and placed it against his forehead.

  “If you’re going to do it, do it,” Tom said. “I’m better off dead than facing what’s out there.”

  “Tom!” Nina said with a sharp gasp. I hadn’t even heard her step out of the room.

  Nina pushed past Bronx and me and pushed the gun away from Tom’s head. “Get back in the room.” She turned toward Nick. “I’m sorry, he hasn’t been sleeping well.”

  “None of us have been,” I said locking eyes with Tom.

  Nina nodded. “He won’t do it again.”

  “Unless I feel like it,” Tom said.

  “Jesus, Tom!” Nina said with a heavy sigh.

  “What? I’m sick of it. I have no desire to do anything to any of them, why should I have to stay locked up in that small room?” Tom said pressing his fists against his thighs.

  Nina shook her head. “It’s their place. This isn’t a random building, it’s their grandma’s home. They have claim to it.”

  “Claim! Pfft!” Tom said walking through the ground toward the guest room. “One day you’ll all understand I’m not the problem.”

  He stepped into the guest room, leaving a thick silence behind him. It was several minutes before Nina apologized for him again.

  “I’m so sorry. Tom has never been good at following rules. He’s always been a leader, for as long as I’ve known him and I’ve known him for more than half of my life,” Nina said crossing her arms as if she were cold. “I’ll do a better job keeping him in the room. He waits until I turn my back to help Milo with something.”

  Nick nodded. His shoulders were rising and falling with his quick breaths. He was angry, but he wasn’t angry with Nina.

  Nina left the room looking at her feet as she walked by me. She closed the guest room door behind her silently.

  I couldn’t hear them talking inside the room, but it was probably because they knew we were just outside the door. They probably assumed we’d be able to hear them. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall just to hear what Nina would say to Tom about what just happened. My guess was that she wouldn’t say anything at all. After all, Tom was a leader, and that probably meant within their relationship as well.

  “Come on,” Nick said lowering the gun and handing it back to Blair. He was frustrated, and it was likely because Tom had called his bluff. Now Tom had valuable information… that he could get away with a lot and there wasn’t a damn thing any of us would do about it.

  Well, that wasn’t entirely true, because as long as Milo wasn’t around, I might.

  “You okay?” Nick asked as he stepped up next to me.

  “Yeah, I’m fine, you?” I asked.

  Nick nodded. He scratched the back of his neck and chuckled softly.

  “What?” I asked, my nose crinkled up.

  Nick let out a long sigh. “That asshole is going to be even more trouble than I originally thought.”

  Chapter 25

  The next day I went down for my morning shift. Nick decided that Blair and I could switch off during the day. It wasn’t so much that he had decided… it was more like I hadn’t really given him a choice in the matter.

  Bronx was still asleep or at least he was pretending to be when I had left the room, and Blair was zonked out in my old room. The stairs creaked as I made my way down to relieve Nick from his duty.

  “Anything happen?” I asked as I stepped up behind him.

  “No, of course not,” Nick said as he stood up. He placed his hand on my shoulder as he walked by. “Wake me if you need anything. I’ll be right over there.”

  “Of
course,” I said, and before I even finished speaking Nick was lying down on the sofa. The whole Tom thing wasn’t just keeping me awake at night, it was disturbing everyone in the house.

  My dreams had been worse since he’d been here. The only time I could sleep was when Bronx was upstairs with me… not that I could tell him that. Or anyone for that matter.

  Admitting that wouldn’t help. And it would only make Tom happy to know how much he was affecting me.

  I hadn’t been at the window for much longer than an hour before I heard the guest room door open in the hallway. When Tom stepped out, I grabbed the gun and pointed it at him.

  He shook his head and smiled before turning his back to me and kept walking, disappearing into the kitchen.

  I glanced over at Nick before following Tom with the gun tight in my grasp. My footsteps made no sounds as I made my way down the hall.

  I peeked around the corner watching Tom stuff things into an old plastic bag he must have found under the sink. He grabbed two bags by the handles and turned on his heel. Tom hesitated for a moment when he spotted my eye peeking out at him.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Gathering some supplies to keep in the room,” Tom said.

  I shook my head. “You can’t just take our things.”

  “I can. It’s better this way,” Tom said raising the bags up slightly. “The more I have in there, the less likely you are to run into me again out here, right?”

  My mouth wouldn’t work. I didn’t know what to say. It was clear the look on my face satisfied him plenty.

  Tom walked by me and opened the guest room door. He didn’t even look at me before he closed the door.

  I blinked several times before noticing Nick standing at the other end of the hallway. His lips were pressed together tightly as he gawked at me.

  “How long have you been standing there?” I asked keeping my voice softer than a whisper.

  “Long enough,” Nick said glancing at the door. “Why didn’t you stop him?”

  I looked away from his eyes. “How? How would I do that?”