Broken but not lost

Chapter 18, BRIAR

"Pleaseeeee. I just want to see it. I've heard wonderful things of Belholt. It will only be for a few minutes, can we please just go?! No one will even realize we're gone until we come back."

"I don't know, Briar. It's not safe enough. We're not supposed to."

"That's why it'll be fun." I raise my eyebrows at her.

She groans hesitantly. I can tell she's debating saying yes.

"Karly, please please pleaseeee."

"No. No. I- I can't put us in danger. I can't put you in danger." She takes a step back.

I grab her wrist and tug her. "Karlyyyy."

"No! Briar, no."

I tug and scratch and kick and stomp on her feet. She always made me angry. "Ten minutes! I promise only ten. Pleaseee." I stomp on her foot again.

"Ow, ow! Okay! Okay. Fine. Only ten minutes because any longer and they'll know we're missing. Plus you kick hard enough to bruise." She finally agrees and I couldn't be happier.

* * *

"Briar, we gotta go if you still want to try and catch up to them." I wake up in a gasp with Flynn, gently shaking me with one hand and caressing my cheek with the other.

But it takes a moment for the realization to hit; he's so close to me. I want to shove him away for making me tingle in certain spots, but I can't bring myself to. I love how close he is to me but I can't— I can't let him get close to me. In any sense.

I can't get close to him.

I roll myself over and sit up so I'm no longer facing him. I hear his footsteps recede and I know he's no longer right behind me. Luckily he didn't ask about the dream.

Strands of dark hair cover my face and I tuck them behind my ears, and brush it out with my fingers.

It takes me a moment to realize I'm still only in a bra and a jacket so I turn and reach for a bag to find a clean, non bloody shirt. But as I reach for it I'm met with Flynn's hand holding something crumpled up in his large fist to me.

"It's a somewhat clean shirt. I figured you need a new one as much as I did." He says.

I decide to mess with him just a bit. "Then why didn't you hand me a new one last night?" I raise my brow at him and he just smirks, throwing the shirt at me.

I snort, laughing as I un-crumple the shirt. It's a dark grey tank top that laces up in the front. I quickly throw it over my head and tuck it into my pants.

As I tie my shoe laces I look over to Flynn who's making sure his gun is loaded. He winces as he rotates his arm, forgetting he got shot.

I hesitate before saying something, unsure if I really want him that close to me again. "Let me see it." I say, reaching my hand out and motioning for him to come sit next to me.

With a grin, he walks over to me and plops himself down with a groan. He holds out his arm for me and I peel back the large bandage.

"Fuck." He curses under his breath. God, to hear him do that for another reason...

Briar, fucking stop.

I take a look at his gunshot and the stitches have held, it just has dry blood around it.

I take a water bottle and drop some onto a cloth so I can clean it up. I try to be as gentle as I can but he still bites his lip in pain.

I fold the bandage back over and look up to him, only to see him already staring.

"And what are you looking at? What are you thinking?" I finally become brave enough to speak up.

"Things I shouldn't be..." he says with a sly grin, looking me up and down.

Don't. Don't fucking say it, Briar.

"Well... tell me and let me find out." 

Fucking fuck, Briar.

His eyebrows raise and his lovely green eyes flash with desire.

He leans in, our noses touching and our mouths mere centimeters apart, and says, "Trust me, love. I've been dying to. But not quite yet." His lips brush against my cheek, then he stands and throws a bag and one of the rifles over his shoulder, tossing the other to me.

He begins walking slowly and I let out an angry huff. Angry at myself for saying anything and angry at him for teasing me like he did.

Fuck me, fuck him, fuck everyone.

I see him crane his neck to look at me, he has a small grin on his face from my reaction. He knows what he's doing to me and I hate him for it.

I quickly stand and strap my gun back into my thigh holster, throw my bag over my non-wounded shoulder, the other rifle, and follow up behind him, making sure not to get too close at this point.

<><>

After hours of walking, I still don't know how close we are. I don't even know if Flynn does either.

"My feet hurt." I complain.

"You're the one that wanted to start moving so early."

"You realize I can feel you roll your eyes at me at this point."

He looks behind him to see me, "You honestly think I care? You do the same to me." He says, and I can see him smile slightly. God, he has a beautiful smile. It makes his eyes shine so bright and his perfect lips...

Fuck, I'm falling hard for him.

Fuckity fucking fuck.

"Are we even going in the right direction?" I whine.

"The only way they would be heading is away from our side of the border. I don't think they were planning on changing that direction." Another eye roll.

I catch up beside him and push him in the side for it. He's so tall my elbow perfectly hits his stomach, making him fold over for a second and groan. I cackle at him and can't contain my laughter.

I'm either sleep deprived or it really was just that funny because I bend over and hold my stomach from laughing so hard, it takes a second to catch my breath and when I stand back up to look at him... once again he's staring with a huge smile on his face.

"You have a good smile. I really don't know why you don't do it more." He says, still grinning widely. "I'd prefer it over the anger issues." He teases.

Oh he's gonna get it.

I shove him again and he grabs my wrists, I once again can't contain my laughter. He holds me close to him as I laugh, weak in my knees, and I swear I hear him laugh too.

I finally calm myself again and look at him. Our faces are so close, I could feel his breath against my forehead.

"Fuck it." I mutter.

I smash my lips against his, eliciting a shocked breath from Flynn. But once he gets over it and realizes what's happening, he releases my wrists and wraps his arms around my waist, kissing me back even harder.