Free Broken World (Book 3): Mad World by Kate L. Mary Page A

in front of it as every other hotel.
    “See anything?”
    I shake my head. “Fuckin’ zombies.”
    I move the binoculars up and down, studyin’ the whole building. The sun’s up, so it’s impossible to tell if the electricity is on inside. We may be able to get a better look at things after dark.
    Angus squeezes in behind us and stands next to me. “What’d you find?”
    “Nothin’,” I say. “Not a damn thing.”
    The three of us stand there in silence for a few minutes, passin’ the binoculars back and forth. I’m startin’ to think this might be a waste of time. I’m gonna hafta go in.
    “I gotta get in there.”
    Angus frowns and puckers his lips. “No way. You don’t know what’s goin’ on in there.”
    I yank the binoculars outta his hand and look back down at the Monte Carlo, studyin’ the sidewalk in front of the casino. The only thing that looks even slightly outta place is the van parked in front. But that don’t mean nothin’. Somebody coulda broke down there before the dead took over the city.
    “So now what?” Nathan asks.
    “We wait. We watch the place and come up with a plan,” I say, but I know exactly what I’m gonna end up doin’. No matter what Angus says, I gotta get in there.
    Angus puckers his lips again. He looks even dumber in this light than usual. More like a monkey tryin’ to figure something out.
    “You ain’t gonna run off half-cocked. You’re smarter than that, little brother.” I shake my head, but he don’t let me get a word out. “She’s gotten in your head and you ain’t thinkin’ straight.”
    My shoulders tighten. We’ve had this conversation already. I told him I loved her. Guess I shouldn’t expect him to understand. Angus don’t love nobody. Probably not even Angus.
    “I won’t leave her there, Angus.”
    He swears and spits over the side of the building, wipin’ his mouth with his hand. “I ain’t tellin’ you to. I just wanna be sure you don’t run off and ditch us. You can’t do this alone.”
    “You got any ideas?” I spit at him.
    “I’m workin’ on it. Just give me some time. Have I ever steered you wrong? I always been there for you. Always.” Nathan clears his throat behind us and shuffles around like he wants to get out, but Angus is blockin’ the way. “You andd me against the world. That’s what we always said. You think I forgot it just ‘cause you did? Just ‘cause you’re gonna choose a pair a tits over me don’t mean that’s what I’m gonna do.”
    My jaw tightens, and I cringe when my teeth scrape together. Angus has steered me wrong lots of times, only he can’t see that. All that hatin’ people and tellin’ me that trailer trash was all I could ever be. He held me back. Not that it matters none now. I’d still be screwed if I’d gone to college. Zombies don’t care if you got an education. But I am worth something. Vivian taught me that.
    “You still gonna do it, ain’t ya?” Angus spits again, and it comes awful close to landin’ on Nathan’s shoe. He makes a face but don’t say nothin’.
    “I ain’t promisin’ you a thing,” I say. “She’s in danger, and I won’t just walk away.”

 
     
    7 Vivian
     
    I WAKE UP IN A NICE, WARM BED with a warm body pressed up against me. My hand moves across the sheets, reaching for Axl. Just as my fingers touch his chest, everything that happened yesterday comes screaming back, and my eyes fly open. It’s Jon sleeping next to me, not Axl. A sob forces its way out of my mouth and I roll away. I don’t remember falling asleep in the same bed with him.
    His green eyes flutter open, and he tilts his head my way. His mouth turns up into a tentative smile. “Sorry. I didn’t want to sleep on the floor.”
    I nod and scoot further away, very aware of the fact that I’m not wearing pants.
    Jon moves to the other side of the mattress, but he doesn’t get up. He yawns and stretches. Acts like being in bed with me is the most natural thing in the