Free An Unyielding Desire (After The End Book 2) by Kit Tunstall

her as he lifted his blankets and patted the mattress. Her mouth wobbled as she knelt down and stretched out beside him. Coop’s arms were warm and comforting as they settled around her, drawing her against him. She snuggled closer, her face against his neck, her head partially on his pillow. “Thank you,” she whispered.
    He didn’t ask for clarification. Coop just stroked her back in a circular motion that was similar to the one she sometimes used to soothe Tyler. “Sleep, honey. It will be better tomorrow,” he said against her hair.
    “No, it won’t.” She wasn’t sure she’d even spoken loudly enough for him to hear her, especially when he didn’t contradict her statement. Mina let his hand on her back, and the solid length of his body, soothe her to sleep. Once again, no nightmares plagued her.
    *****
    For the next few nights, Mina slipped out of her room as soon as everyone was asleep and went to Coop’s bed, staying with him until the first streaks of dawn colored the sky. Then she would slip from his bed, sometimes waking him and sometimes not, to return to her own room. She always opened the door with dread, half-expecting to find Shane waiting for her, but so far, he hadn’t been there.
    She’d managed to avoid him otherwise too, except for the uncomfortable meals shared at the table with everyone. His gaze was hard and angry on her, and his eyes promised retribution. Mina was scared of what he would do to her, which made her even more reluctant to wait in her room for him. She dared have a spark of hope that her plan to evade him would work, and she would be lucky enough to avoid him until he lost interest. Surely, he’d had to have some satisfaction to ease his need for revenge by this point?
    *****
    Her luck ran out six days after she’d started avoiding him. Mina was helping her mom in the kitchen when Shane came in for a drink of water. She almost cut her finger when she saw him. His gaze didn’t waver from her as he drank deeply from the cup he’d filled with water from the bucket. Her lips tightened with annoyance and more than a little fear. There was no reason for him to come all the way into the kitchen for water, since they kept fresh water in buckets, with ladles, in several places on the farm. It was just another way to intimidate her.
    “Oh, Shane, I’m glad to see you,” said Janie.
    He grinned. “That’s what a man likes to hear, Mrs. Marsden.”
    “I was just going to send Mina to the orchard to fetch apples for dinner. Could you go with her please?”
    “No.” Mina almost shouted the word, much to her mom’s obvious shock. Striving for a steadier pitch, she added, “I’m sure Shane is busy, Mom. I can get one of the others to accompany me.” Anyone else in the world. She’d rather go in the company of a serial killer than him.
    Shane gave her a slow smile, full of anticipation. “It’s no problem, Mina. I’d be happy to take your daughter, Mrs. Marsden.”
    Mina’s eyes darted around the kitchen, searching for an escape, but finding none. Her stomach was tight with anxiety as she wiped her hands on a towel. “How many apples do you need, Mom?”
    “Oh, a couple dozen should do it, but why don’t you guys pick a basketful? That will keep us going for a couple of days, until we have a chance to go out and clear all the ripe ones. I was thinking we might have an apple picking party this weekend.” Janie made it sound like a privilege instead of a different type of work.
    “Sure, ma’am. I’ll have Mina back with your apples in a couple hours.” He put an easy arm around her shoulders, like they were buddies or something.
    Mina clenched her hands into fists at her side as she walked out of the kitchen at his side. She was able to slip free of his arm as they walked down the porch stairs, but she was conscious of him pressing too closely to her as they walked toward the orchard—which was on the far side of the farm and away from the main hub of activities