My heart pounds against my chest. Fear clutches at my lungs, squeezing them dry as I glance around the table at the others. I must not be hearing them correctly...

Zac blinks at Kieran before clearing his throat and holding up his hand. "So, you're saying..." He trails off, shaking his head.

Jordan clears his throat before finishing his friend's question, "We can go South tonight?"

Kieran nods. "Yeah. We aren't going to be able to get any more information, so it's do or die time."

I choke on oxygen, spine straightening in the chair. My entire body goes rigid.

"Shit," Riley exclaims, sinking onto the seat beside me. Even he looks unsure.

I draw in a short, shaky breath before placing my hands on the table and winding them together tightly. Riley's gaze drops towards them before he shifts forwards in his chair. A small, barely there touch grazes my thigh before his hand settles firmer atop the muscle. He squeezes once, before his finger begins trailing calming circles, pleading with me to relax.

He thinks I can do this. He's not worried about the state of North being left in my hands. He wants me to relax.

"Plus," Kieran adds, "with what Anna told us about the Enforcer patterns, they should have less down at the wall tonight."

I clench my jaw at the words. I'm not convinced that we can trust Anna's so-called relationship with one of the Enforcers. She hasn't exactly got the best track record. And nor do they.

"As long as your so-called friendly Enforcer wasn't tricking you back when you worked for Germain," I pipe up, shooting an uncertain glance to brunette who's standing by the door. 

Anna rolls her eyes. "I'm fairly certain he trusted me."

Fairly certain?

"That's good enough for me," Zac says bluntly, tapping his fingers against the surface of the table. I frown.

"Me too," Jordan comments before smirking at the girl. "Anna has a way with men."

"Don't we know it," I exclaim before a scoff slips out of me. Anna straightens against the doorframe, focusing a glare towards me.

"Alright." Riley's hand slips from my thigh. I instantly miss the warmth, the way it rooted me here. Instead, he lifts both hands into the air, an amused expression on his face. "As much as I'd love to watch you two roll around on the floor and have a cat fight, I think we have bigger fish to fry."

"Agreed," Zac says.

I'm glowering at Riley, not listening to what else is said. A freaking cat fight? Is he serious? He's distracted by what else is being said, staring intently at the group, his jaw tensed, but not in same way mine was a few minutes ago.

His expression isn't nervous. It's determined. He's ready for this. Not letting anything distract him. Or anyone.

My focus snaps down to the table, eyes narrowing in on a knot in the wood. How much dirt has sunk into it. The rot that line the edges.

He's ready. They're all ready. I need to be ready.

"Fuck," Riley suddenly mutters, lifting his hand to his face. "We're so unprepared for this."

"I don't think we'll ever be properly prepared," Zac replies. "We need to make the most of a bad situation."

"So, are we in agreement?" Kieran asks, slowly looking around at everyone. "We go tonight?"

Mutters of agreement echo around the room and I force myself to smile and nod.

Kieran stands as Zac slams his hand down on the surface. "Let's fucking do this," Zac practically growls.

As Riley stands, Pete practically takes his head off, wrapping his arm around his shoulder and hollering something akin to a war cry. Riley laughs, the group of them slipping out of the room. Kieran, Heidi and Zac all follow, muttering under their breath as they leave the silent room behind.

"You're very quiet," Anna pipes up. My head shoots up to look at her. I had no idea she was still here.

"So are you," I counter, shifting in my seat and placing my feet firmly on the floor.

"No I'm not." She scoffs. "Stop trying to deflect everything."

"Whatever, Anna," I mutter, standing up. She pushes away from the wall, blocking the doorway. "I have things to do." I gesture behind her. She just hums. "Anna!"

"Before we got to the farm, you were the person crying out for us to attack the State. Not giving two shits about whether we had a plan. Never considering the consequences. And, now you're unsure?"

"We're running out of time to—"

"Is it because you're being left behind?"

My eyes fill with fire as they snap to hers. "No."

She crosses her arms across her chest. "Then why aren't you leaping for joy? This is the closest thing we've got to a plan for bringing down the fucking State."

"I know," I bite out. "I am... happy."

Anna scoffs. "I never thought I'd say this, but whatever level-headedness thing you've got going on right now... it may be the best thing for us."

"What?"

"It's hardly like heartbroken Kayla made good decisions, was it?" She smirks. "I thought you being left in charge up here was the worst idea," she pauses, looking down my figure and grinning. "Maybe I was wrong."

"I swear—"

"This Kayla looks like she might even stop to consider what the right decision is," Anna interrupts my seething threat. "That's good. Maybe the North has hope after all."

With that, she ducks out of the room, leaving me open mouthed. Startled. Surprised. I think that's the nicest thing Anna has ever said to me. Even if it was also veiled with insults.

She thinks I'm being level-headed. I suppose, to a certain degree, I am. My lips tilt into a small smile.

"Why didn't you smile like that when I told you the same thing?" Riley's voice comes from behind me. Turning in surprise, I find him leaning against the doorframe at the other end of the room.

"Because you didn't," I comment before ducking out the room the same way Anna did. It's drizzling with rain today and I grimace, quickly zipping up my tight waterproof jacket.

Riley catches up to me within half a minute, not even phased by the water in the air. "I pretty much did. Said I believed in you as a leader."

"Thank you," I reply bluntly, stepping off the worn down track and into the trees that line the property.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk."

"You told Anna you had things to get done," he comments.

Stopping dead, I look up into his eyes, confused by his persistence. The worry in his expression has my breath catching in my throat. He tries to mask it with a signature Riley smirk... but for the first time, it doesn't reach his eyes. He's concerned about me.

"I'm okay, Riley," I promise him.

He lets out a silent chuckle, pushing air through his nose as he crosses his arms. "I know."

He's not fooling me.

I step closer towards him before reaching my hand out and letting it sink against the tree trunk behind him. My arm grazes his side. "I mean it," I say. "I... I think that I can do this."

Whether it's the sincerity in my voice or the close proximity between us, his face explodes into a grin. "Damn right you can."

I smile, leaning my shoulder in further, placing myself almost directly under his arm. "Just don't make me do it all alone forever."

Riley's eyes drop to my lips for the briefest second. "We'll be back before you know it."

"Good." I smile, quickly pushing away from the tree and reinstalling space between us so that I can think straight. "Don't you need to get onto finding that truck that you're going to teach me how to drive?"

He laughs, shaking his head. "Carl and Pete have gone looking."

"And you really think one afternoon is all I'm going to need?"

He pulls a face. "Definitely not. But it's all we've got."

I nod slowly before stepping over a tree root and heading further away from the farmhouse. "Right," I murmur.

Riley walks beside me, hooking his arm over my shoulder and telling me not to worry, that everything is going to be fine. I'm starting to believe him. We joke about the Fast & Furious films, we talk more about his life in the army and how he was in the process of quitting just before the war.

I tell him more about Rayden, and he can't help the laughter that spills out of him when I divulge that Emilia and I would fight over him. He finds out that I used to have the top grades at school, and he wiggles his eyebrows when I mention I played hockey.

By the time we reappear back at the farmhouse, having done a circular walk around the property, I'm smiling. He bids me a good afternoon, giving me a cheeky grin before heading over to the barn, leaving me instantly craving his warmth.

Turning towards the farmhouse, I suck in a breath and nod to myself.

It's time to get organised, Kayla. You're nearly a leader.

*~*~*

This is a nightmare. It's impossible. They're all going to laugh at me. Is it too late to change my mind?

I'm not going to stay here in the North. I'm going to travel with them South. Anywhere as long as it's away from the beast that's shuddering beneath me.

There's no freaking way that I can keep driving this when Riley gets out and leaves me to fend for myself. He's going South, and then they want me to drive this huge, absurdly noisy truck. They're all out of their minds.

Maybe we all are.

For even coming up with this plan.

I mean, what kind of fools think that leaving a ditsy blonde in charge of the most important part of their plan — a plan that involves driving, no less — is a good idea. I've never driven a vehicle before. Unless you count the go karts at Trago Mills down in Devon. I used to go there every few years when I was a kid. It was my brother's favourite holiday outing.

Focus, Kayla!

Gripping the steering wheel harder, I press down on the accelerator and squeal as it rumbles absurdly loudly beneath me. The shudder is a surprise and my foot slips off the pedal.

"Jesus Christ," Riley exclaims from beside me. Reaching up and running his hand through his hair, he glares at me.

"What?" I exclaim. "I'm trying."

He huffs, pointing towards the edge of the road. "Pull over."

"I'm sorry?"

"Pull over," he repeats.

"I... How?" I ask. Lifting his hand, he leans over the centre console towards me and quickly pushes the wheel to the left. I release my fingers, letting it slide, careening away from the middle of the tarmac road.

"Foot down on the clutch," he instructs.

"What?"

"Left foot down on the left pedal," he exclaims. "Now!"

We're heading for a tree.

"Right foot down on the middle pedal," he snaps. "Quickly!"

Squeezing my eyes closed, I pick up both feet before slamming them down exactly where he told me too. The tyres screech against the road and we plunge forwards in our seats. The belt cuts into my stomach, winding me. I think I have whiplash.

The truck grinds to a halt relatively quickly and Riley reaches out, hauling the handbrake up and twisting the key. The engine dies.

"I'm not giving you the opportunity to kill me again," he mutters.

I cringe at the words and he pushes his door open before jumping out, down onto the ground. I haven't even been in charge once yet, and I'm already disappointing him. Them. Everyone.

What the freak are we going to do?

My own door is suddenly hauled open and I jump in surprise. Wide eyed, I look down at an amused looking Riley.

"Get out," he says.

Unlike normal, I don't fight against him, knowing that we're on a tight deadline. Shifting my butt to the edge of the seat, I step onto the ground and bite my lip. As soon as I'm out the way, he jumps up, taking my place in the driver's seat.

"Come on then." He gestures for me to climb in. Nodding, I turn away, ready to walk around to the other side of the cab. "Where are you going?"

Stopping mid-step, I look up at him and blink. "To the passenger seat," I reply.

He shakes his head. "Up here, Kayla," he retorts before patting his lap.

My eyes widen in shock. "Are you crazy?" I hiss.

Riley shrugs, an amused grin on his face. "You're hardly going to learn how to drive from over there, are you?"

"I... What..."

"Come on." He tilts his head.

"No!"

Riley hums under his breath, lowering his hand and turning the key. I jump as the engine splutters, roaring to life. "Time's running out, Kay-Kay."

"Don't call me that," I snap. He just smirks before patting his lap once more. Gritting my teeth, I give in, knowing that we really are running out of time.

I place my foot on the lower step and hold onto the door to lift myself up. One more step and I'm ready to enter the cab.

He's so close. There's an amused expression on his face, but his eyes convey anything but. They're watching me intently, his pupils dilated. If I didn't know better, I'd believe he wanted this closeness.

But we've been ripping one another apart — verbally — for weeks now. So surely that can't be right?

"Come on then," he says before shifting his right leg sideways, letting it hang out the cab to make room for me to climb in.

Heart racing, unsure on what we're about to do, I nod and step into the cab, ducking my head as I go.

Trying to face the windscreen without shoving my butt in his face is impossible and I bite my lip and try to wriggle sideways instead. I have no idea where I'm trying to go.

"What are you doing?" Riley mutters.

"There's not enough room," I reply.

"There's plenty," he counters. His hands suddenly grip onto my hips, one on either side, and he gently tugs me down to sit between his legs. My heart flutters and I freeze, unable to move as his fingers graze the bare skin from where my jumper has risen. One of the hands suddenly leaves, just as he lifts his leg from outside the truck, placing it beside me and slamming the door closed.

I'm trapped.

In between his legs.

The steering wheel in front of me.

I'm in a cage of his making. And my body loves it. All the hairs on my arms are standing on end, my stomach is fluttering, heart racing.

"Okay," Riley murmurs against my hair. He shifts so that his mouth is by my ear, looking out the windscreen from beside me. "Are you ready to learn?"

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Riley has my whole heart, I can't even lie. I'm OBSESSED... how about you?

Ready to see him teach her how to drive in the next chapter? Popcorn ready 🍿

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