Broken World (Book 3): Mad World by Kate L. Mary Read Free Book Online

to get. You need to bring in something big. Guns or fuel for the generator. Anything that’s a big risk. You and your actress friend are tier three.”
    “Great,” I mutter. “I’m so flattered.”
    He shakes his head and leans against the dresser. “No, you’re lucky. It isn’t easy to get a tier three girl, and most guys just settle for tier two. I had to bring in a load of guns to get a night with you. Luckily, I already had them from before Megan was taken. I’d stashed them in a safe place and was waiting until I needed them as leverage.”
    That makes me relax a little. It’s going to take something big for someone to get at Hadley. Hopefully, that will help keep her calm. She’s trying, but I have a feeling her breaking point is very close to the surface.
    But she’s Hadley Lucas .
    The world may have gone to shit, but when it comes to some things, people have long memories. Americans used to worship movie stars the way Muslims worshiped Allah. How long before someone decides it’s worth the risk? We need to get out of here. And fast.
    “Now you tell me about my sister,” Jon says forcefully.
    I bite down on my lip and shake my head. “Promise me one more thing first.”
    He takes a menacing step forward, but I don’t flinch. I can take a lot of abuse, something that’s going to come in handy in this new world of madness.
    Jon frowns, but he doesn’t argue.
    “I’ll tell you about your sister and help you plan a way to get her out, but next time you bring in a big haul, choose Hadley. Not me.”
    His frown deepens. He brushes his dark hair behind his ear and narrows his eyes on my face. Like he’s waiting for a punchline. Only this is no joke. “You know that will make you more susceptible? You’d sacrifice yourself for her?”
    I nod emphatically, trying to look more confident than I feel. It’s best not to focus on the consequences of what I’m saying right now. “I can take it, but I’m not sure if Hadley can.” Hopefully, it’s true.
    “Fine,” he says impatiently. “Now my sister.”
    I take a deep breath. This is going to hurt. “She’s pretty banged up, but she’s alive. Someone said they had a doctor look at her. Anyway, she’s supposedly out of rotation until she heals. That’s good at least.” His eyes fill with tears, and he looks away. Even though I don’t want to, I feel bad for him. “I’m sorry.”              
    He nods but doesn’t look up. “Thank you.”
    Jon sits on the edge of the bed and stares down at his hands. His shoulders slouch, and he looks totally defeated. My insides tighten. This is what Axl is going through right now. Only worse. He has no idea where I am.
    Now we’re both depressed. Neither one of us speaks, and the silence in the room presses down around us, threatening to crush me. I need a distraction. My eyes land on the remote, and I almost stand up. But I stop myself and squeeze my eyes shut. There’s no TV in zombie world. I almost laugh. That was the name of that stupid movie Hadley was in. Would she find it funny after everything we’ve been through? I doubt it.
    “So what’s your name?” Jon asks, startling me.
    I rip my eyes away from the TV and find him watching me. “Vivian.”
    “Were you at the hospital looking for supplies because someone in your group was hurt?”
    Now he wants to make small talk? I almost tell him to shut up, but I need to focus. My mind is turning into Jell-O just sitting here, staring at the carpet.
    Those intense green eyes of his don’t look away from me, and he doesn’t blink. In another time, I would have thought he was sexy. Dark hair and a strong jaw, broad shoulders. Now I just ache for Axl.
    I exhale until my lungs are as empty as my life was before all this bullshit happened. Then slowly fill them back up with air. “No, we were just stocking up.”
    He glances away like looking at me hurts. Maybe he feels guilty. “They get a lot of women that way. They clear out the ER so