Without Law 18 by Eric Vall (most difficult books to read .txt) 📗

they’re close and ask about it, that’s what you say.”

“Can do,” Minji said. “Anything else?”

“Make sure that anti aircraft missile is close by,” I told her. “That needs to be priority number one.”

“Already done,” she informed me.

“Now you just sit and wait,” I told her. “And if the NK troops radio in and you’re not sure what to say, try me on the walkie.”

“Okay,” Minji said, and she was quiet for a few seconds. “We’ll see you soon. Be careful.”

“Always,” I said, and I hung the walkie back up on my hip.

“Always?” Anna asked with a raised red eyebrow.

“Always,” I repeated with a smile. “We’re always safe.”

“Yeah, but you could’ve given her more than that,” the redhead laughed. “She totally digs you.”

“I can see why, too,” Paige chuckled. “Aside from your hunkiness and all, you’re so mysterious. Keep her wanting more.”

“I’m not mysterious,” I protested.

“Not on purpose at least.” Anna shrugged. “But you’re definitely mysterious.”

“Hardly,” I guffawed. “I just didn’t think it was appropriate to continue the conversation.”

“That makes sense.” Paige nodded. “But it doesn’t change the mysteriousness of it.”

“I think it’s his voice, too,” Bailey added. “It’s deep and calming so it makes whatever he says seem that much more mysterious.”

“Bailey, not you  too,” I chuckled.

“Sorry.” The blonde shrugged. “They’re right. You’re mysterious. It’s part of the reason I liked you to begin with.”

“Are we sure it didn’t have something to do with the fact that none of us had seen a man in months?” Anna teased.

“I’m sure that’s it.” I smiled back at her playfully.

“Stop the car!” Tara yelled, and my foot hit the break without thinking.

The tires screeched to a halt, and I threw the jeep in park before I spun myself around so quickly that I almost got dizzy.

Tara looked pale as hell, and I wasn’t sure what to think.

Chapter 11

“Tara,” I said as I looked her over quickly. “What’s wrong? Is it the baby? Are you alright?”

The platinum-blonde didn’t answer at all, instead, she just threw the back passenger door open, leaned out, and threw up whatever she’d eaten that day.

“Ewwww,” Paige said, and she wrinkled her nose and turned away.

“Ugh, gross,” Anna grumbled, and her face was twisted into a grimace as well.

“Well, excuse me,” Tara said through puking sessions.

I shook my head at her outburst. I’d have to talk to her about yelling to stop the car when she had to vomit. I’d rather she throw up on the seat than scare the shit out of me like that.

I had been close to having Paige perform a full examination on the way to the interstate, but Tara’s illness was just a bout of morning sickness, and that I could understand.

“Sorry,” the platinum-blonde said after a moment, and she leaned up and wiped her mouth on the back of the arm of her sweater. “You can go now.”

“Alright.” I nodded and pulled onto the road again, but I glanced back and saw Tara in my rearview mirror. She looked like she felt terrible. The color was gone from her face, and her plump pink lips were parted slightly as she pulled in shallow, but even, breaths.

“Are you okay?” Bailey asked before I could, and she reached over and grabbed Tara’s hand.

“Yeah, thanks, Bails,” Tara said, and she took a deep breath and patted Bailey’s hand with her own.

“Do you have any of those ginger candies with you?” Paige asked.

“Not with me.” Tara shook her head.

“Hm,” the brunette said. “What about snacks?”

“I have snacks,” the platinum-blonde said. “Tav made me grab some.”

“And he was right to,” Paige said. “You need to eat something.”

“You know I just vomited, right?” Tara asked, and she looked at Paige like she was crazy.

“Yeah, but part of it is probably because there’s nothing in your stomach,” the brunette said. “Trust me, I read about it a long time ago. Pregnant women have less sickness if they eat regularly.”

“Did you literally just read anything you came across?” Anna laughed.

“I mean, pretty much,” Paige chuckled. “Especially anything medically related.”

“I think it’s really interesting how much you know,” Bailey said with a smile.

“Thanks, Bails,” the brunette said, and she smiled wide at her friend.

“All I know is that we better finish this war before I’m ready to pop,” Tara said. “I trust you, Paige, but I need Marla. No offense.”

Tara was referring to our resident nurse. Paige was great out in the field, but Marla was a registered nurse, and she’d worked in a hospital for years. She’d even been the one to fix up Joe when he’d gotten shot this past winter. As much as I loved Paige, I’d rather have Marla there, too.

“Oh, yeah,” Paige laughed. “No offense taken at all. I need Marla, too. I’m not ready to deliver a baby on my own. That’d be crazy.”

“Glad we’re on the same page there,” Tara chuckled.

I glanced back in the rearview mirror and noticed that Tara seemed to look a little better than she had a few moments ago. Her face was a little more flushed, and she was sitting upright instead of slouched over.

I smiled at the platinum-blonde, and she smiled back at me. Of all the girls, I wouldn’t have expected Tara to be the first to get pregnant, but I was pleasantly surprised she was. Tara was the most confident of everyone, and if anybody could handle something like pregnancy in the apocalypse, it was her. Her sexy, give no fucks attitude was going to be the thing that got her through the next nine months.

“So, where exactly on the interstate are we going?” Anna asked as I64 came into view.

“There’s a cloverleaf interchange just south of here,” Paige said. “If we blow it