Read This is the End (Book 2): Not Dead Yet for Free Online Page A

all 3 of them retreated to the safety of anywhere that wasn’t currently this hallway.
    “You’re probably going to blame me for them leaving too, right?”  My sarcasm only slightly masked my fear and bitterness.  They couldn’t possibly understand what I had been through in the last couple of days and I didn’t see any of them racing out to get injected with shit just so they could get bitten and find out what they would turn into; nope, that was reserved for me.
    Jack was still standing next to the wall he’d just assaulted, taking slow, deep breaths and rubbing his knuckles.  It was weird to see someone who was generally so calm get so worked up about an argument, but it appeared I had that effect on people. “Angie,” He started, turning to look down at me.
    My eyes were still closed as I focused on my own breathing against the wall.  “Yeah, Jack?”
    “I’m sorry.”  His steps echoed off the concrete as he walked over to me.
    “For what?”
    “What they did to you.  None of it would’ve happened if we hadn’t of stopped, and I’m sorry.”  I felt Jack slide to the ground next to me, and as he pulled me into his arms again, the world felt right for a split second as I settled against his chest.
    “It’s not your fault any more than it’s mine.”
    A deep rumble rolled through his chest with his next words.  “Tell me what they did to you.”
    I knew I could tell him the truth, but considering they were all dead, it wouldn’t do any good as he couldn’t exactly kill them again.  “I already told you.”
    Jack grabbed my chin and pulled my face up until I was looking up into his eyes.  “Tell me what they did to you.”  The desperation to not hear what I knew he most feared was so apparent in his eyes I had to look away.  I tried to turn my head to the right, away from him, but he just held my chin harder.  “I need to know, Angie.”
    I squinted up and just stared at his eyes for a long moment.  “Think of the worst possible thing, and that’s what happened.” My heart broke watching the understanding dawn in his eyes.  I wanted to burn the whole fucking world down when a tear broke free and trickled down his cheek, landing with a salty splash on his lip.
    He stared at me for another moment before grabbing my shoulders and pulling me all the way into his lap, holding me so tight I was almost concerned for the safety of my ribs, but I let him.  I had a feeling he needed to hold me more than I needed to be held and I wasn’t about to take that from him.
    “Oh God, I’m so sorry Angie, I should’ve been with you, fuck me, I should’ve been there.”  He wasn’t crying, but I wasn’t convinced hysterical sobs were out of the question as he added a brisk rocking to the embrace.
    “You can’t be with us every second, Jack.  Besides, if you’d been there they might’ve taken you too, and then who would take care of the kids?”  I let my throat relax so my words came out as what I was hoping was soothing.
    A deep growl resonated in his chest as he acknowledged the logic.  “Did you kill him?”
    I knew he was talking about the guard who’d raped me.  “Not exactly, but I did stay to watch a couple of zombies tear him to pieces before I escaped.”
    Grunting his approval, Jack’s breathing started to slow and he shifted so that he was more sprawled out against the wall, using his own pack as a pillow and keeping me flush against him.  By the time he was done adjusting, he was flat on the floor with me still resting slightly on top of him.
    “Thanks for telling me, Angie.  I know that must’ve been hard but I needed to know before I did something stupid like make a move.”
    Shock pulsed through me and I peeled myself off his chest to stare at him.  “ A move? What kind of move?”  I knew what kind of move; I just wanted to hear him say it.
    Jack’s mouth curled into that ridiculously sexy half smile that made him millions as he grabbed my chin again, only