Rock Bottom (Dragon Within #4) Read Online Free Page A

“No, it’s
what you’ve been doing. And it’s driving me crazy. So you tell me, right
here, right now, that our kiss didn’t mean anything to you. That you don’t feel
anything for me. Tell me. Because I can’t stand not knowing. If you don’t... if
there’s nothing...” Man, this was even harder than I thought it was going to
be. “The least you could do is tell me to my face.”
         Zack
turned around and nothing in his eyes made me believe I was going to like
whatever he was about to say. “Don’t you think we have enough to deal with
without adding this?”
         I have to
admit, my resolve to keep pressing him was seriously wavering. But I’d started
this and I was determined to see it through. “Just tell me.”
         “What do
you want me to say?” Zack asked. “I shouldn’t have kissed you. It was a
mistake. Does that make you feel better? Are you happy now?”
         My lips
trembled but I was not going to cry. No. Not that. “So why did you kiss me
then, if it was a mistake?”
         “I don’t
know.” He ran both hands back through his hair. I don’t think he even knew he
was doing it. “I got caught up in a moment. I wasn’t thinking straight. You and
me... That would never work. Your brother hates me and the feeling is entirely
mutual. Don’t you think if there were an ‘us’ it would put you in a weird
position with him?”
         “Oh, no
you don’t.” I took a step toward him. “You do not get to put this off like
you’re trying to protect me from something. I don’t care how you feel about
Derek or how he feels about you. I want to know how you feel about me. ”
         “I...” He
frowned. “Did you hear that?”
         I made a
face. “Don’t try to--”
         “ Shh . I’m serious. I heard something.”
         With my
hands on my hips and my lips pursed, I waited, listening. “I don’t hear--”
         “Don’t
argue, just get over here.” His eyes told me he wasn’t trying to put me off.
Something was wrong.
         I walked
the rest of the way to him. “What is it?” I felt kind of silly whispering, but
it seemed like a situation that called for it. “What did you hear?”
         “I don’t
know.” He edged away from the backdoor. “Maybe it was the others coming back.”
         Yeah,
right. If that was what he really thought he wouldn’t be acting the way he was.
“What do we do?”
         “You stay
out of sight.” Zack took me firmly by the shoulders and pressed me to the wall.
“Don’t move.” He scooted to the edge of the window to peek out.
         I bit my
lower lip and tried to control my breathing. Panic was not going to help. But I
was really wishing I hadn’t sent Derek and Hannah to town. “Do you see
anything?”
         “No.
But--” The entire wall imploded and a gust of wind whipped into the cabin,
lifting Zack off his feet and flinging him into the far wall.
         I twisted
away to avoid getting blasted by bits of wood and glass. The sound of the explosion
rang in my ears in the sudden silence that followed. I took two gulping
breaths, then lowered my hands from in front of my face and looked for Zack.
         He was
lying on the floor. Not moving. From where I was I couldn’t tell whether or not
he was breathing. A scream rose up in the back of my throat but I choked it
back down. I didn’t want whoever was outside to know where I was.
         “Everybody in the cabin, come on out now.” A vaguely familiar voice with
a southern accent called out. “You won’t be hurt unless we have to come in
after you.”
         “A little
late for that,” I muttered. My mind raced as I tried to think of some way to
get both myself and Zack out of this situation without getting us killed or
captured. Nothing was coming to me.
         “Abigail?
I know you don’t want a fight,” the man said. “And you don’t want your friends
getting hurt. So talk Zack down