With Spite

Huxley Hosea was at the lowest of the lows.

Exhausted—both mentally and physically—he could barely put one foot in front of the other. Tired to the bone due to a never-ending war. He was desperate to find a new every day that didn’t revolve around getting shot at by kids that could barely hold a rifle steady. War had broken his soul, and the last thing he wanted to do was go home and pretend that he was just a normal citizen.

But then he sees her, also at her lowest of lows, for the first time, and his soul latches on. Bernice, his salvation.

He’s convinced that she’s the answer to his woes, and he develops an unhealthy attachment to her that carries over to his civilian life. For five years, he watches her. Protects her. Keeps her safe when she won’t protect herself. Hux follows her every move and hides in the shadows so she’ll never see.

Then she shows up in his town, and all bets are off.

She’s in his town now. That means his rules. His way. And no more highway.

She’s stuck, and she’ll never know it until it’s too late for her to run.