Rebel Nation by Shaunta Grimes

are we doing here? Just hiding forever? We need to know what Waverly felt was important enough to hide. We need that book.”
    â€œSo send a message with Frank. Get someone to get the book and send it back to us.”
    Clover walked around to stand in front of West. Mango was finally roused by their voices enough to come downstairs and stand beside her. “That will take too long. And if the book gets lost—we can’t trust it to strangers. You know I’m right.”
    â€œThe farther away from Bennett she is, the better,” Leanne said, quietly.
    Clover stared up at him, making more eye contact than she normally did in a week. He blinked first. “I’ll take Leanne back.”
    â€œWest—”
    He shut her down with a look. “I’ll take her now.”
    â€”
    â€œI can reach Bridget,” Leanne said after five minutes of silence in the van. “I can get her a message.”
    West didn’t look away from the road. What would he even say to her? She’d stayed in the city. She hadn’t sent
him
a message. As far as she knew, she’d never see him again, never speak to him again. If she didn’t care, why should he? Why did he?
    The answer came as soon as he asked himself the question. She’d had days, maybe weeks to think about leaving him. He was the one who was left. He was still reeling.
    â€œDon’t worry about it,” he said. “What’s your plan for getting back out of the city?”
    â€œFrank will bring me. I think I can get you two days before Bennett talks to Bridget. Get Clover and Jude to the train on Wednesday. I’ll be on it.”
    â€œThis is a bad idea. You know that, right? This is a dangerous idea.”
    Leanne leaned back in her seat and rubbed her eyes. “We’re past the point of good and safe, don’t you think?”
    â€œWhat if you’re not on the train?”
    â€œIf I’m not on the train, then my plan didn’t work and I’ll probably be in jail waiting for my date with your father.”
    West stepped on the brake hard enough that Leanne put a hand out to brace herself against the dashboard. He didn’t bother pulling to the shoulder. No other cars had driven on these roads since the walls went up. He yanked the gearshift up to park and turned in his seat to face her. She kept her eyes closed, her head tipped back against the seat behind her. He took her arm and yanked her attention to him.
    â€œThis isn’t a joke,” he said.
    She sat up and turned toward him but didn’t try to loosen his grip on her upper arm. She was close enough that he could smell the river water that had dried on her skin. “Don’t you think I know that?”
    â€œI’m not sure that you do.”
    Her dark hair was still damp and hung in limp braids. She was wearing clothes that were too big and in a few minutes she was going back in the river with her prosthetic leg wrapped in plastic tarp. She had a look, though—a determination in her eyes that made him think of Clover. He had a feeling that she was underestimated just as often as his sister was. He put the van back into gear, feeling stupid for jumping down her throat, and started back toward the place where the wall crossed the river.
    Every time he let his mind wander, it went to Bridget. The way her thick blond hair felt between his fingers. The way she tasted when he kissed her. How it felt to sleep with her curled against him. The dull ache in the pit of his stomach that came from wanting more than he’d had the nerve to ask for.
    He’d spent months caught up in some stupid romantic dream. He really believed that she missed him as much as he missed her. And then she stayed in the city with Isaiah. West felt like a fool, and that made him angry. He knew Isaiah and he knew that Bridget didn’t mean anything to him. His best friend went from girl to girl. None of them could resist him and none of them