Daryl's Angel: Saviour (Book Two)

Chapter 53: Spaghetti Dinner

"Great, great, great, great, great!" Negan says, looking around like he's a kid in a brand-new playplace. "Where's Rick?"

Olivia rushes into the room, looking panicked, and I'm sure I look no better. My gaze flits to Carl, his bandage eyepatch missing, but otherwise he looks unscathed. He purses his lips.

Negan turns back to Oliva, expectant, and she stammers. "Uh, I...I just—" she sputters.

"Doooooon't caaaare," Negan singsongs. "Where's Rick?"

Olivia's hands flail nervously at her sides. "Um, out scavenging...f-for you."

"Cool. I'll wait."

Olivia and I exchange a glance. "He went out pretty far," I say slowly.

"T-They might not be back today," Olivia adds hastily, her voice quivering. "We're running really low on everything. We're practically starving here."

Negan's eyebrows raise as he leans back. "Starving?" he repeats. He looks Olivia over, gesturing at her general roundness. "You?" I wince as Negan raises his hands, making quotation marks in the air. "By 'practically,' you mean 'not really.'"

Olivia bursts into tears and turns away. I resist the urge to glare at Negan as he laughs and focus on Olivia, patting her back, murmuring at her to take a few deep breaths. I don't know how well Negan will react to displays of emotion. She removes her glasses, sniffling hard as she wipes her eyes.

"Really?" Negan asks. "You people seriously don't have a sense of humour."

"Ignore him," I whisper to her. "He has no idea what we're dealing with."

I hear Negan sigh, then a light touch on my shoulder. I startle, whipping my head up to find that he's looking me in the eyes, too close again.

"Hope, give me a second here," he murmurs. I feel my lip twitch, but I back away from Olivia as Negan takes my place. "Excuse me," he says. Olivia sniffles and wipes her face. "What's your name again?"

"Olivia," she grits out.

"Right. Olivia."

He reaches out and touches her elbow. She flinches at the touch, but he doesn't pull at her or force her to turn around. He waits until she chooses to face him herself, her eyes wide and confused.

"I am sorry for having been so rude to you just now," he says, voice smooth. "And it looks like I'm gonna be here a while, awaiting your fearless leader's return. If you like...I think it would be enjoyable...to fuck your brains out."

My jaw drops. Olivia's confusion morphs into rage. Carl inhales sharply.

"I mean, if, you know, you're agreeable to it—" Negan continues.

Olivia slaps him square across the face, cementing her as one of my personal heroes. Negan works his jaw a bit, staring her down, and Olivia's anger melts into horror as silence blankets all of us. I hold my breath.

Negan leans in close. "I am about fifty percent more into you now," he utters. Olivia's breath shudders, sweat beading on her forehead. "Just sayin'." He turns around with a self-satisfied smile. "Well, I'm gonna put my feet up and wait for my stuff to get here. Olivia...would you be a lamb and make us a little lemonade? I know I left you all some of that good powdered stuff."

"Well, I'm supposed to be with—" Olivia starts weakly.

"Make it," he snaps. When she flinches, he steps closer and repeats, softer, "Make it. Take your time. Make it good."

Olivia scrambles from the house. Negan looks back at Carl and me, running his tongue along his front teeth as he grins.

"Alright, kid. Take me on the grand tour!" he says. He turns to me, winking. "Hope, stay close. Don't think I've forgotten about you."