Freedom -Negan-

Chapter 15

Negan sent the young guard away to help Simon deal with Jimmy as he led me up the stairs and down the halls. It annoyed me that he felt I wasn't threat enough to bring a guard, but the man was much larger than me and actually had a weapon, so I couldn't take it too personally.

He forced me to walk by his side in the wide hallway instead of strolling behind him. I tried not to look in his direction. Just kept his barbed wire wrapped bat in the corner of my eye as we walked. He whistled as he swung the bat in circles, occasionally bringing it up to sit on his right shoulder.

I made sure to take note on how to get back to the exit as we were walking. My brain was still a bit foggy from lack of sleep and food, but the shower had let me clear it up somewhat. Negan turned his head towards me, a smirk appeared on his face.

"Memorizing the way out, sweetheart?" I slowly turned my head towards him and let my eyes meet his.

"Just enjoying the fantastic décor of this place." I said sarcastically. Negan laughed at that and I narrowed my eyes at him. I was trying to get a feel for the leader. Someone who went from accusing me of lying to letting me decide the fate of my rapist confused me. I had to keep my guard up.

We passed the showers and Dr. Carson's office. I could use those as checkpoints if needed. More people were out and about now. Most looked like normal people, some carrying toiletry bags as they headed to the shower. I did spot a few that had handguns strapped to their belts and looked like they were there to keep order. I had been in many other communities before, but nothing like this. Seemed almost like a prison without the jumpsuits.

We walked a few more minutes in silence. Even the people walking around were silent as they walked around. I heard the occasional walkie, but nothing more. I recognized the double doors of the meeting room we were originally in. Negan opened the left door.

"Ladies first." He said with a large grin. I carefully slipped past him, making sure not to brush up against the tall man and made my way to the chair I sat in only an hour before. I threw the hoodie on the table in front of me as Negan closed the door behind him. I stood with my hands on the back of the metal chair, staring at the man as he swaggered slowly over to my side of the table. My hands gripped tight onto the chair, unsure why he wouldn't just sit on the other side of the table as before.

"Please, sit." Negan grabbed the chair closest to my left and pulled it out, angling it so he could face me. He placed his bat on the table space in between us and sat. My eyes flickered from the bat to the man and I followed suit, sitting in the chair so that we were facing each other.

I leaned forward slightly and interlaced my fingers together, allowing them to fall in between my knees as my elbows rested on my upper thighs. The t-shirt I wore let my forearms and wrists be seen clearly. At least my right hand was wrapped now so he wasn't able to see the mess that was.

Negan placed his left arm on the table near his bat and brought his left boot to sit on his right knee, right hand coming down to wrap around his ankle. I saw his eyes flick down to my wrists, clearly seeing the rope marks, and coming back up to meet mine, much darker than they were before.

"Your story checked out with my men who came back. They searched the barn and saw where they – "He cleared his throat, yet kept his eyes locked on mine. "Kept you." Negan's tongue glided across his lower lip before quickly returning to his mouth. "These men were supposed to be one of my patrols. Keeping the surrounding area safe. Looks like they had strayed away from their base, which is only a few miles from Sanctuary. The remaining men have stayed mostly quiet, but some have squealed about the goings and comings in Jimmy. Little shits were too afraid to let me know since Jimmy was one of my guys. Fucking cowards." His jaw was hard-set as he spoke. I could hear the anger in his voice.