How Far // N. Smith

Negan was never supposed to be her safe place. He's the kind of man people warn you about in low voices-the kind who can make protection feel like possession and call it love with a straight face. But in the ruins, he goes too far to keep Nora Jean fed, sheltered, untouched...and the safety he offers is dangerous because it feels real enough to make her reckless.

Nora Jean tries not to need him. Tries not to want him. Tries-hardest of all-not to love him. Because love isn't gentle. It's desperate and complicated, threaded with guilt and heat, with the kind of attraction that doesn't wait for permission-it just burns.

And when the consequences catch up and the world starts keeping score, they're left with the same questions over and over-one that isn't about miles, but about limits.

How far would you go to protect the person who made you feel safe? How far would you go to save the person everyone thinks deserves to be left behind? And how far can you go...before it changes who you are?

[This story contains dark and mature subject matter. This story contains graphic depictions of physical violence, strong language, explicit sexual content, themes of grief and death, and descriptions of and references to sexual assault and related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Reader discretion is strongly advised.]