Page 22 of Deceptively Dead

“We can’t even begin to imagine what you have been through Angel. And for you to be here, with us, trusting us like you do. It’s incredible. It is more than incredible, it’s an absolute honor for each of us that you find us worthy of that trust. From the first moment you opened your eyes and reached for you weapons, we knew you were fierce. But not just fierce, strong too. To survivewhat you did and come out swinging? Sweetheart that takes a strength not many people find in themselves.” At this point he pauses to reach up and swipe the traitorous tear from my cheek as I pinball my eyes between each of them, finding that both Nate and Hunter are nodding along with serious expressions. “That’s why, Angel, it’s now up to us to take care of you” he continues, holding up a hand when I open my mouth to protest, “you have been through so much, more than you should have, so let us be the ones to care for you now. We want you to know that, no matter what, you are our partner. You belong to us,with us.And we belong to you. Whatever you need, that’s what we do, okay?” he bends down to peer into my damp eyes, waiting until I give a little nod.

“That’s why,” Nate cuts in, “we decided…” he tails off as I cut him a sharp look, knowing how I feel about things being ‘decided’ about me while I’m not part of the conversation. “That is to say wethoughtit might be best if you take the lead when it comes to… progressing our physical relationship?” The last part comes out like a question and Chase snorts from beside me, throwing a mocking look at Nate over the table. Nate runs a hand through his hair, making his arm muscles flex and ripple beneath his tan skin.And just like that I am completely distracted.“Shut up.” Nate snarls at Chase, “It was the best I could come up with.” Chase opens his mouth to respond but I hold up a hand, wanting Nate to finish explaining this new bizarreness they have come up with. “We know that you want us, Trouble, it’s obvious. Just like it’s obvious how much we want you. But we can also see how you struggle. How initiating contact makes you uncomfortable. We think you just need… proper incentive.”

“Wait. So, you guys mean you won’t like, touch me or anything, anymore?” I ask, allowing my disappointment to leak through into my voice.

“No, Angel. Fuck, to be honest I think that would be God damn impossible at this point. No. What we mean is that – “

“We are going to do our best to drive you crazy, sweetheart. We are going to push you to the edge until all you can think of is us. Then we are going to let you decide exactly how far it goes. Once we reach that edge, it’s up to you when you fall.” Hunter drawls, smiling a cocky grin at my disbelieving stare. I open and close my mouth like a fish out of water.

“Yeah. That about sums it up.” Chase deadpans. He throws me a bright smile that tells me he’s laughing at me on the inside then he stands and begins to clear the table, jolting the other two into movement as well.

“Come on, Trouble, let me give you a more in-depth tour of the house.” Nate comes to stand next to my chair, holding out his hand for me to take.

“Only if you put a shirt on.” I grouch, eyeing the smooth stretch of muscles over his athletic frame hungrily. “And if the tour ends in the library?”

“As the lady wishes.” Nate drawls, sliding me a wink as he holds his hand out to Hunter. Who immediately removes his shirt and tosses it to Nate.Fuck. My. Life.I watch with drooling fascination as Hunter’s muscles ripple and bunch with the movement, his tan skin showcasing a swirling tattoo inked into his left shoulder. Showcasing each and every divot and bulge, he grins wickedly as he brings a hand up to run through his hair deliberately.

“Something on your mind sweetheart?” he asks me innocently. I flush an ugly shade of red as I rip my stare away from his corded abdominal muscles and inked skin, to meet his dark gaze.

I want to end this game they think they can play with me right now. Simply by walking to Hunter, or hell any of them, and letting my hands trail over their bodies, like I am itchingto do. I know I could break their resolve, make them forget this agreement they have come to, and have them bend me over the table with nothing more than a few light touches. Butdamn itthey are right. There’s always something holding me back. Iknowthese guys aren’t like the others, IknowI’m safe and protected, Iknowthis is what I want. But still. Something stops me. I’m not sure if it’s all fear or something that is broken inside of me. Because I want these guys, but everything I know tells me I shouldn’t. Not after what I’ve been through. I shouldn’t want anyone. And they shouldn’t want me.

Mutely, I shake my head at Hunter, taking a step back as I do. He gives me a sad smile and nods his head once. “That’s what I thought.” He murmurs gently, before crossing over to me in three long strides and cupping the back of my neck in one large hand, using it to tip my head back, he plants a sweet, gentle kiss on my forehead. “Relax beautiful. We’ve got all the time in the world.” He whispers in a husky voice. Then he releases me and heads into the kitchen with Chase.

I stand there staring after him, having completely forgotten about Nate for a moment, because Hunter’s wrong. Time is the one thing we can never be guaranteed.

Chapter Twenty-five

Nate finishes the morning by giving me a more thorough tour of the house. Pointing out security features like the reinforced doors and smash proof windows, as well as taking me on a walk through the wild meadow that surrounds the house and showing me the overgrown but thriving vegetable patch. As promised, he ends the tour in the library, where he insists on changing my bandages and putting my arm back in a sling. Then he makes up for it by cocooning me in a blissfully comfortable armchair next to the window, with a pile of books on the table beside me, waiting to be read. I spend the rest of the day reading and dozing in between chatting with one or more of the guys as they rotate through the library. We talk about everything and nothing and they pamper me with food and hot drinks until I’m bursting. Then they usher me into the dining room once again and we eat a huge hot dinner. They let me help clean up this time and Chase and I end up having a water fight in the kitchen sink. When I squeal for help as he overwhelms me in dish sudsy water,Nate charges into the kitchen like a superhero and sweeps me off my feet, carrying me bridal style through the house as Chase pretends to brag about my defeat, loudly, to Hunter, as they follow close behind.

Once upstairs Nate draws me a bath and they leave me to soak in peace. When I finally manage to peel myself from the tub, the water is getting cold and there are two warm bodies heating my bed. Nate and Hunter sling their arms over me as soon as I climb over Nate and nestle between them in the deliciously warm bedding. I can’t help but run my hands tentatively over each of them as they kiss me goodnight, but they don’t push. Hunter just groans and nips my lip before ordering me to sleep. As usual with these guys, my body obeys without protest.

This sets the tone for the next three days. The guys seek me out wherever I am and we talk for hours about our lives before the dead. The guys follow my lead in all things, playful when I want to be stupid, teasing when I want to flex a little of my newly re-found fire and quiet supporters when I have a low day. On the fourth day of lazing around, I bring up the subject of their mysterious group as we sit around the kitchen island after lunch.

“So, how far is your group from here?” I ask curiously, wondering why they haven’t met us already, if this is a safe house the guys frequent often, I would of thought they might check up on us.

The three of them share a look before Chase answers.

“About two days walk. It’s a hard trek though, the mountains get pretty rough from here out.”

“Oh, ok. Does anyone know we are here yet? I mean I’d have thought someone would be looking for you by now…” I let the question trail off, clearly implying I want more information.

“No one will come looking for us, sweetheart.” Hunter scoffs, his mouth kicked up in a smirk that drives me crazy. “They know better than that.” He adds cryptically. I must make a frustratednoise because Chase smooths his hand down my arm in a sympathetic gesture that gives me goose bumps.

“We work alone a lot of the time Angel. They all know to leave us be when we are out here because it’s dangerous for them to follow us. We go further than any of their other scout teams dare and to do that we need to be able to move without restrictions.” I make a face at him and he smiles, brushing is hand up my arm aging. “You are not a restriction Angel.” He continues when I scoff in disbelief “You are everything we didn’t know we needed. You are what we were looking for.” I melt into him, offering up my lips for a kiss, an offer he takes up immediately.

“So, ahem. Scout team?” I ask after Chase thoroughly distracts me for an embarrassingly long time.

They share another look between them. It lasts a lot longer than the first. Finally, Nate breaks the silence as he throws up his hands.

“For god’s sake we might as well just tell her. You know Isabella is just going make a scene out of it anyway.” I try to blink away the red haze that descends over my vision at the mention of another woman’s name on his lips, and focus on the fact they seem to be not telling me something important. “The community that we come from is a little bigger than we first said.” Nate continues, seemingly oblivious to the fact I’m trying to reign in my urge to stamp each of them with a tattoo of my name. Preferably on their foreheads. That is, until Hunter comes to stand behind me, running his fingers through my short hair and pulling me back to lean against his hard body. Allowing me to relax against him and forget about Isabella.For now.“We are one of three teams that venture out. The teams are sent out to search for survivors, and bring them back to meet the council. Once they meet the council, they are either allowed into the community, or we take them far, far away and leave thembehind.” Nate states, as though reciting the rules for a kid’s game.

“Wait so your community sends you out to find people and then give them hope for a better life, let them see what they could have, then just dump them back into this nightmare if they don’t measure up? That’s cold, guys.” I state. Although I’m not as repulsed by the information as I should be. Simply stating what should be obvious.

“The people that don’t make it through the council’s judgement, don’t deserve a better life sweetheart. To be honest, the council is too lenient, in my opinion. They allow people that shouldn’t get a second chance to stay, and we often have to clean up their mess.” Hunter says darkly, and I twist my head to look at his expressionless face, before turning back to Nate. I grip Hunter’s hand where it rests on my shoulder and give it a reassuring squeeze. I have no doubt what he means by cleaning up messes and I want him to know I’m ok with it. Just like they are ok with all of me. I feel his tense body relax against my back the tiniest bit and smile.

“As I was saying,” Nate interrupts, “we are part of those scouting teams. We go out and find people, but we also go out to cull the dead and map areas of high infestations. We rarely find someone worth taking back to the community, so we hardly bother with recruitment anymore. When we find places of interest, like Jacobs compound, we usually spend a few days mapping the area and, if we feel the inhabitants pose a threat to us or our society, we inform the council and eliminate them. We are the only the scout team that doesn’t routinely bring back people for the council to judge.”

“So, you guys judge the people you find before they get to the council? You are the judge, jury and executioners?”

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