Chapter 7 #2
Plus, there’s running water. Electricity.
Individual houses. We have access to food and laundry, plus a rotation of hunters who will keep the camp protected from lurkers.
There are all of the perks of living in a settlement rather than roughing it on the Outside, only instead of us trying to survive another day, the rebels here actively go out and hunt lurkers.
I don’t know what’s going to happen next for us. I need to talk to Chase, and I feel some sort of loyalty to Maverick. We came all this way together. I’m not ready to turn back yet.
But if we stay… then that means I’ll have to at least interact with some of the survivors here.
And while David ended up being not as big of a dick as I thought at first, and both Caroline and Annie were nice enough, there’s something about the way this guy hails me down that immediately has me on edge.
It doesn’t help that he’s attractive. I might have spent the last decade in a committed relationship with Chase Knight, but I still have eyes. And this guy? He’s pretty damn good-looking.
I’d put him at a couple of years older than me, but not by much.
He’s an inch or two taller, and muscular yet lean, just the way I like.
He’s got the sort of tan he comes by naturally, with thick, dark hair that probably kisses his shoulders when it’s loose.
For now, he has it pulled back in a low, messy bun that would be douche-y if he kept it to the top of his crown instead.
He’s wearing a soft grey t-shirt, a pair of denim jeans with rips in both knees, and a welcoming smile as he casts his dark brown eyes over me.
He lifts his hand. “You’re new here.”
And he needs to work on a better pick-up line. “Just arrived last night.”
His smile widens. “Thought so. I was pretty sure I knew every face at camp. Not yours. I would’ve remembered you.”
I should’ve expected something like this.
Despite how I’ve seen more women since our arrival—the pair folding laundry last night, Veronica, Delilah, Caroline, and Annie—I was told that the sixty-one rebels don’t make up an even split.
There are thirty-nine men to twenty-two women, with the youngest rebel here twenty-two.
Four married couples—five now, counting Chase and me—live in the camp, but because the Hills are close enough to Manhattan and Veronica is gathering her own mini-army to fight back against lurkers, all of the rebels she’s invited to Camp Sunnyside are either childfree or they’ve left their kids somewhere safer.
Just because the odds of a lurker attack are smaller due to our location doesn’t mean that we’re not in danger. Especially since Delilah was working as a double agent against the Men in Black at the NRI… I’m glad there aren’t any kids to worry about.
But I should’ve known that there would be guys here who would see a fresh face at camp and immediately try to pounce.
I’m sure it’s innocent. I don’t get a pervy vibe from this guy, and if it wasn’t for Chase, I might even be interested.
But I do have Chase, and things are complicated enough already that it’s better if I just give him a thin-lipped smile, make it clear that I’m here for business, not pleasure, and go on my way.
I’ve had enough practice over the years. A simple kiss-off, and then—
“Holden? Holden! There you are. I’ve been looking for you all morning.”
Funny that, Chase, considering he left me sleeping in our bed so he should’ve known exactly where I was. And if he returned to the cabin and discovered I was gone, that was his fault. He didn’t wake me up to tell me he was heading out and I decided not to wait around for him to come back.
But there he is. Chase comes jogging over to me, a tight smile in place as he gives the other guy a scrutinizing look.
I don’t think he notices that Chase is eyeballing him. Not when his attention is still on me.
“Holden? That’s your name?”
Crap. I had hoped to get away before any introductions had to be made. “Yes.”
“Cool.”
“Knight,” adds Chase. “She’s Holden Knight. And I’m Chase Knight.”
“Oh. Brother and sister?”
Chase works his jaw, close to losing his cool though the other man is doing his best not to notice that fact. “Husband and wife.”
His gaze drops to my hand. Only my hand. “Don’t see a ring,” he says cheerily. “So, tell me… this a ‘before the Turning’ marriage or one that came after? Just so I understand how serious you guys are.”
While Chase slings his left arm over my shoulder, the possessive gesture obvious as he tucks me into his side, I can’t help but remember East Jersey.
How the former convicts all claimed women and called them their wives.
Isn’t that what Chase and I would’ve done when we had our wedding in July, albeit way more consensually?
Either way, it would’ve counted because, at the very least, I’ll always be loyal to Chase—and I have no doubt that he knows it.
“You’re looking at childhood sweethearts, pal. I’ve known Hal—Holden’s been mine since the fourth grade. A ring doesn’t change that.”
“True, true. I got you. It’s nice to meet you two.
It’s been a while since we had fresh blood coming to stay at the camp.
Now we have Vee’s sister and you guys… very cool.
” And, as if to prove he didn’t mean to step on Chase’s toes, he holds out his hand.
“I’m Nicolas Fiorello. You can call me Nicky. ”
Chase takes his hand, giving it a shake. I do the same before he can stop me.
Nicky… that name is familiar. A second later, I remember. “Oh. You’re the handyman.”
Handshaking done, Nicky sticks his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. “You’ve heard of me.”
“You’re the one who gave David the bolt cutters last night to help us out.”
Us. I don’t think Chase could’ve put the emphasis on that word more if he tried.
Nicky’s eyes widen. “That was for you? Dave said that he needed to borrow one of my tools, but the hard ass wouldn’t tell me what it was for. It’s all good. I help when I can, but those are some heavy duty cutters…”
And he’s fishing for gossip, I can tell. Welp. Since I had to dash his hopes that maybe he can get laid by the new girl, I might as well give him a tidbit to run around the camp with.
“We needed them to get the handcuffs off,” I tell him.
“Handcuffs. Shit. What kind of trouble did you get your lady into, Knight?” He smirks just enough for it to be noticeable. “Some Knight in shining armor, you are, huh?”
Chase’s grip on my shoulder tightens. I don’t have to look up at him to know that he doesn’t think Nicky’s little comment is amusing at all.
I sure as hell don’t. Especially since it was me who got Chase into trouble when we were in East Jersey.
If he hadn’t come after me… sacrificing his supplies first, then his antidote…
he never would’ve ended up in a position where Darryl handcuffed us together and tried to force us to fuck.
And while Nicky doesn’t need to know that, I can’t help but be the one to retort. “You have no idea what this man has done for me. He’s saved me in every way that counts.”
Nicky throws up his hands. “Hey, no offense meant. We’re all in this together. And if you guys need anything, I’m cabin nineteen.”
“Thanks, but we’re good.” Chase drops a kiss to my temple. “Right, babe?”
I know what he’s doing. Anyone else would think that Chase is being his usual affable self, acting as though Nicky didn’t just piss him off, but I know better.
The Chase from before wouldn’t feel the least bit threatened by the handyman. But the Chase now… yeah. We should probably go.
“Chase.” I turn into him, laying my hand on his chest. “Now that you found me, let’s go see if we can find Mav.”