In a close-knit community like theirs, people talked, they always had and they always will. However since Carol moved into the Greene's the rumours were rife, she was a gold digger, the slut who slept with the old man for money. Oh she had heard it all, the worse was when Herschel Greene's younger daughter , Beth,left the family home at 18 years old to move in with a 45-year-old man. Claiming that Carol had beaten her, hurt her and the younger Dixon, believed everything from the teens mouth, Beth played on his good side, batted her eyes, made him think she wanted him, as if a child would want a man as old as him, but no Daryl believed she did. He hated the woman who had hurt Beth with a passion and told her he would make her pay. Sod the fact Daryl had been Carol's lover for over three years, behind her abusive husbands back, they had promised to skip town, take her daughter, Sophia, and make a new life. The day Beth turned up at his door in tears, screaming about the abuse Carol had subjected her to, he believed her, why? because that bitch had ripped his heart out. They had made plans and she left him waiting, for two hours ,he had sat in his truck at the agreed place, and she had not turned up, no phone call, nothing!. He had no idea that Ed had beaten her so badly she was in a coma in the hospital, and thanks to money and threats by Ed, the town never knew about it. The nurses paid off, and the local sheriff threatened, it was a sad state of affairs, for all.

Merle, Daryl's, older brother could see through Beth's little game, and wanted her out of his brother's life, her lies had hurt a lot of people, mainly a kind woman, who had gone to Herschel in her hour of need. No one knew, how badly beaten emotionally and physically, Carol was, when she turned to her friend Herschel that rainy night, Merle did, he was the one who helped them sort her out, she had been a mess, over the months he had kept by her side, helping her move on from Ed. She was hidden away from the public eye, as best they could. Ed could not buy the Greene's or their silence so he stayed away waiting in the back ground, waiting for them all to fuck up, then he would take what belonged to him. Carol had opened up over the months to Merle, finding him a wonderful friend, with a witty personality, yet no sexual feelings were there between them. She told him about her love for his brother, how she had packed up and had headed towards the door when Ed had stopped her. Merle had wanted to kill the bastard for the damage he had done to both Carol and her daughter, who he had a soft spot for, yet she had told him that Ed would get his dues in time.

She always asked about Daryl, hurt that he was now with Beth, Merle had begged her to let him tell his brother the truth, but Carol could not do that. Ed was still very much in the area and any contact she made with the Dixon's away from the Greene's ranch, would cause pain and hurt. It broke her heart that Daryl had believed the young blond, hurt her when she saw him in public with her wrapped round him, as if she owned him. They still had to see each other, at gatherings or the ranch,but both ignored the other, it was for the best, she still loved him with all her heart, and because of that she let the girl mend his heart. As she talked to Merle she thought back to the last time she bumped into Daryl, he had come through the front door of the farm with Beth. Herschel and the family were out back in the garden, getting the food ready so Carol had come in for a cool drink. Beth had Daryl pushed against the doorway, her lips on his, at first he hadn't reacted, then when he saw Carol he made a show of almost fucking her against the wooden frame., causing Carol to hide her face. Eventually Beth excused herself, heading towards the stairs, she saw Carol and looked over at Daryl acting as if she were frightened. Carol almost remarked on her acting, yet thought better of it, when she saw he look her ex lover shot her.

"It's ok darlin ya go do what ya need to, she ain't going to raise a hand to ya"

"Are you sure Daryl? I mean after..." she forced the tears from her eyes, loving how he took it all in. Carol almost rolled her eyes at the pathetic performance, was this really what he wanted, this whinny kid, he was old enough to be her fucking father and here he was all over it.

"Sure baby" he nodded his head for her to go, locating his cigarettes he lit one and watched Carol from under his lashes.

"Quiet a performance, is she going for an oscar?" Daryl blew out the smoke and looked at her, damn she had him aching, hard and ready to fuck her where she stood. He hated how his body still wanted her, hated how his mind could remind him time and again what it felt like between her legs, hated his heart for still loving her.

"She's scared of ya what do ya expect after what ya did to her eh? Fuck woman I still can't believe ya would have hurt her like that why because of your stupid jealousy. Hell woman he is her daddy he should be in her life, but oh no you..." his words stopped when he felt the sting across his face, his head flew to the side, his cigarette almost falling from his lips. He turned his eyes dark blue with anger, his body rigid as he walked towards her. The hand print clear on his face, Carol looked just as shocked, she had not meant to lash out like that.

"Now me I can handle that shit Carol, hell woman, that was just a fucking tap to what we got up to, but not her she is a kid, did you hit her that hard eh?" his hand raised as if to hit her back, she almost flinched all the memories of Ed came rushing back

"Please no I..." his face was in hers his teeth gritted

"DID SHE BEG YA TO STOP!" he was on edge a fine knife-edge between lust and hate, in the years they were lovers, the odd spanking, or slap had them tearing at each other. The sex was out of this world when they were angry, the marks he allowed her to leave on his body had him shivering, he loved it when she branded him. Hell just seeing her like this, he wanted to push her, come on darling he thought hit me again so I can do what I ache to do to you. The months they had been apart had done nothing to quench his need for his lover, his woman

"NO! BECAUSE I NEVER FUCKING TOUCHED HER" She screamed at him pushing him away, that was all it took, her hands on him, he moved in closer, his lips taking hers teeth biting, he was out to hurt, and she loved every minute. His erection was not hard to miss as he grind it against her

"Fuck I want ya woman, I want ya so bad"