A/N: Oh my gosh! Thank you for all of the love this story has received over the past few weeks. I cannot believe all of the lovely reviews, comments and PM's. I esp. Want to say thank you to those of you following and commenting from ch.1. It means the world. I'm sorry this one took so long, but I wanted it to be the best for you, Lila and Negan. Also, I finally updated my other story, so Connor and Murphy left me alone for a bit so I could get into Negan's head some more. I hope I do him justice-really trying to walk the line of my own interpretations and canon based information. Looking forward to your feedback! Xoxo. Also, please follow me on tumblr for visual inspirations related to this and my other fics. I'm StrangersAngel9.
Also: Brief Trigger Warning of Violence Aganist Women in the second half of the chapter. Proceed with caution if this bothers you.
I need you.
Negan's whispered plea echoed through Lila's mind.
"I'm here, Negan." She replied.
The grip on her waist tightened as he lifted his head and looked at her with pain in his eyes. She ran a hand through his hair again, trying to soothe the torment raging beneath the exhaustion. He closed his eyes, sighing as he willed himself to accept tenderness he didn't deserve. His jaw tightened as his thoughts drifted back to the outpost. Dozens of his people slaughtered in their sleep, like it was nothing. Many had been left to turn. He felt powerless. He needed to regain control.
"Lila..." He whispered.
She looked down at him, blinking slowly. Her expression was a combination of concern and something he couldn't place. Pity? Sympathy? He couldn't have her feeling sorry for him. He was the king shit and he needed to remind himself that he was in control. Flexing his shoulders, the hairs on the back of his neck stood as he saw Lila shiver in response. Her eyes darkened, and lips parted as he slid a hand slowly up her side, his thumb grazing the underside of her breast.
"I won't be gentle..." He warned.
Her breath caught, but her gaze never faltered. It wasn't like their previous encounters had been soft or romantic, but a part of her knew that this would be different if he felt compelled to warn her.
Lila cradled his face in her hands. She gently smoothed the wrinkles from his brow. As she bent down, he instinctively moved his face back, worried she was going to try to kiss him on the mouth. She shook her head almost imperceptibly, as her lips hovered near the shell of his ear.
"Take what you need..." She whispered.
Negan stood suddenly, causing Lila to stumble back as he towered over her. His eyes were almost black, his muscles taut with a burning tension, and all of his energy was now focused on her.
He tugged roughly at her shirt.
"All of it off. Now." He commanded.
Lila complied, watching as he unbuckled his belt and removed his pants.
"Faster." His voice was low and clipped.
She scrambled to remove all of her lingerie, knowing he'd probably rip it if he had to wait any longer. He sat on the edge of her bed, naked with his legs spread open. She stood a few feet away, her gaze lowered.
"Crawl to me." He ordered.
Lila crawled silently across the concrete floor. Negan followed her movements, his cock hardening as he took in the length of her body. He loved the way her breasts jiggled as she moved closer, until she was kneeling in between his legs, awaiting his next command. He appreciated her silence. Quiet wasn't something he had very often. It was almost scary, the way she seemed to know exactly what he needed.
"Just your mouth." He said, his eyes lowering to his half hard cock.
Lila wrapped her lips around the tip of his member, fighting the urge to smile as she heard him sigh deeply in relief. She didn't need a semester of freshman psych to know what this was. Negan needed to regain the feelings of power and control after having them taken away by some nameless, faceless group. She knew this wasn't about her. And a part of her was getting off on being ordered around by someone who swore he wouldn't harm her. There was an exchange of trust happening she couldn't quite articulate, especially with Negan's dick between her lips.
She pulled him deeper into her mouth, hollowing her cheeks as she swirled her tongue around him.
"Fuck...just like that..." He groaned. His hand clasped at the back of her neck, tugging and pushing on her scalp as he pumped his long, thick shaft in and out of her mouth. She tried to relax her throat as best she could, but he kept hitting her gag reflex, which only added to watery mess of her face. She looked up at him briefly, earning a rumbling groan as they made eye contact. Her hands were pressed to the floor, stabilizing her movements as she bobbed her head up and down. She longed to run a hand over the hard planes of his torso, or wrap her arms around his legs, but resisted.
Lila steadied herself as she heard his breathing become more and more labored. With a deep breath, she pushed him further down her throat, surprising both of them when she didn't gag. Her throat constricted around him, almost pulsing with tension. She desperately wanted to touch herself, but didn't feel right doing so without his say so. Right now was about him. It only made her clit harder to think about Negan granting her permission to come. A deep and guttural moan escaped her mouth and reverberated against his shaft.
"Fucking, fuck, fuck! I can't hold back..." He growled, his eyes squeezed shut as he desperately tried to maintain control. His hips moved of their own accord as her lower lip lightly touched the top of his sack. It was that smallest of touches that sent him careening over the edge, spurting down her throat and across her face as he suddenly pulled out, gasping and groaning while convulsions of pleasure relaxed his body.
Lila collapsed between his legs, lightheaded from the lack of oxygen. She could hear Negan struggling to catch his breath just as much as she was. She silently wiped her face and gave his softening cock a couple of kitten licks in an attempt to clean them both up a bit. He looked down at her with wonder and admiration as she offered him a small but proud smile.
Wordlessly, he picked her up off the floor, his large hands reaching under her arms to pull her onto the tiny bed. He maneuvered their limbs together so that she was splayed against his side, her head pillowed between his arm and shoulder. Lila smiled as she felt his lips ghost across the top of her head. She traced a line down the center of his chest with her fingertip until his hand circled her wrist, stopping the motion.
"I thought the world was done surprising me, doll." His words reverberated against her temple as he stroked her hair.
Lila lifted her head and looked him in the eyes. "What do you mean?" She asked.
Negan chuckled softly, the tempo more reflective than humorous. "You...you're making me feel things I didn't think I was capable of, in this world...or before. I don't do...whatever the fuck this is, normally. Yet here I am...cuddled up against you like a goddamn fool."
Her cheeks reddened as she took in what he was saying. She lifted her head again, "If it makes you feel any better...I'm in uncharted territory too. My last boyfriend was a warm body...and a lukewarm one at that. Mentally...physically...it was all just so...mechanical, so...blah. I suppose it's different for men and women. Anyway- It ended way before everything went to hell." She smiled a little sadly. "Like I said earlier, I'm used to being alone."
Negan stared at the girl in his arms. She deserved so much more than...blah. She deserved more than him. He thought. But I'm all that's left.
"When I'm with you..." She whispered. "My skin tingles..."
Negan smiled against her cheek as he felt her fingers dance across his chest.
"My blood sings..." Lila's hand drifted further south.
His cock twitched in response. Negan rolled over so he was hovering above her, his eyes sparkling with humor.
"And your pussy floods..." He finished with a grin.
Lila shook her head and giggled as Negan kissed and nuzzled his way down her abdomen.
"Let's see if I'm right..." He smiled wickedly as he parted her legs.
His breath caught as he stroked a long finger along her slit.
"Oh...how I do love being right." His voice soft and raspy.
Lila groaned as Negan's tongue made a long leisurely pass against her swollen bud, teasing her desire. He thrust the tip of his tongue inside her briefly, earning a full body shudder. Her eyes rolled back as he exhaled, his breath nearly sending her over the edge. She circled her hips, trying to make contact with some part of his face.
"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk...not yet, sweetheart. Trust me, you'll know when to scream my name..." He said.
Lila sighed as he pulled away, sitting up to look over her naked form. Her breathing became more shallow as she tried to anticipate his next move. A large hand ran the length of her body, marveling at the softness of her skin.
"Negan..." She gasped.
"Shhh..." He said.
He stretched her arms above her head before bending down to pay tribute to her breasts. They weren't much more than a handful, but he appreciated how responsive they were to his touch. The scruff of his beard rubbed against her aroused and hardened peaks in all the right ways. His lips and tongue pulled her into his warm wet mouth, the sensation sending a wildfire into her belly.
"Oh...fuck!" She cried. "Please...I'm so close...stop teasing me!" She begged.
Negan's laughter rumbled through her chest. "But it's so damn entertaining!" He said before flattening his palm against her mound. Lila growled in response.
"And I know, baby...how much you wanted to touch yourself while you were sucking me off...I have to say I was damn impressed with your restraint." His thumb circled her hardened clit again, before he inserted two fingers, stroking slowly. "So close...you can almost taste it, right?" He grinned as he offered her his fingers wet with her slick. Her mouth surrounded them, making him groan.
Negan pressed his forehead against her temple. "I think you earned a sound fucking...hmm? What do you think, doll?" He nibbled on her ear as she heard him feel around on the floor, looking for the condom in his pants pocket. She smiled as she heard him tear open the foil package.
A moment later, he pushed his hips against hers. Lila arched into him and hooked a leg behind his back. He reached between them and lined himself up, entering her with a powerful thrust. She gasped loudly as her fingers dug into his back and shoulders when he hit bottom.
"Jesus, Lila..." He grunted.
She bit her lip as she answered his thrust with one of her own. "Fuck... Negan..."
He pulled almost completely out before slamming back into her, setting an aggressive tempo. Her body reacted almost immediately, flooding her bloodstream with endorphins as her long delayed orgasm took hold.
Her moans and cries soared as she bucked in his arms, chanting his name incoherently.
Something between a chuckle and a grunt escaped his mouth as he pumped through her first orgasm. Her clit had been so engorged, he knew it would be easy to get it out of her. Now he wanted to bend her to his will while overwhelming her with pleasure.
His large frame completely surrounded her, dulling her senses to anything but his heat, the staccato bursts of his breath against her neck, and the scent of him- leather, pine and a heady combination of his natural musk and the iron tinged remnants of blood. Her lips dragging across his neck was almost his undoing as she clenched around him.
Pulling out suddenly, Negan knelt back and lifted Lila off the bed, flipping her onto her stomach. "Knees up, ass in the air, doll. Shit's about to get real." He drawled.
Lila giggled as she complied. Her head was swimming with pleasure, and she knew it was only going to get better as Negan entered her from behind. Stars exploded behind her eyelids as the head of his cock hit the magical bundle of nerves that had remained hidden from all of her other lovers.
"Goddamn, Lila... You feel so fucking good..." He groaned.
His grip on her waist tightened as she circled her hips back against him. She pushed up on her elbows, arching her back. She felt like she was floating as her brain focused only on the sensation of Negan filling her up.
His rhythm faltered slightly as his eyes fell on her scars. Any man from her group would pay for letting that happen, he thought. He smacked her ass before she could notice his distraction, earning an appreciative groan.
Negan leaned back on his shins and pulled Lila up, pressing her back to his chest. He wrapped a forearm under her breasts, holding her steady as he felt her clench around his cock. Rubbing the scruff of his beard against her neck earned him a high pitched sigh and a circle of her hips.
"Oh, God!" She wailed.
"No, sweetheart... Negan..." He growled in her ear. "Let me feel you come all over my cock."
Lila's whole body shuddered as he nibbled on her earlobe just before he snapped his hips. As with him, it was that smallest touch that sent her over the edge. Her back arched as she writhed in his grasp. A choked sob of relief escaped her as she flooded both of them with her juices.
"Yes...Lila!...Get me all wet..." He grunted. Negan came with a burst of pride as he felt her orgasm begin to wane. He sighed as she fell limp in his arms, with his cock softening inside her.
"You still with me, doll?" His voice was low and sleepy.
Lila hummed affirmatively, sighing as they disengaged. Negan sat up with his back against the wall, her thin sheet covering him from the waist down. She looked down at the wet spot on her bed and blushed.
"Nothing to be embarrassed about. That right there is a sign of a damn good time." He grinned as he tucked her hair behind her ear.
She got up and grabbed her only spare towel and placed it over the spot before curling up on the bed. He watched her face as her eyes drifted away deep in thought. He wasn't good at this stuff-the after, but a small part of him wanted to be, for her. Negan was self aware enough to realize exactly what she had done for him.
Lila let out a small sigh. She knew he wasn't keen on cuddling, but really wished he'd at least touch her. She had a thin blanket draped across her middle.
"This is a small fucking bed...or is it a bed too small for fucking?" Negan laughed at his own stupid joke.
Lila chuckled softly and turned her gaze to him. "I think we did okay..." She said, placing her hand on his thigh.
Negan smiled and picked up her hand, pressing it in between his palms. "If we only did okay, we might need to try it again..." He said as he raised a brow.
"Hmmm..." Lila buried her face in the mattress before turning to look at him again. "Ok. But I need sleep first." She smiled up at him.
"Go to sleep, doll." He said. "I have to go, but I'll stay for a bit..."
Lila smiled before she shut her eyes and drifted off, exhausted in every way.
When she was asleep, Negan couldn't resist the urge to smooth her hair across the pillow, tracing his fingers through her sex-mussed hair. She looked so peaceful. The light from the battery powered camping lantern cast them in a dim orange glow. What the fuck are you doing to me? He thought. Maybe my infatuation will wane once she is a wife. I can't have my head up my ass thinking about her all the damn time. I got caught with my dick in my hand with the whole outpost thing...the last thing I need is to be worrying about somebody else. I've got two hundred people counting on me to keep their sorry asses alive. Sex is supposed to be uncomplicated. So why the fuck am I sitting in this tiny ass bed playing with her hair?
Negan was about to get up and leave when Lila stirred, her brow furrowing as her dream turned on her.
"No! Don't! Please!" She cried out, thrashing against the mattress. "Take me instead...I'll go instead...leave them...leave them..." She pleaded.
He was paralyzed watching her. He knew everyone had nightmares these days, it was one of the reasons he insisted on sleeping alone. He never wanted anybody to use what he said or did in his sleep against him. That and he figured at least one of his wives might try to slit his throat at some point.
Lila let out a series of agonized cries, as if she were re-living her torture. He couldn't take it anymore.
"Doll! Wake up, Sweetheart. Shhh...you're safe now. I promise." He shook her as gently as possible, trying to extract her from the nightmare world in her head. "Come back to me, Lila..."
Her body shook as her mind woke up. "Negan?" She said, her voice small in the dark.
"I'm here, doll. That fucker is dead. You're safe. I promise." He said softly.
Lila wiped at the corner of her eyes, letting out a small sniffle. "It felt so real." She said. "It always feels so fucking real."
Negan shifted on the small bed, pulling her into his arms. He was still sitting up, holding her so her head rested comfortably against his chest. She looked up with surprise and shock in her eyes.
"Try to go back to sleep. I'll stay a little longer. I have a meeting in the morning, so don't be surprised when I'm gone. I gotta get to the bottom of what the fuck happened at the outpost. You go to work in the garage and I'll come find you or send for you later." He said.
Lila nodded against his chest. "Okay. Thank you. For staying...for everything." She murmured.
The last thing she felt before falling asleep was Negan's lips ghosting across the top of her forehead.
###
Negan grabbed Lucille and snuck out of Lila's room as the sun began to rise over the factory. This was his second night without decent sleep, and he could already feel he was going to be on a short fuse today. Hopefully he could get his lieutenants up to speed and organized before catching a few hours of alone time in his inner sanctum. Lila's bed was microscopic compared to his four poster California King. He had briefly toyed with the idea of taking her upstairs last night, but had concluded it would have caused way too many issues with his existing wives. He didn't need that shit anymore than he needed a hole in the head.
Amber was waiting in the parlor when he opened the door to the apartment. She was wearing a very revealing nightgown and a scowl. Negan groaned. This was the last thing he needed this morning.
"Long night? I heard you got back around midnight..." She asked with a hint of annoyance. "Were you with your new plaything? Convince her to say yes yet?" She said, thrusting her pelvis against the couch in jest.
Negan shot her a withering look. "I am not doing this now, Amber. Hell, I'm not doing this ever! My whereabouts are none of your fucking business...unless I have summoned you. Until then...Shut the fuck up and get me a cup of coffee!" He barked before retreating to his office.
A few moments later, Sherry entered his office with a steaming cup of black coffee. "Amber said you're in a mood. Anything I can do to help?" She asked.
"Yeah. Keep the girls the fuck away from me today. I have a metric shit ton to take care of and I'm going on day two with little to no sleep." He said as he looked over the inventory sheets for the infirmary.
"And tell whoever is stationed out front I want to call a meeting in 40 minutes. Conference room."
Sherry nodded and closed the door on her way out. Something had definitely crawled up Negan's ass this morning. Had Lila turned him down? That couldn't be it, she thought. He usually uses a rejection as an excuse to fuck more than one wife at a time.
###
Lila sat up with a jolt. This was the second day in a row she didn't hear her alarm. She hoped Pete wouldn't be too mad at her once she explained herself. They had a pretty strong working relationship, despite her being the only female mechanic.
She rushed down the hall with her bag of toiletries and took a quick shower, rinsing off all the sin left behind the night before. The tepid water cascaded down in rivulets from her hair, sending a shiver down her spine almost as good as a caress from Negan. I hope I'm not walking funny. She thought. Two days of rigorous sex and she felt like she had run a marathon. Wrapping a towel around herself, she walked quickly back to her room.
My room smells like a whorehouse. She thought with a laugh. I hope I have enough points to do some laundry later.
Lila dressed quickly, donning a pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt. She smiled when she put the lacy bra on underneath, the silk and lace reminding her of Negan's intense stare when she modeled it the day before. Was that only yesterday? She thought. Making her way to the cafeteria, there were whispers as she waited in line for her food. When she made her way to the front, she smiled at the lady in charge of keeping track of the points.
"Hi, Betty. Can you tell me if I have enough points to do some laundry later?" Lila smiled.
The older woman scoffed. "Yeah, I'd say so. You have over five thousand points. I guess we know what the going rate is for fucking the boss in the elevator." Lila turned bright red as she heard anyone within earshot laugh. She was too stunned to respond, so she took her tray and sat at the end of a table alone.
She tried to keep her expression blank as she ate for the first time in almost 24 hours. But there were snippets of comments that were making her blood boil.
"I heard she wasn't that good...I mean, he obviously didn't make her a wife so..."
"Do you think she broke the elevator on purpose?"
"They were so loud! I swear I heard them from my tent outside!"
It reminded her of high school. Maybe I should talk to Negan...but how would that go? She thought. Sherry would probably have better advice. The last thing that would endear her to the other workers would be running to her...her what? Boss? Boyfriend? Lover? Fiancé? Ugh. She sighed.
After finishing her meal as quickly as possible, Lila made her way to the garage.
"Well look at what the cat dragged in..." Pete said. He smiled but his voice held some tension.
Lila offered Pete a small smile. "Sorry I overslept today, boss. My alarm didn't go off."
"Uh-huh..." The older man narrowed his eyes. "Well, best get to it, girly. We have a new truck that needs a shitload of work. Big man wants it fortified, so we'll need to remove all the interior panels and shit so they can put in the sheet metal. We'll also need to adjust the engine and the tire size to accommodate the additional weight. Specs are at your work station."
Lila nodded. At least this sounded like an interesting project. She loved getting lost in her work, and today seemed like the perfect day to do so. The snide comments of the women in the cafeteria were still swimming in her head.
"I gotta head upstairs for a bit...Negan called a meeting with all the department heads. You are in charge until I get back. Tito is replacing the transmission on one of the SUV's, Graham is headed next door to change the oil on the spare set of motorcycles, and Gino is swapping out the tires on the Jeep, the Bronco and the 300." He said.
"Got it. See you in a bit." She replied.
The day went by quickly, with Lila getting engrossed in her project for Pete. It was rare for him to be included in planning meetings, so something big must be going on related to the incident at the outpost. Halfway through her shift, she walked out to check on Graham, who had finished changing the oil in three of the six motorcycles. She liked working with him, he was quiet and always got the job done. Tito was somewhat new to the garage, but seemed eager to learn. Gino was a bit unpredictable. A month ago, Pete had almost come to blows with him when he came back from lunch drunk. Luckily, today seemed to be a low maintenance day in the drama department.
Lila smiled as she wheeled herself out from under the truck. The rough start to her day had almost been forgotten as she leaned against the fender and took a swig from her water bottle. She walked through the garage, checking on the progress of the other mechanics.
"Great work on that transmission, Tito. You handled that like a pro." She said. "Can you help Graham with the motorcycles? I think he has two left."
"Sure thing, Lila." He smiled.
Lila sighed as she looked at the grease under her fingernails. "This will take forever to scrub out. How are those tires coming, Gino?"
No answer. His work bay was at the end of the small warehouse that had been converted into a garage. "Gino?" She called. Sometimes he would wear headphones.
Suddenly, Lila was pushed roughly against the front hood of the Chrysler 300. She caught the strong whiff of alcohol against her neck. Her breath caught as a hand covered her mouth.
"You missed two days of work and you think you can fucking check up on me? I heard you in the elevator the other night-moaning like a whore. Were you fakin' it for the boss man? Cuz I'm sure I can make you scream louder than that." Gino slurred against her neck as he pawed at her chest, ripping her t-shirt.
Lila tried to break free of his grasp, shoving her elbows back. He grabbed her arms above the elbow and pulled back, blocking her attack. She cried out loudly in pain as he bent her over, laughing as her cheek hit the hood of the car hard. She desperately hoped Tito or Graham would hear her from next door.
"You think you're so much better than me...obviously not if you're still working in here instead of on your knees upstairs...maybe with a little practice, the boss will give you another shot." He growled as he slammed his hips against her ass.
Lila cringed as she felt his erection rub against her. This was not happening. Growing up in a male dominated business, she had her fair share of cat calls and ass grabbers- both customers and mechanics who thought that shit was okay. Her father and older brothers were always quick to step in and handle the situation. Think Lila...what would they do?
The sound of Gino grunting as he struggled to hold onto her while attempting to unzip his pants broke her from her thoughts. From somewhere deep in her head she heard her older brother whisper, "Use your head, Lila!" The human head is one of the hardest parts of the body. He was always telling her random shit.
With all her strength, Lila snapped up and slammed her head backwards, praying she'd catch Gino in the face. The sound of cartilage snapping echoed in her head as she felt him release the vice-like grip on her arms. She felt hot blood from his nose splatter on the back of her neck.
"You crazy bitch! You broke my nose!" He yelped.
Taking advantage of him still being dazed, she twisted around and shoved him hard, knocking them both down onto the hard concrete.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she repeatedly slammed her fists into his face.
"You think you're the first asshole to try and touch me without my permission?" She yelled as she kept hitting him. "You don't know a goddamn thing!"
Gino groaned as he looked at her with blood soaked eyes. His face became an outlet for all of the terrible things she had endured since the world went to shit.
Negan and Pete walked into the garage heard the sounds of someone groaning in pain. They exchanged glances as a small sob came from the corner of the building.
"Lila?" Negan called out.
"Over here. By the 300." Her voice was horse and shaky.
Their eyes widened as they rounded the car and found Lila sitting on top of a bruised and bloodied Gino, holding the point of a long screwdriver under his chin. She smacked his cheek, keeping the drunk and injured man awake. He groaned again as he tried to focus on the two figures standing above him.
Negan took in her ripped shirt and tear stained face, his jaw tightening along with his grip on Lucille.
"What-what fucking happened?" Negan's loud voice echoed through the garage. "Where are the other two fucks you work with?"
Lila looked up at Negan and Pete, slightly dazed from hitting her head against Gino and the adrenaline leaving her system. "In the other building working on the bikes. Tito finished his job early...So I had him go help Graham."
Pete nodded at Negan before heading out the door to find them.
Lila smacked Gino's face again, making him groan. "No! You don't get to sleep, fucker. That would be too good for you." She said through gritted teeth.
Negan felt a surge of pride mixing with his rage. "Looks like you have the situation under control, doll. Even though I'm kind of turned on right now, remind me never to piss you off."
Lila offered a small chuckle, appreciating his effort to lighten the mood. Negan put a hand out and pulled her up. She shouldn't have to touch that fucker for another second. He thought.
"Now, let me be a Gentleman and help you take out the trash, seeing as you did all the heavy lifting." Negan's eyes darkened as he looked over the piece of shit laying on the floor. He gave Gino a swift kick to the groin, smirking when the man wailed in agony.
Pete and the other two mechanics returned in time to see Negan's well placed kick.
"Are you going to kill him?" She asked.
"I'd be happy to right now if that's what you want." he said.
Lila stared off into space and shrugged.
Negan's mind spun out of control. Just last night he had told her she was safe, and not twelve hours later, she was attacked by one of their own.
"Shit! Lila, we're so sorry..." Tito said before Negan held up a gloved hand, silencing his apology.
"I've got an idea." He said as he walked over and poked at the drunk man's stomach with the end of Lucille.
"You...you are going to be a cautionary tale. Might as well put you to some use." Negan said before kicking him again.
Lila was hugging her chest, trying to wrap the torn pieces of her shirt together. She still had that faraway look in her eyes as Negan took off his leather jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
"You three take this sack of shit to the holding cells. Tell them to keep him alive. I have plans for this fucker. I'm gonna take Miss Sugar Ray Leonard here over to the infirmary." He said.
Pete and the others nodded. "Sure thing, Boss."
###
Negan put an arm around Lila as they made their way to the infirmary. Several people stopped and stared openly or scurried out of the way as they took in her disheveled state and the rage percolating in their leader's eyes. Gossip around the factory was sure to be active tonight.
"Carson, stop whatever the fuck you're doing. You need to take a look at her." He said as he waltzed into the small clinic.
Lila leaned against the doorframe, unfocused on her surroundings.
"What happened?" Asked the doctor.
Negan was dying of curiosity as well. He had his theories, but wanted to hear it from her.
"I was attacked by one of my co-workers. There was an odor of alcohol. He physically overpowered me, pushing me into the hood of a car. When I tried to break his grasp, he held my arms behind my back above the elbow. I think he grabbed my neck and smashed my face into the hood...my cheek hurts." Her voice was clinical and dispassionate.
Carson nodded and encouraged her to continue as Negan paced the small room. That fucker was going to pay. He thought.
"I could feel him rubbing against me, but I couldn't move. I...I tried to think of what I could do to escape his grasp. When he was fumbling with his belt, I threw my head back as hard as I could, hitting him in the face. It feels like there's a bump forming..." She said, rubbing at the base of her skull.
Negan's eyes widened as he looked at her head, cursing himself for not noticing the blood in her hair.
"Do you feel nauseous? Is your vision blurred?" Carson turned on a mini flashlight and held it up to her eyes, studying her pupils.
Lila shook her head. "No. It just hurts...like a throbbing, dull pain. After I hit him with my head, I slammed into him, taking us to the ground. His body broke my fall, but my shoulder hurts."
Carson nodded. "That's to be expected. I'm going to look over a few places, ok? I want to check your bruises. Negan, you might want to-"
"I'm not leaving this room, Carson!" He growled.
Lila didn't object. Even though she had saved herself, Negan's presence was comforting.
Carson took some notes on a chart before holding up Lila's hands. Her knuckles were bloody and raw. "This was from today?" He asked.
She nodded. "I guess I forgot the best part..." She said, letting out a small chuckle.
The doctor let out a nervous laugh. "Well, I'd say you did everything right to defend yourself, Lila. You're going to need to take it easy for a few days...I'm sure I don't have to tell you that as the adrenaline in your systems wears off, the pain will increase. You don't appear to have a concussion, but just to be on the safe side make sure you stay up for a few hours. Apply a cool compress to your head. I'm going to give you some medication for the pain and swelling. Make sure you eat something with the pills. This is not the time to conserve points." he said.
"That won't be a problem, Doc." Negan said firmly. "She's with me. Give her whatever she needs."
Lila gave him a small smile. "Thank you." She said softly.
Negan felt a spark of hope that she was coming back to herself. He offered her a smile before slapping Carson on the back.
"Good job, Doc. Now make me a little care package so I can finish taking care of her myself"
Carson nodded and left the room.
Negan strode across the small space, lifting a cautious hand to cradle her cheek. She leaned into his chest wordlessly. "Come on, bad ass. Let's get you upstairs."
Lila lifted her head to look up at him. "My room?" She asked.
He shook his head. "My room."
"Good. Mine smells like a whorehouse." The corner of her mouth turned up slightly.
Negan erupted into a full belly laugh as Carson returned with a small bag containing her medication and extra bandages.
###
The sanctuary was nearly silent as they made their way towards the elevator that brought them together. He offered to carry her, but Lila insisted she was fully capable of walking. Negan had been assured that the problem had been fixed, but he wasn't willing to chance it. He really needed to get Lila upstairs and he really needed some alone time.
"Fuck it." He said. "This elevator gets stuck again and it will be Lucille who deals out the discipline."
Luckily, they made it to the top floor without incident.
Negan opened the door to the apartment and breathed a sigh of relief when Sherry was the only one sitting in the parlor.
She took one look at Lila and leapt up. "What the hell happened to her?"
"Not now." He replied. "Can you get some ice and bring it to my quarters?"
Sherry nodded and hurried away.
Lila followed Negan into his office. She watched as he walked to the far side of the room and opened another door, holding it open for her.
Negan's bedroom was a sight to behold. The dimly lit room was dominated by a large four poster mahogany bed, covered in expensive looking blood red sheets and dozens of pillows. He watched as her eyes darted around the room, taking in his personal space.
"This must go over well." She said.
"What do you mean?" He said. "I never bring anyone in here."
Lila turned and stared at him. "Where do you...spend time with your wives?"
Negan chuckled. "Wherever the fuck I want. In the office mostly. The parlor...their room... I think I might have a spare room somewhere...this is my space."
He watched as a marathon of emotions crossed her face as her brain processed the information.
A soft knock from the office broke the spell. Negan opened the door and took a bowl of ice from Sherry. "No fucking interruptions. Unless the building is on fire or something." He said before closing the door to the office and locking it.
Lila sat on the edge of Negan's bed. She was staring into space again as he walked back into the room, holding the bowl of ice.
"You want to take a bath?" He asked.
She looked up in surprise. "You have a tub?"
Negan cupped her cheek. "Baby, I've got everything you need."
Lila wasn't sure if she should laugh or cry. She was exhausted in every way.
"Let me take care of you, doll. You took care of me." He said.
###