My brother walked over to me, the sound of his black boots were obnoxious against the black top. His hazel met mine and a smirk stretched up his face. "Well, what do we have here?"
"A hot piece of ass," a biker with long shaggy greasy hair replied as he looked me up and down. I cringed and gripped my machete tighter, while giving him the dirtiest look I could possibly give someone.
"Shut the hell up Vince," Brent hissed glaring back at him, he then turned to me. "I have to hand it to you baby sister, I didn't think you'd be alive, but I guess you've proved me wrong."
"Fuck off, Brent." I snapped, "I don't want anything to do with you."
"Why...ahh, I know why. You went looking for mom didn't you?"
My fist clenched and my eyes narrowed, I was shaking I was so angry at that point.
Brent tilted his head to the side, "You going to do something? Got something on your mind,"
I swung at him and cut him on the arm with my machete. It was just a small cut, but we all knew what an infection can do. Before I knew it I was being slammed to the truck with a hard grip on my throat and a gun to my head. I could hear my pulse through my ears; my ribs were throbbing and for a moment I thought I was going to puke. The stiches on my forehead came loose and the wound started to bleed. I gasped for air as his grip got tighter and tighter. I had dropped the machete by then had started struggling to get free.
"Where are they Peyton!" he hollered, I knew exactly who he was talking about, Lily and Isaac. "I swear to god, if there is one, I will do worse to you than I did mom if you don't tell me where my kids are!" He was so close he was spitting on my face when he spoke. When my eyes began to tear from the lack of oxygen he loosened his grip.
"I don't know." I replied, gasping for air.
"If I find out you're lying…"
"I'm not." My voice shook bit.
He nodded and as he backed away his eyes never left mine. I waited until they took off down the street, my head was pressed to the steering wheel as I began to sob and I mean really sob. I heard a walker wonder by my truck and I covered my mouth with my hand and ducked down until it passed.
When I got back Shane was already at the camp. I tried my best to hurry pass everyone without them noticing that my brown eyes were red and puffy and the fresh bruise around my neck. Dale and Shane were just ending a conversation. Shane stopped me when he noticed the truck.
"You went into town?" He seemed furious although I was sure it was fueled by his and Dale's conversation. I didn't even look at him I just continued to walk.
"I needed a vehicle." I replied.
"For what?"
"Because I wanted one," I replied.
"Why didn't you ask someone to go with you…?"
I tried to picture the situation in town with any of the group there. They would consider me a danger and I'm sure probably wouldn't want me around anymore, considering they haven't known me for long.
"Because I didn't need anyone, Shane, get off my back."
He stopped me and I pushed my hair forward, but it was no use the bruise was a clear hand print stretching all the way around.
"What is going on with you?"
I opened my mouth and looked down. When he focused in on my neck I turned and began to walk away but he stopped me again and pushed my long wavy red hair behind my shoulder.
"Didn't need anyone?" he said angrily, his brown eyes held mine, "Did you forget that you got two kids to think about here?"
I frowned, I wasn't going to lie, I did think it was wrong to just take off and risk my life like that. But having a car was important to me. I felt safer knowing that I had a reliable escape.
"It just makes me feel safer to know I have one…"
"Peyton, you know I wouldn't let anything happen to you and the kids…"
"I know." I smiled half-heartedly; and gave him a small kiss before glancing over toward the camp. Both Dale and Andrea were staring over at us. Something made me uneasy about it, I didn't say anything though. Instead I decided to go and lay down like I was supposed to.
If it weren't for Shane I would have probably been heading far away from Hershel's farm, and there were several times that I had considered telling him the truth and asking him to come with me. I was really starting to fall for him and the thought of leaving him behind was unbearable, but if there was that chance that he wouldn't want to take off with me, I would have to think of Lily and Isaac not just myself.
Lily and Isaac were asleep when Shane had come into the tent to lie down. I was way too stressed to sleep, thoughts of my brother and Andrea having eyes for Shane made me sick. I was staring at the two young kids who were fast asleep.
"Hey, you still awake?" he whispered.
"Yeah," I replied turning and facing him. He gently lined my lips with his thumb and we just sat there staring at each other.
"So how was training Andrea?" I asked just trying to work up a conversation.
"She's not good at hitting a moving target, but she'll get the hang of it, why?"
I shrugged, "She didn't make any moves on you did she? She's been staring you down…" I began and when I saw a smile stretch up his face I realized how completely worried and idiotic I sounded. "What?" I asked, although I knew.
"You're jealous aren't you?" He teased.
I lightly hit his shoulder with the back of my hand trying to hide a smirk, "No, I'm not."
"That's not what it sounds like to me." He caught my arm and easily pulled me toward him a little ways. Our noses were almost touching.
"I just don't like the thought of another girl all over you." My voice was low and a little more serious.
"You've got nothing to worry about." Shane replied.
I took his word for it. We both leaned in for a kiss and this time it was a longer and deeper kiss, he pulled me on top of him, his hands wandering down the back of my thighs and ass. My heart raced as he gently kissed my neck and shoulder. I wanted more, as anyone would and we probably would've went a little further but Lily shifted and we both stopped and looked over at her.
"Peyton?" Lily whispered. "I have to use the bathroom."
I sighed and kissed Shane one more time before getting up. When I came back Shane was sleeping, I curled up next to him. Holding Lily who was sucking her thumb, a habit she hadn't completely broken yet, I worried that Brent was going to find us and that Shane and everyone were going to find out the hard way that I was keeping a very big secret from them, that could cause a serious and dangerous conflict.
Truth was, my brother had no regards for anyone but himself. I didn't even know why he wanted Isaac and Lily so bad because just two months before the outbreak had happened, he was popping pills and doing drugs with their heroin addicted mother. These kids deserved a better life than what he could provide them with, but he wanted them back out of spite and control.
Soon I would have to make a decision on whether to tell Shane and all of them, but I was going to hang low for a while first hoping that maybe it'd all blow over and I'd be in the clear.