Chapter Seven:

Later that evening Sam was reading in her room, after showering she had grabbed some food quickly from the canteen area before heading back to her room. Although Dwight had encouraged her to interact and mingle she couldn't bring herself to, her run in with Amber and hearing about Dwight's story hadn't left her in the mood to make friends or conversation.

Sam had been lucky enough to get one of the better rooms in the Sanctuary, it had a double bed and a single armchair as well a bookcase filled with a number of books Sam had enjoyed reading previously and never thought she'd get chance to again. She'd picked up one of her favourites and positioned herself on the armchair so she could get herself lost in a world different to the one she was currently in. Just as she had settled into it and had managed a few uninterrupted chapters there was a knock on her door, marking her page and putting it to one side she got up and made her way to the door. Her long chocolate brown hair was still wet and had started to naturally curl into waves and she had slipped on the tank top she wore to bed and a pair of thigh skimming shorts, it was an exceptionally hot time of year. Opening the door, she saw Negan standing before her, even he had bended to the weather and was without his trademark leather jacket, everything else however was still the same. Sam said nothing when she looked at him, what she really wanted to do was slam the door in his face but she knew that wouldn't get her very far, no matter how satisfying it may be. Ultimately she didn't know what to feel, this was the first time she had seen him since Amber had appeared to her and since her conversation with Dwight which didn't show him in the best light.

She could feel Negan looking her up and down taking in her appearance. She didn't waver.

"Hot damn doll-face, now that's a warm welcome."

Sam didn't say anything, instead she continued to look at him, waiting for him to explain the reason for his late-night visit.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?"

Sam shook her head.

"Not really, I was about to go to bed…it's been an interesting day and I'm not in the mood for whatever this is going to be about."

She could see the expression on his face change, for a moment she could swear he looked uncomfortable, a few moments passed before he spoke.

"About that…"

Sam smiled sweetly, a smile that was filled with contempt and Negan knew it.

"You don't need to explain anything to me, I am only here because I have to be and whatever you do isn't any of my business, just like whatever I do isn't any of yours…but what I will say is that in future I won't be attending to Malibu Barbie or anyone else in your sick little harem unless they're practically dying."

Sam went to close the door, but Negan slammed his hand against it stopping her. She looked at his eyes and they were fierce.

"Now that Samantha…was rude, I came here to fucking apologise for Amber's severe lack of judgement but if you carry on this way I might have to go and pay a visit to that beloved brother of yours."

Sam was seething, she couldn't believe that he would use her brother against her in that way. Her eyes didn't move from his, she let go of the door shaking her head.

"Fuck you."

He didn't say anything as he made his way into her room, closing the door behind him. Sam stood on the other side of her room, arms folded across her heaving chest. Negan rested Lucille to one side of the door, as he started to make his way towards her Sam spoke.

"Don't you dare come near me, stay where you are. Whatever you need to say to me you can say it from there."

Negan raised his hands in mock surrender, his eyes were still dark – Sam was sure that there was some sick and twisted part of him that found this whole interaction attractive.

"Amber had no right to come to you and ask you to do what she fucking did…I've reprimanded her for it, that's not what you're here for."

Not saying anything, Sam waited impatiently for him to continue, which he did the whole time his eyes studying her.

"Also, a little birdie has told me that you've been getting cosy with D, not sure how I feel about that fucking pairing if I'm honest."

Sam scoffed.

"It's none of your god-damned business who I speak with…I'm not one of your wives and I never will be."

Negan smiled, he was enjoying this, he took one step forward and then another, Sam wanted to tell him to stop but she couldn't find the words.

"Never say never doll-face, I'm sure there are ways you can be persuaded."

Before Sam could muster the composure to tell him to stop moving Negan was right in front of her, inches away. Sam didn't look up, her eyes stared straight ahead which meant she was able to get a good look at his form underneath his white t-shirt. For the first time since he'd entered the room, the longing for his touch surfaced and she cursed it.

"I won't…it's not going to happen."

She felt his un-gloved hand touch the underside of her chin, the sensation of his skin touching hers sent shivers through her entire body, she craved more and she cursed herself again. Slowly he tilted her face towards his inches separating them. Sam lifted her eyes to his, she remembered the last time they were this close and the passion that followed without realising her eyes were searching his.

"Are you sure about that?"

Moments after he spoke, Negan closed the gap between them capturing her lips with his. Kissing him was wrong, responding to his touch was wrong but Sam couldn't help it, her whole body wanted him no matter how many times her mind told her not to. Instinctively she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling the kiss deeper. Until she regained her composure and pushed him away forcefully. Breathless she stared at him, her cheeks flushed and her chest heaving.

"Why did you do that, stop doing that."

Sam gestured between them.

"It's not fair, I'm so confused I should hate you and I do but…this…"

She looked away from him and Negan didn't say anything more, rather he took a step back from her, allowing some space between them. She could feel the tears start to fill her eyes, looking back at him she thought for a moment she could see confusion too.

"You have all those women fawning over you, you could have any one of them, so why do you keep tormenting me? Am I some sort of conquest? A one up on Rick? To torment Jason?"

Sam could feel the tears start to fall from her eyes and stain her cheeks, Negan raised a hand to her face and wiped them away.

"I can't explain it either, but I promise you this much it has nothing to do with you being a conquest or a one up on Rick…I'm drawn to you."

Shaking her head Sam didn't want to hear it anymore.

"You don't know me…like I don't know you, but one thing that I do know is that you're the bad guy in my story, the reason I'm here is because you threatened to kill my brother just like you did just now. You have a harem of wives you could do this with but you keep coming to me…I won't become one of them so this, whatever it is or was can't happen, it needs to stop."

Negan didn't say anything, it was obvious was that there was a connection, and most certainly an attraction between them that had been there since the first met in Alexandria, but Sam had just spilled out all of her feelings to him, but she was still conflicted.

Dropping his hand away from her cheek, Negan made his way towards the door, picking up Lucille he turned to face Sam once more, her cheeks shining with the trails of her tears.

"This isn't over Samantha, I can promise you that."

Sam said nothing, and unable to look away they shared one last longing look before Negan left the room, closing the door behind him. Falling to the floor she felt empty, she wanted him and she couldn't deny it anymore but she wasn't going to have him. She needed to think of her brother and the others, she needed to remember that he was the big bad in her story and he had multiple women on the go at once. The world had changed but she wasn't going to sacrifice her self-worth for any man, and that included the man her heart was aching for.

TBC