"Don't come in any further." Derek stopped Matt from walking past the foyer.

Matt was covered in blood, and the blood was barely old enough to be dry. He looked like he'd escaped a war zone.

Matt glanced at Thomas. "Is she here?"

"Matt, I'm okay." I walked into view.

"Oh my God, Casey. You're alive." Matt released a sob as he reached for me.

Both Derek and Thomas moved in front of Matt, blocking me from his view.

"Dude, no touching! Have you seen yourself?" Derek's bark sounded like he was about to kill Matt. "Better yet, you've seen she's alive. Now, get out!"

"Derek," I didn't want to step on his toes, but I couldn't just send Matt out there to die. I'd already done that once, and I couldn't do it again.

Thomas glanced at me before he jutted his chin toward Matt. "Say what you got to say, Sweetheart. I'm sorry to tell you this, but he has to go."

What did that mean? Matt was a cheating jerkface, but he didn't deserve to die for it.

"No. He doesn't have to go." I said. "I can't send him back out there to die."

"He could be sick, Case," Suzie whispered loudly as Mindy cooed.

Shit. I hadn't thought of that.

Matt's hands shot up. "I'm not sick. I promise. I came here because I had nowhere else to go. The dead are everywhere. I almost died getting here. Please don't make me go back out there."

"Look here, piss licker, you may not be sick right this second, but you have blood all over you, and your hands are soaked in it. Leave and get cleaned up. Come back tomorrow and show us you're not sick." Thomas's smoky eyes were full of rage.

I understood. In the days I'd been sick, they had been through a lot and I wasn't about to put us in danger because Matt wanted to come inside. There had to be another option.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Matt was suddenly pissed. "You have no idea what I did to get here."

Even though I felt sorry for Matt, I wanted to tell him that arguing with Thomas was a bad idea. They were the same height, but I had a strange suspicion Thomas could knock a guy out with one punch. Derek probably could too.

"Is Mrs. Walker still alive next door?" I glanced at Suzie, hoping she would know. They'd been looting, and I could only assume next door was their first stop.

Suzie shrugged. "I don't know, but the guys said no one was there, living or dead."

"Go next door, Matt." I jutted my thumb toward Mrs. Walker's house.

"What? You're choosing them over me?" Matt's eyebrows shot up. Why was he so surprised about this? He really had no clue, did he?

"I'm not choosing anybody. This is for the safety of my family. I nearly died, Matt! My parents are dead! Just go next door for one night and come back tomorrow. Clean yourself up. Eat something. I don't know what else to say." I threw my hands in the air.

Matt's eyes widened, as his face paled. "I heard about your parents. My mom is dead too."

"I'm sorry. Nancy was special to me." My lips pressed together.

"And I'm not?" Matt sounded like a little kid throwing a temper tantrum.

"My patience is running thin with this little dipshit, Case." Derek's hands balled into fists, and a vein throbbed on the side of his neck. Derek was seriously about to lose it.

Thomas jogged into the kitchen, hollering over his shoulder. "I'll get him what he needs, so he can leave."

While we waited the tension escalated as Matt glared back at Derek. "You think she wants you, don't you? Everyone at school thought the same thing, but she only ever wanted me."

"Matt, no." I shook my head. What the hell was he doing?

Matt didn't listen as he pointed a finger at Derek. "Yeah, I remember you, Stanley. It took me a while since things have been so crazy, but I know you. I was on Junior Varsity. Remember that? Now, who's boss bitch? I'm the fucking captain of Varsity now."

"What's he talking about?" I glanced at Derek, but his glare only seemed to grow more vicious.

"He didn't tell you? That doesn't surprise me. We know this asshole, Casey." Matt sent me a knowing grin. "He was the guy who—"

"Alright, piss licker, here's your box of doggie treats. Now get the hell out before we both kick your ass." Thomas shoved a box of supplies into Matt's chest.

I wanted to ask more questions, but the violent energy in the room was suffocating.

Matt smirked at Derek. "I've got your number now, motherfucker. You ain't gonna be living here all high and mighty for long. Not once she hears the truth about you."

Derek shot forward and gripped Matt by the back of his shirt. Thomas ripped the door open, and Derek hauled Matt outside.

Matt just laughed as he walked backward. "I'll be back in the morning, Casey. We'll talk then."

Thomas slammed the door and locked the deadbolt. Everyone let out a breath of relief except me.

I couldn't take my eyes off Derek.

Who was he? Did I know him? If I did why couldn't I remember him?

Derek stalked to the kitchen, and I followed. He fiercely scrubbed his hands. I knew he could feel my eyes on him, but he didn't look at me. I leaned against the counter and waited.

"We should try to decide what to make for dinner. I'm starving." Grant suggested.

"That's a great idea." I agreed. "Why don't you and Suzie decide? I need to talk to Derek."

Derek's back muscles tightened when I said his name. "I don't want to talk, Casey. I'm too angry. I need an hour. Maybe we can talk after the neighborhood meeting."

I watched him closely. When I was angry, I apparently said things I didn't mean, and he could be avoiding me for the same reason. I could either press the topic, or I could wait, but it's not like we were going anywhere.

"Okay," I nodded.

Derek's head jerked toward me with a look of wonder and confusion. "Just like that? You're not going to hound me until I tell you?"

Of course, the curiosity would eat me alive, but damn I'd been a bitch from hell earlier. So I was willing to let this go. For now.

I shrugged and kicked at the linoleum. "Yeah, I want to know, but if you want to talk about it later, then that's fine."

Derek let out a small laugh as he dried his hands.

"What?" I smiled at his sudden change in mood.

Derek's eyes found mine and my heart sped up. "You're just so..."

"Beautiful." Thomas wrapped a strong arm around my shoulders.

A heavy door opened.

The garage door.

My hackles instantly spiked.

Jim barreled into the kitchen and perused everyone's face with a sneer. His drunken eyes honed in on Suzie. "Where's my food?"

Suzie jerked at Jim's angry tone. Mindy must've picked up on the devil in the room because she started crying.

Grant jumped into action, grabbing cans from the pantry. "We're making chili. It'll be ready in an hour."

"An hour?" Jim bellowed.

Thomas's hold on my shoulders tightened. "We just got back. Give us a few minutes, Mr. S. We'll have you taken care of in no time."

Jim's glare left Suzie, skimmed over Thomas and me, and landed on Derek. Jim moved closer to Derek as his face twisted in disgust. "What the hell did I teach you, boy?"

"Dad, we'll get it—"

Jim didn't wait for Derek to finish before he buried his fist into Derek's stomach. Derek let out a harsh bark and bent over in pain.

Thomas was between them in the blink of an eye.

"What the hell's the matter with you?" I yelled at Jim as I knelt to help Derek.

Derek held his stomach with one hand and grabbed my arm with the other. He maneuvered me to stand behind him. "I'll be okay."

I glanced toward Suzie, but both she and Grant had disappeared with Mindy. Thank God.

"I said I was hungry hours ago," Jim slurred.

"Okay, Jim. I'll bring you food in five minutes." Thomas held up his hand to placate the drunk monster.

"See. Not that hard, is it? You might be good for nothing, but at least your friend has some sense," Spit flew off Jim's lips as he pointed at me, "But I'm getting sick of your girlfriend's loud mouth."

Derek slid his hand to my waist and backed us into the counter. Derek's back was flush against my chest and stomach. His thick muscles were taut. Derek could easily take Jim. I couldn't understand why he wasn't standing up for himself. I grabbed onto Derek's waist, and his hand found mine.

I knew Derek and Thomas would never let Jim touch me, but I didn't want to be left alone with him. They were going to the meeting tonight. It was impossible to tell how far Jim would go. He was a big man, and I had to assume the worst. Preparation would be important. I would need a weapon.

"Go relax. Let me whip something up for you, Mr. S." Thomas smiled at Jim. I could see it was fake by the rigidity in his chin and jaw, but Jim couldn't tell the difference.

Jim slapped a hand on Thomas's shoulder. "You're a good boy, Thomas. Too bad your momma ran out on you. You used to be a little shit, but you grew up real good, didn't you?"

What the hell? This man was a dirtbag. Derek's hand tightened over mine, reminding me not to speak. Jim was one lucky son of a bitch to have Derek because I never wanted to harm someone like I did at this very moment.

"Thanks, Mr. S." Thomas laughed and ushered Jim out of the kitchen. 

Derek abruptly spun around, pinning me to the counter. His legs straddled mine as his hands cupped my cheeks. Releasing a shaky breath, he searched my face. "My dad won't touch you. I swear to God, I'll fucking kill him if he does."

"What about the meeting later?" I stared at his lips before I met his smoldering blue gaze.

Derek didn't answer as his face moved closer to mine, his eyes flicked down to my lips. Derek licked his bottom lip as his warm breath danced over my lips.

"Whoa, what the hell is going on in here boys and girls? We have snack-a-roos to be working on, don't we?" Thomas announced as he walked back in the kitchen.

Derek's eyelids fell as his hands dropped from my face to my waist. He took a deep breath before opening his eyes. "We can't go to the meeting, Dude. I'm not leaving them alone with him, and I don't want you to go alone. We don't know what those people have planned."

Thomas opened a can of Spaghettios and poured them into a bowl. "I was thinking that too. Probably a just ploy, anyway. You know, to see what we have and who we got living here. We should just sit tight and fight the dead off as they come along. Hasn't gotten bad yet, but it's gonna get real bad when they want some more grub."

Derek grabbed my hand and laced his fingers through mine. The gesture was so easy and natural. "Thanks for taking care of my dad. I'm sorry about him."

"No problem, man," Thomas said before he sent Derek a death stare. "But between you and me, if he touches her, I'm gonna kill him."

Derek nodded. "Agreed."

Thomas plunked a spoon in the bowl and walked past us, leaving us alone.

"I'm ready to talk now." Derek squeezed my hand and led me down the hallway toward my room.

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