𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 ▷ 𝑵𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒏

• Southern Courtship ; 20 •

(18+) THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS HEAVY SEXUAL SITUATIONS

"What? Are you fucking serious right now?" I said, enraged by the limited terms he was setting for me without so much as a small consideration of my feelings on the matter.

You can't go back.

The words raced through my head like a beating drum that wouldn't stop.

"Stop, Stop, Stop!" I wanted to scream. I felt so helplessly alone in my cry for help, and even the man I loved couldn't save me.

"I'm sorry, but you're my weakness. Believe it or not, I'm doing this to protect you," He muttered, stepping closer to me, which only forced me to back away from him. I knew he was only trying to comfort me, but I was too bewildered and angry to allow him to touch me. This felt worse than death. Knowing that my family and friends would have to suffer losing me - thinking that I was dead; that Negan had pulled the trigger.

The worst part though, was the fact that I had to stay here and sit like a good girl while everyone else went on living their lives - without me. Eventually, I would fade from their damaged minds as new battles arose. Soon enough I would just be a distant memory.

"Greatest weakness?" I scoffed at him, tears welling in my eyes once again. "I'm just your excuse! You son of a bitch. I make you look more intimidating. I make it easier for you to assume control over those poor people, and you'd be a fool if you honestly thought I'd believe any of that 'for your own protection' bullshit!" I dished out at him, shoving him away from me.

"Screw you, Negan!" I yelled, waiting for him to put his hands on me; to hurt me more than he already had, but he did something more surprising than I could've ever imagined.

He dropped to both of his knees in front of me.

"Deliana, please," His deep voice cracked as he begged me from below, his eyes reflecting my own brewing sea of emotions.  He lifted each of his hands towards me, beaconing me to listen.

"Please, I need you to trust me. If they know you're my only weakness, then you'll have a target on your forehead every single day you're in my proximity. If anything happened to you..." He stopped, dropping his gaze as well as his outstretched arms. He was crying. 

"If something happened to you because of me, I wouldn't be able to hold back," He took a deep breath. "I could never forgive myself."

I stepped closer, ignoring all the warning signs going off in my mind telling me to stay away. He needed me right now and I refused to not be there when he did.

I lifted his head, still towering above as I forced him to look me in the eyes. Tears streamed down each of his cheeks, and it instantly made my eyes water and my heart pound against my chest.

Seeing him so distraught was something I had never experienced before, and suddenly I was the same vulnerable empathetic girl I had been before the world died off.

"I don't know when I'll be back, but I swear to you, I'm coming back for you baby," He groaned, just as I kneeled down in front of him, taking his face into my small hands. The two of us sat there on the floor, both crying, and yet staring into each others pained eyes.

I wasn't sure what overcame me, but I couldn't resist the urge as my lips found his - placing small pecks against them, one after another.