Kate softened in his embrace, returning the kiss with fervor until she pulled away and patted his chest.
“You’re stalling. Go help Marcus,” Kate laughed. Nick cut her a playful glare and rolled his eyes.
Kate exited the gym with her lips glued in a giddy smile. The part of her brain that released ugly, skeptical thoughts was on fire. This was all just a game of survival. They were still filling the shoes of their roles, making themselves impenetrable behind the farce of an undeniable love.
The way Nick looked at her, though—it was fiery, explosive and devastating. No one had ever looked at her that way before. Maybe if a man had reflected the sight of her in their eyes with anything other than convenience, or lust, or guttural need, she would have something to compare to Nick’s gaze. But this was uncharted territory, and Kate doubted everything.
Kate entered her and Nick’s small barracks apartment. When she turned to face the beds they had pushed together against the wall, a web of panic crept across her skin. A man sat on the foot of the bed, arms folded and elbows resting on his knees. Waiting. For her.
He stood, towering over Kate, and approached her until he was inches away. Her suspicions were confirmed now that shewas face to face with him. A low, eerie laugh reverberated from his chest.
“Never thought you’d see me again, did you? Don’t you remember me?” He touched Kate’s chin, which was now soaked in tears as she trembled. She tried to train her eyes on the floor. A wave of terror and past traumas hit her, nearly knocking her to her knees. “It’s gotta be fate, right, baby? Us both ending up here.”
“G-get the fuck out, Norman,” Kate stuttered. The man tilted her chin up so that her eyes, runny with tears, could face his cold, hungry ones.
“I agree. I’m much more surprised to see you. Figured you’d have rotted in that cage by now. Glad you didn’t, though. Now, we can have fun any time we want.” The man nestled his bristly chin against the skin of her cheek. Kate’s stomach rolled, somersaulting until acid rose up in her throat.
“He’ll kill you,” Kate choked out. Norman chuckled in disbelief.
“Oh, your little soldier boyfriend? What are you gonna tell him, babe? You gonna tell him how many times I had you cumming, that pretty cunt swallowing me whole? How about all the times I slid into that tight ass?” Norman whispered into her ear, his hot breath and daunting tone sickening Kate until bile bubbled up and spewed onto his shirt.
Norman backed away, revolted by the brown liquid dripping down the front of him.
“Disgusting bitch,” he murmured. Norman grabbed Kate by the shoulders and pushed her away from the door. She stumbled to the floor, slipping in more of her vomit. “This isn’t over. I’ll be visiting again really soon.”
The door slammed shut, and Kate sat against the cold floor tiles, reeking of puke and sobbing.
Once Kate was able to pull herself together, she cleaned up the vomit from the floor, changed her clothes, and left the small barracks room to dispose of the evidence of the incident. She joined others in the public square, glancing at Nick nearby as he unloaded ammo boxes and crates of weapons. Kate perused the stands of goods, chatted with other residents of the fort, and ate a small meal. Physically, she was blending in. Mentally, Kate was planning.
Chapter 13
Kate spent the next few days watching Norman. Sitting beside Nick during meals, she traced Norman’s movements and noted his schedule, his habits. Sometimes Norman would meet her gaze, offering her a slimy smirk. Kate simply returned her own without letting his words of their past connection penetrate her thoughts.
When Nick left to go train at the gym, Kate followed Norman as close as she could get without arousing his attention. At first, she neared the end of the square when he left. Then, she trailed him to the barracks he was occupying. The only thing left was to narrow down which room he stayed in.
One day, while Nick was assisting Marcus with yet another task, Kate finished a meal in the square. She watched Norman enter one of the administration buildings, probably to speak with Yara about a looting expedition. Yara led the journeys outside the fort. Norman’s job was to deliver instructions to the looting parties, then join them on their missions.
With Norman preoccupied, Kate walked to his barracks and entered through the doors. She walked slowly down the hallway,listening for anyone else inside. Met with silence, she continued down the hall until a rustling sound directed her head to the right side of the building. Perhaps it was the sound of fabric, someone folding clothes or gathering laundry.
Kate rapped her knuckles against the door and waited, anxiety fluttering in her chest. A moment passed before the door opened, and an older woman peeked through the door.
“Hello, can I help you?” the woman asked.
“Hi, I’m so sorry to bother you. I was looking for Norman. I had some information about a good looting place. I just wanted to pass it along to him,” Kate explained in her most saccharine tone, followed by a gentle smile.
“Oh, of course. He’s the last door on the left at the end of the hall, though I don’t believe he is in at the moment. Try Yara’s office?” The woman returned her own smile, wrinkles curling out from the corners of her eyes.
“Yara’s office. Of course! I’ll try that. Thank you. Have a good day!” Kate cast a glance at the last door on the left, then turned and left the barracks.
I’m coming for you, Norman, you piece of shit.
Kate walked the path to the administration buildings and caught the door as a Marine in full uniform exited. The main lobby was quiet and tidy. A single lamp cast a golden glow across the floor; Kate kept to the shadows as she walked the edges of the room. As she approached the back of the building, low voices drifted from a back office. Kate leaned her head toward the closed door in an attempt to hear.
“Norman, the woman was terrified. You want me to believe this is a jilted lover situation? Anger or sadness, I would understand. But all I saw was fear in her eyes.” Yara’s voice came through low. Kate pressed her ear against the cool wood determined not to miss a word.
“She’s a psycho. She’s playing you! She knows you’ll be on her side if you think she's afraid. I’ve seen it play out a hundred times. Because I’m a guy, I’m automatically the aggressor! Don’t fall for her shit,” Norman argued.
Kate rolled her eyes. If she had not experienced firsthand the abuse this man could inflict, she would give him the benefit of the doubt. Except he was a predator and a rapist. Meanwhile, there were men like Nick—always striving to do the right thing, yet still feeling like villains. Despite the beatdowns from his father and the guilt of losing his best friend, he held fast to the core of who he was: loyal, protective, and driven to help, even when it hurt..
