Well, you remember now, naughty girl.
Satisfaction radiated through my middle as I searched for clothes. Mine had disappeared and I hadn't had a chance to bring any up with me when we'd started last night. I found a shirt and pulled that on, grimacing when my breasts pressed against Runner's shirt. He may be tall and muscular but the man was lean, and my breasts? Not at all small.
"It'll do," I muttered, wandering towards the kitchen and the delicious smells wafting my way.
Runner's apartment was surprisingly large. A decent sitting room, a separate bedroom with full sized wardrobe and sitting area, a large bathroom (though no tub), and a kitchen. I had a feeling this apartment hadn't always been like this. The floors were newish and the kitchen looked like it had been upgraded in the last few years.
"Hey," Runner called from the stove. "You like bacon?"
I froze, blinking at him. "Bacon?"
"Yeah, you want some?"
"Fuck yes," I replied, hurrying to the bar stools, and sliding onto one. "How the hell do you have bacon?"
"Wild pigs," he plated a bunch of food, handing it over. "Pigs, not hogs. They're everywhere around here. We figure there must have been a piggery that they escaped from at some point. Breeding like fiends too."
"Did you check them for worms?" I asked, wrinkling my nose at the plate.
"Babe, we got hunters galore. They know what's good meat and what ain't."
I examined my meat for a moment but the delicious smell and mouth-watering memory of bacon finally won me over and I forked a piece, groaning as it hit my tongue.
"This," I said to Runner, my eyes closed. "Is ecstasy."
"Baby, you said that last night while I was balls deep. Make up your mind."
I sniggered, bumping him with my shoulder then forking another piece. He'd paired it with eggs and toast, strong coffee, and some watered-down juice concentrate.
"That was a regular feast," I said pushing my plate away at the end of the meal and resting one hand on my very full belly. "Thank you."
He lifted our plates, carrying them to the sink and dropping them in. "Gotta feed you after last night." He tossed me a grin, "you earned it after that last round."
I blushed at the memory, knowing even the roots of my hair had to be red.
In the last round he'd made me cum so hard I'd squirted – a feat never before achieved. I'd passed out soon after, my body completely wrecked by his hunger.
"You want a shower?"
I grimaced, pulling at his shirt. "Yeah, I smell like sex."
He came back around, turning me in my seat until he could step between my thighs, his hands settling on my waist.
"I happen to like the way you smell," he whispered, his gaze shockingly hungry. “And the sight of you in my shirt."
I had no reply. My poor abused pussy clenched, my body wanting him again.
Down, girl.
"But your girls are gonna need proof of life, and God knows what shit that woman pulled last night." He pressed closer to me, one hand sliding down to hover above my abdomen. I wanted to arch into him, let him touch me again. Instead, I remained absolutely still, knowing if I moved, he'd not hesitate to punish me.
A satisfied smirk tugged at his lips. "Good girl, you're learning."
I hated that his praise warmed me and made me wet. The feminist in me raged against it.
But the carnal, sensual, primitive me preened. I craved his approval and was willing to do more, a fuck load more, to achieve it.
He dropped his hand, one finger grazing through my obvious arousal. We both groaned and he chuckled.
"Naughty, naughty girl." He pulled his hand away, raising his finger to his lips and licking it clean. "Go clean up, I'll get your shit."
It was only then that I realized he had already showered. His clothes were new, and his body smelt of deodorant and soap.
"Right," I muttered, hopping down from the stool, and making a bee line for the shower. It was the first time since entering that I wondered about my own appearance.
Nine months without a hairdresser or waxing salon was one thing. But I'd spent nearly twenty-four hours the previous day travelling then packing then on the back of a motorcycle. I can't have been daisy fresh when he took me.
"Ellie," Runner called from the doorway just as I stepped into the bathroom. I stuck my head back out, raising an eyebrow in question.
"Don’t you think for one goddamned second I don't want to fuck you raw and keep you locked in this bedroom for the next three weeks. As much as I wanna do that, you're an asset. You got skills that the club needs. They've given me this morning. They're not gonna let me take the rest of the day without payment. You feel me?"
I started to nod then shook my head.
"All you need to know, Baby Girl, is that we all pull our weight around here but some are more valuable than others. It's my job as Treasurer to weigh it all up and work out an equitable outcome. And you, darlin'?" His eyes flashed. "You're worth more than all of us combined."
With that he walked out of the room, the door clicking shut and automatically locking behind him.
I stared at the door for long moments, replaying his words.
Warmth stole over me, burrowing deep into the places I'd locked away since the before. The golden glow of his praise rushing over them, filling all the holes, and repairing parts of me I hadn't even realized were broken.
You're worth more than all of us combined.
Well, damn.
Chapter Nine
Ellie
Runner had returned with a bunch of guys, and yelled at me to stay in the bathroom while they settled my things in his rooms.
I didn't want to question it, but I assumed this meant that I was staying with him. I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that just yet.
On one hand, orgasms. On the other, the guy was practically a stranger.
A deliciously attractive stranger who smelt nice, cooked me breakfast and had a cock the size of—
"Ellie," Runner interrupted my thoughts. "You paying attention?"
We were standing in an empty warehouse at the back of the compound's property. There were five side-by-side, each in decent but not perfect repair.
"Yes," I lied, then immediately flushed when I caught his raised eyebrow.
He leaned in, whispering in my ear, "that's one."
I shivered my body clenching in response to his warning. I caught Ava watching me, meeting her questioning gaze briefly before immediately looking away, pretending to examine the shelving units in the giant warehouse.
Turns out the old compound had once housed over five thousand soldiers, and was about fifty times bigger than I'd anticipated. After the Vietnam War, it had become excess property, eventually being offered for sale in the mid-nineties. The club had purchased it for dirt cheap after a developer had been informed that the surrounding national park rendered the property undevelopable.
They'd done a good job of keeping the buildings, various shed's, and whatnot in good repair. But it was a lot of property to maintain and they'd lost members to the virus.
Runner and a group of men he'd failed to introduce were showing us around the property, giving us the grand tour and discussing where we should set up our various workshops.
Jo had stayed behind, having already found the mechanic's workshop. We'd left her in a deep discussion with a guy called Bull about something to do with engine performance.
The club had done a good job shoring up fencing and initiating patrols in the after. They had a giant property, but the back half was taken up by the edge of a lake, cutting the area they needed to patrol.
I knew Ava was already speaking to them about rotating us on to guard duty. I didn't look forward to it, it had definitely been one of my least favourite tasks.
"None of these will work for me," Blair said, running a hand over a dusty workbench. "They're not sterile enough. If you want me to operate an actual medical lab, then I need airtight housing."
"We got Butcher," one of the guys muttered kicking a shelving unit. "You could settle in with him."
Blair frowned, "You have a butcher?"
"Not a butcher, we got Butcher. He's our current doc. Got a set-up back at the compound. You'd have to check but he might have room for you."
Blair blew out a frustrated breath. "And you didn't tell me this before because…?"
The kid shrugged, not offering her an answer.
Blair shot me a look that asked for me to step in, and I once again questioned the sanity of last night's actions.
The longer today went on, the more it seemed that I'd become an unofficial bridge between the club and the women – a position I had no wish to adopt.
"You said you had a farm here?" Beth asked. "Can we see that?"
Her animals had been penned up near the outbuildings last night, but we'd need a more permanent home for them shortly.
"Babe, follow me and you can see anything you like."
Immediately eight pairs of eyes shot laser beams at Pope, all of us well aware of Beth's inexperience with the opposite sex. To say we were protective was an understatement.
"I'll come with you," Audrey announced, her gaze locked on Pope. "You'll need me."
"For?" Pope asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Don't know yet. But I know you'll need me. Everyone does, eventually," Audrey replied, pushing her glasses up her nose. "Lead on, if you please."
Pope considered her for a moment and I had to hide a smile. He looked at her as if she were a fascinating bug and he a man unsure if she would bite.
"Follow me," he finally said, turning and leading Beth and Audrey outside.
"Will this work?" Runner asked me, nodding at the cavernous space.
"For the biofuel, yeah. We'll need to tidy it up, but with this much space I might be able to increase production – if we can get the right resources."
"Whatcha need?"
"Well, it depends on what you can get me. Corn would be great. Orange peels or tobacco, at a pinch but it would take longer for me to reproduce the correct enzyme and then engineer. If you can get your hands on soy beans or vegetable oil then I might be able to generate some biodiesel, but that depends on other factors like—"
"Just write down what you need, the quantities you need it and we'll get it for you."
I blinked. "You'll get it for me?"
"Yeah," Runner glanced at his watch, "that's what we do."
"Runner," I chuckled nervously. "I think you underestimate what we need. I had to order corn for months. A bushel of corn only produces about ten and a half litres, which means—"
"Babe, make the list, we'll get what you need."
I chewed my lip. "Just… just don't blame me if this doesn't work, okay?"
He wrapped an arm around my neck, pulling me into him. "You worried it won't work?"
"I'm worried about getting the bits to make it work. If I have everything then we'll be fine."
"Then you'll have everything," he said, as if it were simple.
"But—"
"Stop," he ordered. "Baby Girl, I'm telling you, we got this. Trust me."
I relaxed into him, letting him take over once again. Enjoying the freedom that came from him being in charge.
I could get used to this.
It was an intoxicating thought, allowing Runner to own me. To be the person who had complete control.
It wasn't that I wanted to be a damsel in distress, nah, I was too practical for that. It was the temptation to allow someone else to be the worrier and the warrior in the relationship that called to me. There was a freedom, a release that came with him being in charge.
And God help me, it was fast becoming an addiction.
He squeezed my ass then stepped back, capturing my hand, and pulling me after him.
"Got a surprise for you," he told me. We walked through the long warehouse to the rear, leaving our party behind. Runner opened a door, helping me step out and avoid the rusted edges.
"What am I – Oh." I gasped, staring in shock.
"Yeah," he grinned. "Told you."
There were three large grain silos nestled in behind the warehouses. They'd been blocked from view by the buildings. Beside them sat a small shed, some good quality farm equipment, including a harvester and two tractors, parked inside. But it was what lay behind the buildings that really got my attention.
"Corn," I whispered, reaching up a hand to shield my eyes. "You guys grow corn."
Rows and rows of the baby plants lined a paddock, stretching out for at least a mile. The angle of the building had hidden the cleared field from view, the bush providing additional cover around us.
"Runner," I looked up at him, feeling the first bloom of hope uncurl. "This is gonna work."
"You sure?" He asked with a smile. "A second ago, you said—"
I slapped him on his stomach, a laugh erupting quickly from him. He grabbed me around the waist, lifting me and spinning me around. After a moment, he let me slide down his body, pressing me into him. He dropped his forehead to mine, our breath mingling.
"You're gonna change our fortunes, Baby Girl. I can feel it."
I gulped. "I hope so."
"Baby, you know it. Own that shit." He gently tapped the side of my head. "You got a brain in there, it's gonna serve you well."
I nodded, our heads bopping together with my movement.
"Now, gotta get you back, gotta get that list, then we're gonna eat, and then fuck. Complaints?"
I shook my head, desire pooling low at his words.
"Good girl." With that muttered praise, he kissed me, his body warm, hard, and big, his lips demanding and hungry.
And I rejoiced in him.
Chapter Ten
Runner
We never made it to the bedroom. First distraction was lunch. The mess hall was normally a mismatch of people trailing through at odd hours. Not today. Today the joint was packed with people, all of them exclaiming over the new chef’s offerings.
"What the fuck?" I asked, inhaling the delicious aroma of a decent meal. "Who's cooking today?"
"That'd be Yana," Ellie laughed beside me. "The woman can turn scraps into a gourmet meal."
"You had a chef? They did that at your fancy College?"
"She's Aella's sister."
"Who?"
"Our nurse. She was studying, Yana came to live with us."
I scratched my chest. "You not only got a group of women together, but you actively recruited from outside the College?"
"Well, yeah." Ellie picked up two trays, handing one to me then followed the line of hungry bikers down to the serving station.
"Our success scenarios relied on us getting the right mix of people. And fact is, no one expects much of women. I mean, look at Jo, Ruby and Beth. They're three of the most incredible women, but their brothers are the ones who get to work the farm, their family didn't even want them to go to university or get a trade. They were all told to find a man and pop out kids. But they're so much more than their uterus."
"So, they're all related?"
"Mm, sisters."
"Why didn't they go be with their people?"
Ellie sighed, reaching for a pair of tongs placing fresh bread rolls on our plates.
"When the world started going dark, Beth and Ruby were told not to bother coming home. The family lives together on a big old ranch. There are thirteen kids, ten boys, three girls. Jo was the only girl who still lived in town, though she had her own apartment at her mechanic's workshop. The boys all lived with their wives and families in separate houses on the farm. Religious folk, but also gun toting. They didn't have time for three unwed girls. Told Jo that unless she wanted to shack up with one of the farm hands then she wasn't welcome either."
I thought of the spitfire woman with the gruff demeanour and shook my head. Couldn't imagine she'd taken to that direction well.
We passed through the line; heaping food on our plates then found a table in the main are
a. A few men surrounding us, sending curious glances Ellie's way.
They knew by now I'd claimed her, didn't stop them from being curious about her though and I couldn't fault them for that. She was beautiful, sure. But she was also new, an extreme rarity since the before. Unless a brother nomad was passing through, strangers were few and far between.
Pope slapped down a tray, dropping beside me with a heavy sigh. Audrey and Beth followed, immediately settling on his other side.
He tossed a look my way. "This one," he hooked a finger at Audrey. "Is fucking crazy."
She rolled her eyes, picking up her fork. "You only say that because you don't understand higher thinking."
"Baby, I don’t need to understand your intellectual jargon to figure out that you're fucking crazy."
Ellie opened her mouth ready to ask but I held up a hand, stopping her.
"Ignore him," I directed, well versed in Pope and his idiosyncrasies. "He's an idiot."
"Hey!" Pope protested but I ignored him, turning instead to Ellie with a question.
"So, you got the three sisters, and the chef and the nurse, anyone else related?"
Ellie nodded, swallowing a bite of her meal. "Blair, our doctor, is my sister. And there's Ava and Lottie. That's it."
I savoured the delicious chili; their chef had managed to produce the best goddamned meal I'd tasted in over nine months.
"What about your family?" Pope asked, shamelessly ears dropping. I sent him a warning glare but he ignored me.
"When Perth went dark, and then Brisbane, we realized this was getting serious, we reached out to our families. But most of us are from out of state, and things were changing so rapidly. States going into total lock down, friends and family being diagnosed, then cities going dark, we realized pretty quick we were safer where we were. Most of us managed to say goodbye before the blackouts." Ellie swallowed, looking away. "We told them where we were and our plans to stay put. They've had nine months to find us. But no one came."
I digested that information.
"Babe, have you heard any information about Western Australia?" I asked carefully. The bikers around me, sitting up, suddenly alert.
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