Hope by Sam Crescent Read Free Book Online Page B

heard of any, but I’ll keep an ear to the
ground. If they’re causing trouble, you’ll be the first to know.”
    Damon nodded, and he made his way to the counter. In his
pockets were some of the goods he’d stashed away from his searches of the
rubble.
    “Why do you want to know about the thugs?” Martin asked, looking
through the goods.
    “They were in my apartment block. They’re not from around
here, and they attacked a woman.”
    “Whore or stray?” Martin asked.
    “Does it matter?”
    “To a lot of men, yeah, it does.”
    “Don will hate that.”
    Martin sighed. “Don hasn’t been around lately. A lot of
people are losing their grip with reality. It is getting worse out there. More animalistic.”
    “I know.”
    Damon picked up the last of his goods as Martin took one of
the chains he’d found through his searches.
    “What happened to the woman?” Martin asked.
    “Why?”
    “It gets lonely.”
    “She’s taken.” He snapped the words out, startled by the
sudden urge to claim her as his own. The surge of possession shook him. “I’ve
got to go.”
    “Take care, Damon. Having a woman in your place is dangerous,
especially with the thugs you’ve just told me about. They pose a threat to you.”
    “Thanks for the tip.”
      He walked back to his
apartment block with his bag in one arm and the knife in the other. Damon
climbed the stairs to his door, unlocked it, and went inside.
    He moved towards his room.
    “I’m back, Penny.”
    “Thank God. I hate this place. I feel like I can’t breathe.”
    He understood what she meant. Making the hide hole had been
brilliant. The only problem was his fear of close, confined spaces. Even if he
needed to use it, he never would be able to get into that thing. He’d rather
die fighting than be at the mercy of his fear.
    Banging on the wood, he pulled it out of the way.
    Penny climbed out, shaking her body down and tapping it. “Is
there anything on me?” she asked.
    “You’re clean,” he said, moving back to grab the food. “I
didn’t know what you liked, so I got a good selection of food available.”
    He felt her following behind him. She’d need a good meal
before going out to the club. There was no way anyone would risk eating food in
public. The bag he’d carried the food in was covered, so no one would risk
attacking him.
    “I’m not a picky eater.”
    “Good because I can’t cook for shit.” He picked the plastic
containers out of the bag.
    “Nothing fresh?” she asked.
    “Nope, I left the fresh stuff at Don’s, and I didn’t like
the look of the shit on Martin’s shelf. I’ll pick it up tonight. Speaking of
tonight, you need to wear something a lot less than what you’ve got on.”
    She glanced down her body and then back at him. The sound of
a tummy grumbling made him chuckle. “First, we need to eat.”
    Penny looked through the food. “There is not a lot to cook
with. No meat either.”
    “Meat is as rare as rocking horse shit,” he said.
    She frowned. “I don’t get it.”
    “And I’m not explaining it. Can you cook something with what
I got?” he asked.
    “I can try.”
    “Great. I’m going to look through your clothes.” He pressed
a finger over her lips. “No arguing. You’ll do as you’re told.”
    He grabbed her bag and began pulling clothes out of it. Most
of her outfits were mismatched dressed with a few pairs of jeans thrown into
the mix. He found one long denim skirt that appeared to be well worn and a pink
cotton dress.
    Pulling his knife out of his pocket, he set to work
preparing her an outfit for her to change into at the club.
     
     

Chapter Six
     
    Penny nibbled on her bottom lip as she looked at the food.
None of it looked appetising. She didn’t realise how much food was actually on
offer at the farm. Working from plastics had never been her strong point.
    Opening the plastic containers, she took a quick sniff at
the contents and turned her nose up at the scents. They smelt awful.