Lovers Not Without Sin | Dutch van der Linde x OC

Chapter 16

Being disorientated is the norm for Ada when she wakes up after finally sleeping, but it's never as acute as it is right now. The morning sun about to break over the horizon reminds her of when she was last awake; she hasn't slept an entire night for as long as she can remember. Considering she's lay on a bedroll on the hard ground, she's quite comfortable even if she doesn't remember getting here. She thinks back to what she did after moving the hay bales but it's lost on her, she's sure she'd remember coming over here...

Yawning as she sits up and rubs her eyes, her gaze wanders around the camp. Only a few earlier risers are awake, one of which is Dutch as he drinks coffee and reads in front of his tent. He looks up and his eyes meet hers instantly and he nods his head to beckon her over. Surely, he doesn't plan on putting her to work so early on in the day. She scowls, pushing herself to stand and reluctantly strolls over while kneading her fingertips into the new ache residing in her lower back. "What?" she says shortly.

"Good morning to you too, miss," he takes a sip from his coffee, likely not as rich as his warm morning voice.

"Easy for you to say. I'm not staying here if you're going to make me do that every day, whatever you want from me right now will have to wait -"

"I'm not asking you to do any chores right now," he interrupts, countering her tone with his soft one.

She nods hesitantly. "Then what do you want?"

"Did you sleep well?"

She shrugs her shoulders in disbelief. "I suppose so, physical exhaustion would do that to you. Some asshole decided to get his kicks out of watching me over-exert myself."

That smirk appears again on his face. "It wasn't just for kicks."

"Then what?"

"It made you sleep," another sip from his coffee.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You didn't sleep again the night before," he turns the mug round in his hand, "you're no use to anyone if you're tired, you could put yourself in danger."

Ada scoffs at his belittling tone. "That's not your concern. That's also not the way to go about it, and how did you know I didn't sleep?"

"You always ask so many questions woman?" he uncrosses his legs and stretches them in front of himself, balancing one foot over the other.

"Did you put me there too?" she motions back at her bedroll.

"Didn't have much of a choice, I had to move you. Can hardly have you in the way of the horses."

He's always got an answer for everything, no wonder he's managed to talk his way into his current position. "How?" she asks.

"How what?" he tilts his head at her.

"How did you move me?" she clarifies, certain it would've woken her up.

He pauses for a moment. "Why does that matter?"

"Just tell me."

"I carried you."

She doesn't know why that sends such a large wave of shock through her, but it does. "Surprised you didn't just drag me by my hair."

"That would've woken you up," he takes his gaze off her and back to his book as he sips again at his coffee.

Something isn't sitting right. There's no way his intention was that genuine, he's proven he has no regard for her or her wellbeing and certainly doesn't care if she's getting enough sleep. As she stands there puzzling through it; it appears he's re-engrossed in his book and forgotten she's even there. With no smart comments coming to mind, she turns to walk away to get herself some coffee.