Chapter 7  

Emma’s POV

I drive home at the midnight, checking the time on my phone... one forty am. I look seeing I have five misses called and one text massage all from Roberta. The last one she sends only one minute ago.

I start to read it.

Emma, James told me what happened, I'm sorry for that. James shouldn't persuade you to dance like a stripper.

I sign and open my envelope, I earn 10,000 dollars in fifteen minutes, and I want to scream, drink beers and celebrate. For the next month, I have enough money to support my normal life.

Stopping the car around the coffee shop, I open my car window and look at the sky blankly, wanting to make myself a cup of coffee.

Suddenly, I hear several men's voices, I notice some drunk guys hoovering around the shop. Their bodies reek of alcohol, and dirt stains on their jeans and hoodie. Their hair is a big mess.

It's a small and silent street, and there's no one around me except them.

"Hey, chick!" One of the guys finds me, "are you looking for some fun?"

Tonight is my bad day.

My pulse begins to throb faster as they walk closer to me. I hurry down the street and pray for someone to rescue me.

“Hey, chick. Are you looking for daddy? Daddy is waiting for you here.” The teases me with dirty looks and whistles.

They all huff out an impatient-sounding laugh.

I start running and dial a random call, but suddenly someone pulls down my hair, and my phone drops down during the chaos.

"Stop! Help!" I scream loudly.

"Be quiet, chick! "Then a strong hand grabs my long hair and drags me to the corner.

His friends pull out their phones and turn on their cameras.

"Shhhh..." he moves to curve his fingers around my wrist, holding me tightly. His dirty looks make me yell louder for help, but a strong punch hit on my belly, he kicks me as I fall on my butt, I can't stop coughing and squirrel around the icy ground.

"You're a tough girl, but I like you." He tries to muffle my voice.

My whole body is shivering, feeling cold and clammy. "Help me!"

I scream, tears falling down my eyes as my wrists are bleeding. I'm screaming in desperation and half beaten, where's the hope in that?

I try to steel myself, try to keep the sobs inside, but they burst out anyway. Tears fall, dripping down as I erupt a desperate squawk.

“Oh, she’s crying! Bro, making her cry more and louder.” The other men burst into laughter.

I kick his legs but he slaps my face again. This man is bigger and stronger than me, and even drunk, is still can chock my neck easily.

My resistance is useless, there are no other options but to give up.

My cheeks burn, I close my eyes, tremble my body, and breathe the smell of dead fish mixed with strong alcohol, praying in big terror.

I close my eyes, don't want to look into his malicious eyes.

"Well, well. You look beautiful, my chick." His creepy voice makes me gross as his hungry eyes travel around my body

"Hey, she's my girl, get out of her!" A familiar voice demands.

Who is growling?

A luxury car stops near us, another growl escapes his mouth as he walks toward us.

Austin! Austin is here to rescue me!

Austin grits his teeth, and strides toward us without any hesitation. I dive aside.

With his right hand, he throws an uppercut at the man closest to him, I hear the crunch of that bad man's jaw breaking.

The man yells in pain and his nose hit on the ground, and his blood starts oozing.

"Holy crack, what did they do to you?" Austin gently touches my face, "your face is bruised, and your hands are full of scrapes."

Then I notice a man grab a sharp knife, charge forward and want to stab Austin.

 “Austin, watch out!” I scream out.

Austin dodges, hits him with countless sturdy left hooks to his jaws and slams him to the ground.

This happen so fast, before I realize it, these men yell in pain. For another five minutes, they do nothing but moan. Some of them try to stand up, but do nothing but moan, and have to keep lying on the ground.

It was the first time a man fights for me and protect me.

"Do you give up?" He growls.

“For god's sake, yes!” All of them raise both weak hands in surrender.

"It's easy for me to kill all of you, so you should thank me for not taking your lives in the end. No, get away from my sight!”

They immediately struggle to stand up and run off into the darkness

As soon as they left, the last drop of energy that keeps me standing disappears. But he envelops me completely, and I find myself being pulled to my feet with ease.

"What the hell are you doing? And what the fuck are you dressing?" His green eyes go round, the expression on his face worried.

"W-what?"I stammer.

"It's midnight, and you dare have the nerve to hang outside alone! What if I was at home? What if no one rescued you? Have you lost your mind?" He narrows his eyes as his gaze travels up and down my body slowly, I feel my tears start to flood out.

"Why do you dress like this? Do you like catching the attention of random rich men so much that you wear like a stripper?"

What the heck?

"You have no idea about what happened tonight and you know nothing about me." I spat as my tears start to flood out.

My tears steam down and I mumble sadly, he stares at me with worries, "don't cry."

“You have no right to demand me!”

Before I realize and make a reaction, his hand cup my cheeks, sliding his fingers over my cheekbone.

"Your tears make me feel so pain." He whispers.

His lips, lips I have never imagined can soften my heart, does.

And after that, our lips part, the wet slide of his tongue at the seam of my mouth undoing my sadness completely.

I feel safe and hopeful in his kisses.

My fear, my hatred, my sadness, and all my emotions burn to ash then, bright white and cleansing.

"Don't worry, Emma." He says, "I will always be your side. I'm going to take care of you."

Every thought, every negative concern goes from my mind in a flash as his tongue goes deeper.

My skin burned where his hands rested on my body. And then his hand shifts against my face, sliding back to my hair, and his lips start to learn the shape of mine and give to accommodate.

Before I can react, I barely can catch my breath, or move in any way. Austin opens his car and plans to put me sit inside.

"Wait, I can drive my car and go home."

"I like you. The fact that I’m not throwing you over my shoulder rudely and carrying you off to my home, shows that I really like you. So, don't provoke me." He takes off his windbreaker and covers me.

My head feels dizzy, my throat is dry. Then he picks me up and lets my arms wrap around his neck. My head leans on his chest, hearing the rapid heart fluttering around my ear.

I feel my body and soul feel safe as he hugs me and put me in his car.

And I fall asleep in his car, when I close my eyes again, he has already put me on his big and soft sofa.

“I’m worried sick about your health. Finally, you’re awake.” He turns away from me, opening the rack of clothing and the stack of shoes.

"What are you -"

He doesn't respond. Instead, he bends, picking up a pair of slippers before facing me again. He drops to his knees before me, grabbing hold of the heel of my shoe and pulling it off.

His warm fingers drift all the way down my calf, the touch slow, slower. I grit my teeth, trying to ease the tension in my chest.

My heartbeat is thundering out of control, it's not normal for me.

Why? Why my heart is beating so fast as he's touching me? Is that why? And if so, what does that mean?

He lifts his head up then and a strange, knowing smile titles the corner of his lips upward, he seems to know exactly what I'm feeling.

"You look like Cinderella," he slips the slipper onto my left foot, then moves on to the next. His fingertips are hot and on my skin as he traces a line down to my ankle.

"Except," I open my mouth, some words escape from my dry throat, "you're not my Prince Charming."

He put my shoes in place, then straighten them.

"I think I am. As long as you start believing that I might be."

"Why would I? I'm actually just a stupid poor waitress, I've already told you that. And my financial situation is difficult." I take a deep breath, to remind myself that exactly being played to by a rich man - anyone- is what I don't want.

No, not right now.

I don't want to betray myself, my eyes search around to do something to distract the strange feeling that I'm infused with.

I fight the desire to squirm on the sofa, but I shiver as his hot breath fanned over my bare skin. The anticipation burns the fire through me.

"Tonight," he says, his voice hard, rough with much dominant, "have a good sleep." Then he takes hold of my chin with his thumb and forefinger.

I'm forced to look at his eyes, his eyes burn with fire, "good night, Emma."

He passes me his pajama and tells me where how to use the bathroom. When he asks me whether I need a doctor, I refuse him and promise I’m fine.

Then, he drops his hand and walks out of the room, leaving me alone.

Somehow, I feel lonely, again.