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        “Where am I?” the unfamiliar man is busy doing push-ups and God knows what.

        How did I end up here, but mostly, who is this handsome, gorgeous guy, shirtless, muscular man in front of me?

      “I brought you here. I actually wanted to take you to the hospital, but you were quite adamant not to go. What are you, some criminal that got a beat down?” he asked, his eyes dark and his veins visible from the workout he just did right in front of me.

      My face feels swollen and my ribs feel like they are crushing my insides.

      “If I was a criminal, don’t you think I would’ve been able to defend myself? And if you thought I was one, why did you bring me here? I can kill you.” he smiled while pulling his T-shirt over his head.

      My eyes moved to his boxers, staring at him like a pervert.

      He catches me staring, and I looked away, my cheeks flushing and my pulse racing. That’s only when I notice that I’m no longer in my own clothes.

      “What did you do to me?” I asked nervously.

      My mind raced to what could’ve happened when I passed out.

      “Relax, your clothes are in the dryer. It was full of blood. You’re not staining my sheets with your soaking blood clothes,” he said while busy dressing in front of me.

  

      “I would like my clothes, please.” I’m feeling nervous.

      He looked over at me and nodded.

      Who is this guy? And why did he help me? He doesn’t look like the kind who helps people?

      I dragged the sheets and wrapped them around my body. I know I’m dressed in one of his shirts and boxers, but I still feel naked. I watch myself in the mirror, my eyes bloody and swollen, turning a blue-purple colour. I pulled up the T-shirt and my ribs look like it’s broken. When I tried to pull the t-shirt over my head, I hissed with pain.

      “Can I help you?” the handsome, mysterious guy asked, standing with my clothes in his hands.

      “Yes, you can start by telling me what your name is, and who you are?” I grab my clothes out of his hands, standing only in my bra.

    

  

      “Do you mind?” I showed my hand for him to turn away so I could get dressed.

  

      “Love? I’ve seen it all. No need to be shy,” he grins. I felt like I could punch him, but my body was in too much pain, and I don’t even know how to throw a punch, so I kept quiet while he turned around for me to get dressed.

      “You’re done?” he asked, turning to face me again before I could even answer him.

  

      “Take care of your wounds, Emily,” he 

  called out before I walked out of the room.

      “How do you know my name?” I asked, shocked.

      “Your name tag. Before you passed out, you said no hospitals, so I searched for your bag.” I glared at him.

      “Don’t worry, I didn’t take anything. I see you a nurse, so I’m sure you’ll know how to take care of the bruises and wounds.” I’m speechless and could only nod before I walked out of his front door.

      He lives in a massive flat. Everything is decorated with bright colours. That’s all I could notice before I stormed out.  I run down the stairs, almost tripping with all the pain. I should’ve been at the ER an hour ago. Lewis is going to freak out.

      How will I explain why I look like this? I can’t lie about the bruises.

      I’ll have to call in sick.

      “Shit.” I spit out. I can’t. We’re already short stuff with the students going on a field trip today.

      How will I explain all these bruises? And Linda is never going to stop asking questions.

  

      I went to my apartment dressed in fresh clothes and tried to patch up most of the bruises on my face.

  

      When I got to work, Linda was already waiting for me.

      “I know I’m late. It won’t happen again.” Her face turned from anger to concern in seconds.

  

      “What happened to you?” I sighed. I knew she was going to ask questions.

      “I got jumped last night and some strange man actually saved me.” She pulled my shirt up. My ribs are blue purple and it feels like it’s crushing my insides.

      “We need to get a scan on this.”

      “No, just fix me up so I can get to work,” I growled.

      “Emily, your ribs might be broken, and who is this mysterious man who helped you?”

      “Does it matter?” I asked, pulling my shirt down.

      “Yes, if he could scare off a few men, then yes, it matters.” She folds her arms.

  

      “Blake, I didn’t get his second name.”

  

      “Blake?” she asked, shocked as she knew him.

      “Yes, why?”

      “Blake is the most successful kick-boxer in town.” I looked at her like she was joking.

      She threw her hands in the air.

      “Look it up if you don’t believe me.” She left the room, and I opened the laptop to search for this mystery guy.

“Okay, Blake kickboxer,” I typed into G****e and his face popped up on the screen.

      “Oh my gosh, he really is popular,” I said out loud.

      “Mandy! Patients are waiting.” I jumped in fear and closed the laptop as quickly as I could.

      “What happened to you?” doctor Goodwin asked.

      “Nothing.” I took the patient’s file from him and disappeared before he asked more questions.

      I went through all my patients, everyone asking what happened to me. I actually got annoyed by all the questions.

      My shift was finally over and I opened my laptop again to search for where this Blake guy was. If he is a popular kickboxer, then I want him to train me, to learn and defend myself.

      Not just because of what happened last night, but against my stepfather as well.

      I hate being so defenceless. A patient attacked me when I tried to help him. I bumped my head and wasn’t strong enough to hold him down.

      “Got it.” I wrote the address down where he trains and placed it in my back pocket.

      This would be my chance to learn how to stand up for myself and stop being scared of my stepfather and everyone who tries to hurt me.

      Because of my stepfather, I never dated anyone. He made me believe that no one would ever love me, cause I’m weak and useless. 

    “Tell me you’re not going to use this guy?” Linda asked when she saw the address on the laptop. 

    “Yes, I am. Do you have any idea how to defend yourself?” I stared at her with familiar tears running down my cheek.

    “I thought so.” I grabbed my coat and Linda called me back. 

    “Emily? You have no idea who this guy is. He toys around with girls like it’s a joke to him. The last thing you need is another man toying with you.” she stares with sympathetic eyes. 

    “I’m not going there for him to toy around with me. He is going to teach me how to defend myself. I’m tired of being weak, Linda. Look at me? Do you have any idea how it feels to feel useless since the age of 8 years old?” she kept quiet and nodded. 

    “I will see you tomorrow.” She hugged me and I hissed out of pain. All the more reason for me to get all the help I can get to defeat my fucking demons and get it done with. I’m done being scared. 

    I’m done having nightmares from my childhood and I’m sure as hell done with men thinking they can control a woman by abusing them. 

    I’ve had enough of that. 

    I called in a taxi and gave him the address. He looks at me like, how will a woman like you fit into a club like that? But I ignore the anger stirring inside me, given that I look like shit and don’t have the energy to explain to a taxi driver why I want to learn how to defend myself.