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Xander stands at the opening of the alley, my stepmother’s boyfriend pinned beneath him as he pummels his fists into the asshole’s ribs, filling the alley with the sweet sound of crunching bone. My jaw drops in shock, but I don’t get a moment to watch the show before my stepmom is back in my face, trying to grab at me.
Only this time, Xander’s very presence provokes a change in me. After all, he was the one that helped me see that I’m not worthless, and I want to prove to him that he was right. But first, I need to prove it to myself.
The bitch comes for me, but I don’t let her get close enough. Instead, I face her with a newfound determination. Swallowing my nerves, I shove against her, the same way she had done to me earlier. Only I step with it, putting in the force she couldn’t possibly muster up in her drunken stupor.
Her eyes widen, unsure of this new me. I’ve never fought back before. I’ve always succumbed to her evil. “Get the fuck out of here,” I growl, letting her hear the venom in my tone. “I’m not some kid you can push around anymore, and I’m sure as hell not your little bitch you get to use and abuse. You’re a coward, a fucking junkie, and a drunken whore. Look at yourself. You’re fucking pathetic, coming into the city just to start shit over a bag of pills that you bought with money you stole from me. Here’s an idea. You want a fix? Fucking pay for it yourself. I’m done letting you drag me down. So take your little junkie boyfriend and fuck off. You’re not welcome here.”
She attempts to recover, but I don’t give her a chance as I push her back once again. “What the hell are you waiting for? Go.”
I give one final push, sending her right out of my way. She stumbles back with shock on her face, and I realize that after so many long, agonizing years of torture, she has finally given in. She’s done with me. She won’t bother with someone who fights back.
My head spins from the hits I took to the wall, but it’s not over yet. I need to get away from them, and I need to get Xander out of here before he kills the guy. I’ve seen him in the ring, and I swear, with the right motivation, he’d be lethal.
I rush up to him, ignoring the way his muscles ripple with each move. Blood coats his knuckles and runs down the guy’s face as I reach out and grab hold of the first thing my hand comes into contact with. I tug hard on Xander’s arm, hoping I’m not too close to get hit in the face. “Xander, stop,” I yell, frantically. “That’s enough.”
His head whips around to me, his fist frozen in the air. His eyes are wild and definitely not the kind ones I’ve come to know. “We have to go,” I say, pulling on his arm with urgency, noticing the people who’ve gathered around to watch the show.
Xander blinks a few times before finally coming back to himself. He scrambles to his feet, pressing both hands softly against my face to check me over. “Are you okay?” he murmurs as his sharp gaze sails over my body, taking in every little mark they left on me.
I shake my head, a heavy pounding making my vision blur. “Not sure,” I tell him honestly. “He got my head pretty good.”
Xander’s hand moves over the back of my head, and I feel a sharp sting as he passes over a big bump. I wince with the pain, and he immediately pulls his hand back, his palm now coated with blood. “Shit, you’re bleeding,” he tells me. “You’ve probably got a concussion.”
I look down at his bloody palm. “You sure that’s mine?” I ask.
“Yeah,” he sighs as he pulls me into his side and away from my past, walking by the boyfriend so he can kick him in the ribs one last time. “Come on,” he says, as he scoops my things up off the sidewalk and shoves them into my handbag. “I’m guessing you’re not going to allow me to take you to the hospital?”
I shake my head. “I just wanna go home.”
Xander nods as he leads me to his truck that’s parked halfway over the curb with the rest hanging out into the middle of the road, blocking traffic. He must have been driving past and saw what was going on. Either I’m just lucky he has impeccable timing, or he was keeping tabs on me again.
Without another word, Xander helps me up into his truck, and I prepare myself to face Micky, knowing damn well how this is going to go down.
