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I let the woman help me and winced when I was on my feet. I had cleaned my foot the best I could with what I had, which wasn’t much. It wasn’t like I could afford to go to the doctor. There was a free place open on the weekends. The wait could be a day long and there was no guarantee I’d be seen. Plus, they didn’t allow dogs, so I’d have to leave Starry outside and hope no one took her.
The guy with the pink hair stepped beside me. My flinch was profound and nearly had me toppling over.
“I’m going to help you stay upright so you can take the weight off your foot,” he softly said. “Okay?”
I nodded, still not trusting him. Without their help, I wouldn’t be able to move. He carefully put his arm around my waist. He was slender but felt solid and warm beside me. Warmth… When was the last time I had that seep into me from another person when I actually wanted it?
Horns sounded; people shouted. A growl tore from the biggest of the guys. I tried to shrink back, although the other guy held me firm so I couldn’t.
“I’ve got it,” the blond in the back said. He went toward the street.
That was when I noticed the massive black bus with tinted windows blocking the lane. The bus I was gently being led toward.
“No, please. I can’t. I won’t.” I instantly started shaking more than I already was. If they took me onto it, they could rape me. They would take turns with me, not caring about my screams, not listening when I told them to stop.
“Hey, you’re okay,” pink-haired guy said. “My name’s Reed. This is our bus. We just want to get out of the street and get you some medical help. That’s all.”
I shook my head. “No. I have to go.”
The big guy was back in my line of sight. If I wasn’t so fucking terrified, I might think he was kind of beautiful. With his hair a bit darker blond than the other and his muscles and tattoos, he could have been someone I drooled over. I would give him a discount to blow him. But not like this. No, I wanted to run.
“I’m Casper. The bus is safe. No one is going to hurt you or ask you to do anything you don’t want to. Reed is telling the truth. We want to make sure you’re okay. His heart is bigger than his head. He won’t sleep unless he knows you’re safe.” He looked me dead in the eyes, blue irises drilling into mine. “I promise.” Casper bent down and picked up my ratty bag.
The dark-haired guy in the back whistled. “That’s serious shit. Cas promises no one anything.”
“Fuck off, Slay.”
“I…” I swallowed thickly. What they were offering seemed like a mirage. Like they weren’t really here, and I must have hit my head hard and dreamed this. No one had been this nice to me in years.
“Dear,” the woman said, drawing my attention back to her. “Please get on the bus and take the help. If you don’t, Reed won’t leave your side, and I’m going to have to fight with the assholes in the vehicles behind the bus. I’m not in the mood to go a round.” She cocked an eyebrow, then nodded toward the bus.
I found Casper again. “You promise?”
“Swear on Reed.”
Another whistle. “Damn, son.”
“I swear to fuck, Slay, I’m going to deck your ass.”
“We won’t hurt you,” Reed said. “I promise too. Please?”
With no other options outside of sitting on the sidewalk and hoping someone would put me out of my misery, I nodded.
One step forward and a wet nose touched my hand. “Starry,” I whispered. “I can’t leave her.”
“The dog?” Reed asked.
“She’s been with me for months. I don’t want to let her go.”
“She can come too.”
I saw Casper roll his eyes, but he turned and climbed onto the bus with the others. As I was stepping on board, I heard a driver behind it yell, “About fucking time!” Jesus, this city. Some people would sooner run me over rather than help me.
Light tan leather seats were the first things to catch my eyes when I got inside. Reed carefully helped me sit on a couch, then told the woman we could go. She got the bus moving a little too abruptly, jolting us in the process. I could understand her haste to get out of here. The bus was holding people up.
Reed sat on the other side of the couch while Casper lingered nearby. The other two disappeared into the back.
“What’s your name?” Reed asked. Casper handed me a bottle of water while Starry started nosing the floor, taking in the scents.
