AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She dropped her head and walked. She avoided eye contact in hopes she could slip past them undetected.
“Well, look who we got here. You’re my favorite.”
She groaned and sidestepped from his approach. “Shut up.”
“Ooooh…she speaks today.” The cackling had the hairs on her arms rise. “Been waiting on you, sweet tits.”
She shuddered and shook her head. It was never good to tug the tail of the tiger, but she spoke before she could think. “Don’t you have jobs you should be at?”
“My only job is making you scream.” He laughed and reached out to touch her arm. She backed away and yanked her hand away as if it were burned.
“Don’t you dare touch me,” she snapped. They were getting bolder. She considered turning around and going back to her car. The last thing she wanted was to be trapped in the hall with these men. She had already stopped using the elevator weeks ago. She feared they’d slide in, and she’d be trapped. That was no way to live.
“Playing hard to get?” He laughed and turned back to his friends. “I like ’em feisty.”
She glanced up to see the light in their apartment. Macy was home. She would just rush past them and get inside. She made a move, but the one who was taunting grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to the side of the building. Oh fuck.
The side unit had a dark alley where the garbage was kept. It was the perfect scene for an assault. Oh God. She thrashed her legs, but it did nothing to slow him down. As she saw the entrance grow farther away, she opened her mouth. Scream! Before she could make a sound, another one came up and clamped his hand over her mouth. His eyes peered back into hers, and he smirked.
His hands wrapped over her waist, sliding one up to her breast, and she flailed her lower arms. This could not be happening. Tears streaked down her face from sheer panic. Deep inside the alley, even if someone heard her, it would take time to figure out where she was. He threw her down, and they descended on her as if she were prey. She screamed, but one of them kicked her ribs, and she jolted back on a pile of something. She had never been hit before. The pain was much worse than she could have imagined. She gasped, trying to inhale, but fresh air was not reaching her lungs.
One of them leaned forward, laughing, grabbing her breasts in a painful squeeze. She tightened her fist and swung, but missed any contact until she thrashed again and connected with his chest. It only infuriated him, and he slapped her jaw. The sharp, throbbing sting raced through her mouth up her cheek to her pulsing temple. A warm rush of liquid filtered from her nose. Oh God, she was bleeding. She gripped the gravel, trying to crawl away, but hands pawed at her, flipping her over to her back. She braced and locked her eyes shut before seeing an open palm come down across her face. A sharp sting on her cheekbone burned.
Her shirt ripped, and the cool air wafted against her stomach. There was pain, and she began to feel disoriented. How was she supposed to get away if she didn’t know where to go? She pried open her eyes and fought back as best she could. She thrashed her legs when she felt cold skin at the zipper of her jeans. Oh God, no.
A loud thunderous bang sounded from the alley. She didn’t know what it was or where it had come from, but it halted all movement from the men attacking her. She was still pinned down, but the guy on top of her looked down the alley. Now, move now!
She thrust her chest forward and knocked him back. She scrambled to her feet but immediately dropped to her knees from the sharp pain piercing her ribs.
“Oh fuck.”
She whipped her head to the side, expecting them to descend on her again. Instead, she found all three men staggering away from her, and their gazes fixated down the dark alley. She followed their gaze, but a dumpster blocked her view.
“What did I tell you boys about coming in my alley?” The voice was deep and gravelly. “You need a reminder to stay away again?”
Cheyenne darted her gaze up to the men who were slowly backing away. They remained silent, but even in the dark, she watched their faces pale. Another loud whack echoed through the alley. The guys turned quickly and ran the opposite way.
Beyond the dumpster, a shadow appeared.
Through her glassy eyes, she looked up. He was not at all who she’d envisioned scaring away her attackers. He was tall but so very thin as if he hadn’t eaten in weeks. His cheeks were hollowed and gaunt. Her gaze dropped to his clothing, which was tattered and filthy. He was long overdue for a shower, as in weeks overdue. It was hard to tell his age, but he couldn’t have been much older than her, and he was obviously homeless. She wiped her eyes but made no move to get up. She noticed a large pipe in one hand and a knife in the other. It wasn’t huge but big enough to do damage.
The mystery man made no movement toward her but angled his head to meet her gaze. Oh shit. Her heart raced, and her stomach turned. She sank back against the wall, wondering if her savior was going to attack her.
“You okay?” he croaked, coming forward with the light shining on his dirt-smudged face.
She nodded, fighting against the knot lodged in her throat.
He looked down the end of the alley. “They’re gone.”
She followed his gaze to the empty alley and then back to him.
“Can I get up?”
The corner of his eyes crinkled. “I would if I were you. We got rats bigger than your head out here.”
She slowly eased her body off the pavement. Every part of her back ached. She would probably have bruises lining up her spine. She stumbled forward, and the man inched back. She peered up at him and grabbed the torn remnants of her shirt and covered her breasts.
Her tears welled up. So much adrenaline now that she was left with what could have happened. If he hadn’t come along… She refused to finish the thought. Her body shook, and she gulped a breath. “Thank you,” she whispered.
