AllFreeNovel
Share Us
This is the second time this has happened to me, but I’ve never been alone and vulnerable for it before. “Goodnight,” I call out, scurrying faster. I jiggle my keys in my pocket to pull out the right one. One of the key rings gets caught on a thread in my pocket and I tug hard to try and free it, but the thread is too strong or I’m too weak or panicky to get it loose. “C’mon,” I mutter, trying to tear the fabric if it’ll get the damned keys out of my pocket. My fob’s battery died a month ago and I never replaced it; I need the actual key inside the fob to open my car door.
I never imagined I would die because of a faulty key fob and an expensive jacket working in tandem to spell my doom.
It’s not just one man approaching me, but two, and panic rises like bile in the back of my throat. “I’m not interested—”
A massive man dressed in red velvet and stupid, giant boots appears from practically nowhere and stands in between me and the approaching men. “Leave her alone.”
One of the men clicks their tongue and scowls. “Hey, man, I’m just trying to have a conversation with the pretty lady.”
“She’s not interested. Go home.”
I finally snag my keys free and pull them out of my pocket, only for my shaking hands to fumble unlocking the car key. The wad drops to the ground and I freeze, too terrified to dare bending over and picking them up.
The men start arguing with my rescuer, and he slams his palm on the hood of my car. I jump with a yelp, and the two men’s eyes flicker from him back to me.
“You scared her,” the other one says, smiling at me. “Why not let the lady talk for herself? Maybe you’re the one who needs to—”
Crack.
I gasp as my rescuer comes into view and it’sNicholasdelivering a perfect punch into the man’s jaw. He stumbles backwards and curses loudly, looking raring to go, but his friend holds him back, saying something about howit’s not worth it.
The two men retreat back to their van where the third is waiting, and they pile inside and screech their tires on the way down the ramp and out onto the street.
My heart pumps a mile a minute, and I can’t seem to catch my breath.
Oh, my god. Oh my god. Ohmygod.
“Julie,” Nicholas says gently, stepping into my view. He’s blurred until I blink back a few stray tears I hadn’t realized were falling.
“N-Nick?” I sputter, taking a shallow breath. “Hey. What are you doing here?”
“I saw you walk off alone,” he says, frowning. “It’s not safe to do that on a normal night, and especially not tonight.”
“Why not?” I ask, wiping away my tears with my coat sleeves. “I’m fine.”
He purses his lips and fidgets, like he’s not sure what to do with his hands. “You arenotfine. You were definitelynotgoing to be fine if they had made it over here.”
“Yeah, thanks for that,” I say, my voice tightening. “That was, um, very manly.”
“Julie…” Sighing, he pinches the bridge of his nose. “I told you that I’d protect you. That doesn’t mean that you can go off on your own like that.”
“I was just walking to my car!”
“I know.” His expression softens and he lifts my chin with his left hand. “I know, Jules. Next time, though, let me know before you leave, okay?”
“You’re gonna walk me to my car?” I ask, barking an awkward laugh. “So heroic.”
“Yes,” he states firmly. “Yes, I will walk you to your car. I’ll even take you home if you need it. Give me your keys.”
“What?”
He grips my chin tighter. “Give. Me. Your. Keys.”
I snort incredulously. “I’m not a child. I can drive myself home.”
“I don’t want you to when you’re crying.”
“I’m not—” My hands are still shaking, and I lift one to my face. Wet streaks paint my cheeks, and I hastily wipe them away. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”
