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It was fine.
He was a busy guy.
Nothing to get upset or worried about.
Finally, she made it to her building. After eight, you had to use a code to get into the building so she felt much safer once she was inside.
See? Silly to worry. And if she’d called Maxim, she would have felt like a complete idiot. Plus, he probably wouldn’t have been happy that she’d been swimming at night alone. Once she was inside her apartment, she locked the door and walked into the bathroom.
It was the lack of sleep making her lose her mind. She really hoped she could sleep for more than a couple of hours tonight.
After showering, she got into her favorite pajamas—a short-sleeved pink top with a sloth drinking coffee on it, along with long gray pants also covered in sloths. Then she made herself something to eat and sat down to watch some television before bed. She was feeling tired.
She had a feeling tonight was going to be a good night.
You’re a useless little bitch, Aston.
I wish you’d never been born.
Should have smothered you as a baby.
She sat up with a gasp, taking a few deep breaths.
Tonight wasn’t a good night.
Glancing around, she saw that she’d fallen asleep on the sofa. The TV was still on, and a late-night news show was playing.
Getting up, she stumbled to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, chugging it down as she tried to rid herself of the bad dreams.
Stupid nightmares.
She hated them. She struggled to fall asleep, and then when she did, she was plagued by memories of the past.
You’re a mess, Aston.
Picking up her phone, she moved to the small balcony off her living room. Despite the fact that it was nearly three in the morning, the night was still quite warm.
The balcony was as simple as the rest of the apartment. Just two chairs and a small table between them.
Sitting, she took in the city. It felt like this place never slept. Not fully.
And that’s when she saw him pull up. Maybe that’s why she’d come out here. Her body knew that this was about the time he got home. Perhaps she was unconsciously seeking him out.
Because he made her feel safe.
He got out of his car and turned to stare across the street. And that’s when they attacked. Someone grabbed him from behind while another person ran to help.
Maxim fought, but he was caught by surprise.
Someone was hurting him. She stood, her heart racing. Then, without thought, she ran back into her apartment.
Weapon.
Knife. There was one sitting on the countertop from earlier when she’d cut up a lemon.
Out the door.
Run. Run.
Down the elevator. No time for fear.
Get to him. Get to Maxim.
Run. Run.
She entered the alley where she’d seen them take him. There he was!
He was being held by two men while a third one hit him.
No! Not on my watch.
Running toward them, she raised her knife, thrusting it down into the asshole’s back. She’d put her full force behind it. She knew it would take a lot to get through his clothes to the skin below.
But her knife was sharp and he was caught by surprise.
He let out a yell while she started screaming. “Fire! Fire! Fire!”
The other two must have been taken by surprise, too, as Maxim managed to shake free from them and started fighting back.
“Aston! Run!” he yelled before she heard him make a pained noise.
Yeah, that wasn’t happening. She didn’t bother trying to pull the knife out because she didn’t think she’d succeed. The asshole she’d stabbed turned on her, coming at her with a roar, and she took a defensive position.
He was more powerful than she was. But she was small and fast and she could take a hit. She dodged at the last moment, sticking her foot out to send him flying. Then she raced toward one of the two men on Maxim, jumping on his back with a yell.
“Fire! Fire!”
She’d once read that people were more likely to respond if you cried out fire rather than help.
She hoped that was true.
The jerk she’d jumped on tried to dislodge her, moving from left to right as she grasped him around the neck and tightened her hold.
He clawed at her arm. Pain slashed through her, but she didn’t let go.
“Aston!” Maxim roared, right as someone grabbed her from behind and threw her against the brick wall.
Then there was the sound of yelling. Footsteps coming their way.
Someone had heard them.
“Hey! What’s going on here?”
Two men grabbed the injured guy and started running down the alley.
She picked herself up with a groan. Ouch. She was going to feel that tomorrow.
“What’s going on? Are you all right?” A big man stopped in front of her, staring down at her in shock.
“Just a mugging, I think,” she said. “Thanks for helping.”
