He took my hand, pulled me close and stared down the street toward the green house on the corner. “You think he’s in there?” I asked.
“Maybe,” he murmured.
Instead of walking in the direction of the house, he walked the opposite way toward the car. He opened my door, “Get in,” he said, giving me a little smile. I did. He walked to the driver’s side, opened the door, and slid inside.
“I need to take you home. This isn’t safe.”
“No. I’m not leaving you,” I insisted and crossed my arms over my chest.
He scowled at me, opened his mouth, then snapped it shut. Cursing, he started the car, whipped it around, and parked in front of the green house. “Stay here. Promise me. Stay here and keep the doors locked. Call me if anyone bothers you,” he insisted with such intensity it made me nervous.
“I promise,” I agreed.
I watched him walk toward the house. It was dark, the front door and most of the windows were boarded up, and my skin crawled at the thought of what might be inside. I reached into my purse, pulled out my small can of mace, and clenched my phone in my hand. Todd walked up the stairs, onto the porch and then squeezed through what must have been loose boards in the front door. My heart raced once he was out of sight, my mind fearful of what might happen to him. I should’ve insisted on going with him.
A group of men walked past the car, stopping to peer inside as I gripped the tiny mace keychain in my hand. One split his middle fingers and pressed them to his face, licking in between them as he stared at me with cold dark eyes. The other laughed, pulled him away, and they entered the green house the same way Todd had.
Minutes that seemed like hours passed as I sat there, a myriad of scenarios playing out through my mind. I jumped when someone screamed, then voices echoed outside my window. I couldn’t tell from where. I opened the door, called out for Todd, but heard only yelling in return. I couldn’t make out what was being said at first, but then one word came through clear. “Morris.”
My heart slammed in my chest. Todd!
I ran toward the noise, gripping my phone and my mace. The alley beside the house had a dim street light shining down on the group of men that had stopped to peer in the car at me. Todd was in the middle of them. They were pushing him, taunting him, calling him a pussy, not a Beast. “I’m just looking for my brother, guys,” Todd said, his voice still calm.
“You’re lookin’ in all the wrong places, pussy,” one said while the other laughed.
Todd pushed past them, noticed me, and then stopped. The look on his face terrified me. “Todd!” I screamed his name, pointing to the man behind him.
Todd whirled, but before he could get out of the way, a fist connected with his head. He fell to the ground, landing on his knees, his eyes locked onto mine.
I gripped my phone, searching for the emergency call button. Todd rose, turned and swung at the man who'd hit him, knocking him to his back. Todd pounced on top of him, swinging his fists in a fury as I struggled to make the call for help. One of the men ran toward me, then dove, taking me to the ground like a tackled football player. The wind was knocked out of me. I couldn’t breathe.
“Todd!” The word was barely audible as I tried to scream another warning. He must have heard me, though, because he turned just in time to see the man with the knife. The guy lunged and Todd sidestepped him, knocking the knife to the ground. The first man staggered to his feet and jumped on Todd’s back. I watched in horror as Todd was taken down.
“Isn’t that cute?”
My attention snapped back to the man straddling me, his knees holding my arms down at my sides. He yanked the mace from my hand, laughing at my feeble attempt at self-defense, and tossed the can toward the building.
He leaned closer and I gagged. He smelled of cigarettes, tar, and gasoline, with an undercurrent of body odor beneath it all. I screamed and fought, but he was too heavy and had all the leverage. I soon tired and was breathing hard. When his fingers went to the button on my pants, a fresh surge of adrenaline shot through me, and I kicked violently, trying to buck him off.
Another man joined in the fun and soon my pants were being ripped from my body, my ass cheeks grinding into the gravel below me.
“Hold the bitch still,” he yelled out to his friend.
I was rolled onto my stomach, my face pressed into the ground, my arms wrenched painfully behind my back. I screamed out in pain and a hand clapped over my mouth.
“No need for that. I’m gonna treat you real good,” the guy on top of me said, pushing my legs farther apart. “I’m gonna show you what a real man feels like.” His words were a hiss as he lowered himself onto me.
I kicked, screamed, but nothing I did mattered. His breath was hot on my neck and he hummed something I couldn’t comprehend as he positioned himself.
Then he was gone, removed so quickly that I didn’t realize he was off me until Todd said, “Let her go.”
The guy holding my head down released the pressure and I rolled away, scrambling out of his reach. I turned and saw Todd standing with a knife against my attacker’s throat.
Making small movements, he walked the guy closer to me, a drop of blood trickling down the man’s neck. Once he was close enough, he shoved the attacker away and hauled me to my feet. I reached for my pants and pulled them on, my fingers trembling so badly they could barely pull up the zipper.
Knife hand outstretched, Todd eyed the men as he pushed me in the direction of the car. When one of the guys moved, my protector snarled. I’d never seen anyone so furious, so powerful, so Beast-like.
A siren chirped in the background, and I could see blue lights flashing around the corner. The men scattered, along with the few people who had been watching the scene.
At least there weren’t any paparazzi lurking around.
The rest of the crowd took off once the two cop cars parked and officers exited onto the street. The officers immediately recognized Todd, and of course wanted to know what he was doing in this part of town. He explained and gave his statement. Even though his knuckles were bloodied, his face had enough damage to prove he wasn’t the attacker. Once they talked to me, they pushed for me to go to the hospital for a rape kit.
“I wasn’t raped,” I explained to the female officer.
“You should still be examined and have a test done. We may be able to locate the suspect by any DNA collected,” she said calmly. “Mr. Morris should be treated too.”
I didn’t want to deal with any of this, and I was tempted to say no. Todd had saved me. I hadn’t been raped, even though it was close. I looked at Todd’s cuts and knew he’d never get them treated if I didn’t go with him. I nodded and we headed to the emergency room.
***
Three hours later, we stepped out of the hospital, exhaustion a huge weight on my shoulders. “I just want to go home,” I whispered and reached out for Todd’s hand.