Chapter 16 #2
As I pass a narrow alley between the karaoke bar and a strip club, a beefy hand shoots out and grabs a fistful of my coat.
I’m yanked into the darkness, yards away from the alley entrance.
I try to scream, but my attacker covers my mouth with his hand.
He smells of sweat and stale alcohol, like Bartleby’s at the end of a busy game night.
I know better. I’ve lived here for over a year. But I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings like I should have been.
“Don’t scream,” the man says. “I just wanna talk to you, you pretty thing.”
Talk? Yeah, right.
When he lets go of my mouth, I suck in a breath to shout for help.
“Fucking bitch!” he says, covering my mouth again.
This is what Sebastian is afraid of doing to me?
Sebastian is nothing like this man. I can’t imagine Sebastian doing anything like this.
I’m sure it can be different, that date rape is different from whatever this guy wants to happen here, but I’m finding new strength in the knowledge that whatever Sebastian has done, it wasn’t this.
Now I just have to get away.
“Girlie, you know you want it,” he says, leering at me.
“No,” I say against his hand on my mouth.
“Nnnnn,” he mimics in a high-pitched, mocking voice. He pushes me against the wall and reaches for my waist.
He wants to hurt me. He wants to rape me in this alley, one hand on my mouth so I can’t scream or breathe.
Panic tries to cloud my thoughts, but I can’t let it.
I have to get away. Not just for myself, but for Sebastian, Kingston.
For Tommy. For Natasha, Mrs. Dali. Kevin.
I don’t know why I make it about them instead of about me, but listing their names in my head helps clarify my thoughts and quiet the panic.
Lessons from my dad rise up in my mind—lessons I’d long since forgotten…
or so I’d thought. I lift my foot and stomp on the guy’s instep as hard as I can.
He howls and jerks away for a moment. I don’t give him a chance to recover, but spin around.
Bracing my hands behind me on the wall, I kick out.
My foot connects with his balls and now he really howls.
“You’ll fucking pay for that,” he shouts.
But I’m already running out of the alley, screaming “Rape!” at the top of my lungs.
In this neighborhood, I wouldn’t expect much help, but Rick runs out of Kitty Cat Karaoke and rushes to my side.
“Where?” He’s pulling a phone from his pocket. “I’m calling nine-one-one.”
“It’s—I’m sure he’s already gone,” I say, panting.
“Let’s go look,” Rick says.
Staggering, I lead him to the area next to the club. Several other random people, men and women alike, huddle around the alley entrance with us.
“He ran down that way,” a woman says. “Are you all right?”
I nod, still catching my breath.
“Yes,” Rick says into his phone. “I’m reporting an attempted rape.”
“I don’t want to talk to the police,” I say in a quiet voice.
Rich taps a button on his phone. “I muted it. You don’t have to talk to anyone, but the police need to know there’s someone in the area. I’m going to put up signs in the club, as well. Can you describe the guy?”
I shake my head. “It was too dark. He was taller than me, that’s all I know.”
Rick speaks into the phone for a few minutes more. The small crowd of people stands protectively around us. My eyes fill with tears—not tears of fear or terror or even anger, but of gratitude. Everyone talks shit about the Bellefleur District, but right now, I’m surrounded by good people.
As soon as Rick gets off the phone, he says, “I told them that the would-be victim didn’t want to be involved, so there’s not much they can do.”
“I’m sorry, I just…I’ve been through a lot lately.” Am I selfish for not wanting to pursue this? I can’t even describe the guy.
“Hey, it’s your call,” Rick says, and several people nod in agreement.
“Thank you all for being here,” I tell them.
“I’ve called you a ride,” Rick says. “My treat. Get out your phone, Cinderella.”
“Cinderella? Oh, right. My stage name.”
He winks.
I take out my phone, and he recites his number for me, which I dutifully record. I text him quickly, so he’ll have my number as well, and he nods.
“You call me if you run into any trouble,” he says. “This block is the Kitty Cat’s, and we won’t stand for any foul play.” He frowns at the alley. “Someone must have busted those lights back there. I’ll get them replaced ASAP.”
“Thank you again,” I say.
“You’re welcome.” He nods toward the street. “There’s your ride, Cinder.”
Impulsively, I give him a hug. He pats my back awkwardly.
I get into the car with a wave, my body swirling with adrenaline and gratitude and residual fear. That could’ve gone so, so bad.
Kingston will want to know about this. I take out my phone to text him, but I stop before I type out two words. If I tell Kingston what happened, he’ll want to comfort me, and he probably won’t go to the beach house tomorrow to talk to Sebastian.
Sighing, I stow my phone in my bag again. I’ll tell him after things with Sebastian settle down.