5. Savior
Chapter five
Savior
NOAH
Ibounded around the corner into the alley way as fast as I could go without stumbling, and the sight I was met with infuriated me.
The same scene played before me like when I was a child.
My mother was crying for help, and I could do nothing but watch and lay with her when it was all over.
I recalled her sobbing and rocking me in her arms once David had left the house.
We cried together. She still tried to calm me down when it was her that was suffering.
I would not stand by and watch that happen to another innocent being.
The mix of drugs and alcohol had my adrenaline soaring.
I was ready to fight when I turned the corner.
But what I wasn’t ready for, was Silas. I didn’t expect the screaming girl to be the source of his torment.
She was already almost completely exposed, except for her underwear, everything else had been torn away from her body as if it were trash.
What made my blood boil was the fact that the two shitheads from before were there too, watching from close proximity as Silas readied himself to take her as he pleased. The poor girl didn’t even stand a chance.
Silas froze at the sight of me, and the girl turned as well.
That’s when I was blessed with the first glimpse of her eyes.
They were an emerald green, tear-streaked, and alluring.
Seeing her took the wind out of me, like I’d been kicked in the chest. That’s how fucking beautiful she was.
I couldn’t help but admire her features.
She looked so relieved to see me, as if I were her hero. I nearly laughed at the absurdity. I was nobody, and here this girl must consider me a savior. Right place, right time I guessed.
I took a moment to calm myself so that I wouldn’t go crazy with anger. My head was spinning a bit. Silas always knew how to press all my buttons. Whether it be sexually, anger inducing, or perhaps to bring on devastation, he knew them all. I had no idea why or how, but he did.
So, I was going to proceed in the best way I knew how. Nonchalant. Careful.
The alcohol in me, directed otherwise entirely.
“Silas, you dirty, little punk.” I chided like he was a small child, feeling overly confident. “Couldn’t get enough of me, so you had to harass this innocent girl?”
The two bozos in crime scurried closer to their boss.
“Hansen. Leave,” Silas spat out, glaring daggers at his men.
The girl cowered away from him, trying desperately to cover herself. She shot another pleading look at me. My heart almost gave out when she blinked those eyes at me and fresh tears fell down her cheeks.
That’s when I noticed her cheeks were bruised, her bottom lip cracked. The skin around her right eye was severely red and swollen, anything more and it would have ended up a black eye. I sucked in a deep breath.
They beat her.
I tried my best to maintain composure and smirked. “Let her go, Thorne. You know she is not what you want.”
Silas grinned sadistically. “You didn’t give me what I wanted.” He placed a tiny pocket knife at the girl’s waist. She whimpered and froze. “I want you to tell this girl that it’s your fault she’s here right now or I’ll cut her,” Silas ordered.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Maybe I was desensitized to this type of behavior, or maybe just too high to care. Silas was so fucking over dramatic, and I couldn’t take him seriously. “You don’t have the balls,” I slurred, without another thought.
“Jesus!” The girl exclaimed, clenching her eyes closed as though she was bracing for impact. “Do you want him to kill me?”
My eyebrows jumped.
She speaks.
If I wasn’t concerned for her safety, I might have chuckled at her comment.
She was brazen. To her credit, she was a complete stranger and clearly had no idea who we were, but imagine?
The heir of the Pinnacle Investments murdering a girl in a bar alley?
Please. This was beyond ridiculous, and Silas was behaving like a spoiled rich brat having a breakdown because he couldn’t get his way.
And I had enough.
I had to steady myself on my feet even though I hadn’t moved much. “Tsk. Tsk. Silas. Just let the girl go. Walk away, and I promise you that I won’t tell my father to lock you up.”
Silas let out a fake laugh. “Your dad can’t do shit. He’s a worthless drunk who beats his woman.”
Beep. Button pushed.
My lip twitched. How did Silas know this?
“That may be,” I whispered. “But he can still throw your ass in jail.”
Silas looked amused, like he didn’t expect me to agree with him. He twirled a piece of the girl’s hair around his finger and she jerked her head away from his touch. “For what? Rape? I hear he does that to your mom all the time.”
Beep.
My eyes flared.
“Whoops,” Silas feigned guilt. “Did I hit a nerve, Mr. Hansen?”
Beep.
“Why don’t we make a deal?” I suggested it before my top officially blew off.
My whole body was quivering with that pent up rage I never dealt with or got help for, and if Silas uttered one more word about my family, then I would explode.
He was getting ready to have more contact with me than he bargained for if he continued to piss me off.
Silas cocked his head to one side, intrigued. A businessman through and through. “What kind of deal?”
I sighed and continued my stride towards them. His men instantly closed the gap between us, and it took Silas waving them off for me to be able to get within a few feet.
“Silas,” the older of the two men said with a curl of his lip at me. “Not this again.”
I tested my luck and blew the boomer a kiss.
Silas let out a low and throaty chuckle. “Go wait in the car. And this time,” he said, his eyes daggering. “Actually do as you’re fucking told.”
The older man twitched, and I could tell by his body language that he didn’t like that demand at all. Finally, he turned, and with the younger male trailing after him, shoved through me with such force it nearly sent me flying.
I caught myself, but just barely. If this was any other day, I would have fought this mother fucker. I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood, refusing to even turn my head as they passed. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to help myself.
I was already seeing red.
Silas observed my reactions intently, clearly entertained.
I released a breath I was sure I had been holding since I got there.
I eased closer to them, bending down to their level on the ground.
At least he was willing to hear me out and sent the others away.
I only needed him to hear what I was going to say next.
My eyes flickered to the girl. Well, she would hear too, but that was unavoidable. She watched me closely, shifting her body further away from us both.
I didn’t blame her.
“Here’s the deal,” I began, “You let her go. I let you walk without worry of being thrown into jail with all of those butt-fuck buddies you would appreciate too well.”
Silas smiled at the dig. “And?”
I licked my lips. “And,” I held Silas’s gaze firm. “You get me. Tomorrow night. As long as you want.”
I watched the hunger re-enter his expression.
“Whatever you want to do,” I continued, winking. “Because, I know I’m the one you’re truly after.”
I stood from my position, giving him a little shrug. “You don’t even want her,” I affirmed. “So, have me instead.”
Silence.
It was a long shot. But I could tell Silas was thinking about the deal. I hoped he would take it, because I had nothing more to offer.
“Won’t waiting until tomorrow just… intensify the pleasure?” I added for emphasis.
I had always been the kind of person to fight with my words or negotiations. I wasn’t as physically strong as most, but when it came to sticky situations, usually I could worm my way out using words, drugs or … myself.
I took a quick look down in the girl’s direction. She was terrified, bristled like a cornered, wounded animal. My only wish was to save her. I didn’t want her to go through the horrors I remembered as a child. Rape was a sickening act.
An eternity passed before Silas slowly slipped the knife back into his pocket, closing his jeans at the same time. He stood and stepped to the side, causing a wash of relief to envelop the girl. She instantly started to gather her clothes and slip on what she could salvage with shaking fingers.
“You’re on,” Silas spoke huskily, marching up to me, our faces now only inches apart.
He stood there for a moment, contemplating God knows what, eyes imprisoning mine before whispering, “I accept your deal.”
I swallowed nervously, mesmerized as Silas leaned in, placing his mouth right by my ear.
“Don’t think you’ll get out of this one, Noah. I’m holding you to it.” He murmured low, so only I could understand it as his cold breath brushed my ear lobe.
“Of course,” I answered.
“And,” Silas continued. “Don’t think I’ll go easy on you. Tomorrow, you’re all mine.”
“As promised.” I spoke clearly and Silas pulled back until our lips were mere centimeters apart.
My body abruptly leaned forward, having a strange urge to kiss him again.
That buzz was coaxing me to pull him closer, reminding me how good his lips felt the first time.
I stopped myself suddenly, remembering the current situation with the girl.
Silas noticed, taking his finger and pressing it tightly to my mouth.
“But Noah,” he exclaimed innocently, fire dancing behind his gaze. “Won’t waiting until tomorrow just intensify the pleasure?”
Beep.
He pushed me away, rather roughly, and signaled to the men with two fingers in the air. Out of the shadows, his Royce peeled forward, and he climbed in. After a moment, they had all disappeared around the corner.
Gone.
This left me all alone with the girl.
She was shivering and sitting helplessly on the ground, obviously still in shock. My sympathy went to her.
Shedding my hoodie and leaving the tee underneath, I slowly walked up to her quivering form and placed the fabric around her shoulders. She jumped at the sudden contact.
“You’re okay.” I whispered, assuring her.
She stared at me blankly.
I bent down beside her, still leaving her some space in between us.
I knew better than to touch her. She tensed briefly, then exhaled a long, slow breath.
I just knelt there, at her level, hoping that my presence and security would somehow soothe her.
I also didn’t want to be looming over her.
I needed her to know that I saw her, and that she wasn’t alone anymore. That I was here to help.
“Were you at the bar with someone?” I asked after a few moments, hoping to assess her situation.
She nodded slowly, sniffing. “Yeah, but... I think she’s gone...”
“Why don’t you give her a call?” I suggested, finding myself sitting down on the hard pavement next to her.
The girl visibly stalled, looking around the mess of her tattered clothes.
“Oh shit…I… I think I forgot my purse inside the bar. My cell phone is in it.”
I tried to keep my demeanor neutral. If she was lucky, maybe a staff member picked it up for her. But as an avid bar goer, I knew she wasn’t getting that shit back. At least not tonight, anyway. Everything was closed.
“Here,” I gestured, handing her my cell. “Use my phone.”
She nodded gratefully, “Thank you.” She took a few seconds to punch in the numbers. We both sat there for a few moments, awkwardly listening to the continued ringing on the line.
But no answer.
She tried the number an additional two times to no avail.
“Is there someone else you can call? So that you can at least get to your house?” I offered, wishing I could do more for her. She shakily returned my cell to my hand, and I assumed that was my answer.
Suddenly, a bright panic entered her pretty green eyes. “My keys were in there too, crap. My house keys. And no one is there. I don’t have a way to get inside or get anywhere. Shit!”
I tilted my head down, trying not to laugh at her stress. Her face was getting almost as red as her hair, and I was finding it quite difficult not to think of how adorable she looked so flustered.
“Do you want a ride?” I asked with a smile. “Look, you can come home with me. I can give you a place to rest until your friend answers your calls.”
She blinked, eyeing me carefully. Moments elapsed, and just when I thought I would have to ask her again, she nodded solemnly, looking away in shame.
Poor girl. I could tell that she had no clue what to do, let alone who to trust. I was a stranger to her too, I realized.
This position currently placed me in a lot of power, and she was probably fearing I would do the same to her as Silas tried to do.
Quickly, I pressed one number on my phone, and I had my driver on the line.
“I’m at the bar down the road, come pick me up.” I ended the call without needing to say more.
I looked back at her. “Hey,” I said softly. “Ride is on the way.”
The girl didn’t budge.
Suddenly, she looked back up at me and our eyes met again. God, I thought, feeling the air vanish from my lungs. She was so beautiful.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me,” I said softly.
Instantly, I regretted saying that because she started crying again. Had I done something wrong?
After a moment, her eyes closed and she smiled up at me. “Thank you, thank you,” she repeated, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
What an extraordinary smile.
“No problem,” I breathed, reaching out my hand to her, desperate to know her name.
“I’m Noah Hansen.”
She shakily placed her hand in mine. I squeezed it, loving the warmth.
“I’m Delane. Delane Marsh.”
My smile grew and I cupped my second hand around hers, easing her to a stand. “Delane,” I repeated. “It’s good to meet you.” I couldn’t imagine what would have happened had I not returned to the alley.
I couldn’t save my mom.
I couldn’t save myself, even.
But I saved her. I saved Delane. I was exactly where I needed to be when it counted. For the first time ever, a tiny sliver of me felt like I had a purpose.
And that meant something to me more than she’d ever know.