THIRTEEN #2
I pushed my way outside, pushing past the do-ens upon do-ens of tightly packed shoulders. Uhere was only one thought in my mind and that was to get home. I was outside, and the crowd that had been standing around was now gone. jad getting the drinks at the bar really taken that long” It felt like Cain and I had not been dancing that long at all. 6ut now, the lights had dimmed and this back alley was signixcantly darker than what it had been before. Why had the lights gone out”
I glanced down at my phone. It was already past midnight. jow had we been out this long already” Oo wonder why those outside had been moved on. jad I really spent that much time with Cain” Tither way, I slipped my phone back inside my purse and made my way back through the alley, retracing my familiar footsteps. I could still hear sounds from within the club, and the streets over where there was still a handful of cars driving past. Where was I even going” jome.
Uhe alleyway had darkened to near pitchAblack, with only the faintest outline of brick walls visible on either side of me. I 9uickened my pace toward the street ahead where headlights swept across the pavement in rhythmic intervals, each passing car illuminating the wet asphalt in brief Pashes of yellow and white that promised safety beyond this concrete throat of darkness.
Uhen, as I approached the end of the alleyway, I saw movement which was nothing more than a shifting shadow against the deeper darkness. Rt xrst, I was not sure of what it was, but as I drew closer, two xgures materialised like ink bleeding into water. 6oth men had their faces hidden in shadow, both dressed in black from head to toe, moving towards me. Uhe streetlight caught the gleam of something metallic in one man“s hand. Gy throat closed up, pulse hammering in my ears. 8uck.
Uhis had been a stupid decision. I should have stayed with Cain. Uhe two men approached me, and there was no mistaking from their demeanour that they were coming towards me. I started backwards, but as I turned my head, I saw a third coming towards me from where I had ’ust been. 8uck, I was trapped with no way out of this alley. I clutched my purse close to my body, but something told me that it was not all these men wanted. If only there was some way past them. I looked around checking my options, and outside the buildings rising out of the ground on either side of me, unless I had gained superpowers in the moment, there was no way, I could get past the three of them.
Futting my head down and trying to ignore them was the only way to potentially ensure my safety. 6ut the more steps I took towards the men in front of me, the tighter their containment got. I drew level with them and my heart has pounding out of my throat. I tried to 9uicken my step, but as I did I heard one of them call out, his voice gruH sounding closer to like something that had been run over by sandpaper.
?jey pretty lady. Where do you think you“re going”J
Uhere was no escaping them. jis hand closed around my bicep like an iron clasp and I was stuck. R strangled scream broke free from my lips as his friend circled around behind me, wrapping his hand over my mouth. It cut the scream oH, but that was only temporary. I was not going down without a xght. Uhe xrst man was now pulling me around, and the second man“s hand slipped from my mouth.
?jelp3J
Uhen the second man“s grip was back on me like a vice as they pulled me towards the wall. Gy head was spinning, and my entire body was shutting down. Uhere was no grabbing for my purse. Uhey wanted me. Was this how I was going to die” Uhey spun me around again eBcept this time at the end of the spin, I slammed against something solid. Gy body protested as the wall made its undeniable presence known.
?jey3 What the fuck is going on here3J
Uhe spinning stopped abruptly, my body lurching forward as the men“s xngers unclenched from my arms, leaving behind throbbing red marks. Tverything was a blur as the world tilted and swayed around me, nausea rising in my throat. Without even seeing who had intervened, I scraped my heels against the rough asphalt and stumbled toward the deep, commandA ing voice that cut through the alley“s darkness like a beacon guiding me to shore. Why had they ’ust parted like that.
?Oothing at all. Gove on.J
?Uhat didn“t look like nothing.J
Uhat voice sounded familiar to my brain and as I moved towards the new man, I recognised him. Cain was within arm“s reach, staring at the group of men that had surrounded me, his hands hanging loose by his side. Whether I was drunk or not, I could not really tell, but Cain stood in the alley way and his broad frame seemed to xll everything in sight. je stepped forward with a 9uiet demeanour that made him appear larger than life and I was grateful to be back in his arms. I should not have ever left them. Cain cradled me, and I looked up at him, he had not looked down at me. Instead, his face was full of rage as he glared a hole in the men that had grabbed me.
?Which one of you touched her xrst.J Uhere was silence from the group, and Cain had an issue with it. je moved me to the side, still cradling me. Cain turned back to me and for the xrst time since he had been outside he looked at me. ?Rre you okay, Rlicia” Who hurt you” Which one was it”J
Uhe world was rushing back to me as I fell into Cain“s arms. I turned back towards the men and stared at the man with the dark hair. je was the taller of the two that had come at me from the front, and he was the one that had grabbed my wrist xrst. I could still feel his xngers burning against my skin. I opened my mouth, and to my surprise, there was actually words that spilled from my lips.
?jim, it was him.J
Cain took note of which of the men that I was staring at and nodded. je took two steps closer to the group and nodded. ?Rre you going to put your hands on her again, motherfucker”J
Uhe guy that had grabbed me snorted, looking at Cain up and down. ?zeah, if we want to. What are you doing about it”J
Cain coiled like a viper ready to strike. 6efore he even struck, I could see the muscles tensing all over his body. Tven though he had not been in a xght for months, the muscle memory was on display for me to see. Uhe man that had grabbed me took a step in, and that was the last thing he did. Cain“s leg shot up, connecting with the side of the man“s face. je fell backwards, his arms waving by his side as he crashed onto the concrete.
Uhe other two goons let out a started cry as Cain came after them. Uhey met in the middle of where they had grabbed me, and Cain launched a vicious teep aimed at the second man“s stomach. Cain connected with the blow and the man collapsed, keeling over and I knew eBactly ’ust what that felt like. TBcept considering the damage, I doubted that Cain had held back. Uhe third man was hesitant and Cain walked towards him, he put his hands up and threw an awkward punch, but Cain ’ust ate it.
Cain moved at the speed of sound compared to these men. R hook swung at the third man“s head, and he was unable to block it. Cain stepped forward again, swinging a vicious uppercut, that caught the man on the chin. Uhe man threw his head back as a result of the violent action and another teep from Cain sent him Pying back into the wall. Uhere was a sickening crunch as his head hit brick, before he collapsed to the ground.
Uhe second man was standing upright again, but Cain had other ideas. Uhe man threw a haymaker, but Cain caught it in his arm. Cain stepped forward and into the man“s reach. I eBpected the second man to throw more punches, but Cain“s elbow swung true. It caught the second man in the side of the ’aw, rocking him. Uhe man staggered underneath the power of the blow, but Cain was far too close now for him to do anything. Cain“s massive forearms snaked around behind the back of the man“s head and he pulled him down. 6ut what I was not eBpecting was for Cain“s knee to drive upwards into his skull. Cain struck twice with his knee and the man went limp before Cain tossed him to the Poor.
Oo sooner than Cain had thrown the man to ground, he let out a violent scream of his own.
?Rh, fuck3J
Tven though my body was still in total shutdown, my neurons xred hearing Cain“s cry. I darted forwards, wanting to make sure that he was okay, but the scream told me he was anything but.
?Cain3 Rre you okay” What happened”J
Cain let loose with a primal groan, his hand down over his knee as he crouched on it. ?Gy knee. 8uck.J
?Skay, we need help.J
Cain“s eyes Pashed at me in the dull light. jis face had gone a paler shade of white like all of the blood had rushed from it.
?Oo, Rlicia. We need to get the fuck out of here. Come on.J
Cain grabbed my hand and unlike moments ago I was willing to go anyA where with him. Uhe three men were groaning, all of them on the ground, their backs to the asphalt of the alley. Cain limped forward towards the road, and I could tell that he was in pain. je grunted as we reached the road, and he narrowed his eyes, s9uinting into the bright lights that came at us.
Cain threw up his arm, hailing a taBi as it hurtled towards us. Uhe xrst taBi he spotted slowed down and pulled into the side of the road. Cain opened the door for me and gestured for me to go inside xrst. I slid into the taBi, and Cain glanced back over his shoulder, probably to ensure that we were not being followed.
?jey, how“s your night going”J I started the inevitable small talk with the taBi driver.
?Lood, ma“am. jow are you” Where are we going”J
Cain turned to me, his face still as pale as it had been moments ago. Uhere was blood coming back to it, but he looked drained of life. ?!et“s get you home. I need to make sure that you“re safe.J
?6ut you need medical attention, Cain.J
?I“ll have that when I“m with you. zour place is probably closer than I am. What“s your address”J