Chapter 20

<Victoria Grayson>

I'm running, faster and faster, to try and outrun the men that are chasing after me. It's like the night I went out to the theater with Gavin, except this time he won't come and save me.

I remember what my dad always told me if I had to get away from bad people. He'd always say to stay out in the open where there was more chance someone would see me and to stay away from alleyways because I'll never know whether they dead end until I'm inside of it and by then it's too late.

I keep running down the street, screaming at the top of my lungs, hoping someone will hear but this whole town seems to be deserted. I trip over a broken up piece of the sidewalk and fall, putting my hands out in front of me to stop the fall. I hear my wrist crack as I hit the concrete. The men hover over me and I scream louder, my voice becoming hoarser with each scream.

"Shut up." One of the men snaps as he bends down towards me.

I wish I had my pepper spray with me.

I look him straight in the eye and scream even louder than before. He slaps me across the face and that's when I grab his wrist with my only good hand. I dig my nails deeply into the visible vein on his wrist, trying my hardest to cut it. He wails out in pain but I don't let go. Then one of his comrades kicks me hard in the stomach causing me to let go and clutch my still tender stomach.

I'd gotten my stiches out only a few days ago and was told to take it easy. I don't think this is what the doctors had in mind when they said 'take it easy'. Tears well up in my eyes and I collapse on the sidewalk.

Why can't everybody leave me alone? Since when did I become a target for every criminal in the state of New York?

"Don't cry, this won't be that bad." The man says as he takes off his jacket.

I take off one of my stilettos and throw it at his face. It hits his eye and he stumbles backwards, a string of profanities leaving his mouth as he does. The third man gives me an evil grin that almost resembles Freddie Krueger. My eyes widen in fear as he bends down and leans towards me. He straddles me so I can't move and brings his lips near mine.

"Don't you dare try to do anything." He glares and places his lips on mine.

Tears fall down my face as I struggle to break free from under him. I try to scratch at his face but he catches my only good hand and holds it as he continues to violate my face. I feel the throw up enter my mouth as the man lets go of me to catch his breath.

I try to lift my cracked wrist but I wince in pain every time I try to move it. The man's about to go down to kiss me again when a pair of hands, not mine, grab him around the neck and squeeze very tightly. The criminal is turning purple and soon enough his eyes roll back in his head, signaling me that he's dead. The person who suffocated him pushes the dead body off of me and comes to my side. I half expect to see Gavin but it's one of his friends. Blaze, I think Gavin said his name was.

"Are you okay, Victoria?" Blaze asks in a whisper.

I shake my head and start crying again.

"I don't know what he would've done to me if you hadn't come." I say in a strained voice as I cradle my wrist in my other hand.

"What happened?" He asks as he sits down next to me.

I feel oddly safe with Blaze next to me. I try to sit up but my now bruised stomach protests. I wince a little and then lay back down on the cold concrete of the sidewalk.

"I ran out of the pool hall and I was walking towards the subway and then I heard these other footsteps behind me. I tried to speed up but they kept up with me, that's when I started running. I ran until I had no idea where I was. Then I tripped and they came over top of me. I dug my nails into the wrist of one of them and I think I cut his vein or something because he started bleeding really bad. Then his other friend came over me and I threw one of my shoes at him and it hit his eye. The final thing that happened you saw and stopped." I run my thumb under my eye in an attempt to stop my tears.

"Hey, it's okay to cry. You've been through a lot lately." Blaze tucks my hair behind my ear in a comforting way.

"If you're implying what Gavin said to me, I'm okay about it. If that's how he feels then I'm glad he told me." I say, trying to convince myself more than convince him.

"There are some people who tell the truth when they're drunk and then there's Gavin. What he said to you was because he was angry that he could never protect you from everything, he was mad at himself. He actually told us before he got wasted that he loved you and wanted to keep you safe." Blaze gives me a small smile as he waits for me to respond.

"He really said that?" I ask, suspicion creeping its way into my voice.

"Gavin never says I love you to a girl, yet he said it to you. He really does mean it, Victoria."

"Are you sure he doesn't tell the truth when he's drunk? I mean, the things he said didn't even sound like him, at least not the guy that promised me he'd take care of the people who wanted to murder me." I look towards him with narrowed eyes.

"He was mad at himself. He was mad that he couldn't take you away from your fiancée. He was mad that he couldn't get rid of the other guy that wanted to murder and he was mad that it was his fault you kept getting hurt and he only said the thing about making you solve your own problems because obviously when he tries to solve them, you end up almost dead." Blaze places his hand on my shoulder and tries to help me sit up.

"How do you know all of this?" I mutter in a stained voice as I struggle to breathe through the pain in my stomach.

"I'm his best friend and I know him better than even his parents do." Blaze chuckles a little and props me up on his crossed legs so, I'm elevated from the cold sidewalk. "Also he remembered you when he was drunk, he barely even remembers me so you must be important to him."

"I just miss him and I want him back. I don't like him having to ignore me. I'd rather risk death than continue in this silence." I wipe away a tear and try to take in a deep breath but my stomach won't let me.

"Don't risk death again, Victoria. Gavin will come back for you because when he makes a promise, he doesn't go back on it. He loves you and he'd rather come back for you when you're alive than come back for your funeral. Just stay on the down low until he's figured everything out and then I promise he'll come back for you." Blaze rubs my shoulder soothingly as I look at the stars that are barely visible thanks to the city lights.

"I just don't want to have to wait anymore." I whisper and manage to sit up.

I sit up for about 10 seconds before collapsing into Blaze. I wrap my arms around him and feel his arms draw me in closer. It's a comforting embrace and it's nice to know I have a friend left in this state.

"Let me take you home. I don't want you anywhere near the streets of this town alone." Blaze says in a soothing voice.

"I can't ask you to do that...I'll be fine." I mutter but Blaze stops me by clamping his hand down over my mouth.

My eyes widen as I try to remove his hand from my mouth. He takes it off a couple of seconds later.

"Sorry, I thought I heard some guys coming and I don't want any more confrontation. We've had enough of that for tonight." Blaze smiles and rubs my shoulder as he continues to hold me close.

"How'd you know where to find me?" I ask in a curious tone.

"After Gavin passed out, I hopped in my car because I knew if I let you walk around this town alone something bad would happen. So, I followed you and parked my car around the corner when your confrontation began because I knew if they saw the headlights I'd never be able to catch them. I got out of my car and waited until I saw the guy straddling you, that's when I knew I had to get him because he'd be most vulnerable. His friends ran away when they saw me and then I choked the final guy, as you saw." He finishes his story and then lets go of me.

"Thank you for following me...At least I'll be making it out of here mostly intact." I laugh a little as I move back to sitting on the sidewalk.

"Can you stand up?" He asks and gets up off of the sidewalk, offering me his hand.

I try to but I end up collapsing again.

"Apparently not." I mutter, wanting nothing more than to stop the pain in my stomach.

"It's okay," Blaze smiles and picks me up, one arm around my waist and the other under my knees.

He begins to walk around the corner towards a Ferrari.

Why do Gavin and his friends have to have the same taste in cars?

He sets my legs down and holds me upright with his other arm as he searches for his car keys. He finds them and unlocks the car. Blaze opens my door for me and helps me get into the passenger seat. He slams the door shut for me. Then he hops into the driver's seat and turns the key in the ignition. He turns the heat all the way up as he drives down the street.

"Didn't you have a bag?" he asks and turns the radio on low volume.

"Yeah but I have my phone, the rest of the stuff in that bag was replaceable." I say in a small voice as Blaze continues driving.

~~~~~

We pull up in front of my house within half an hour without Blaze getting lost. I call my mom and see if she's at home. She picks up immediately and sounds frantic. I tell her to calm down and that I'm home. I watch the front door and see her come and open it. I tell her that I'm going to come up to the door and then I hang up.

"Thank you, Blaze." I place a kiss on his cheek and then quickly open up my door.

"Do you need any help getting to the door?" he asks in a concerned tone.

"I think I can make it." I give him a smile which he returns.

I step out of the car, determined to not collapse. I walk a few steps and then I regain my balance. I take in a deep breath and wave to Blaze, signaling him that I can make it. I continue walking until I reach the open front door.

"Baby, what happened to you?" My mom says as I collapse into her arms.

"Some guys cornered me in the street and they were going to...they almost...this criminal kissed me and he would've done more if this guy hadn't come and choked him..." I say as I take in short breaths and try to stop the tears from falling.

"Oh, Victoria." My mom places her hand over her mouth as her eyes widen. "We need to press charges, sweetheart. Do you have any DNA from the man? Did he you know..."

"No, he didn't get that far thankfully." I mutter as my mom shuts the front door and leads me to the living room. "Someone did kick me really hard in the stomach, though."

I groan as she helps me sit down on the couch.

"Sweetheart, did any of your wounds break open?" My mom asks in a concerned tone.

"I don't know." I admit as more tears begin to fall.

"Don't cry, baby girl." My mom lifts up my shirt and gasps.

I look down and see a dark purple bruise that covers the middle-left side of my stomach. I put a finger on it and wince at the pain. Thankfully, though, none of my wounds have reopened. My mother stands up and goes out to get me an ice pack. She returns a few minutes later with an ice pack, some disinfectant and a promise of chicken noodle soup.

My mother helps me sit down and then takes the seat next to me. She pours some disinfectant on a cotton ball and runs it over the healing wounds on my stomach. I take in a sharp breath as my stomach and the bruise sting. She continues to gently wipe down the cuts on my stomach and then she wipes down one that I acquired on my lip and the side of my head tonight.

"There, all clean, sweetheart." My mother kisses my forehead and then sends me off to take a shower.

"I'll have your soup ready when you're done." My mom calls as I limp off to my bedroom.

I go to the medicine cabinet and find a splint and some extra bandages for my wrist. I take off my clothes and drop them in a pile by my door. I use my good hand to turn on the shower and as soon as the water's hot enough, I hop in.

I shampoo my hair quickly, run a little conditioner through my hair and then stand under the showerhead, enjoying the warm water that's running over my body. I look down at all my bruises and feel a lump catch in my throat, they're all over my body including my legs and my arms.

Ever since Gavin started ignoring me, Carter would come home drunk and he'd beat me. My parents would stop him, if they could, but my dad's always working and my mom takes sleeping pills which completely knock her out.

So, I'm usually stuck taking all of Carter's wrath. I'd love nothing more than to tell someone about him but no one would ever believe me, except maybe my dad since he can see past Carter's spell of charm.

I run my fingers over the bruises on my legs that are in various levels of healing. Some are green, some are yellow, and the rest are purple. I feel tears run down my face as touch them and then I come to the one on my stomach. A huge pain erupts in the area as my fingers brush lightly over it. I bite my lip and remove my fingers. I close my eyes so that I don't have to look at all of the wounds all over my body. I turn off the faucet and step out, wrapping a towel around myself.

I grab the splint and bandages before walking out into my bedroom. I set them down on the bed and walk over to my dresser to get some pajamas. I grab a pair of sweatpants and a tank top from my drawer and then walk back over to my bed. I wrap my hair up in my towel and put on my outfit, slipping my feet into some slippers in the process.

I carefully wrap my wrist in the bandages and then put the splint on. Thankfully, my wrist feels a little better now. I pop a few Advil in my mouth and swallow them with some water. I walk out of my bathroom and am about to open my bedroom door when I see the knob turn. Something catches in my throat and I feel my pulse quicken since I know Carter is on the other side of the door.