Chapter Text
1
Her feet are tired. Sore. Hours spent in the bar, tending drunk patrons. Avoiding lusty men and women alike and shutting them all down. She had too damn much to worry about right now. She needed to get home.
There's pain on her right heel, the worn edge of her shoe finally ripping apart today and rubbing a blister on her skin. She hisses, leans her hand on the brick of a small boarded up storefront. The other tugging up her worn sock to cover the blister till she got home.
Heavy feet sound behind her and suddenly there's pain on the side of her head and a hand clamped over her mouth to stop her cry of shock. Another hand grips her upper arm with bruising force and yanks her to the ground into the dark alleyway.
She's stumbling to her feet, hands frantically searching for the switchblade in her coat pocket but it's gone. Her eyes going wide as the familiar blade blade is flicked open, leering eyes watching her white smirking teeth.
"What's this? I think she was trying to protect herself."
"Can't have that, you could hurt someone with that knife pretty girl." The second man stepped closer, backing her into the corner of the alley.
"We should reprimand her for trying to hurt someone."
They sneered and crowded around her. Her only weapon gone. Feeling stupid for not keeping her pistol in her coat anymore. For following the laws and rules for the bar. Fuck....
"Get off me!" She screams, hands shoving her into the brick wall again. Another sharp pain on her head, vision fuzzy and eyes blinking.
Her coats ripped open, buttons flying and hands roughly pushing her clothes from her body. Tears flowing down her cheeks and a hand clamped over her mouth to hush her screams. Her own knife pressed to her throat and it's the scariest thing she's ever felt In her life with that razor sharp blade against her flesh. Threatening to flay skin with its edge.
She tries to kick out with her knee. To fight back, anything. But that was stupid because a fist is thrown to her cheek and it nearly knocks her out. Her jaw feels like it's most likely broken and what little vision she had is fading fast.
Then she's on the ground, crumpled form against the brick wall. Her arms winding around her stomach as she curls into the wall. There's two gunshots, heavy objects hitting the ground and then nothing for several moments.
"Please... Don't.. I'm..." She's pleading with whoever is here now. Her vision too far gone from the concussions that she can't clearly see who it is.
Only a tall dark figure, something white on his chest. Standing over her before stooping to pick her up, cradle her in strong arms that make her feel like as air.
"Shit." His voice is thick and deep, husky like he doesn't talk much. "You're bleeding pretty bad."
She only whimpers softly and closes her eyes, just wanting to sleep. Sleep would be heavenly. She wouldn't feel pain in her sleep. But she's gently shaken awake and a tiny gasp leaves her throat.
"Stay awake. Gotta stay awake darlin."
She doesn't want to stay awake, she wants to sleep but she obeys. This man, he saved her. Somehow he'd heard her or saw them attacking her. She's not even concerned about the gunshots she heard.
But she can't stay awake long, she's barely conscious. His heavy feet shaking her body with every step the only thing keeping her conscious right now. Her eyes close again.
And stay closed.