They didn’t seem sad when I told them I was looking for a place. In fact, they acted happy. Overly happy, actually. It hurt seeing their reactions, but it only pushed me to find something sooner. It didn’t take long to see I couldn't afford much if I was going to pay for rent on top of my last year of veterinary tech school.
I had a small nest egg after selling my car, plus I spent all of high school working odd jobs. I don’t need a car now that I’m living in the city.
Carrie agreed to let me go month to month on the rent and she didn't make me sign anything. That way if something did happen I could get out of it without a problem. I’m hoping that won’t be the case because it’s nice not having to walk on eggshells every day. And her place is close to school.
I send Carrie a quick text to make sure I have the right address. This place is so nice and I don’t think I’m dressed for it. I wore a simple pink cotton dress with leggings under it because of the chill in the air.
Carrie: That’s it! Have fun.
She replies a few minutes later then sends me her brother’s number to text him if I can’t find him inside. I debate texting and canceling, but that would be rude. Maybe I could hint at the idea. I put his number into my phone and send him a text.
Me: Hey, it’s Liz, Carrie’s roommate. I’m here, but I didn’t know the place was so nice. Not sure I’m dressed for it. Maybe we should try for another night?
I move closer to the building and off to the side to get out of the way of people coming and going. I stare down at my phone, waiting for a response and see that he read the message. He’s not texting back and I stand there for another ten minutes debating if I should text him again or get a cab home.
“Liz.” I look up at the sound of my name to see a man in a suit walking towards me. He has the same dirty-brown hair as Carrie and dark brown eyes. He smiles at me and it makes me fidget with my dress. He’s cute in a pretty boy way and I think he might have taken longer to get ready than I did.
I tuck a piece of my long blonde hair behind my ear and think about how I really should have put more time into how I looked for this date. I know this isn’t going anywhere because I can already tell there’s no spark with Gabe. I’m starting to think people are lying when they say they knew the second they saw their husband or wife that they were the one.
“Hi.” I smile as his eyes roam over me in a somewhat dismissive way. It makes me think he’s not interested either. Still he moves in close to me and touches my hair. It’s such an odd thing to do and it unnerves me.
“You are underdressed, but we don’t have to eat here.” He lets his hand drop down to my chest and he grabs my breast. “Little thick for my taste, but your tits are nice.”
I step away from him, taken aback that he just blatantly did that. He follows my retreat and I’m shocked that this creep just groped me on the street out in the open without hesitation.
“Don’t be like that.” He pushes me up against the hard brick wall and it’s then I realize I’ve stepped into a side door I hadn’t noticed was there and I’ve trapped myself in. “Or do you like it rough? Pretend to fight it a little.” He pushes into me. “Because I fucking love that shit.”
“Stop it.” I push at his chest, but he doesn’t move. “I said stop,” I say, louder this time, hoping someone hears me. I try to scream but his hand goes over my mouth.
“I was going to take you back to my place, but we can do this here if you want,” he says against my ear. I want to gag when I feel his erection against me. No matter how hard I push he doesn’t budge. “Why else would you wear a dress when it’s this fucking cold out? You wanted it quick.” He reaches under my dress and panic sets in. I can’t believe this is happening. He pulls at my leggings as I still try and fight him off.
I close my eyes to get it together so I can push at him again with more force this time. I need to get his hand off my mouth so I can scream at least. When I open my eyes suddenly his weight is off of me and I watch him go flying back into the air and land on the hard sidewalk. I hear something pop or maybe it was a snap of bone when he hit the ground. A stranger stands over Gabe and looks down at him lying like a rag doll on the street.
When he turns around his eyes meet mine and he’s got the darkest eyes I’ve ever seen. He looks me up and down quickly to see if I’m safe then focuses back on Gabe. He picks him up from the ground then body slams him into the sidewalk again, even harder this time.
“You’re going to pay for that,” he tells Gabe as he moves towards him again and his intent is clear.
He’s not done with him yet.
Two
ROCCO
“All rise,” the bailiff says, and the judge enters the courtroom.
I’m still standing next to my court appointed lawyer until the judge takes a seat and tells me to sit. This is all complete bullshit, but in this city money is the only thing this court wants to hear. Maybe I should have hired my own lawyer, but what would have been the point? I know what’s coming.
Pretty Boy is sitting on the other side of the room bandaged up with casts on almost every limb. Yeah, I did a number on him, but that motherfucker deserved everything he got and more. It’s just a shame his dad is one of the biggest prosecutors in the town and has every judge in his pocket. Not that it really matters. Even if I had known that, I wouldn’t have been able to stop. He got what he deserved and should’ve gotten more.
I don’t listen as they talk about what happened. I was there, I know what I did. My lawyer advised me to make a plea deal, but it’s not happening. I plead guilty because I am. I just wish I’d finished the job. Pretty Boy was on life support for a week, so I got close. If the cops hadn’t been called I’d probably be in line for the death penalty, so I guess there are some small miracles.
The whole proceeding doesn’t take ten minutes before I hear the smack of the gavel and my lawyer is telling me to stand up. The bailiff comes over to collect me and walk me in front of the judge, where he tells me my sentence is five years with a possibility of parole.
Five years for kicking that bitch’s ass. I wish I could do it again when I glance over my shoulder and see him sitting there with a smug look on his face. That better be all he does right now or I’ll be all over him again.
There’s one place in the courtroom I refuse to look and it’s because I don’t want to see her. I’m sure I scared her when I got him off of her and then almost killed him. I was walking down the street and I felt something that made me stop. I looked into the shadowed alcove and that’s when I saw her pinned to the wall. I knew I had to stop it, but once I got my hands on him I lost control. That’s when I heard her scream. I never meant to scare her, only save her. But that’s all too late now.
I know she’s here without even having to check. I can feel her presence near me. It’s the same as the moment I walked by her and knew I had to save her. I don’t regret what happened, only that she had to witness it, because she’ll never want to look at me again. I might have saved her, but in that moment I became a monster in her eyes.
It’s not like she would have wanted anything to do with me before that moment though. She’s a beautiful girl. Soft and clean. I’m dirty and rough with nothing to lose. Why would she ever take a second look at me? But I guess that doesn’t matter now.