I waste no time slipping out from my trapped position on the wall and try to run. The heel of my shoe catches in a crack on the concrete and I stumble, slowing down as I try to catch my balance. When I try to bolt again, I’m brutally yanked back by my blond hair.
“You’re not going anywhere, Betty,” he says, his voice higher than normal from the damage I managed to inflict. “You’re mine.” He drags me backwards until I slam into a dumpster. “Forever.”
“No!” I spit into his face.
I reach up, trying to press my thumbs into his eyes, another self-defense move. One I never thought I’d be using on someone I called my boyfriend. He curses as I succeed in starting to gouge one eye. I have tunnel vision on freeing myself so much that I don’t notice him rear back his right fist. My vision goes entirely black as he punches me in the eye. I’d have fallen to the ground if he hadn’t resumed his hold on my throat again. The fight is draining from my body the longer I’m deprived of oxygen.
He shakes me, my body moving limply like a rag doll. “I love you so much, Betty. Why can’t you see that? Why can’t you only want me?” he whispers at me, his voice eerily calm. “You’re mine.”
He’s psychotic. I’m going to die in a back alley because I was manipulated into loving a psychopath.
“I’ll never share you.” He hisses. “Not with—”
His voice is cut off and the hand around my throat brutally ripped away, nails catching on my skin as it is removed against its will. My body sinks to the disgusting alley floor, sucking in the putrid stench of pee. I don’t care though because at least I can breathe.
My right eye is swelling shut, but I force the left open. My vision is still blurry, but I can see two men struggling. The dark-haired man hits Kyle so hard in the face that he drops to the ground. He’s not moving.
I’m slipping in and out of consciousness when I feel strong arms lift me. I’m being carried, and it’s out of sheer will that I open my left eye. I gasp at the sight of the man holding me. He’s so beautiful, my dark savior, and terrifying all the same. Despite that, the feeling that overwhelms me most is safety. I feel incredibly safe with him. The Cinderella Man saved me.
We reach a black car. From what I can tell, it’s an old Charger, a muscle car. He rests me on his knee as he yanks the door open before softly laying me down in the back seat. I try to say something, but he hushes me.
“Shhh, babe. I don’t know what’s broken. I don’t want you to move, okay?” he asks. I nod. “Good girl. You’ll be okay. I promise.”
I feel the car shake as he slams the door and then dip again as he slides into the front seat. Then the ignition rolls over and the car roars to life. I continue to drift in and out of consciousness again, my vision going black without notice. When I feel a rough hand slip into mine, I open my eye to see beautiful, grey eyes looking at me.
“We’re almost there. Try to stay awake, okay, babe?” He sounds so concerned.
I try to smile at him, to tell him that I’m okay, but I lose reality again, only seeing the stoplight in front of us turn green before I do.
I’m floating again—at least I think I am. I can hear beeping and faraway voices as I’m laid down onto something soft. I blink my eye open but quickly close it when it’s met by strong florescent lights. I wait a few seconds before trying again. There are nurses hovering around me, and I see him talking to them. As he turns to go, I grab his hand.
“Please,” I whisper hoarsely.
He leans down, brushing the hair from my face. “I’m not going anywhere, Beth.” He softly kisses my forehead. “Your family will be here soon, okay?”
I nod. I’m not sure how he knows who I am. He must have picked up my clutch before he brought me here.
Something sharp sticks me in my arm before my body starts to numb. It feels amazing. The last thing I see before I go again is my dark savior’s handsome face.
When I wake up hours later, surrounded by loved ones, he is gone. If the nurses hadn’t seen him, I’d have felt as though I dreamt the entire thing. He didn’t leave a name. Only the paperwork detailing an in-progress restraining order was left on my bedside table.
Cinderella disappeared into the city night, and I owe him my life.