Downfall(3)

Nope. I wasn’t.

I was in hell and every day it felt like I was running across another devil to battle. It was exhausting, and I never wanted to put my daughter in such a dangerous situation.

“Move.” I said it again and gasped as he lifted a hand like he was going to touch my daughter’s shiny black ringlets. I took a step backward and glared at him. I could feel Noble starting to shake in my arms. “Get away from us.” I narrowed my eyes and returned his glare, aware I didn’t look half as intimidating as he did.

He laughed. It was an ugly, dark sound and I heard Noble sniffle against my throat. She wasn’t crying yet, but she was close. This man was not putting his hands on my daughter, no matter what.

“I’ve seen you coming and going. Scared of your own shadow. Turning your nose up at the people you pass on the street. You think you’re too good for this city? Too good for the rest of us?” His eyes skated over me and his mouth twisted into a sneer that sent shivers racing across my skin. “Stuck up bitch.”

He was so angry, but he didn’t even know me. It was confusing and terrifying.

When he took another step closer to us, I squeezed Noble so tight that she squeaked in complaint. He was lifting a gnarled hand again, so I turned, making his heavy palm land on my auburn ponytail instead of my daughter’s hair. It was a dumb move, one made on instinct alone, but I was kicking myself as I felt his finger latch onto my hair and yank. He pulled hard enough to bring tears to my eyes, and I stumbled back a step.

I felt his chest bump against my back and bit down on a cry.

“Mommy?” Noble’s voice quivered, and I could feel her body shaking against mine.

I tried to shush her, but my throat locked when a pair of rough, abrasive lips hit the side of my neck. He licked a wet trail up the side of my neck and I couldn’t bite back a gag.

“You taste expensive, pretty thing. Can’t wait to take a bite out of you, and I got a buddy who likes them young. The younger the better.” The implied threat was horrifying.

I kicked backward with my foot, aiming for a shin, a knee, anything. The heel of my sneaker glanced off something hard, which earned me another furious yank of my hair.

I opened my mouth to scream. Noble was crying, her tiny hands clutching my clothes and my skin. I wanted to believe that if I was able to make a noise, someone would step in and help. If not for me, then for my daughter. Even in this terrible place, surely strangers wanted to keep children safe. Only I knew that wasn’t true, and the more time that passed in this fucked-up situation, the more I realized that we were truly on our own.

I yelped as a hard hand slid over my ass and blinked back helpless tears.

I couldn’t let this happen. I had to keep Noble safe.

The panic was rising to an uncontrollable level. I was whimpering and desperately trying to pull free without losing my hold on Noble. My frantic mind considered putting her down and telling her to run, to find somewhere safe to hide while I was mauled by this aggressive stranger on the street. But she wasn’t even four yet, and I wasn’t convinced anywhere in this city was safe. I thought I knew what it was like to be trapped between a rock and a hard place before, but that wasn’t even close to the pressure squeezing my heart right now.

The groping hand was trying to find purchase between me and Noble, looking for a handful of skin. Any more of this and I really was going to throw up. I opened my mouth to scream, to call for help, even if it was useless, but suddenly I was released. I had to focus on not falling forward and crushing my kid between me and the broken sidewalk.

I whirled around, placing Noble on her feet so we could run if we had to. I pushed her protectively behind me, ready to flee or fight. Her small hands latched onto the hem of my shirt and tugged. She was as ready as I was to run for safety.

Only, the scary man who had grabbed me was now dangling from the hands of a guy twice his size and twice as scary. My intimidating rescuer towered over six feet and was built like a damn tank. His short hair was covered by a ratty and worn baseball cap, and his darkly handsome face was set in furious, tight lines. The thug was dangling in his grasp high enough that his toes were barely touching the sidewalk.

“What did I tell you about lurking around my place, Skinner? I don’t fucking like it.” The guy’s voice was a low growl. Intimidating without even trying. “I don’t fucking like you.”

Out of habit, I reached back and covered Noble’s ears with my hands. She wasn’t new to foul language, but I didn’t need her repeating this stranger’s garbage words, which she absolutely would at the most inopportune moment.

My eyes widened as he shook the lurker hard enough to snap his head back and forth comically. The smaller man whimpered and clutched at the hands locked on the front of his dirty coat.

“Let me go, Solo. I was just having some fun. She’s a prissy bitch. You’ve seen her walking around here like her shit don’t stink.” The pleading was wasted. The larger man was clearly unmoved.

The new arrival’s massive arms tensed and flexed as he practically threw the other man on the ground. I noticed he was dressed in nothing more than a dark t-shirt even though it was chilly outside. The short sleeves showed off more than his impressive build. In the faded street lights, I could hardly make out the designs that were inked over almost every visible inch of skin. That wasn’t an uncommon look in this neighborhood. Gang tattoos, prison tattoos, and general outsiders who called these streets home tended to rock some serious ink, but this guy’s looked more deliberate and artistic than a simple statement piece.