Page 33 of In the Grey of Dawn

The apartment is dark and as I step into it I'm almost immediately jabbed with a throat punch, involuntarily cutting off my breathing and causing my reflexes to kick in. My arm darts out to the silhouette of the person standing next to me and I grab at a …is that a tit?

“Charlie,” I rasp, “it's me.”

“Get away you fucking pervert,” she yells. Her voice brings me comfort even if she's panicking.

She's okay, she's safe.

I try to pull her toward the little bit of light coming from the fireplace so she can see it's me, but my throat is still spasming and I can't get the words out that I need to.

She thinks I'm some creep that's broken into her place and well, I didn't think that far ahead with my plan so of course she assumes that.

Idiot.

With the lights still off I try to find the wall switch, attempting a second time for her to see that it’s me, but all I end up doing is stumbling into her, causing her to let out a little scream before an intense burning invades my eyes and I can't see.

My girl’s pepper sprayed me and I could not be prouder.

Chapter 19 - Charlie

Stupid small towns and their stupid trusting of each other, and leaving stupid keys out under their stupid door mats. Why the fuck did I leave an emergency key out?

Wait ... did I?

Practically yelling at the loser on the floor, “Not today creep, you picked on the wrong girl.”

I take a little satisfaction in hearing him struggle to breathe. I know I haven't done any major damage to his oesophagus but if I need to do it again, I will.

Trying hard to control my breathing and rational thinking, I can feel my adrenaline pumping and I'm grateful that this asshole was so loud trying to break into my apartment that I was ready for him when he got the door open.

I was crashed out on the couch and I don't know if I would have woken up if he wasn't so loud.

I'm exhausted.

The last 24-hours has caught up with me, or maybe it's the last few months of this push and pull with Porter, on top of managing Dante and looking after Mila. It was freezing when I came in, the fire dead cold after no one was here to stoke it.

Lighting it quickly, I put the load of laundry I needed to do on. I was one pair of knickers away from my emergency granny panties and the last thing I need is Porter catching sight of them when we’re entering the sexy part of getting together.

I give the guy on the floor a small kick in the ribs with my foot. Not enough to break anything but just enough to keep him on the ground a little longer while I turn on the light switch.

“Stay down or I'll pepper spray you again, asshole,” I yell, trying not to cough with all the residual spray in the air. My eyes are already irritated from being in an enclosed space with it, and my nose is starting to run.

Never turning my back to the person, I slowly take small steps away from him toward the wall switch. Gasping when I finally get to it and turn it on. Lighting up the small space and revealing my supposed intruder.

Porter.

“Oh my gods, Porter!”

Running to the large windows I slide them open as fast as possible, letting the cold winds in and taking the tarnished air out.

“Porter, I'm so sorry. I thought you were a bad guy trying to get me.”

I continue to try and explain myself, darting to the kitchen sink and soaking a tea towel in warm water. He's on his hands and knees, resting his head on the floor, trying to control his breathing.

“Sit up, I need to wipe some of this away and then I’ll tak— oh fuck. That's a lot of mucus. You need to stand up, we have to get you in the shower. Why the fuck didn’t you just knock on the door like a normal person.” I say, guiding him into my small bathroom and unzipping his jacket.

“I did,” he rasps out. His breathing is still very stilted and he has to be in a bit of pain considering I got a few unnecessary jabs in there.

Turning on the shower, I remove the rest of his clothing, his breathing evening out a little more. His inflamed eyes are shut and his fists are clenched, resisting the urge to rub them.

---