Page 38 of All for her Forgiveness

I watch her pass by the manager with her head held high. She was trembling when she hugged me; I noticed how scared she was. Now, however, as she passes the bastard, she looks like a queen sidestepping a rat.

"See, didn't I say we were friends? In fact, we're more than that," the wretched man says, probably feeling superior because the woman, Kennedy, didn't want to report him. "Do you think if she were really scared, she wouldn't accept your offer to get a lawyer? We've had thousands of fights like this. Kennedy likes to provoke men, and?—”

He doesn't take a second breath before I have him gripped by the collar, slamming his body against the wall. The sound of the back of his head hitting the structure feels good to me.

"No matter what a woman is or does, there's no need to defame her."

I don't ease the grip, and the man's color changes to a purplish tone.

"I . . . I'm sorry, please . . .”

I don't want to let him go. I feel like making him bleed until my fingers are raw from hitting his face, but I don't trust myself to stop once I start, so throwing his useless body against the wall again, I let him fall at my feet.

Kennedy

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Past

I've never changedclothes so quickly in my life.

Since I lost my parents, I've been through a lot and forced myself to always keep my head up, but today? Without a doubt, it will go down on the list of days I'll try to forget.

And what was that, seeking refuge in the arms of a stranger? What did I even know about him at that moment? For all I knew, he could be as big a jerk as Greytak and the casino owners.

To make matters worse, a heavy rain begins to fall. I try to shelter myself under the awnings as I walk, but the wind brings the rain to me anyway.

I still have to walk almost five hundred meters to the bus stop, and I regret the impulsive decision of not waiting for Mr. Ernest to finish his shift and give me a ride.

Actually, what I would like to do today is hide in his house. I'm not in the mood to face Mrs. Vina, and not even Pam, although she sounded very sweet on the phone.

I’m alert as I walk because this area is not exactly safe at night, except for those who drive their fancy cars. I'm no longer dressed in the provocative clothes from the casino, but there might be some idiot thinking that because I'm alone, he can take advantage. I'm small, and although I think in a fight they'd have to kill me before they could subdue me, I don't want to test that theory.

As if my fears come true, I hear a car slowing down as it passes by me.

I quicken my pace, my heart racing. Even if there was the remotest possibility of a good Samaritan stopping to help me, if there's a guy or several in the vehicle with bad intentions, he definitely wouldn't stop in this rain.

A deep terror takes hold of every drop of my blood when I realize that the car has parked a few meters ahead. The back door opens, but I focus on my path and silently pray until I hear my savior's voice say, "Kennedy, get in. You'll end up catching pneumonia."

I stop walking. Yes, maybe it's a stupid thing to do because criminals don't necessarily have to look like criminals, but the man stood up for me twice today.

"I don't know you. Why do you care about me?"

"I don't care, but your mother might."

"Don't worry about that, sir. She's been gone for a long time." I quicken my pace again, and I can hardly believe it when he appears in front of me, his expensive suit splattered, as well as his hair, from running a little in the rain.

"You don't need to be afraid of me. I'm not a woman abuser."

"I'm not saying you are, although I don't believe anyone who did that would admit it."

"I would admit it," he says, looking at me seriously.

"Why do you want to help me? You don't know me."

"I don't have an answer to that. I just feel somewhat responsible for making sure you get home safely."

I look into his eyes for several seconds, and he doesn't even blink. "I don't know your name."

---