“Gemma!”Drew yells from well behind me.
Shit.
I dart into an alleyway, leaning against the wall as I pant loudly.I glance quickly at the large bins and see a small van parked further inside.
There’s no way I can face him.
He bet money on me accepting his invitation to be his lover.Who does that sort of thing?
I creep slowly along the wall, walking into a bottle, knocking it over, and it rolls away.
Another one smashes.
Crap.
I close my eyes as the sounds of Manhattan fill the air; sirens and horns, the hiss of the gutters, traffic and people.
“Gemma,” I hear again, but it’s muted.
I dart around a large container and spot two men.
“Hey, little lady,” one of the men wearing a black jacket over a hoodie says.
I jump.“Oh, shit, you scared me.”
They walk closer, wobbling.They’re either drunk or high...or both.
“You shouldn’t be here.”The second guy in a red cap sneers at me.
“No, I’m just...my date is coming.”I glance back at the entrance, but I’ve moved further than I realized.When I take a few steps away, Red Cap reaches out and grabs my arm.
Oh god.
“Uh, uh.We haven’t had any fun yet.”
“Please don’t.Please.I have a daughter,” I beg, my heart rate going off the charts, fear slicing through me.
Black Hoodie corners me against the container and steps close enough I can smell his breath.His eyes run down my body.
I start to scream but a hand slaps over my mouth.
“Bitch, be quiet.This will be quick.At least Leroy will be.”
“Fuck you.”Leroy laughs, and I hear a zip being tugged down.
“Nwooo,” I scream against the hand, fighting and kicking.My skirt tears, the top ripped away from my breasts—
SMACK!
“The hell—”
SMACK!
I collapse to my knees, stunned as Drew appears like some kind of superhero in a movie.Clutching the bin, I sob as Leroy climbs to his feet and punches Drew in the face.
No!
I can’t let them kill him.
