It’s been months of him making sure I knew he was untouchable. Following me just because he could. Showing up at places he knew I’d be because who was I going to call?
The police? His friends? His colleagues who’d already made it clear they thought I was just some hysterical ex trying to ruin a good man’s career?
The system isn’t broken. It’s working exactly the way it’s supposed to; just not for people like me.
He spits next to my face. “Been a long time, Kelly. You been good?”
My throat burns, and my whole chest feels caved in. Every breath hurts, and every second stretches like torture.
A woman’s voice cuts through the haze, her boots clicking on the sidewalk. “Jesus, is he okay? What happened?”
David straightens up and switches on that professional tone. “We’re handling it, ma’am. Saw him fall off his bike, pulled over to check on him.”
She hesitates. Doubt flickers in her eyes, but then she nods and hurries away.
I glance at their squad car with the lights off. My bike lies crumpled on the ground next to it.
David crouches next to me, smirking. “You’ve got a bit of blood here.” He gestures near my chin with mock concern. “What do you think, Mendez? Should we help him up?”
“Or charge him,” Mendez chimes in. “No working lights on his bike, and it’s dark. We could’ve hit him worse. Not really our fault he’s riding unsafe.”
“Please stop, David.” My voice barely makes it past my lips.
He leans in closer with fake confusion plastered across his face. “Stop what? We’re just doing our jobs here. I mean, you could’ve seriously hurt someone riding in the dark with no light. Kinda reckless, don’t you think?”
He pauses, then snaps his fingers like he just remembered something important. “Speaking of reckless, those parking tickets you’ve been ignoring. That’s not very responsible, Kelly.”
Mendez snorts. “Bet he’s still sleeping in that shoebox apartment, can’t afford a damn bulb for his bike.”
All of a sudden, their hands are on me, one gripping each elbow as they haul me upright. They drag me up to the sidewalk, and pain shoots through my arms straight to my ribs. I almost black out right there. The street tilts sideways. They tighten their grip like they’re trying to prove a point.
David’s fingers dig into my elbow, pressing exactly where the break was.
Mendez walks over to my bike, lifts it with one hand, then hurls it down at my feet.
The front wheel twists wrong, and the light is crushed beyond repair, just like everything else they touch.
Mendez climbs into the cruiser. Leaving me alone with the devil in uniform.
David grabs my arm too hard. Pain shoots down my entire arm, making me gasp and nearly double over.
“You know, Kelly,” he says, voice dropping low and intimate. “You really need to get your shit together. This is getting pathetic. Who knows what I might have to do next time? Maybe get a doctor to take a look at you because you’ve clearly been neglecting your health.”
He taps two fingers against his temple mockingly. “Mental health’s important, you know, and you haven’t been right since your mommy died. Maybe we should give you a ride to the loonie bin, let the real professionals take a look at what’s wrong with you.”
My stomach turns violently. I just stare at him and those cold blue eyes that used to look at me with something I thought was love.
He lets go of my arm, and I immediately yank it back, cradling it against my chest protectively.
“Y-you need to leave me alone,” I stutter, my voice completely wrecked. “I’ll r-report you again.”
He laughs like I just told the funniest joke he’s ever heard. “Yeah? That worked out real well the first time, didn’t it? You lying about me breaking your arm? Everyone knows you probably did it yourself because you needed the attention. Poor little Kelly, all alone after Mommy croaked.”
My bottom lip trembles. I bite down on it hard, shaking my head. I try to step past him. I don’t want to be near him; I can’t handle this right now. I just want to go home. Just want this nightmare to stop. My bike isn’t even worth picking up; it’s destroyed and beyond any hope of repair. Just like me.
He doesn’t follow me. Instead, he laughs while I limp away from him.
I used to think I was stronger than this. That I could survive anything. Now I know survival isn’t the same as living. I’m still breathing, still moving forward. But all the pieces that used to fit together are scattered behind me, and I don’t know how to put them together anymore.
