Here is the second chapter :D
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He can't stop thinking about her, her beautiful smile always invading his mind when he is working or doing simple tasks.
So he goes back, and he goes as often as he can just to see her. He thinks that maybe he will gather the courage to ask her out soon, maybe even today.
It's about 2 weeks after the bachelor party, that he comes back once again. He finds a seat at a table in a secluded corner.
She comes out of the back just as Red is making her way in, "lover boy's back," she says pointing to where he is sitting with a bottle of beer set in front of him. Red smirks as she heads into the back room.
The brunette chuckles and makes her way over to him, "hey," she says softly.
"Hello, how are you?"
"I'm good," she looks up into his eyes, "your back" she comments with a small smile.
He chuckles, "yes it seems so."
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm actually off now. Just heading out."
He smiles, "that's alright, I hope you have a good night."
She smiles genuinely, "thank you." She turns and heads into the back to change. She wears dark jeans and a white shirt as well as a warm cardigan. Normally she wouldn't wear clothes this casual in public, but it's late and she is just going home. She pulls on her black boots and heads out the back door. Her car isn't too far away but she walks quickly because it's dark out and, well, she's in an alley, so she walks fast.
Just as she emerges from the alley she feels a hand on her mouth and her waist and whoever it is, pulls her back into the dark. She tries to scream and fight back but he's strong and keeps a firm hold.
And as much as she tries, she can't escape.
She can feel him pressing into her, his groin grinding into her ass as he groans into her ear.
She can't stop the thoughts of not being able to stop the near future.
She lets tears fall, though she knows it's futile, she still struggles, not willing to give up, not willing to give him the satisfaction. He pushes her hard into the wall whispering in a low voice what he's going to do to her and how much they'll enjoy it.
As he goes to unbutton her jeans she bites on his fingers that cover her mouth.
Hard.
She screams as loud as she can as he holds his hand back to him letting out a string of curses, but he still keeps a firm hold on her against the wall.
All she can do is hope to God that someone had heard her.
...
After Robin finishes his beer he pays at the counter and heads out of the club. The only thought on his mind is how to ask the brunette out on a date.
As he's heading to his car he hears a rather loud scream from behind him. He turns around on instinct and heads towards the source of the scream. He tries not to think about how fearful the noise sounded, or how familiar.
He runs into a dark alley where he finds her, she's struggling to get a man off of her while she is pushed against a wall. She notices him immediately, staring at him with eyes full of fear and tears. Silently pleading, begging him to help her.
"GET OFF OF HER!" he yells. The man throws her roughly on the ground, and runs away hoping that the distraction will allow him time to get away.
He rushes over to her, "are you alright?" He asks, his voice full of concern.
"Yes, thank you" she says with a shaky voice though calming a little when he takes her hand and helps her up onto her feet, "thank you" she says again looking into his eyes.
"Are you sure you are alright your-"
"Regina," she says realizing he doesn't even know her real name, "my name is Regina."
She looks into his eyes, " and yes I'm ok, thank you." She says sincerely. He smiles, "I need to go," she says trying to rush out of the alley and to her car.
"Wait!" He grabs her arm and turns her back around.
She flinches at the unexpected contact.
"Sorry," he says quickly retracting his hand.
"I didn't mean to hurt you, please, just, let me help, you were just attacked, you can't just go home and pretend like nothing happened."
"What do you want Robin?"
He continues, "let me take you to the hos-"
"No! No hospital" she responds with a slight waiver in her voice.
"Let me help."
"I didn't ask for help."
"But I want to help just, at least go get coffee with me, if you won't let me take you to the hospital, maybe it will help calm your nerves."
She rolls her eyes and takes a deep breath, "my nerves are fine." She insists.
"Regina..." he pleads.
Begrudgingly she nods her head.
They walk side by side to the nearest coffee shop in a comfortable silence. Robin heads to the door and holds it open for Regina to walk through first.
"Thank you," she murmurs as she walks past him and into the café, she heads to the far corner that is hidden from prying eyes.
Robin heads to the booth after ordering two cups of coffee and sets one in front of her before sitting down across from her.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," he stares at his coffee and sighs, he looks over at her, he doesn't miss how she averts her eyes from looking at him. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asks cautiously.
"No," she says quietly.
"I won't judge you," he looks back down at his coffee and adds, " I will never judge you." He says as he returns his eyes to look deep into her eyes.
"Robin, my job is to dance proactively on and in front of men, sometimes even with women. Others don't respect people like me. They look at us differently. I should have been more careful."
"No! This is not your fault, don't you dare blame yourself! The only person to blame here is that man. It doesn't matter what you do or anyone else for that matter, no one deserves or should be objected to what that man was willing to do to you."
"Robin, I know you mean well, I do, but people like me will always be viewed differently. Dirty, 'asking for it' things like-"
"Don't," he says softly. He reaches his hand over the table and gently envelopes one of her hands with his. She meets his eyes, "you are not dirty, and you certainly didn't ask for it." He says as he remembers her eyes that were filled with fear in the alley. "Tell me something not many people know about you," he says after a slight pause, trying to change the subject so she wouldn't have to relive her attack. As she stays silent he sighs and says, "I have a son," she looks at him. "Roland," he smiles just thinking of him.
She takes her hand away from his, immediately missing the warmth the contact had brought, "and your wife?" She asks, not really wanting to know the answer.
"My wife passed away 3 years ago while giving birth to Roland." She looks at him, in his eyes seeing sadness and happiness, no doubt brought by his son.
"I have a son too," she says quietly, fiddling with her hands that lay in her lap.
"Henry," she adds with a slight smile.
"And your husband?" He asks, thinking he might have passed away as well.
"My ex- husband is my son' s biological Father but my relationship with him is rather complicated."
She says hesitantly, she swallows at the intense gaze she can sense is being cast her way.
"By complicated..." he asks scared of what her answer may be. "What exactly do you mean?"
"Why does it matter?" She asks him.
"Because I care, Regina, despite what you may think or what others may have done to you in the past, I care." He states firmly.
"I never wanted to marry him," she says , her eyes filling with tears. He has already found out so much about her, she might as well open up to him. Maybe, she thinks hesitantly, he won't hurt her.
"Why did you?"
"My Mother forced me," she says looking up. He moves out of his side of the booth and sits next to her, he takes her hand calmly in his, stroking his thumb over her knuckles. "It was an abusive marriage." She confesses as a tear makes its way down her cheek, he takes his hand and brushes the tear away with his thumb. He strokes her cheek, silently encouraging her to continue. "After my Mother died I found out that I was pregnant." She shakes her head, Robin places both his hands on top of hers, "I couldn't take it anymore so I... So I got a divorce, I wasn't going to let him hurt my child. It was long and terrible but I got out... for the most part."
"For the most part?"
"I'm sure you don't want to hear about every aspect of my li-"
"Regina, I'm not leaving. And I won't hurt you."
She nods, "after the divorce, I was all on my own. I had nothing, no one. And I was pregnant. I barely had any money. Leopold knew that, so he threatened me, told me he would file for full custody. My parents were very wealthy, and after the divorce I barely had anything left. He's really wealthy, he knows a lot of lawyers and judges and so many people who could, without a problem, make custody go to him. I didn't have a choice, I had to give him what he wanted. In order to keep Henry I have to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. It's like my life isn't even really mine. But I don't regret it. I would do whatever I need to do for Henry. As long as he never meets his biological Father, I will do whatever he feels like he wants from me."
"Regina, what exactly does he ask for you?"
"Things that I don't think you would feel comfortable hearing."
"Is it similar... t-to what that man wanted to do" A small sobs leaves her body.
He fights his instinct to find the son of a bitch and kill him as he wraps his arms around her and hugs her as he cradles her head in his palm, letting her silently cry into his chest. She clings to his chest hopping that something can ground her, which only results in him tightening his hold on her.
She pulls away slightly to look at his face, "I had to get a job that paid enough money to support me and Henry. I don't want him to get hurt. That's how I became a stripper."
"Regina does being a stripper pay enough to support you and Henry?"
"Stripping alone doesn't," she says shaking her head.
"Alone?"
"If someone asks, I'm supposed to give them what they want. There are private rooms in the back of the club..."
"Regina, I'm pretty sure that's illegal." Robin says.
"So, it doesn't matter, as long as it pays for food and shelter."
"Let me help," he says cradling her face in his hands, "you don't have to do this anymore, not if you don't want to."
"No, Robin" she laughs, "you don't understand, I need to do this. I don't know how to do anything else!"
"I can help you, I will help you!"
"I can't let you help me like that, you have a son Rob-"
"Please, Regina. My parents are wealthy, just like yours were. I never liked that I was better off than everyone else but I can use it to help. I have a good job, I run a company that I'm sure won't get any worse off I add a secretary." He laughs, "Regina, you don't deserve to live like this, please. Let me help you." He adds, resting his forehead against hers.
"I don't know how to accept help... No one has ever tried to help me." She says.
"Then let me be the first."
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Hope you enjoyed it :D
