I'm sorry that it's taken this long to update. I've been super busy with school! I hope this chapter makes up for it. On another note, HOLY CRAP! I can't believe that it's only been 12 chapters and I already have 63 reviews. I feel so incredibly honored. You guys are the best! Thank you all very much for your kind words!

Rough Chapter 13

The last time I felt this pissed off was when I found out that boyfriend had cheated on me with my ex-friend. That was in high school. Since then I had learned to control my temper relatively well. I had learned that some things just could not be controlled and that sometimes you just had to go with the flow. At this very moment however, all I wanted to do was scream at the top off my lungs. Then after that I would kick that pompous asshole where it hurt. Never had I wanted to hit someone so much in my entire life before I met Luigi Largo. Not only was he making me help him to hurt others but now he practically took advantage of me for his amusement. He tricked me! Not only was I mad but I also felt totally violated. He just sat there and said absolutely nothing while I practically dry humped him! I know, I know it was my decision to get into this business. It may sound hypocritical of me but at least I know who the customers are ahead of time!

I swear if Jessica hadn't pulled me away and volunteered to give Pavi his lap dance herself, Luigi would be in the hospital by now. Well, maybe not that but I would have a least caused some damage. I headed backstage before the music began and received a long lecture from Lenny about providing excellent customer service. That jackass! He should have been thanking me! I did my job and I did it well. He was just mad because "the look on my face made it evident that I was both shocked and angry". Well of course I was shocked and angry! Men can be such pigs sometimes. I'd like him to give a lap dance for once and see how he likes it!

Still fuming, I grabbed my coat and left the building. The end of shift was approaching anyway. I knew that I would never hear the end of it when I came back but frankly I didn't care. I didn't even bother to change back into my regular clothes. I just wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. I clenched my fists as I walked down the street, passing a group of guys who were talking outside the club. I couldn't stop thinking about how Luigi would start making crude remarks about me whenever I worked for him. He apparently already had behind my back. Now he just has more of an excuse. As I dwelled on my thoughts, I heard the faint sound of a whistle. It took me a moment to turn around and realize those group of guys were hollering at me.

"Hey, baby! I loved your dance! Totally hot!" one of them yelled.

I nodded and gave them a half smile before turning back around. Men had approached me before and had pursued me on more than one occasion. Luckily there had always been witnesses around so nothing serious would happen. Just then I realized I forgotten my pepper spray at home. I needed to be quick.

"Where you going, sweetheart?" he called. "Why don't you just turn that fine ass around and stay a while? How much for a night?"

I stopped in my tracks, smarting at the remark. I was many things but a whore was not one of them. I turned around to defend my ego.

"First of all, dickhead" I began "This place is not a brothel and second, I wouldn't touch any of you for all the money in the world. So why don't you just fuck off!"

With that I turned around and stomped away. Before I knew I was cut off by one of them stepping in front of me.

"You've got some attitude there, girlie."

As more and more of them began to surround me, I tried not to look as intimidated as I felt. There must have been at least four of them. I glared at the creep in front of me. "Get out of my way."

He smirked evilly. "I don't think so. I'd much rather have some fun with you. In fact, we all would."

I tensed up as they came closer and closer, regretting not taking those self defense classes Jessica recommended to me. Still, I wasn't about to let them have me without a fight. So when one of them grabbed my shoulders, I elbowed him hard in the stomach. He gasped in pain and the other took a swing at me. I managed to dodge and then duck under his arm. I ran into the arms of another and yelled in surprise. He tried to grope me and I scratched his face and kicked him in the groin. As he bent over in pain it gave me the chance to run which unfortunately I couldn't do fast enough in heels. Eventually one of them caught up to me and grabbed my wrist. He forced my arm behind my back and threw me face forward against a brick wall. As the side of my face violently hit the brick I screamed both in pain and fear.

"Help! Someone, please, help me!" The sounds of their sick laughter surrounded my ears as I continued to cry and cry for help. I could feel the hem of my coat and dress being pulled up and I felt so helpless, tears now running down my face. No one was coming to help me, this sort of thing happened all the time in this part of the city. What made me an exception to all those other poor women? I shut my eyes and tried to think of something else as they continued to grope me when I felt the pressure of their bodies suddenly pull away. I heard one of them yell in pain and I opened my eyes. I gasped and turned to see a familiar looking man beating the crap out of the guy who first approached me. One of the other guys punched his shoulder and he turned, still gripping on to the other guy and head butted him. I panicked when one took out a switchblade and headed towards him.

"Watch out!" I called.

He swiftly turned and managed to dodge the attack and disarm him at the same time. He kicked the guy down hard with his boot and if he had fallen right his skull probably would have been fractured. As the other three wallowed in pain on the ground, one unconscious, he knelt over the switchblade guy, gripping the front of his shirt and holding the knife to his throat.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you how to treat a lady?" he growled.

"Hey, man, we weren't doing anything wrong!" he said with hands up in defense. "The bitch asked for it!"

"I seriously doubt that. You know what I think? I think that you're all a bunch of pathetic, sick, sons of bitches that need to be taught a lesson." He gave him a sinister grin. "And I'm just the guy to do that. Do you know what I do for a living? Tell me wherever you and your buddies have gotten surgery and I'll give you a hint."

That's when I realized who he was. It was Simmons. The Repo man I had met when I was putting back the scalpel I had used. During our encounter I thought that he seemed way too nice to be a Repo man. Now I could clearly see how deadly he actually was. After his comment the guy was now begging for mercy, pleading for Simmons not to kill him. I remembered what he said to the other Repo man, Jack; they weren't supposed to attack anyone when off the clock. No matter what those creeps tried to do to me, I had to stop him.

"Hey, hold on a second!" I called. Both men turned to glance at me and I gulped as I approached them.

"I think they got the message but you can't kill them now. You don't want to get in trouble do you?"

Simmons sighed. "Yeah, you're right." He turned back to glare at his victim. "You're lucky that I'm off duty right now but be warned. If I catch you around here again harassing her or any other woman, I will kill you. Got it?"

The guy nodded and Simmons released his grip on him. "I'll be keeping this." He said as he tucked the knife in his pocket. He rose and up and turned to me.

"Are you alright? You're bleeding."

That's when I barely felt the blood trickling down my face. It must have scratched when I was shoved against the wall. I brushed two fingers and saw that it wasn't too deep. "I'll be fine."

"Good. Do you live around here?" he asked.

"Not too far from here."

"I could walk you home if you'd like." He said, placing a hand on my shoulder, going back to the friendly persona he had when I originally met him. This made me a little suspicious, that he changed his persona so quickly. Was it some sort of act? He did do a courageous thing by saving me but he was also a Repo man for God's sake. What was I to do?

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"It's not a big deal. I offered and I wouldn't want you to run into any more trouble."

He did make a valid point. Based on the way he handled those goons I'd say that no one would be likely to mess with him, hence wouldn't bother be while I was with him.

"Okay."

"Good. Let's go." I gulped and he led me away. I looked back at the damage from the scene. They had all been beaten to a bloody pulp and as gruesome as it was, I was kind of glad. In the back of my mind I wondered if I was a bad person for feeling that way. Then I reminded myself that they had attacked me first. I had cried for help and help eventually came. I did nothing wrong. So why did I feel so tense with guilt?

It was an especially chilly night. I clenched my coat tighter around myself and looked down at the dirty concrete. I still shuddered at the thought of what could have happened to me. I was an inch close to being raped and possibly murdered. To think I had been rescued by a Repo man of all people. We walked in silence for a few blocks until he decided to try and strike up a conversation.

"You don't remember me, do you?" His tone didn't seem irritated or even disappointed, just curious.

"I do remember you actually. I was just surprised to see you there. You came just in the nick of time."

"Well, I heard you screaming and I couldn't just stand there. Especially once I saw it was you."

Now it was time to show my gratitude. "Well you were very brave. I can't thank enough for saving me."

He shrugged. "It's no trouble at all."

I smiled. Then a thought occurred to be. "What were you doing in that part of the city, anyhow?"

He grinned sheepishly at me and chuckled. "Well, to be honest…I came to see you."

I could feel myself beginning to blush. "Me?"

"I had heard from the other Genterns that you worked here and thought that I'd, you know, stop by."

"Oh, I see." Part of me was flattered and the other part what his intentions were.

"It's just too bad; I guess I just got there too late. You were already leaving." He noted as we turned the corner.

"Actually I think you're time was perfect." I smiled. Not only was he able to stop those guys from raping me but he also didn't have the chance to see that humiliating scene with Luigi. Things seemed to work out in a strange way.

He smiled back. "I guess it was. Is this your street?"

"Yes, it is." We walked until we reached the door of my apartment. I slowly walked up the stoop of stairs and took out my keys. Before going inside I turned to thank him once more.

"Again, I can't thank you enough for what you did for me. I don't know how to repay you."

He smiled. "There's no need. I wasn't about to let you get hurt. Just promise me you'll stay out of trouble?"

Now that was something that I could not promise and so I didn't. Instead I gave him an answer to try and satisfy him. "Well I can't guarantee it. After all, trouble is common in these parts…but I'll try."

"Good. Well then, put something on that cut and have a good night."

"I will. Thank you again Simmons."

"Please, call me Matt."

"Okay, Matt. Good night." I turned to put my key in the hole and was about to turn it when he called me again.

"Andrea…. I'm sorry to bug you but I was just wondering….maybe I should get your number…you know, just in case you need me for anything."

I blushed again. Did he really mean to be an emergency contact or was he flirting? Something told me it was the latter. I thought about it for a moment. It may be good to keep his contact information handy just in case. Plus, I couldn't deny that he was pretty cute. What hurt could it do?

"Sure, Matt. Here, give me your wrist and I'll enter it on your communicator."

He held it out and I typed in my number. A hologram of my profile appeared and the automated voice said that my information had been entered.

"There you go."

"Cool. Well, I guess I won't keep you up any longer. So I'll be going."

"Okay Matt." Then suddenly before I knew what I was doing I reached up and kissed his cheek. "Good night." I smiled.

He held his cheek and grinned. "Good night."

I gave him one last wave before I headed inside. I turned on the light and went into my bathroom to search the medicine cabinet for the antiseptic. I found it and poured some on a cotton ball, rubbing it on my scratched face. I hissed as it stung my skin and pondered what caused me to kiss Simmons. Flirting was one thing but I don't think either of us anticipated that I would do that. I pondered whether this might turn into something more. He did seem interested but who knows? I guess I'd just have to wait and see.

Another thought struck me. It had only been a few weeks since I started working at GeneCo and I was already involved with two dangerous men. Luigi, my boss, who was making me do his bidding like some kind of evil minion. Now I was being courted by a Repo man? What the hell?

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