THE DETECTIVE AND ME

CHAPTER ONE

Happy Birthday

I was only fourteen when I'd encountered the blood red eyes of a Shinigami. There wasn't much I could do besides watch, transfixed, at the sight of death that followed. I might've imagined the harrowing gaze in the rearview mirror that night, but before I could scream at the sight (whether real or imagined), what followed was completely unimaginable…

I'd woken up to a silent morning. The sheets pulled over my head, and my curls reduced to tangled balls of frizz. When I peeked my head out and looked around, the light of day spilled through the eastward window, and blinded me gently. How easy my eyes seemed to flutter open as opposed to the usual fight at sunrise. Bambi—my four-year-old toy mutt—jumped onto the bed, woofed, and pounced onto me without much hesitation.

"Hi baby!" I cooed, rubbing her soft fur. I could feel grime between my fingers as I scratched all the way down her neck, "Oh shit. Why didn't you remind me to give you a bath over the weekend?"

Bambi barked and looked up at me with her big brown eyes.

"Don't look at me like that."

She whimpered and rested her head on my lap.

"Okay, fine. I'm sorry. I should've remembered." I bent down to give her a kiss on the head, "I promise I'll wash you tonight. Okay?"

Bambi lifted her head to lick my face, and I shook her off.

"Ugh! Morning breath!"

She barked in protest, and I laughed.

Ring! Ring!

My phone vibrated on my bedside table, I reached to flip it open and placed it against my ear.

"Hello—"

"Leah?" It was my coworker Biddy.

I ruffled Bambi's dirty white fur, "Hmm?"

"Where the fuck are you?"

I paused, "Huh?"

"What do you mean 'huh'? Your shift started forty minutes ago! Weaver is going to have your ass!"

"What—no? My name's not on the roster today?"

Biddy sighed, "Do you know what number I'm calling you from?"

"Um—"

"Trick question! I'm calling you from your job's landline! Do you know where the landline is?"

I paused, "On the wall?"

"What wall?"

"Close to the back?"

"Next to?"

"The ros…ter…" I trailed off as I realized what Biddy was trying to do.

"Exactly!" She snapped, "Get your ass down here before it's grass!"

My heart jumped, "Biddy—"

Beep. She hung up.

"Shit!" I flung the covers off the rest of my body, Bambi swept up in the stale white sheets. I hopped over a pile of dirty laundry on my floor and nearly slipped into the shower. The water didn't have enough time to heat up before I was drenched and out again. The rest of the routine was equally rushed, teeth, hair, clothes, all lightning fast and half accomplished in seven minutes or less. Bambi's little body wiggled out from under the sheet.

Woof! Woof!

"I know! Don't remind me!" I looked at Bambi in distress, the quest to slip my two feet into a pair of running shoes nearly took my down to the floor.

Woof!

"I promise I'll be home by three…or four, or five. I don't actually know." I flung my bag over my shoulder and went to kiss Bambi's tiny little head, "I love you!" I didn't wait for a reply before I dashed into the kitchen to grab a Juicebox and unload a can of dogfood into the little mutt's empty bowl. "Okay bye!" I yelled one last time before hauling myself through the door.

The journey to Urban Day Café was a fifteen-minute walk from my studio apartment, but on this day, it was a three-minute bike ride. Of course, I was out of breath by the time I got there, my legs hadn't pumped those paddles that urgently ever before. The second I threw my bike down outside the back entrance where all the employees would take their breaks, Biddy threw the door open and motioned for me to hurry.

"I am so sorry!"

Biddy shook her head, "Shut up. Get onto the floor and start taking orders."

I wasn't allowed the time to respond before Biddy pushed me past the register and into the dining area. After a quick scan, I only noted four unserved tables amidst the nine seated parties in total. Apron flattened, back straightened, I walked over to table number seven. Seated there was a woman that appeared to be in her late thirties, a man in his later thirties, and a young girl that must have been thirteen. Mom, dad, and daughter all getting breakfast together. I smiled that early morning waitress smile and poised my notepad for dictation.

"Good morning! Welcome to Urban Day Café. My name is Leah and I'll be your server today. Before I take your order could I interest you in the Wednesday morning specials which include a choc chip pancake stack with back bacon and maple syrup, the lemon meringue cheesecake which has just been pulled straight from the oven, and the pink lemonade squeezed and stirred by our inhouse staff?"

"No that's ok we already know what we're going to order." Said the dad.

I nodded, "Okay, what can I get you?

The mom closed her menu, "I'll have the farmer's breakfast and a dirty chai."

"Same for me, but instead of a chai I'll have an expresso."

I jotted the orders down and nodded, then peeked at the daughter who remained silent, "And for you?"

She hesitated and looked between her parents.

"She'll have a buttermilk pancake stack with syrup, and a Juicebox. Grape." Said the dad once it became clear that the daughter was too shy to speak.

"Honey she doesn't drink grape juice, she prefers apple." The mom said to the dad, and then she turned to me, "Make it an apple please."

I smiled and nodded. Before I could turn to leave, I caught the silent exchange between this tight knit unit. The mom silently chastising the dad for getting the daughter's order wrong, the dad silently apologizing to the daughter with a glint in his eye and a gentle hand to the head, and the way the daughter seemed to beam silently between the two people who would love her more than life itself.

"Your order will be ready in a flash." I said, and the family nodded in appreciation. I turned to make my way back to the kitchen, but the moment I'd completed that one eighty-degree pivot on my heels, my body had crashed straight into the bull-like stature of Mr. Weaver, the manager. When I looked up at his swollen face, I saw the rage threaten to wage war on my ass right then and there, in front of all the unsuspecting customers.

My voice diminished down to a low whimper, "Mr. Weaver…I—"

"My office. Now."

I bowed my head. Fearful. Weaver stayed glued in that looming position, so I was the first to begin the journey to the back of the kitchen where the door to his office remained always shut. I'd only ever been inside three times. During my interview, when I got the job, and two months ago when I was called in for missing three consecutive shifts for what I thought was a life-threatening emergency. Weaver didn't see it that way though. Again, the damp and thickened air of Weaver's office seemed to coat my lungs. Just as I was about take a seat, the door slammed shut behind me and I flinched out of fright.

"Hassan. Sit down." The bull barked.

I followed his orders without question. Weaver took his time to find his seat though, he might've struggled to get behind his desk since the space was so cramped, he had no choice but to push that hunk of wood almost right up to the wall. Once he planted himself in his chair, Weaver took a moment to look over this bundle of papers on his desk. In doing so, my heart rate quadrupled. I watched the clock and must've waited for four minutes before he finally put that bundle of papers back down on his desk.

"Hassan." He spoke sternly.

"Yeah?"

He leaned back in his chair, "I'm not happy."

I looked between Weaver and the bundle of papers he'd just read over, "Okay?"

"You looking at these?" He lifted the bundle and I nodded, "Want to know what these are?"

I paused, but then shrugged.

"This is your record."

I only looked at him and he seemed to get annoyed at that.

"Four pages of infractions. Mostly late comings or absentees. You've cost me a lot of money."

"I'm sorry—"

"You've been here seven months! You begged me for this job after you dropped out of high school and I said I didn't hire minors, but you told me it wasn't against the law. Which by the way you're right, but now do you see why I don't bother putting kids on my payroll?" He threw the papers back down on the desk, "I don't ask much of you! Be here, be on time, and be consistent. That's what I ask from all of the staff!"

I opened my mouth but felt the air halt at the edge of my tongue.

"You think you're special Hassan? You think you're better than the rest of them out there?" He pointed behind me.

I shook my head.

"Then why do you think you can drag your feet around here without any consequences?"

My throat tightened, and I shrugged.

"I'm looking for a reason not to fire you, but I can't find one. And you're not giving me one either."

"I'm sorry." My voice broke and I felt my face run hot with tears. I covered my mouth and tried to hold back the sobs that wracked through my entire body as I realized what was happening right then. The only thing I could see through blurry vision was Weaver shaking his head disapprovingly.

"I'm sorry Leah, but I can't keep you on. It's not fair to the other staff. Plus, I have loads of people who want to work here. Service jobs are hard to come by right now and you're letting me down!" Despite his harsh words, the old bull handed me a tissue to dry my tears, "I'll give you your wages for the next two weeks, but I want you to hand in your apron and find another job. I'm firing you."

I nodded meekly as I watched Weaver write a cheque for two weeks wages. He shoved it in my hands and motioned for me to leave so I did exactly that.

"Leah." Weaver piped up just as I was about to walk through the door.

"Yeah?"

"Happy birthday."

I looked at him for a while, the words not making sense in that moment, but still I nodded, left, and shut the door behind me. I stood outside that closed door for several seconds before pocketing the cheque. When I turned around the rest of the kitchen and wait staff had their eyes locked in on me. I searched the room to find the only gaze that could comfort me, and I found her nuzzled between Steven the cook and Jethro, one of the better waiters. Biddy looked at me sadly and I felt my lip tremble as the tears came streaming down my cheeks once again.

"Oh honey!" Biddy cooed as she closed the gap between us and embraced me.

"I can't believe it!" I sobbed into her shoulder.

"I know I know!" She stroked my hair, "Let's get you out of here." She led me out the back, where I'd thrown my bike down not too long ago.

My cheeks seemed to burn cold in the fresh air. Biddy pulled from her back pocket a packet of cigarettes, flipped the carton open, and point it towards me to take one. I did. Biddy lit mine first and then hers. Once I blew out a trail of smoke, the tears seemed to slow and stop in their tracks.

"So, you got sacked?" Said Biddy as she ashed onto the floor.

"Jesus, you couldn't even let it settle for like a second!"

"Honey you can't tell me you're surprised. I love you and I'm sorry, but you've been walking on thin ice for weeks." Biddy shook her head and took a long drag from her cigarette.

I looked down and shrugged, "Okay."

There was a moment of silence between us. Biddy took two steps forward and leaned against the wall right next to me.

"Hey." She turned her head toward me, but I ignored her, "I got sacked twice before landing this gig. It happens to everyone. I'm sorry, yeah? I'm here if you want to bitch and cry, which you will do. But I'm also not going to be easy on you. You fucked up. You'll get a new job though, and you won't make the same mistakes. Or else I'll kick your ass."

I looked up at her and she gave me that cheeky smile she gave me on my first day of work seven months ago.

"You're going to be okay." She said.

"Yeah." I agreed and inhaled a big puff of smoke.

The back door swung open, and Jethro walked out into the open. He came to join Biddy's other side and stole the cigarette right from her hand.

"You okay Leah?" he mumbled with the cigarette between his teeth.

"Obviously not!" I said.

"Fucking idiot." Biddy murmured under her breath.

Jethro threw his hands up, "I just wanted to see if you're okay."

"Well, she said 'no'." Biddy chuckled, taking back her cigarette from the tall brown-haired boy. These two were the only people I could stand talking to at my job. Or my used to be job. It was mostly because the three of us were the youngest there. Biddy was twenty-two and still saving up to go to college. Jethro was nineteen and decided he was not going to college. And today was my eighteenth birthday.

Jethro turned to me, "We're still down for Stones tonight though, right?"

I paused, "Honestly, no."

"What?" Biddy snapped.

I shrugged, "I sort of forgot already. So, I made plans to give Bambi a bath. Plus, I just lost my job. I can't afford it."

"I'll spot you? It's your birthday. I don't mind." Jethro offered.

I shook my head, "I also just don't feel like it anymore."

Biddy took both my shoulders in her hands so I would look her in the eye as she spoke, "Come on Leah, it's your birthday. It'll also make you forget about the stupid job thing—not a big deal, bump in the road—just for a night. You should worry about all of this stuff tomorrow morning. Just not on your birthday."

I scrunched my face, "I'm not sure."

Biddy and Jethro gave each other a look.

"Okay well, go home. Take a nap. Give your dog a bath. We're still coming to fetch you at eight tonight, so you better be ready!" Biddy finished off her orders with a look that made it clear there was no room for objection and so I nodded in agreement. "Good. Now give me a hug." Biddy and I embraced, and she gave me a tight squeeze.

"I'll see you later." I murmured.

She hummed in agreement, "You better see me later Birthday Girl."

It had only been a couple of hours since Biddy had convinced me to still venture out into town for a night out after getting fired on my Birthday, but I already regretted ever being persuaded. At seven forty-five, I knew Biddy and Jethro were well on their way to my apartment to drag me out. Still, I leaned over the sink, barely having accomplished anything in the realm of getting ready and getting dressed up. I peered over the bathroom sink and inspected my face in the mirror. My eyes were sunken in and had dark circles.

Just then Bambi pranced up to my feet and started nipping at my ankles.

"Not now." I gently pushed her away with my foot.

Woof!

I sighed, "I know. I'm sorry. I was too upset today to give you attention. And now my friends are going to force me out of the house probably until tomorrow morning. So, no bath."

Woof! Woof!

"But I'll for sure get to it tomorrow."

Bambi growled softly and I looked down at her sternly.

"Hey!"

She then whimpered at the sound of my raised voice, so I picked her up from the floor.

"Aw little baby! I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I cooed, giving her little kisses on her head.

Knock! Knock!

I sighed, "Guess it's time."

Bambi wiggled free from my hold and landed with a thud on the floor. She bolted to the door and by the time I got there, she was barking and scratching at it.

"Happy Birthday!" Biddy and Jethro chimed in unison the moment I opened the door.

I smiled, "Wow, it's as if we hadn't seen each other, literally this morning."

Biddy and Jethro wasted no time in welcoming them into my space. I'd managed to clean my space up just a bit before they arrived, my ¾ bed pushed into the one corner, and a seating arrangement with a one two-seater couch and a coffee table between my sleeping space and kitchen area.

"You want anything to drink?" I went to the fridge where I had some cranberry juice and half a bottle of vodka from the last time Biddy and Jethro came over. Jethro joined me in the kitchen.

"Time to open your gift." He put a six pack of ciders on the counter, and I smiled.

"Thanks." I tore the plastic off and handed Jethro one and took two in my hand to join Biddy on the couch.

"Thank you." Biddy took the cider from my hand, and then looked me up and down "You're not done getting ready right?"

"What? No, I haven't even started." I took a sip of the cold cider.

"I told you to be ready at eight!" Biddy whined.

"It's…" I looked at the clock, "Five to eight!"

Biddy shook her head. She'd of course gone all out for tonight. Biddy was quite pretty, she was taller than me, with medium length peroxide blond hair and dark brown eyes that some said were too far apart, but I thought it gave her character. She'd straightened her hair, put glitter on her face, and adorned a sheer purple top and low-cut jeans. Jethro on the other hand, had probably brushed his teeth and sprayed some axe on him before leaving the house. Still, that didn't seem to stop a lot of girls from throwing themselves at him. He was inoffensive looking, tall, curly brown hair, and mischievous green eyes. His smile seemed to quicken your heartrate if he caught you at the right moment. Tonight, he wore blue jeans, a dark grey sweater, and black working boots. Sometimes he could be punk, but I think tonight he was lazy.

"So, when are we supposed to leave then." Jethro sat down on the floor next to the coffee table.

"We can chill for like thirty minutes, right?" I asked.

"No, we can chill for thirty minutes. You go get ready." Said Biddy. I rolled my eyes but got up to go fetch some clothes from my closet and get ready in the bathroom. Bambi kept Jethro and Biddy company while I got dressed in a cropped tank top, and mini skirt. I let my waist-length dark curls down. I finished off with pink lip gloss and eyeliner. I'd just run out of concealer, and I couldn't borrow any from Biddy since there was such a difference in complexion. She always joked that she would have to borrow mine in the summer if she ever got tan, which I hated because I wasn't tan, I was brown. I finished up and went back to the couch, Biddy nodded approvingly.

"Okay, let's finish up and get going."

We said our cheers to a good night out and I caught Jethro's eye who offered me a half smile and a wink.

The humid nightclub had been filled to the brim with body heat that radiated from the patron's bodies as we all danced to the music. Biddy was pushed up against me with a drink in her hand as she struggled to keep herself up at that point in the night. The many bodies fighting for enough room to move, and the two of us swayed our hips as the next track transitioned over the last. Just then someone bumped into Biddy, and she spilled half of her drink on the floor.

"Shit!" she screamed, and we both laughed hard. At that point I had also begun to lose my bearings, completely intoxicated with alcohol and the surroundings. Biddy put her arms around me and held me in an embrace, "I fucking love you!"

"I love you too!" I screamed over the music.

"Do you see Jethro over there?" she yelled, and I looked to where she was pointing and we saw him leaned up against the bar, chatting up a beautiful redhead.

"As fucking per usual!" I said and we laughed again.

This good-looking guy with piercings all over his face patted Biddy on the shoulder, and the two of us looked at each other and we both knew Biddy was about to close off the night in style. I smiled at her approvingly, she winked and disappeared into the crowd with the guy. Feeling myself lose balance, I made my way off the dance floor and took a seat at the bar. In my peripherals I could still see Jethro a few meters away talking to that girl. I'd started sweating eight songs ago but hadn't seem to have notice amidst all the moving bodies. A moment passed where I felt this uneasy knot in my stomach, but before I could consider why, it was gone again. The bartender came to me, and I dismissed him with a smile, not wanting anything more. But he shook his head and poured me a shot of tequila.

"On the house!" he said, "Heard it's your birthday."

I smiled and took the shot; it burned all the way down. "Yep! I'm eighteen! Thanks!"

"Me too. You're a Libra?"

"Yeah. You?"

He smiled and shook his head, "Guess."

"I don't know! Tell me."

He paused and smirked, half shy half daring, "Scorpio."

"Oh! Okay." I hadn't known much about the zodiac, but Biddy said that Scorpio's only proclaimed their signs when they were eager to have sex. Because apparently, Scorpio's were good in bed.

"So, what's your name." The bartender leaned in over the bar top and suddenly Biddy's words about Scorpio's were ever-present in my head.

"Leah."

"That's a really nice name. I'm Alain." He smiled, as if he meant to say that Alain meant handsome, which it did. And I found that he was. His grey eyes, dark blond hair, and features were boyish, but very charming.

"Okay." I smiled back.

He took another glass from under the bar top and said, "Can I make you a special birthday drink Leah?"

"Oh no, I can't! I am way past the point of no return."

He shrugged, "Well, it's your birthday. You call the shots, tell me what you want. It can be virgin too."

I laughed, "That would actually be great. Do you have anything strawberry?"

"Strawberry? Not exactly, but I could whip something up for you that'll satisfy the craving for sure." He started working, swiftly mixing pinks and reds with ice and cherries.

By the time he was done, I must've been watching him for over a minute, and so he caught my eye and smirked.

"You like working men it seems?" he placed the drink in front of me and motioned for me to try it. I brought the straw up to my lips and took a small sip. It was cold, sweet, and resembled a berry that never existed. "Good?" he asked.

"Very." I nodded, and sipped eagerly on the tall glass, "You're really good."

"So are you." He said in a low voice, almost too soft for me to hear over the music. I looked at him wide eyed as if I wanted to hear him say it again just to be sure, but he just held my gaze calmly. "Anyways." He shrugged and grabbed the napkin next to me to jot something down, "My shift ends at three, but if you don't close the place down and you're still around—

Or maybe even tomorrow morning if you haven't forgotten all about this…" he trailed off and pushed the napkin towards me, jotted down was his phone number and initials, "Call me."

I put the drink down to pull the napkin closer, his smile seemed to hide some nervousness at the gesture.

"Leah." Jethro came up beside me and put his arm over my shoulder, "You okay?" he looked between Alain and me.

Alain's smile dissipated, "Yeah man, she's good."

"I was asking her." Jethro said with a half-smile and took the napkin from the table to wipe some sweat off his brow, "Are you going to want to leave soon?" he asked me after putting the napkin in his pocket. Alain backed away and looked to me, but at that moment I couldn't say anything.

"Okay. Enjoy your night." Alain went off to the other side of the bar to help another customer.

I pushed Jethro's arm off my shoulder, "Why did you do that?"

"He's not a good guy Leah. I've seen him around."

"You don't know him."

"Neither do you."

Jethro went serious as I stared him down for a better explanation.

He sighed, "Look, do you want to go find Biddy?"

I crossed my arms, "No, she's going to go home with someone tonight."

He scoffed, "Oh, come on."

"What's your problem?"

"Pretty shitty of her to abandon you on your birthday."

"She's not, she's allowed to have fun too."

"Whatever." Jethro lit a cigarette between his teeth, "You want to go dance or something?"

"No."

"Well, what do you want then?"

"Just take me home." I got off the barstool and started walking toward the exit, but Jethro pulled me by my arm.

"No come on, wait. Are you upset or something?"

"No! Why would I be upset?" I brushed his grip off and walked ahead.

Jethro caught up in a breath, "Don't do that. Look, I'll take you home okay."

I hurried down the stairs and walked out into the street, the air was cool and buzzing with the late-night sounds of the city. I felt a strong hand on my shoulder pull me around to face him.

"Leah." He said.

I looked down and shook my head, "Whatever. It's fine. I've just had a really shitty day."

"I'm sorry."

I shrugged, turned to walk, but felt my legs fumble.

"Wow!" Jethro caught me and helped me stand up straight, "Let's go back to my place, it's closer. You can either sober up there or spend the night."

I nodded and he proceeded to lead the way with my arm in his.

At Jethro's, the air always smelt sweet because of the copious amounts of marijuana he smoked. When we got there, I threw myself onto the couch and kicked my shoes off in relief. I heard him rummage around to put some music on. Velvet Underground, or Psychedelic Furs were always his top picks. After getting the music going, he poured himself a glass of rum, and for me a glass of water. I felt him lift my legs and take a seat on the other side of the couch, and I rested my legs on his lap.

"You still mad?"

I chuckled, "No. Relax."

He took a sip from his drink, and I did the same.

"So, what now? You still want Alain's number?"

I smiled, "Why? Are you going to give it to me?"

He smirked, "No."

I shook my head, "Asshole."

He didn't laugh.

"I was joking." I said.

"I wasn't."

There was a moment of awkward silence, I wished desperately that my friend would say something to break the tension, but he didn't. I swung my legs over the edge of the couch and sat up straight. I looked down at my shoes for several moments as the music played over the silence between us. Jethro moved closer and put his hand on my back.

"I think you should spend the night." His low voice sent a chill down my spine.

I looked up at him and saw his hard green eyes staring into me, "What?"

He downed the rest of his rum, "Don't go tonight."

"I—" My lips were parted to speak, but instead his tongue filled my mouth and pushed any protest I had aside. Jethro held me in my place with a firm hand at the back of my neck, any effort made to part us was counteracted by force. His other hand pulled me back onto the couch to lie on my back. Once I'd been put in that vulnerable position, he made room for himself between my legs and rested all his weight onto me. His hips moved against mine, and I could feel his hard cock inside his jeans. He pushed it against my pussy, and I groaned, unable to deny the pleasurable waves it elicited.

"You like that?" he groaned, his breath hitting my neck, and I shook my head in protest, "No?" he pushed himself against me again and I whimpered, "Then what's that?" he repeated the motion, and it elicited the same reaction from me, "You like that."

"Jethro, wait—" I put my hands on his chest to push him back, but he grabbed both of my wrists, pinned them above me with one of his hands, and kissed me again. Rough, unrelenting, his tongue exploring all parts of my mouth. His other started moving under my shirt, hungrily grabbing at my bare breasts. He teased my nipples one at a time, and pinched down hard, which caused me to yelp. "You're being too rough!" I whined underneath him, and he chuckled.

"Yeah? I can do whatever I want." He bit down hard on the skin of my neck, and I screamed, "Oh, you're such a baby."

"Stop please!" I felt my throat burn, I couldn't quite understand what was happening. A part of me felt like this was a fever dream. Jethro got up from his position, and I felt like I could breathe again, but when the look of hunger in his eyes hadn't subsided, I knew that it wasn't over. He took me roughly by the wrist and forced me to stand.

"Leah, I'm going to fuck you." He growled into my ear. I wanted to run, but when I tried to free myself from his grip, he pulled my back and grabbed a fistful of my hair. And with that he started pushing me into his bedroom that had a double mattress on the floor, the covers already pulled back from the night before. He pushed me and I stumbled and fell onto the mattress. I watched him lock the door and take the key out from the latch. My stomach dropped and tears streamed down my face.

"Why?" I croaked out.

Jethro turned to face me, his eyes filled with hurt, desire, and something else I couldn't comprehend, "Because I like you."

I bit back a sob. He closed the gap between us and sat down in front of me. When I avoided his gaze, he took my face in his hand and forced it his way.

"I could smell on you the day we first met." He said softly, "You're a good girl Leah. You're such a good girl." He watched me whimper at his words, and he held my face tightly, "You, see? I knew."

"But wait, please—I don't want to play right now!" I moved back, but he followed me.

"I won't give you a choice."

I started to cry harder, "But you can't do that."

He pushed me into the bed and whispered into my ear, "You're going to be my girl. Leah, you'll be my good little girl."

My throat was hoarse from screaming, after a while he'd gotten angry and slapped me hard. All my clothes had been discarded onto the floor along with his. I'd lost so much of the fight I'd had just in those last few minutes. His cock rubbed against my clit, and I closed my eyes in shame.

"Leah." He said softly. I couldn't look at him, but he gently turned my face up and so I did. He looked frightened. "I like you so much."

I turned away. He repositioned my hips and pushed my legs up and held them in place. I whined and shook my head, I even tried to push his hands off with my palms.

"Shh, relax. I'm here. I'm here." He cooed, I started to silently cry again, "Just a little bit Leah, just a little bit—I won't go far, just the tip."

I shook my head again, but he ignored it.

The tip of his erect penis teased at my entrance, and I tried to move away, but he held me down firmly.

"Uh-uh, stay still. It'll be over soon."

I wanted to scream again, but couldn't, as I felt the tip of his penis push into me. It hurt, but I couldn't say it.

"Just like that, stay still." He groaned. I felt him retract and then renter, just the tip, "Fuck, I can tell you're tight." And he repeated the motion a third time. On the fourth try, he slipped his tip out, and positioned himself at my entrance once more, but when he pushed himself back in, he thrust forward hard and fast and went all the way in. I screamed in pain, and he groaned in pleasure.

It hurt bad.

Jethro collapsed his entire weight onto me and started thrusting relentlessly, "Oh, that's my girl. That's my girl."

I stayed motionless.

"I like you so much Leah. I like you so so much." He repeated over and over. I don't know how long this continued for, but it felt like forever to me. When he started getting close to finishing, I could tell by how erratic and desperate his movements became, harder and faster, and when he grabbed onto my hair to pull my head back to look at him, I saw the way his face contorted when he thrust the deepest, he'd ever been inside of me and felt his hot seed fill me up and spilled out. After he was done, he collapsed on top of me entirely.

It was four in the morning when I'd left his apartment. After he'd finished, he fell asleep in that same position. I must have lied there motionless for three hours. After that, I'd managed to push him off me. All his cum ran down my thighs as I tried to get dressed. I ended up using his grey sweater to clean it up. I'd moved so slow and quiet, afraid he'd wake up. I found the bedroom key in his pants pocket along with Alain's number. I pocketed the latter and used the former to free myself.

During the walk home, I found myself between two worlds once more. The real and the unreal. Just as I had experienced four years ago on that night. By the time I reached my apartment, all I wanted was to clean the night off my skin. When I'd gotten to the third floor, I went to unlock my door only to find the knob broken off. I paused and retracted.

"Bambi."

I pushed the door open immediately, there was not an ounce left over in me to panic, but what if she was taken?

"Bambi!" I called out, "Bambi!" she would've come running to me by now. My chest started to tighten as I slowly realized she was gone. I took my phone out and dialed for the police. It rang twice before I got put on the line with a dispatcher. He asked what the emergency was, and I spoke through the tears. There were other things missing in my apartment, my bed overturned, and draws and cupboards turned inside out.

"Um, my apartments been broken into. I can't find my dog. She's four years old, she's a mixed toy breed, I don't know exactly—but you have to come, and you have to find her because she's—she's my ESA and—and I can't not be with her. Not right now, not ever—please."

"Hold on, please give me your address and we'll send the correct people over."

I recited my address and heard the man tell me to stay on the line until someone got there. I wasn't sure what to say after that, my breathing grew more erratic by the second. When I sunk to my knees to catch my breath, something caught my eye in the bathroom. My eyes struggled to focus on the sink that was visible through the slightly ajar door. When I saw what was there, it felt like an indescribable pain took hold of everything in me.

"Hello?" said the man on the phone, "Are you still there?"

Beep. Beep. Beep

I woke up and my head felt like it was about to burst. The lights were dim and warm. The sound of the electrocardiogram drew my attention to the rest of surroundings. It seemed as I was in a suite, unlike a hospital, but with everything in a hospital. I had an IV inserted into my right arm, and tubes stuck down my nose. I couldn't remember how I'd gotten here or why. When I pulled the covers back to get out the bed, my legs were weak, and it felt nearly impossible to keep myself up and so I sat back down. My clothes also were not my clothes, someone had dressed me in a white gown, it was plain, loose fitted, and reached my knees. The side tables next to the king-sized bed had draws, I opened to see if I could find anything, but they were all empty. Before I could think about what to do next, footsteps were heard approaching from the other side. My heart jumped, I got back into bed, just how I had woken up. The slow, steady footsteps increased in volume until I could see a shadow underneath the door from the other side. A key was inserted into the door, the door unlocked, and slowly opened. The man that walked through wore all black, clean, and pressed. His hair was completely grey, is moustache too, his face wrinkly, and his eyesight dwindling based on the glasses he wore. He didn't look up at me immediately, but when he finally caught my eye, he stopped.

"You're awake." He said surprised. I didn't dare to speak or move, "That's good news. It means your condition is improving." The man walked towards all the equipment on the side of the bed, he looked over all the charts and numbers, it seemed as if he was checking my vitals. After he seemed to have seen enough, he nodded, smiled, and looked at me. "Well, how are you feeling?"

I paused.

"Oh!" he waved his hands on nodded, "You probably have other more pressing questions on your mind." The man went to the other side of the suite, where there was a mini fridge, he took out two juice boxes and made his way back to the side of my bed where he pulled an ottoman closer to be able to sit with me. "Here." He pierced both juice boxes with their straws, gave me one, and took the other for himself. I accepted it and took a sip. "You're probably wondering about all of this. Unfortunately, there's only so much I can tell you without him here."

I looked at this man, more confused than before.

"I can however start with my name, Quillsh Wammy. But you can call me W for now. I was tasked with retrieving you and bringing you here for care. At the moment, the man who gave me those instructions is tied up in some business. But he'll be eager to know that you've regained consciousness. We've waited well over a week. And he'll also be very eager to meet you in the foreseeable future."

I cleared my throat, my voice was soft and strained, "What happened to me?"

W looked at me sadly, but then shook his head, "I've been given explicit instruction to not refer to what happened. But I can tell you, that you were brought here because you needed help. He wants to help."

"Who is…he?" I shook my head in confusion.

"The man who saved you."

"What is his name—" I started coughing and W gently raised the juice box to my lips, and I sipped on it obediently.

"I can't tell you that either." W got up from his seat, "I have to make a call, but I'll be back in thirty minutes to help you eat and get cleaned up."

"Wait!" I called out before he could walk through the opened door, "If you can't tell me his name what do I call him then?"

W paused and then smiled, "You can call him L."

Please leave a review, I'll respond to everyone who does. The next chapter will be up in a week and for the most part I'll be uploading in that fashion unless stated otherwise.