Wilting Flowers

Chapter 2

Warning: This chapter contains a scene of sexual assault.

Rose pulled her coat closer as the tears streamed down her face. She was now walking down the street not willing to go back home to Adrian, but not knowing what to do next. She knew for sure she needed a plan to get away from the abuse, she just didn't know where to start.

Not paying attention to her surroundings, Rose was startled when a gloved hand came out from the shadows closing over her mouth and pulling her into the shadows as a knife pressed against her throat in warning.

"Don't fucking scream or I'll slit your fucking throat bitch. Take off your clothes now."

Rose shook her head as the assailant squeezed her body tighter forcing her to cry out. God. What had she ever done to deserve this?

"I said take off your clothes. Don't make me repeat myself."

Sobbing, Rose beg, pleaded, and cried as her attacker smacked her head against the wall pinning her arms in place and immobilizing her as he used his knife to cut the fabric of her shirt and underwear exposing her to him as the tears fell.

Shutting her eyes tightly, Rose prepared for the worst, ready to give up entirely as the man was ripped away from her and tossed into the wall another man gripping him by his throat as he clawed at his arms for dear life.

"Get the fuck off me man." Her assailant screamed still clawing at the man's arms causing him to squeeze tighter. If Rose didn't know any better, she would think that this man was trying to kill him.

"You're not going anywhere. I've already contacted the police. Your ass is going to jail you sick mother fucker.," The man spat as his gaze traveled to Rose who was still standing there stunned and too shocked to move.

"Are you okay?" he asked her suddenly remembering that she was still there.

She nodded her head slightly, not feeling one hundred percent but knowing that it could have always been worse as sirens echoed in her ears and the guy grabbed her assailant by the shirt letting go of his throat but still immobilizing him so he couldn't get away. She was thankful for him, but he still somehow scared the shit out of her with his intimidating gaze.

When the cops showed up, Rose was taken in to make a statement about her attacker as the officer escorted her out of the room the man who had saved her sat in one of the chairs. His frame almost too big for the chair to hold him up as he got up and looked down at her. She guessed she should thank him while she was here. After all he was the reason why she was alive to begin with.

"Are you okay?" he asked his voice sounding gentler than in the alleyway.

"I've been better, but I would have been worse if you hadn't shown up. Thank you for saving my life."

"I would like to think that any good law-abiding citizen would have done the same thing. "

"Still. Thank you."

"You're welcome. You're still shaking did you want to join me for some coffee down at the diner. You can also get something to eat if you want."

"I don't have any money on me."

"I didn't ask if you did. Are you hungry? Or do you just want coffee?"

"I am kind of hungry." She whispered shyly as he gave her a small smile. He should do that more it really lit up all his face. "I just realized that I don't know your name. Can't go anywhere with you unless I know your name."

"Of course. How rude of me. My name is Dimitri Belikov. I'm an officer here at the station, but today just happened to be my day off."

"Sorry you had to save me on a day you're supposed to be relaxing."

"I wouldn't want it any other way. Now about that food situation. There's a diner straight across the way if you're not in a rush to get home. We could go over there and talk if you want to. It might help you to talk about it."

"Sounds better than anything I was planning on doing tonight."

"Great. After you." He said opening the door for her as she gave him a small smile and followed him to the diner.

"So how long have you been a cop?" she asked taking a sip of her coffee as she put syrup on her pancakes smiling slightly to herself. It had been a while since she had breakfast for dinner.

"About three years. What about you? What do you do?"

"I'm between jobs at the moment." Was all she said instead of telling him the truth, because no0 one like her when she told them the truth.

"I see." Dimitri answered taking a sip of his coffee.

"So, what made you want to become a cop? If you don't mind me asking."

"Let's just say my home life wasn't exactly the best."

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

"No, it's fine. My dad was very abusive, and he liked to hurt my mother, so one day when I was old enough, I hurt him back. And after that he never touched my mother again. But for a long time, she never did anything. She didn't even say a word and that's why I wanted to become a cop to protect people like my mother. To give a voice to individuals who are too afraid to use it."

"Sounds honorable."

"It's my job and I wouldn't want it any other way."

"If you could have any job, you'd want what would it be?"

"I guess I would have to go with an investigative journalist."

"Interesting career path. What made you want to choose it?"

"I've always been a nosy person. I guess the job just seemed appropriate for my aesthetic."

"Possibly."

Rose smiled as their food came making Rose salivate over the smell as she dug in.

"Hungry?"

"Starving actually."

"Nothing wrong with that."

"I've always had a healthy appetite."

"A good trait in a woman. I appreciate that."

"Glad someone does."

"Does someone give you a hard time about that?"

"Sometimes, but I wouldn't worry about it. I've already bothered you enough today."

"I'm pretty sure nothing you could say would bother me."

"I doubt that but thank you for being so cordial."

"It was how I was raised. I wouldn't want to disappoint my mother after all."

Nodding Dimitri and Rose continued to eat in silence as the shrill ring of Rose's cell phone broke the silence. Fuck. What time was it?

Rummaging around her bag, Rose located her phone feeling her stomach drop as she looked at her phone screen and saw that Adrian was calling. Fuck. It was so late, and she had to get home before his response got worse.

"I have to go."

"Alright. I'll pay for the bill and take you home."

"No. That's fine. Thank you for dinner, but I have to go home." Rose said gathering her things and leaving the restaurant hoping she would be alive to see Dimitri another day.