"Karl is not feeling well this morning," Luke said as he came back into the room where he had left her in bed a few minutes before.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"I don't know. Maybe the flu. He's still in bed and plans on staying there the entire day so I'm gonna run out to get food for us," he answered.
"Don't leave me here with him," she said and sat up.
He walked over to her, sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her.
"Don't worry, Hope. I'll be back in no time," he said and kissed her forehead.
He placed two fingers under her chin and lifted up her head.
"Now can I get a smile?" He asked.
She smiled at him.
"That's my girl," he said and kissed her before standing up again and leaving the room.
She got out of bed. She might as well spend the time getting showered and dressed. She reached for one of the dresses as she heard the bedroom door being opened. She turned her head and saw Karl standing there with a smirk on his face. She instantly felt scared. She knew something wasn't right. He slowly walked towards her like a hunter stalking his prey.
"I thought you were sick," she tried as she backed up against the wall.
"That's what I told Luke to get him out of here," he said as he was getting close to her.
"Why?" She asked, feeling how she was starting to panick.
"I heard you two last night. I figured I'd get some of that too," he said and stopped in front of her.
He reached his hand towards her and let his fingers run up her arm. She shivered from his touch.
"Karl, please don't," she whispered.
His eyes turned cold and he grabbed her around the throat.
"You don't get a saying in this, princess," he sneered as he squeezed her throat.
He pulled her away from the wall and threw her on her stomach on the bed. He was fast on top of her, pushing her down with one hand on her back as his other hand pushed her dress up. She screamed and fought back the best she could. She refused to give him what he wanted.
He grabbed her panties and ripped them off her. She heard the sound of his belt being opened and the zipper on his pants being pulled down. She kept screaming and fighting. And then she felt him disappear from her in an instant and the sound of something heavy hitting the wall. She rolled around to see Luke standing over Karl who had just been thrown into the wall.
Luke was in a rage, throwing punches after punches until Karl was finally passed out. He looked over at her. He hurried towards her and wrapped his arms around her.
"I don't care where we go but we're going now. We'll find somewhere to keep you safe away from him," he said.
"No Luke, wait. I know how to fix this," she said.
He looked at her.
"There was a reason I always got the leading roles in the school plays. Because I'm a damn good actor. I can fix this but I need you on board with me," she said.
"Anything you want," he said.
"Okay. You got someone who's willing to give you a fake alibi?" she asked.
"My cousin up north," he answered.
"Okay, hear me out," she said.
Around 30 minutes later they were sitting at the police station giving their statements in different rooms while Karl was being retained.
"So Karl was one of the burglars?" The officer asked.
"Yes, him and some other man. I don't know who the other one was. He wasn't there this week while Karl had kidnapped me," she answered.
"And there was never anyone else in the apartment but you and Karl?" He asked.
"No, just us. Oh god, I was so scared," she said and started crying.
"It's okay. I understand. So this Luke guy... he came home this morning?" He asked.
"Yes. Apparently he lives there too. I didn't know that," she answered, wiping the tears from her eyes. "He saved me. I'm forever greatful to him."
"Just got off the phone with your cousin. Your alibi checks out," the officer in the other room said.
"I know. It's not like I forgot where I was the past week," Luke said.
"Hope says you came back and saved her," the officer said.
"I had no idea Karl was such a sick man. You think you know someone and then you discover this. It makes me sick to my stomach," Luke said.
Shortly after Hope and Luke met up outside again.
"They bought it," she said and took his hand.
"I'll never understand why you chose to lie for me but thank you," he said.
"I told you earlier this week that you were always a good kid and I still think you're a good man. You just need to stop hanging with the wrong people," she said.
"Karl was the last bad seed around me. From now on no more of that shit," he said.
They started walking.
"What now?" She asked.
"He'll be going away for a while. Meanwhile we both should probably move out of town and start over. At some point he'll be back out on the streets and he'll be holding a grudge towards us," he answered.
"So where do we go?" She asked.
He stopped and looked at her.
"We?" He asked.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought..." She started but he cut her off.
"No no, I'm just surprised. I thought you were gonna part ways with me after all this," he said.
"Not until you pay up those two rounds you owe me," she said teasingly and smirked.
He laughed.
"Naughty girl. I'll pay up, even with interests if you demand that," he said and smirked back.
"So I ask again. Where do we go?" She asked.
"My cousin up north owns several houses that he rents out. We can rent one and move there," he answered.
"I'm on board with that plan," she said.