Chapter 75 – All I needed

KIRA.

I couldn’t believe Gabriel’s nerve. He had the audacity to suggest we ignore the court’s decision and both look out for Maddie’s best interests. How far could his recklessness go?

That this was happening to me shocked me. I walked all the way to Gabriel’s house, and here I was by myself in this pitch-black alley. I did not know how I got here, but I didn’t like it. My palms were sweating profusely, and my heart was pounding. I could feel my hair standing up on the back of my neck.

Gabriel must still be in his house, I was certain. While someone else was coming after me, the coward wouldn’t. I knew it wasn’t him when I heard hasty footsteps behind me.It was someone else, and they were getting closer.

My legs felt numb as I tried to keep up with the pace. I was too scared to look back, but I could hear them getting closer and closer. I knew I needed to find a way out of here, but everything looked the same in this alley. There were no lights, no doors, no windows.

My mind started racing, and I tried to think of a way out. Even though I could scream, what if no one could hear me? Although I could run, what if they followed me? It paralyzed me with terror and did not know what to do.

I could feel the person behind me. They were right there, just a few steps away. I didn’t know what they wanted, but I knew it couldn’t be good. My heart was pounding so loud I could barely hear anything else.

I didn’t want to die here, alone in this alley. I didn’t want to be a victim. My eyes darted around, desperately searching for an escape route. I ran without a destination, my feet pounding against the pavement. I just needed to get away from this person.

“Where are you hurrying like that, love?” I heard a male voice so close.

That was the moment I stopped and turned around. It was someone I didn’t know. Tall, athletic. I didn’t stand a chance. I’d come to terms with the fact that I would not get out of here unharmed, so I could at least fight for myself.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“Someone who would make you feel good!” he said as he approached.

A lump formed in my throat, and I couldn’t breathe.

“Stay away from me!” I warned him, but he kept coming towards me.

I took one step back until I hit the cold brick wall with my back.

“Now there’s nowhere to run, baby! I’ll make you touch the sky!” he said in a threatening tone.

There was no escape. The guy got close enough that I could smell his stinky breath smelling of alcohol. I struggled, but this man was stronger than me.

“Please don’t do this...” I begged, pushing him with my hands, but to no avail. The man was pressing himself harder and harder into me.

Everything escalated so quickly that I was now really struggling to get out of his hold. This must have made him angry as in the next second a sharp pain rang in my ear. His heavy hand hit me so hard that I fell to the ground.

All I could hear was the piercing pain in my ears and I could already feel his hands unbuttoning my jeans. I had no strength left to fight. The blow was so powerful it almost knocked me out.

But at some point, his weight disappeared. Someone had grabbed him off me and delivered a few fists that sent him running. Someone rescued me from danger. But I didn’t have time to see and thank my rescuer as I literally fainted from the shock.

Next thing I knew I woke up in a familiar place. Gabriel’s place.

“What am I doing here?” I asked, panicked and with a terrible headache.

“Kira, someone attacked you…” Gabriel said and approached me with a first aid kit.

I sat on the side of the bed, feeling numb and empty as I stared aimlessly into nothing. My cheek throbbed in agony, making me think back to the vicious attack that had happened just hours earlier. Fear and confusion dominated my thoughts as I kept rehearsing the scenario in my head.

I couldn’t help but be thankful that he was there. He was always there for me in times of need, giving me consolation and assurance. Even though over the last year I refused to see it. He could have left me in the hands of that man, and Maddie would have been his. Problem solved. But he saved me. What greater proof of love could I want?

I shut my eyes and exhaled in relief as his fingertips caressed my injured cheek gently. It appeared as though his touch might take away my suffering and calm my anxious thoughts.

I suddenly found myself at a happier period when Gabriel and I had initially fallen in love. Back then, we had been inseparable, our love a ray of light in a desolate world.

Yet right now, it felt that all we had left was our love as the darkness engulfed us. As Gabriel continued to clean my wound, I couldn’t help but wonder if we could ever escape the darkness together, or if it would consume us both in the end.

“Almost finished…” he whispered.

“Thank you, Gabriel! For not letting me in the hands of that…” I said, but tears and sobs choked me as I tried to speak.

As my heart rate slowed, I could feel my body trembling, and my breath came in shallow gasps. My thoughts were racing as I kept seeing the terrifying scenes. I battled to keep my composure as tears welled up in my eyes and cascaded down my face. I let out a string of raspy gasps as my chest felt squeezed and as though a great weight was crushing my ribs.

With each convulsion, my body trembled, and I buried my face in my hands to shut out the outside world. Short, shallow gasps of breath rushed from my chest as my heart felt like it was going to explode. My feelings were so strong that I felt trapped, helpless, and overwhelmed.

My attempts to collect myself failed; the tears continued to fall, and my shouts got louder and more frantic. It appeared as though all the tension and terror I had been suppressing for so long had at last come to the surface, overwhelming me with its raw power. But soon as the storm inside of me passed, I experienced a wave of relief. I felt exhausted but also lighter after the crying fit, as if it had lifted a weight off my shoulders from the pent-up feelings that had been holding me down.

And that happened when Gabriel’s arms wrapped around me.

“It’s ok. I am here and I will never let you go, Kira,” he said, his voice hoarse.

I could feel his arms around me, his chest pressed against mine, and his warm breath on my neck. It had been so long since I had felt this way, so long since he held in his arms. But now he was here, and it was as if everything else in the world had melted away.

I closed my eyes and relaxed into him, allowing myself to be consumed by his love and warmth. It appeared all the suffering and sorrow of the previous few months had simply vanished, leaving me only with this amazing sense of contentment.

My body responded to his touch, coming to life in ways I hadn’t felt in so long. The way he held me, the way his hands moved over my back, sent shivers down my spine. Every part of me had been waiting for this moment to come and when it did, it was undeniable that we had created a strong bond between us.

At that moment, I forgot about all the time that had passed since we last saw each other. I forgot about all the things that had kept us apart, all the doubts and fears that had clouded our minds. All that mattered was that we were together now, and I was in his arms.

I experienced a sense of peace and safety that I hadn’t experienced in a very long time as he held me closer. He seemed to tell me we would always have each other, despite what could happen.

I opened my eyes and looked up at him, feeling his gaze on me. It was like he could see straight into my soul, and he knew exactly what I needed. I let out a deep sigh, and he pulled me even closer.

At that moment, I knew everything was going to be okay. No matter what happened next, I had him by my side, and that’s all I needed.