03

Stella

(Edited once)

I felt the adrenaline rush through my veins as I felt my body get hot, but I did not feel tired. I wanted to get as far away as possible from Raymond’s dull and toxic world. I was running for a long time, and his bastard friends gave up chasing me at some point. It was solely Raymond and me in the cryptic and dark forest.

“Stella, if you don’t stop right now,” Raymond started threatening with a breathless tone.

I cut him off before he could finish his threat. Still, I did not stop to look behind me because I did not want to trip and fall into his violent grip again. “You will what? Raymond, what could you do more? Slap me? You’ve done that. Kick me? Every single day. Punch me and knock me out? You can scratch that. Make me bleed? Starve me? Old news. What else can you do, Raymond? You were planning on using my body for your benefit! You can’t get any lower than that!” I was shouting at the top of my lungs, with tears cascading down my face.

I stopped talking and kept ongoing. I did not get a reply from him, just heard the increased pace of his running. He was determined to catch me, and I was more determined to escape. I ran faster and finally spotted a big house in the middle of the woods. It was beautiful, but what drew me in was the lights. They were on, and the hope resurfaced. I believed my salvation was waiting for me inside.

I did not waste a second and headed toward the house.

I quickly glanced behind me and saw Raymond trip over a rock. He looked pathetic, but I was in no position to laugh. I barged into the house with heavy pants. It took me a second to realize that more than a dozen men, maybe 20, were cautiously staring at me. All reason flew out of the window as I did not care, I closed the door behind me and sat on the floor.

“Please help,” I whispered. My fate was in their hands as I had no power to run anymore. They stood up and walked towards me. Conflicted emotions were visible on their faces, and I understood their confusion because I would be frightened if a random girl entered my house without warning.

“What’s wrong?” one of them asked as he kneeled down in front of me. “Who are you?” he asked again as worry was apparent in his dark brown eyes. When I was about to answer his questions, the door swung open by an enraged ugly Raymond.

I quickly stood up and stepped closer to the men. They were strangers, but they surely would not join my brother’s abuse because the one who talked to me was genuinely concerned about my well-being. For some reason, I felt safe. Secure. Or… they could be human traffickers playing nice.

Raymond was holding a huge rock and raised it as he spotted my shaking form. “Stella, you fucking bitch!” he approached me with hatred shown in his eyes. I immediately closed my eyes, preparing for the dreadful blow. However, nothing happened.

I forced my eyes open only to see a tall, muscular man standing in front of me, shielding my body. He protected me with a bronze tray, which shoved the rock from my way. The sight was comical, yet I did not react.

“What do you think you are doing?” my protector asked Raymond angrily. It was the first time someone showed such anger for my sake and not at me.

Raymond looked at him for a second, then at me, and I put on my tough face. “She’s my sister, I want her home,” he replied. I gagged at his disgusting untruthful words. He was dead in my eyes.

I let out a laugh, but it was not humorous at all. “Sister? I think we have established that already. Home? What home? You never viewed me as your sister, you were about to sell me, for God’s sake! I will never consider that building as my home. Leave me alone.” I yelled, feeling the rage rise inside of me. I used to scream in my head whenever I was overwhelmed by the beating, but never aloud. Raymond being outnumbered gave me strength.

“You heard her. Get out of my house!” my protector spat and pushed Raymond out. As foolish as he was, Raymond swung his fist, wanting to hit him. However, he was stopped mid-air and then shoved roughly to the ground. The man made it look so easy. Raymond was big, but all of the men here were bigger in body. The man punched Raymond’s face, and I could not and will not ever feel sorry for my brother.

It was the least he could get after years of being the merciless being he was. I just stood there, watching them, not caring that he was bleeding and possibly dying.

A few moments later, I remembered that we were not alone. Hence, I looked behind me and noticed that the men were agitated and embarrassed for some reason. They were blushing, and I arched my eyebrows in confusion until realization hit me hard.

I was practically half naked with my old shorts on and a sports bra. They were not the expensive type, so if one were to focus their vision, they would see through the bra. “Well, that’s awkward,” I pointed out in a whisper.

All men abruptly turned around, facing the wall. I was sure that my voice was inaudible, so it was weird how they acted as if they heard me.

I shook my head and looked outside to see what happened with the fighting pair, but two arms wrapped around my waist, making me freeze. The warmth and tingly sensation were the best way to describe what it felt to be in his arms.

I glanced behind me to be met with my protector’s stunning eyes. They were a bright honey color that shined like the sun’s setting orbs. His dark blond, almost brown hair was trimmed perfectly, and his tan skin made him look beyond beautiful. I was clearly checking him out, and yet something inside me would not let me avoid eye contact. It was bizarre.

He smiled, and his adorable dimples were displayed to admire because dimples were my weakness. It was true that all my life I was an abused individual. However, I was still a teenage girl who liked to look at boys from time to time. I never dared to approach anyone, though.

The pull that I felt with this man was unnatural, as I wanted him to lure me closer and capture my senses. I should be afraid of having these unforeseen emotions to a complete stranger, but I was not.

Am I broken beyond repair?

“Mine,” he growled this one word as his eyes turned to a darker color, and I thought I imagined things. His inhumane growl brought me back to reality, where I was in the same room as other men whom I just met.

The word that he uttered registered in my head, and I shifted my body so I was facing him. “No, I don’t think so…” I trailed off, and I got lost in his eyes again. He tightened his hold on me, yet it was not painful. It was secure.

I was grateful that I was saved. Though, I did not want to be a caged bird once again. I was not ready to be the helpless girl when I barely got myself free. I felt no threat or danger from any of them, but I knew that something was wrong.

No human could ever feel at home in a house they recently entered, yet I was contradicting myself. What was wrong with my brain?

He was stronger than me; accordingly, I stopped trying to get out of his grasp. He smiled again, and I was enchanted. “You are mine,” he repeated and glared at the men, who were staring at us in admiration, dare I say. “All of you, return to your rooms, and do not dare spare another glance at her.” What surprised me the most was that they bowed their heads without hesitation and walked away in silence. The man screamed authority, even I got tensed.

I was lost and did not know what to say except ask what was on my mind. “I am yours? How come?” I raised my eyebrows in confusion. It was not normal for relationships to start this way. Is this his way of flirting with me?

This thought excited me, and yet I was perplexed at my own turmoil. For all I knew, all men were like Raymond. I did not trust anyone but myself. Sometimes, I would even doubt myself as well. I was a train full of wrecked emotions, and I needed answers. My tormentor was nowhere in sight, and I was left with this peculiar man alone. “What’s your name, beautiful?” he asked.

As cliche as this might sound, butterflies erupted in my stomach at his words. It sounded genuine. “Stella,” my name came out of my mouth before I could stop myself, and his smile got brighter.

“I’m Julian Woods,” he introduced himself. I nodded, not knowing what else to do.