asked.
“No, I want them to see me.”
*
Carlos took her to a small restaurant in the neighborhood. They had a nice dinner. Over the food and wine, Carlos talked. He was one of those Latinos who expressed himself with his hands. It was obvious he was in a good mood. Or maybe chocolate cake and ice cream did that to everyone. Kristen hated to ruin it but she could barely eat and had to choke down her salad. Her guilt was extreme and she couldn’t get Logan out of her mind.
When it was over, Kristen knew she had to be honest with Carlos.
“I’m so sorry, but this was just a friendly dinner, right, Carlos?”
She could see the disappointment on his face.
“Is it something I’ve done?” he asked.
“No. You’re great. I’m just really busy and I want to focus on the center right now. I don’t know about the future, but when I’m ready, maybe we could try again.”
He smiled at the possibility and walked her out. He offered to drive her to her car but she declined. The few blocks to the center were well lit and the walk would do her good. He protested at first but she convinced him she’d be fine.
She kissed him on the cheek. It was the least she could do after using him in this way.
Kristen was lost in thought and halfway to the center when she felt someone grab her from behind. Her breath caught in her throat. She should have been paying more attention. The arm around her throat tightened when she tried to get away. She could feel the man’s rancid breath on her neck.
“Look what I found. A nice present from my old friend Carlos,” the man said in her ear. With his free hand, he touched her body, stopping to squeeze her breast. He worked his way down her stomach and touched her between her legs. She was paralyzed with fear and could do nothing to save herself. She was at this man’s mercy.
Before she had time to muster her nerve and try to elbow or kick backward, she felt him being wrenched away from her.
Logan was there, pounding the guy in the face.
*
He didn’t stop until the guy was limp on the ground. And then he went to Kristen, telling Ed to call 911 from his blocked line and have them pick the guy up. He didn’t want to be involved with the police so he would let Ed handle things.
He carried Kristen the remaining distance to the center. He was both angry and scared for her.
As soon as they were inside the building, he started kissing her hard. She yanked away from him, looking at him in bewilderment.
“Do you know what he wanted to do to you?” he asked, anguish and fear clouding his judgment.
He pulled her into his arms and she didn’t fight him. He reached down and bit her lip, making it bleed.
“You are mine.” He continued kissing her roughly, desperately.
*
Despite—perhaps because of—his roughness, Kristen felt her body respond to him. When he pulled away, she saw disgust in his eyes and thought it was for her. She started to cry, tears of humiliation and anger. When he saw the tears, he pulled her into his arms and told her he was sorry over and over again. He wasn’t making sense but she’d stay in his arms as long as she could.
*
He kissed her tears away gently and tenderly. He held her while she cried in his arms. It was a good sign that she let him hold her. He’d been afraid he had finally pushed her away for good.
Gradually, she quieted in his arms. He called Ed to pick them up and carried her to the car. He had comforted her but she looked lost. His driver started to say something but after seeing the look on Logan’s face, he just opened the door.
“Take us home, Ed.”
Logan had thought Kristen would protest but she didn’t.
He held her the entire drive home and then carried her inside.
He went to his Jacuzzi tub and ran her a bath.
She wasn’t talking and it scared him. He
“No, I want them to see me.”
*
Carlos took her to a small restaurant in the neighborhood. They had a nice dinner. Over the food and wine, Carlos talked. He was one of those Latinos who expressed himself with his hands. It was obvious he was in a good mood. Or maybe chocolate cake and ice cream did that to everyone. Kristen hated to ruin it but she could barely eat and had to choke down her salad. Her guilt was extreme and she couldn’t get Logan out of her mind.
When it was over, Kristen knew she had to be honest with Carlos.
“I’m so sorry, but this was just a friendly dinner, right, Carlos?”
She could see the disappointment on his face.
“Is it something I’ve done?” he asked.
“No. You’re great. I’m just really busy and I want to focus on the center right now. I don’t know about the future, but when I’m ready, maybe we could try again.”
He smiled at the possibility and walked her out. He offered to drive her to her car but she declined. The few blocks to the center were well lit and the walk would do her good. He protested at first but she convinced him she’d be fine.
She kissed him on the cheek. It was the least she could do after using him in this way.
Kristen was lost in thought and halfway to the center when she felt someone grab her from behind. Her breath caught in her throat. She should have been paying more attention. The arm around her throat tightened when she tried to get away. She could feel the man’s rancid breath on her neck.
“Look what I found. A nice present from my old friend Carlos,” the man said in her ear. With his free hand, he touched her body, stopping to squeeze her breast. He worked his way down her stomach and touched her between her legs. She was paralyzed with fear and could do nothing to save herself. She was at this man’s mercy.
Before she had time to muster her nerve and try to elbow or kick backward, she felt him being wrenched away from her.
Logan was there, pounding the guy in the face.
*
He didn’t stop until the guy was limp on the ground. And then he went to Kristen, telling Ed to call 911 from his blocked line and have them pick the guy up. He didn’t want to be involved with the police so he would let Ed handle things.
He carried Kristen the remaining distance to the center. He was both angry and scared for her.
As soon as they were inside the building, he started kissing her hard. She yanked away from him, looking at him in bewilderment.
“Do you know what he wanted to do to you?” he asked, anguish and fear clouding his judgment.
He pulled her into his arms and she didn’t fight him. He reached down and bit her lip, making it bleed.
“You are mine.” He continued kissing her roughly, desperately.
*
Despite—perhaps because of—his roughness, Kristen felt her body respond to him. When he pulled away, she saw disgust in his eyes and thought it was for her. She started to cry, tears of humiliation and anger. When he saw the tears, he pulled her into his arms and told her he was sorry over and over again. He wasn’t making sense but she’d stay in his arms as long as she could.
*
He kissed her tears away gently and tenderly. He held her while she cried in his arms. It was a good sign that she let him hold her. He’d been afraid he had finally pushed her away for good.
Gradually, she quieted in his arms. He called Ed to pick them up and carried her to the car. He had comforted her but she looked lost. His driver started to say something but after seeing the look on Logan’s face, he just opened the door.
“Take us home, Ed.”
Logan had thought Kristen would protest but she didn’t.
He held her the entire drive home and then carried her inside.
He went to his Jacuzzi tub and ran her a bath.
She wasn’t talking and it scared him. He
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