Romani Noor is an aspiring chemist- well, possible ex-chemist, after she can no longer afford the rise in her university tuition fees.
Her best friend and sister, Juno, is living across the country with her wife, sending Romani occasional cheques t...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I peel myself back from the disgusting front I'm pushed into and glare up at the culprit as menacingly as possible.
A broad man stands in front of me, sweating from every pore in his body as he leers down at me.
I wrinkle my nose and attempt to take a step back, but the guy grips my bicep, keeping me in grabbing distance of him.
"And what's your name?" He asks me, a curve to his lips.
I scrunch my face in revulsion and glare back up at him, trying to wriggle out of his grip, "Did you really have to drag me out here to ask that?" I respond, and the man smiles in amusement.
"Fine, I'll just call you little girl." He grits through his false cheer, quickly losing his temper.
I practically gag at the name and scramble against him, "What is it with me attracting pedos?" I mutter to myself before scowling and looking up at the man, "Hey you don't happen to be related to a Professor Monaro, do you?" I ask him, smiling at my own joke.
The man scoffs at me, tightening his grip on my arm to hold me still which makes me wince, "Stupid little girl, aren't you? I wouldn't be here if I were related to the Monaro's." He spits with an eye roll, like he was stating the obvious.
My eyes widen for a slight second, The Monaro's?
"What- how... what do you mean by that?" I splutter and the man huffs, sick of me talking,
"Shut the fuck up and tell me who you belong to, who do you represent?" He asks me, shaking my arm slightly.
I grit my teeth at the guy, "No one." I hiss, "I'd die before anyone owns me." I wiggle in his grip again.
The man has the audacity to laugh, still keeping me close, man this guy stinks.
"So obviously one of the bigger fighters... makes sense if you're this feisty." He tells me, eyeing me condescendingly. He shrugs, "Eh, I'm up for a challenge."
"Let go of me." I growl, fed up and confused with this useless conversation. "What do you want?" I needed to find River.
His grip tightens tenfold, and a strangled cry comes from my lips, tears brimming my eyes involuntarily.
I want River.
"Tell me who you belong to." He growls yet again.
I keep straining in his hold, refusing to entertain his ridiculous conversation anymore when suddenly two hands clamp down on my shoulders from behind, stilling both our movements.
I freeze, dread creeping up my spine until a smooth timber voice eases my nerves, "Ah, you found her."
Slater's voice rumbles against my back as the man in front of me loosens his hold on me entirely, taking a step back.
