Fractured Hearts

Chapter One

I didn't expect to find a man sitting on death's doorstep on a Tuesday night, but alas, life can be quite the bitch.

After another successful attempt at dodging my boss, who had made it his mission to try and sexually harass me at the end of every workday, I was feeling pretty good about myself.

Just like every other night, I was contemplating whether I should quit my job. I'd entertained the notion so much that I could visualize every step of the process.

I would go to the coffee shop just across from my work building, and I would get a large black cup of coffee. Then, without a moment to spare, I would walk into my building, and wave hello at Stan, the doorman, before telling the two receptionists, Carly and Sherol, that they looked exceptional that day. Then, I would take the elevator up to the third floor, which my company rented, and walk right into Jacob Hussley's office and pour every last drop of my searing hot coffee right onto his old, shrivelled dick.

After that, I would announce my termination and pray to God that I didn't get sued or perhaps sent to jail for assault. However, I knew that even if I did, it would be one hundred percent worth it. Maybe I would even put his dick out of commission for good.

Every woman on earth would thank me for that.

That fantasy played out in my head throughout the entire walk towards my condo, which was only twenty minutes away from the building where I worked.

I was just reimagining the moment when I was spilling coffee over my boss when I heard a soft groan.

Freezing, I glanced over to my right, trying to pinpoint where the noise came from. There were a couple of seconds of silence before another groan sounded.

Turning, my eyes roamed over the narrow alley that I now faced. It was empty, from what I could tell, save for a couple of trash cans on each side of it.

Another moan and I knew for sure that it was coming from the alley.

I took a step closer, trying to gauge where it could be coming from. I didn't want to just walk in there blindly.

Taking a couple more cautious steps towards the alley, I was now at the mouth of the opening, squinting to find the origin of the noise.

Wait... what's-

Gasping, I stumbled back, my hand flying towards my mouth.

Those are legs and feet. Those are legs and feet peeking out from behind the garbage cans against the bakery shop wall.

I took a step closer, hesitating at the mouth of the alley as uncertainty prickled at my skin. Twenty-five years of instinct screamed at me to turn around, to leave this potentially — probably — dangerous situation behind. My heart raced as I tried to remember every lesson; I had learned about staying safe as a woman alone at night. A flicker of doubt gnawed at me: what if this was a trap? What if the man lying there was somehow part of a scheme to lure me into danger?

But then another moan echoed through the alley, raw and desperate. I felt a pang of compassion tugging at me, battling against my instinct to flee. What if he was genuinely hurt and needed help? I swallowed hard, torn between self-preservation and the nagging voice in my head urging me to check on him.

"Just a quick look," I muttered under my breath.

Ignoring the alarm bells ringing in my head, I ran into the alley, coming to an abrupt stop in front of a man slumped against the wall. His legs were kicked out in front of him, one arm dangling at his side while the other pressed a piece of material against a wound on his stomach that was bleeding everywhere.