Deep Attraction (Preview)

Chapter 2.

CHLOE

I closed the door behind me, leaving the desperate eyes from lonely men and their dirty comments behind, quickly covering my nearly naked body with my black winter coat. The coat wasn't long enough to fully cover my exposed legs, but it would have to do.

Winter had arrived in New York, and I breathed the cold air heavy with the scents of the streets into my lungs as I walked, because as long as I could still feel it, no matter how fucked up my life was, this meant I'd survived yet another night.

Manhattan was a nice place to live in with everything on your reach. There were always signs of life in every moment and every aspect—people running from one place to another, a multitude of lights, and a huge number of cars filling the streets at all hours. I loved it outside. The sights and scents, the energy, it made me feel alive and free all at once.

I started my usual walk with no specific destination in mind, just an easy stroll around the city to clear my mind before I had to go home.

Home...

The word always seemed so foreign and meaningless in my mind. It was hard for me to understand when I'd never had one before.

Sadly, my childhood was only filled with bad memories, unbearable struggles, and loneliness. I rarely thought of my parents anymore, two people I hadn't seen since the day they kicked me out like I was a piece of trash easily discarded. Worse, they had thrown me into a vile man's arms, a stranger, who forced me to work for him to this day.

It'd been eight years now, and I couldn't say Bruce was a stranger anymore, and in his own twisted way, he had taken care of me. He gave me money, food, some freedom to live my life during off shifts, and allowed me to live in one of his apartments alone... but that didn't make him any less terrible, any less wicked or twisted, just somewhat bearable. And it wasn't like I had a choice.

Bam!

A sudden crashing of glass startled me, breaking through my thoughts, and I grabbed the collar of the coat against my neck. Someone threw a glass bottle that exploded next to my feet, making me realize the type of people who filled the streets at this hour. Even though this was Manhattan, I didn't exactly live in the richest part of it.

"Hey, beautiful! Come here for a second, sweetheart."

"Mannnn! Look at those legs!"

I ignored the vile-laced compliments as I passed by a group of low lives, though I quickened my steps, not stopping until finally turning the corner. The bus stop beckoned ahead, only a block away, and I let out a sigh of relief. I couldn't afford to spend money on a cab, and it was too dangerous to turn around and walk home this late.

Everything will be fine, I tried to reassure myself as I quickly approached the bus stop. Then, I froze when I saw two silhouettes standing there. It was dark, and I couldn't make out what they were doing or what they looked like, but it was definitely two men.

I took a few more steps... And then I could see them.

One of them had his back to me, so I could only see his dark hair and that he was taller than his friend in front of him. The second one had brown hair, and I could tell he was young, maybe around my age. They look normal, both men dressed in black, speaking casually to one another.

Just because they're wearing black clothes and are at a bus stop in the middle of nowhere doesn't make them psychos. Right?

I wanted to believe I was being paranoid, like always, so I took a deep breath and kept walking until I finally reached the bus stop. The guy with brown hair noticed me first and nodded at his friend in my direction, their attention towards me sent my heart into panic, it pounded hard in my chest, adrenaline filling my veins.