Climax

My Man 3

Millie

Last month, when I boarded the flight in Paris my expectations were not high. All I wanted was a fresh start, a brand new career in a quaint town to live the American dream.

Not only did I get a fresh start in my career, but also in love life.

Thanks to Sam Quentin.

It's been just a week, but he's turned into my go to person for everything. He got the widest shoulders for me to lean on and I had to lean a lot. Thanks to my utter lack of knowledge in literally everything.

When I decided to start a restaurant business, I didn't know there were parts of the setup that required manual labor outside of the kitchen. My savings were already running thin, I couldn't afford to hire labor. The jobs looked menial from the outset like hanging pictures on the wall. When I got down to it, it had a hundred nuances that I had no clue about.

I had a masters degree in computer science and nothing in all other subjects. I chose a pizza shop because it's easier to bake and didn't need much culinary skills.

I'm realizing my mistakes as I get closer to the opening. Tomorrow is the grand opening. I could honestly say if not for Sam I'd have gone running again to some other country.

He ate my terrible tasting trial pizzas and helped me to find the proper ratio of ingredients for the dough. He did more research on my behalf than I did. There's still a jittery feeling in my belly, but I also got this positive energy that tells me it's all going to be fine.

I quickened my steps, I promised to meet Sam at my flat after his shift but got held up in groceries. He's bringing his uniform, since I pestered to see him in it. These cops didn't wear those blue uniforms. Sam said that their sheriff was an eccentric man who had his own set of rules and one of them was civilian clothes for his subordinates. Tonight I would see Sam in a cop uniform. Maybe we'll do some roleplay.

"Hey, wait." A voice called out from the shadows of a wall along the street line.

I stopped in my tracks and turned around.

A burly man came out to stand next to me and I realized my mistake.

He's holding a whiskey bottle that's almost empty, his eyes were red and looking at me with lust and we were in an empty street.

Without another thought, I took off running.

For a drunken brute he was fast and had cornered me in a minute. I was drenched in sweat and panting my lungs out in his brutal grip. His fingers pressed against my chest, "you don't have boobs."

I sighed in relief. "I'm not a woman. Leave me." I shook my shoulder to loosen his grip. But he didn't budge. His nose pressed into my hair and his hand spread along my stomach, rubbing.

"You'll do." He shoved me against the wall and I went down like a bag of cotton.

The fear slowly stepped in. Making me freeze and sending me memories of previous similar encounters. So much for positive energy. My bad luck followed me here too. I closed my eyes, hot tears rolled down. Would I always have to be taken advantage of by selfish, cruel people? I hoped he didn't carry any disease when he clutched my hair in a punishing grip. My whole body shut down, I couldn't breathe. I stopped thinking, that's the only way to get through this.

"STEP AWAY ASSHOLE." Sam's voice boomed into the silent night restarting my system.

I hugged my knees and cried in relief. Big throaty wails came out, uncontrolled. This wasn't going to be another bad memory. This would turn into a good one. Sam's here. He would take care of it like all my other problems.

"Didn't do a thing! That bitch is crying for nothing!" The man yelled.

"One more word Rito, you're gonna spend the next ten years in a cell. Gav, take him. I'll get Millie home." Sam thundered.

After some shuffling and yelling, a familiar scent engulfed me.

"You okay?"

I nodded, sobbing.

He hugged me. "It's alright. You're safe. He's gone."

I kept crying, even though he didn't know why I was crying, he held me.

When my sobs quieted down he pulled me up. "Did he hurt you?"

"No." I clutched his waist and hid my face in his shirt. I knew I was being clingy, but I needed his strength.

He allowed it and led me away while rubbing my back in assurance.

When we reached my flat, Sam cooked dinner while I stayed on the couch. He force-fed me and tucked me in bed. "I've put my number on your speed dial. Call me. Whatever the emergency, call, okay?" His fingers weaved through my hair, "I'll be there, always."

"Even if we fight?" My voice shook, I sounded pathetic. So insecure. But God, I couldn't help, I had yearned so long for someone to say that. To say that they'll be there no matter what. Sam's giving me that without any fuss. Just after a week's time, he hands me something that I had been waiting for all my life. I wanted to make sure it didn't have any conditions attached to it.

"Even then. I'll always pick up your call. Promise." His lips caressed the top of my head.

Fresh sobs broke out.

He held me when I confessed in a watery voice. "I have no one to call in an emergency."

"Not anymore."

I believed him. There were so many empty promises in my past, given by people who didn't believe in them. Empty words to get me to do their biddings. But his words were heavy, filled with sincerity.

**** End of Chapter Three ****