Love story

Iranasfast asmylegscould carryme,clutching the tornbackpacklikemy lifedependedupon it.Actually,mylifediddependonit.Themenfollowing mewerenosaints-actually criminalsif I didn't know anybetter. TwodaysbackwhenIstrolled inside the abandonedbuildinglookingfora shelterand accidentally discovered thebasementwhere the stash of drugs waskeptandguarded,IthoughtifIcouldstealsomeformyselfitwouldat leastbeabletopayformyfood forthenextmonth.So,Iwaited foracouple of daysfor anopportunity andmanaged tosteal fewpacketsso that I could sell some. Iwasn't a drugaddictbut I knewthatsellingthesewoulddefinitelyearnme some bucks. And Ineeded them,desperately. Ihadbeenhopingfrom homelesssheltertoshelterforthepastyear,hiding from thepolice and every goddamn personwhowere eager toexploit a seventeen-year-oldgirl.Imight havebeenan orphan and homelessbut I wasnt helpless. At anearlyageIlearned itinahard way that fairy tales didnt exist,theres noknight in shining arimor and Hogwartsmagic only existed in J. K. Rowling books. You only helpyourself andsaveyourself-nooneelsewascomingtosaveyou. And hereI was-running formy life to survive another monthwithout starving. Iwasrunningon autopilotbynow,completelybreathlessandfrantic.Afew minutes ago,Iwas shiveringincoldandnowbeads of sweat crowdedmy forehead as I sprinted through the alley.I hadnt realizedhownumbmy leg muscles were until I suddenly slammed into a human wall of solid muscles. AndbeforeIcould evenglanceup,omething pungentwaspressed aganst mynose and theworldwentcompletely dark. The next timeI woke upIfound myself on the cold floor,the backpack of stolengoodsgone.Forcingmyeyesopen,astheblurrinessclearedIlooked around.Theplacewaslikea prison cell,except too dirtyandreekedof knifeslashed the shin ofthelegof theman.Hetumbled down,clutchinghis legs.Anothermanbehind himwasa tad fasterthan theprevious one, though.He quickly grabbed my free hand but the oneholding theknife sliced through hisbiceps,drawinglittleblood. But I didn't get one more chance at escape. Thethirdman clutched thewristofmyknife-hand in adeath-grip and twisted it sopainfullythat theweapon slipped away.Hewasted no time in kickingtheknife away across theroom andfar awayfrommy eyesight even. AndnowIwas absolutelypowerless and defenseless. "Getmy brother,now!he gritted at the man who was bleeding from his biceps. My captive's attention snapped backtome aswrithed andstruggled toget away from his clutch.It wasimpossible-likeI was trying tomove some mountain.He towered overme,glaringmewith hispiercingblue eyesasI thrashed at his armwith myfree hand.Andwhen it was established that I was nomatch to his strength,I stopped. Breathing hard,mykneesgaveawayand dizzinesskickedme down.Forget food,Icouldn'tevenrememberthelast timeIhad drankaglassof clean water.Cold and thirstparchedmymouthinside out.Whateverlittleenergy I hadsailed awaywhen the adrenalinekicked in and I lost thefight. "Dominic,what happened?”Another toweringfigure ofmuscleswalked in with ablackleatherjacketasIglanced through myeyelashes. "Wehavea tiny problemhere,Viktor,themanwhogrippedmywristinone hand and whose name was Dominic,Isupposed,said coolly. Viktor,theblackleatherjacketguystrolledalittlecloserandsparedmea look.Whatis this?"he asked in disgust,almostignoringthefactthat I was a humanbeingand notmerea bagof flesh. "Little thief,Dominicmuttered,lettinggo of mywrist.Shewasfound stealingour drugsfrom thesouthernwarehouse." Imentally snorted.Hesaid'ourdrugsasif itwassomelegitimatething.IfI was a criminal,hewas too.Except hewas a better one.