Betrayed By Her Protector

AND THERE WAS A STRANGER…

HUDA.

I held my breath but felt nothing. Was I dead? No, the painful stings on my palms and knees told me I was still very much alive.

Was I supposed to feel relieved about the fact? For a second, just a fraction of a second, I thought that maybe it wouldn’t have been a bad thing if I were finally gone, if I could stop fighting.

It was all getting so exhausting. I opened one eye and saw a pair of shiny black derby shoes. I opened my other eye and moved my head up slowly, taking in the pair of black dress pants, expensive-looking leather belt, white shirt, black suit jacket, and striped tie until I reached his face, which I couldn’t see as I was blinded by the sun. It looked like a dark shape surrounded by a halo, like he was my guardian angel.

I let out a broken chuckle at the thought. I could use one of those right now. The man crouched in front of me, and I could see his face partially since he was wearing dark, clubmaster sunglasses.

But despite my shitty feelings, I could see he was gorgeous, with broad shoulders, a well-defined jaw, wide lips, and a long, straight nose.

He was a fine specimen, like you saw in the magazines. He was probably one of those male models here for a photoshoot. That was not so exceptional around here, either. We were close enough to LA for that to be commonplace.

What took me aback was the strand of long black hair that had escaped his man-bun. Somehow, I wouldn’t have expected someone dressed like him to wear his hair like that.

“Me?” I blinked at him, clearly missing what he’d said.

“Can you hear me?” I nodded as the smoothness of his deep voice settled right at the base of my spine. After all, he might have been an angel—nobody sounded like that in real life. He sighed with relief.

“What got into your mind to run in front of a car like that?! You could have—”

“Huda!” I winced as Tyler’s nasal voice made me want to puke. The man glanced toward the voice and tensed.

“I think I got my answer,” he muttered darkly.

“Go away, Tyler. I’ve got nothing left to say to you.” God, did I have to sound so broken and pathetic?

“No, we need to talk, Huda.”

“I had no idea your work project entailed f*****g my friend. I’m sorry for being upset, Tyler. How unreasonable of me!” I spat. The man’s lips curled up on one side, and I didn’t need to see his eyes to know he was somehow proud of me.

“Let me help you up,” the man said gently, extending his hand toward me. He reached to help me and wrapped his arm around my waist, pushing my face closer to his chest.

Closing my eyes, I deeply whiffed his expensive-smelling, woodsy cologne. His touch and movements were surprisingly gentle for someone his size, and I almost didn’t feel any pain as he pulled me up.

He steadied me, resting his hands on my hips. I was not a tall woman, but that man was exceptionally tall. I would say at least six-two or six-three, as even with these heels, I barely reached his pecs.

“Are you okay?” he asked again.

“Keep your hands to yourself,” Tyler threatened. I just caught him balls-deep in another woman, and he dared to be territorial. After everything he just did? I’d almost let this stranger defile me in the middle of the road for what Tyler did.

The image flashed in my head, and I blushed deeply—hoping they would take that for a wave of rage instead of shameful lust for this stranger. The man kept his hands on my hips, tightening slightly as he turned his head toward Tyler.

I followed his eyes and looked at Tyler for the first time since his arrival, and it was not too difficult to see what he’d been doing before coming out with his T-shirt inside out, his jeans buttoned wrong, and bare feet.

“I said your hands,” Tyler repeated, glaring at where the stranger held me. I opened my mouth to answer, but the man beat me to it.

“And I’m pretty sure she told you to f**k off… yet you’re still here. We’re neither very good at listening to what we’ve been told.”

Tyler took a step toward us, assessing the man with weariness.

“Huda, let me take you home, and we can talk, " he said, pointing at my legs.

“You can’t take the bus looking like that.” I looked down at my knees, finally aware of the pain I’d felt when I fell.

“Oh.” It was all I could say, looking at the bloody scratches on both my knees.

“I’ll drive her home,” the smooth-voiced stranger said with certainty, letting go of my hips. Alarm bells rang as my head shot up with surprise, glancing at the stranger.

I’ve listened to enough podcasts and watched enough murder documentaries to know that going with him was probably the best way to get murdered.

“No, you’re not.” Tyler protested. I winced. In the state things were right now, I’d much rather take my chances with my potential murderer than be in a car with Tyler for the next twenty minutes.

I looked at the man and nodded.

“That’d be nice of you.” He bent down to recover the contents of my bag on the ground as Tyler took a step toward me. I took an instinctive step to the side and bumped into the man as he stood with my bag in his hand. He shoved the bag into my arms.

“Get in the car; it’s unlocked. I was still too shaken to listen to the warning bells in my head.

I walked to the passenger door of the luxurious SUV before turning and looking at the man’s back as he slowly walked toward Tyler, a tattoo peeking out of his collar on the back of his neck.

He bent his head and whispered something into Tyler’s ear that made Tyler take a few steps back as all color drained from his face.

“Clear?” the man said, and Tyler nodded sharply before looking at me helplessly. The man sighed and turned before opening the door for me and helping me in.

That was not something that Tyler or anyone ever did for me.

How sad was it that a perfect stranger showed me more consideration than my boyfriend ever did?”