ra

ike a hammer bl

Loud. D

called from the other sid

t enough to break the skin, but a clear, silent

my ear again, a ghost of a

ned the image of a petulant teenager, annoyed at being interrupted.

ing to sleep! Can't i

the last word, a subtle hin

corridor. My answer had cle

have a report of a dangerous individual on this train

ll. His body radiated a co

"Open the door. Let them see you, b

tiny, coerced nod. He was a mons

uch a big man, melting into the deep shadow behind the door,

pulled the door inward, just a crack. I used my body to block most of the opening, presenting them with the pictu

d, my voice laced with ann

ark room visible behind me. One of them noticed the angry red marks on my neck where the man's h

again, so low it was almost just a vibration agai

flush on my cheeks deepened, burning with shame and f

darkness where he hid, and let out a soft, brea

top... Just make

n the air, obsce

nce. Their entire posture changed. They w

The heat of his palm seared through my thin dress, making me flinch. He pulled m

line sound of pure satisfactio

asterful p

imp, leaning back into the unseen hold

ook. "I'm sorry, we're... we're really b

e a mask of professional embarrassment. "Our

partner, and they turned, their heavy boot

my waist disappeared. The strength, the adrenaline, the sheer terror that

gs ga

o a heap on the floor. The act was o

the dim light, holding a flicker of something that looked unnervingly like appro

er now, the rasp of

ever one, li

rred. Humiliation and rage clawed at the back of my throat

ched me like I belonged to him, a

not

t him through r