No Safe Word,Louis

PTE

O

through the curtains at the other end of the room, causing me to shield my face-thoug

mper slipped

her lay on the floor, speckled with dried blood. A clear sign that he'd enjoyed himself last nigh

collection. Yay, I

single tear slid down my temple. Then another.

Who would believe that a twenty-seven-year-old man couldn't defend hims

lose. One clean swipe across the w

No more fear. N

the one thing I've desperately cra

fe. It never judged, never hurt-just enveloped. Comforted. At least in the da

-a small, flickering ember of defiance. Of hope. I couldn't let him win. Not lik

Not

yway, pocketing the knife with a trembling hand. It wasn't much o

e use of it when need be. At the end of the day, I couldn't even defen

alcohol barely burned anymore. That numbness should've terrif

I headed toward the shower, ignoring my br

hing the water could wash

do so. As I reached the door, my father'

e back without my usual

I just closed the do

a flyer fluttering against it. Now Hiring: Allure Casino – J

anned the QR code on the flyer anyway and applied. Becau

nd the humming fluorescent light. I kept busy-sweeping, wipin

ything was

e east wing, I heard a loud bang. I turned around,

ck

d the handle-no luck. And then there w

sirens? No-

door bu

bundle of muscle, heat, and something electric. I stepped

the gauze one of the nurses had slapped on in haste. He towered

at brutish kind of way that spoke of

ing lighting. Deep, brown eyes-sharp and defended-looked at me with disarming force. A bristling b

f not even more. And yet, something in his eyes spoke of an em

d like a cover for somethi

e barely above a whisper. "I-

e scars just above my collar. At the shake in my fin

higher and brought down the sleeves of my

his voice low and authoritative-but

to me, handling him gently despit

he asked, a

uietly, looking at t

ghtly, as if

, si

r clean towels or on calling for help. But when I looked

. I didn't know what it was, or what it meant, but I

wo universes that should never have inte

ted my life was ever