Chapter 4Claimed By My Savior Roommate

A sudden, striking light flared in his eyes. "You didn't?" he murmured to himself.

"Wait a minute," Blair interjected, zeroing in on him. "Why would you assume she had a boyfriend in college?"

He stared at me for a long time. His eyes were dark, unreadable, and intensely focused.

I tilted my head, waiting for his answer.

Finally, a slow, devastating smile broke across his face. "Just a guess."

Oh, God. My heart skipped a violent beat.

It was a genuine, unguarded smile. It transformed his already perfect face, making the sharp angles softer. The slight curve of his eyes made him look boyish and incredibly warm. It felt like the sun coming out from behind a cloud.

Staring at beautiful men was clearly good for the soul. I felt spiritually cleansed.

Halfway through the afternoon, Blair wandered off to find a bathroom. When ten minutes passed and she hadn't returned, I got anxious and decided to go look for her.

My face was still warm from the alcohol, but I wasn't drunk anymore. I was lingering in that pleasant, hazy space between tipsy and entirely lucid.

"Do you want me to come with you?" He started to stand up, concern etching his brow.

I was fast. Before he could fully rise, I planted a hand firmly on his shoulder, pressing him back onto the picnic blanket. I told him to stay and guard the bags.

It was weird. This was the first time we’d ever met, but there was an inexplicable familiarity to him. I didn't even know his name yet, but my intuition screamed that he was the safest person on this mountain.

I shook my head, marveling at how strange human connection was. You can see someone every day for years and feel miles apart, or you can meet a stranger and feel like you've known them for a lifetime.

It was a shame I hadn't met him sooner.

The dirt trails leading into the woods were uneven and rocky. I slipped my expensive heels off, carrying them by the straps, and walked barefoot against the cool earth.

I swayed slightly, taking deep breaths of the pine-scented air. With every exhale, it felt like the heavy knot of grief in my chest was loosening.

Cell service in the mountains was practically nonexistent. I walked for ten minutes and couldn't find the bathrooms. When I realized the path was getting narrower and the crowds had completely disappeared, a spike of anxiety hit me. I had wandered off the main trail. I spun around to head back.

But as I rounded a bend, three men stepped out from the trees, blocking my path.

The leader had bleached blonde hair and a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. He looked me up and down, his eyes lingering on the deep cut of my silk playsuit. "You lost, sweetheart? Want us to escort you back?"

He reached a hand out toward my arm.

I took a sharp step back, forcing my voice to stay level. "No. Thank you."

I kept my eyes pinned to the dirt, trying to sidestep them, but they shifted, forming a wall.

"Hahaha! Did you hear that, boys? She's got manners!"

"Since you already thanked us, it’d be rude not to show you a good time, right?"

The greasy, predatory grins on their faces made my stomach violently turn. Bile rose in my throat.

Stay calm. Stay calm.

Without breaking eye contact, I slid my hand behind my back and rapidly pressed the emergency SOS button on my iPhone.

Then, I held out my phone and the gold watch on my wrist. I prayed this was just a mugging.

I forced a tight, placating smile. "Take this. Consider it a gift. I won't go to the cops, just let me walk past. Please."

The two guys in the back looked at the watch, hesitating, but the blonde leader's eyes never left my chest.

He spat his cigarette onto the dirt.

"I have never seen a girl built like this in my life. I wouldn't care if I died tomorrow, I'm taking this today."

The pure malice in his voice stripped away any illusion of safety. The hesitation in the other men vanished, replaced by the same sick, hungry look in their leader's eyes.

The situation was critical. I instantly changed tactics.

I dropped my hands, adopting a shy, submissive posture, and softly suggested that just the blonde guy take me into the denser trees.

His ego was massive. He genuinely believed his raw magnetism had won me over. He grinned ear to ear, waving off the grumbles of his friends.

I picked him for two reasons: he was the most distracted by his own lust, and he was the skinniest and shortest of the three. Against him, I actually had a fighting chance.

We walked deeper into the woods. At first, he was patient. But soon, his hands started reaching for me.

I pushed his chest back. "I have HIV!" I blurted out, praying it would kill the mood.

Instead, the adrenaline seemed to make him crazier. He laughed, a high, unhinged sound. "HIV? Let me give you an exam, then!"

He lunged forward to rip my playsuit. In a split second, I swung the heel of my shoe with everything I had, smashing it squarely into the bridge of his nose, and bolted.

"Fuck! You dead bitch! I'm going to kill you!"

The sound of his screaming alerted the other two. Heavy footsteps crashed through the brush behind me.

I ran like I had never run in my life. Sharp rocks and dead branches slashed at my bare feet, but I didn't feel it.

My brain shut down every system except one: Run!

The wind roared in my ears, but the heavy thud of their boots was gaining on me.

Suddenly, through the trees, I heard voices! The main trail was right above the embankment!

Just make it up the hill. Just make it up the hill and you're safe!

My hand reached out for the dirt ledge—

And a heavy hand locked around my ankle.

"Help—!"