I’m actively forcing the robber to scramble crab-like across the room so that he’s as far away from Kitty as possible, but then a gasp sounds from behind me.
“Roger!” the man on the floor screams to his accomplice, his eyes rolling with terror. “Help me! This guy’s crazy!”
Oh fuck. I’m furious at myself for forgetting there was a second burglar. I spin around, intent on driving the new intruder away from Kitty as well, but it’s too late. A heavy heap crashes onto my back, taking me down to the ground. I feel a fist bash against my cheek, followed by my skull smashing against the tile floor. Then, the room grows blurry. Faintly, I hear a male voice.
“The cops are here man! Somebody called the cops, we gotta go!”
“Aw shit, did you get the money?” one of them bellows as he jumps to his feet.
“That was your job, you dumb fuck! I’m just the look-out, remember?”
God, these criminals are such nitwits. I lift my head off the cold tile just in time to see both men turn their gaze to Kitty, and I can already tell what they’re planning. Adrenaline fills my veins once again, allowing me to spring to my feet. Taking the steel bar with me, I run ferociously at the two men, roaring like a Viking charging into battle. Both look at me stupidly, frozen in their matching sweatshirts. It’s clear that these are amateurs who have no idea what they’re doing.
I swing the steel bar at the larger of the two men, smashing it into his lower back and he instantly falls to his knees, gripping his spine in agony. With my other hand, I brandish the whip, but I’m stopped before the lash hits.
“Everybody put your hands up in the air! NYPD! Drop your weapons,” an authoritative voice bellows. I let go of the spreader bar and the whip, stepping backwards with hands raised clearly above my head.
“Officers, these two men were trying to rob the store. That’s my girlfriend they have taped down to the chair there.” I point at Kitty who is still heavily sobbing. Her breasts are shaking even as huge droplets run down her cheeks. “They assaulted her,” I add in a grim voice as rage fills me once more.
Meanwhile, uniformed officers charge the room. The robbers and I are restrained with our hands cuffed behind our backs, and a female officer rushes over to Kitty. The policewoman removes the ball-gag and my woman lets out several heavy, raspy breaths. Then, the officer pulls out a knife and instructs her to stay still. She quickly slices through the layers of gray tape, and Kitty’s body keels over, finally released. A heavy wool blanket is wrapped around my girlfriend’s body, shielding her from prying eyes.
“Sweetheart, are you okay?” I call out to her from across the room. She lifts her head, blinking slowly, utter shock on that pretty face. But then she snaps back to reality.
“Please, let him go,” she cries in a hoarse voice. “That’s my boyfriend, and he saved me,” she whimpers. “Clay Towning is with me.” The captain motions for the officer restraining me to release his hold, and as soon as he does, I rush across the room to Kitty. She collapses against my broad chest, and I hold that curvy form tightly, caressing her soft brown curls.
“It’s okay, I’m here. You’re safe now,” I murmur into her hair. “Nothing like that is ever going to happen to you again, I promise.”
She sniffles loudly, nodding her head. “It’s just …”
“Shhh, I know, sweetheart,” I say. “Never again. We’re just lucky I came by when I did. Let’s just get this over with, and then you can tell me everything alright?”
She nods once more, still not meeting my eyes, but it’s okay. We’ve both had an enormous shock and I place a long kiss on her mouth before lifting the sweet girl into my arms and striding out of the room. Kitty Purcell belongs to me and I want the world to know.
10
Kitty
It’s been a long night. After Clay saved me, we had to make an appearance at the police station to provide our side of the story. It seemed to take forever, but I was clearly in a state of shock. As a result, they let me go after an hour of questioning, although I’ll have to return tomorrow for another conversation with the detective.
But now, I’m safely tucked away from all danger because I’m in the tub with Clay. My head lies back comfortably on his bare chest. The warm water of the bath caresses every inch of my curves, trying to help me relax, but it’s hard. I’m still sobbing and shaking from tonight’s assault, and Clay holds me tightly, shushing me from time to time the way a mother would a baby.