Chapter 151
Vivian's scream tore through the night, raw with desperation, as she clung to the last shreds of hope.
Her cry was instantly silenced. One of the men pressed a damp cloth over her mouth and nose. The sharp, chemical sting flooded her senses, turning her limbs to lead. Her voice died in her throat, reduced to a ragged whisper.
They dragged her forward, their rough hands roaming her body with revolting familiarity. Every touch sent waves of revulsion through her.
"Pretty thing like you shouldn’t be walking alone at night," the first man sneered, his breath hot against her ear. "Looking for trouble, were you? Play nice, and maybe we’ll make it worth your while."
"Dressed like that? You were begging for attention," the second taunted, lips curling into a cruel smirk. "Don’t bother pretending. By the time we’re done, you’ll be thanking us."
Her vision blurred as they hauled her toward a rusted van, its dented frame half-hidden in the alley’s gloom.
The door screeched open. One of them shoved her inside without care.
Her soaked blouse clung to her skin, outlining every curve. The men’s hungry gazes burned into her, their excitement undimmed by the rain soaking their clothes.
Vivian’s skull cracked against the opposite door. White-hot pain exploded behind her eyes.
She bit down hard on her tongue, the metallic tang of blood sharp on her lips. The pain cleared her fogged mind just in time to see one of them lunge.
Instinct took over. She lashed out with her foot—
A direct hit.
The man howled, doubling over. His companion snarled and seized her ankle, yanking her forward. A brutal backhand sent her sprawling across the seat.
Her cheek throbbed. Through the haze, she spotted two beer bottles wedged beneath the cushion.
Before they could grab her again, she snatched one and swung.
No shattering glass. No dramatic escape.
Just a weak, futile strike.
The bottle was wrenched from her grip.
In moments like these, you either fight hard enough to scare them off—or you don’t fight at all.
Vivian’s struggle only made them angrier.
The van door slammed shut.
Darkness swallowed her.