Bonus chapter

“Sit down. You look like you’re about to fall down from hunger.” Talia said in a kind voice. She looked at the waitress. “Not willing to serve a meal that I’m paying for?” Talia’s right eyebrow raised slightly. Her cold eyes made the waitress blink.

“I-I’m sorry, I was caught off guard!"  She took a deep breath. "What can I get for you?” Talia looked at Coral, who then shrunk up within herself fearfully.

“She looks hungry, but greasy food would be hard on her stomach. Chicken, not fried or breaded, a baked potato, and some bread. Water to drink until she says she wants something else.” Coral lifted her eyes in surprise as Talia ordered for her. The concern and care she saw in Connie’s eyes was evident.

“Be right back.” The waitress left, and felt her heart hammer in her chest. Talia was considered a big woman, but in spite of her height, the waitress also noticed something else. Firm muscular arms and shoulders. She wasn’t built like a man. She was just strong.

“Now, I do not know your name, but the work I have is rather easy. I need someone to cook, and clean. In return, you can have a room in my house, food to eat, and a monthly allowance. As my business grows, and I train you for some other duties, your allowance will increase, or be replaced with a salary.” Connie didn’t know the girl’s circumstances, but she felt an extreme desire from Talia that said she had to protect this young woman.

“A bed too?” Talia nodded at her simple question. “Are there any men there?” Talia shook her head. Coral’s lower lip trembled. “Sounds like heaven.”

*****

Connie felt her heart shake from Talia’s reaction to this young woman. When she asked if there were any men at her house, she felt her rage rise, and her sight went red.

As Coral ate the food that was served, Connie could see how hungry she was, and had a better look at the bruises on her arms.

‘Don’t worry. No one will hurt her again, if she lets me protect her.’ Connie could feel Talia calm down. She realized that not everyone wanted to be saved, and not everyone had the courage needed to stop an abuser from hurting them. They feared the possibility of being hurt worse, when in reality, the abuse had been introduced slowly, so the victim could be conditioned.

She really hoped that Coral was not conditioned.

*****

“Oh no.” Coral said in a whimper. Connie could feel a look thrown her way, and she knew it had something to do with whoever abused the girl.

“Stay beside me, Coral. If they come over, walk in front of me. Don’t run, don’t cry, and say nothing. Okay?” Coral nodded quickly. “Now, my car is that Cougar over there. The black one. I’ll put you in the front seat, then drive off. Just be calm and ignore him. He won’t hurt you, or me.” She fished her keys out of her purse and watched as he approached.

“Hey!” They kept walking. “I said…”

“Don’t stop, Coral. In front. Make sure I am between the two of you at all times.” Connie watched the girl nod, and kept track of the man who seemed to get angrier and angrier.

Connie smiled. Anger is the enemy. Anger clouds the judgment and it makes a logical person make mistakes. The man who approached was really angry, and his judgment was quite clouded.

Otherwise, why would he ignore the fact that it was broad daylight and try to attack a young woman?

*****

Coral’s mouth fell open. It happened so quickly, she wasn’t sure that it was real.

Her brother was one of the men who abused Coral regularly. She watched as he reached for Connie’s shoulder, but then screamed in agony.

She watched his arm get broken as Connie grabbed his wrist, pushed it off her shoulder to her arm, and started to turn her body. This coiled his arm like a hose, but in reverse. His forearm snapped cleanly, while his elbow took major damage.

While she twisted away from him, her right elbow swung towards his back, and broke two of his ribs easily. He landed on his belly, while she continued to turn with his wrist still firmly held in her hand. She landed on his back so it looked like it was an accident, but that action also snapped his bicep.

Connie leaned down and whispered in his ear.

*****

“Sir, do you want to press charges?” The officer said to Coral’s brother. Connie smiled.

“Officer, how can he press charges against me? He attacked me. Maybe I should call my attorney. They have quite a chunk of my money right now, and I can afford to make a lot of noise.” The officer paled a bit.

Connie was a woman. In the eyes of the courts, if he helped this man to press charges of assault and battery, he would be laughed out of the court, and he would have a lot of trouble at the station. Fortunately, Coral’s brother had listened to her whisper.

“No need, officer! I did approach them, as that girl is my sister! And I did grab her first!” He was scared shitless. He remembered her words in that soft whisper.

*****

“I know you think you’ll get away with it. But if you try, one little push on those sore ribs of yours, and they will go through your lungs. Or maybe a press on the back of your neck. It’s real easy to paralyze a boy who thinks he’s a man.”

That cold voice reminded him of how easily she beat him down. It also told him that she would finish the job if he created a problem.  She broke his bones like they were twigs.  Cowards always fear the strong, and he knew she was incredibly powerful.

That scared him senseless. His father yelled. She didn’t. She spoke softly, made him feel more pain, and did more damage then his asshole father ever could.

After all, the damage she did occurred in less than ten seconds. He was a bully. She was a professional.

*****

“What did you say to him?” Coral asked her in the car on the way to her new home.

“Just enough that if he had any active brain cells, he would avoid being in the same area as me.” In spite of her shock, and the fear she felt when she saw her brother, Coral reached over and put her hand on Talia’s thigh.

“Thank you.” Connie felt Talia’s heart skip a beat or two when that eighteen year old girl not only put her hand on her thigh, she also didn’t remove it afterward.

‘Calm down, Talia. Calm down.’