Way Back Into Love (Essie)

"Hey, girl, why are you alone? Do you need someone to stay with you?" Harsh laughter came from behind her.

Essie froze. When she turned, she could see four obscene men gazing up and down at her figure lustfully. Sick smiles were imprinted on their faces.

She didn't take another second before she turned and ran. However, these men were quick. Soon enough, they already had her trapped around the middle.

"Look, if you want the money, here it is. Let me go." Her hand trembled as she stretched out her bag, believing that the men were wise enough to not get themselves into any more trouble.

The fat man smirked, looking her over. He wiped the saliva dripping from the corner of his lips. "Such a beauty," he slurred. "Boys, I think we got lucky tonight!" Besides, they were already paid. What he wanted to do was play with the woman in front of him.

When Essie heard him, she got even more nervous. Knowing that she couldn't get rid of them with cash, she had to fight them off. She swung her bag towards the shortest and thinnest man. While he used his arms to cover his face, she used this opportunity to shove him down and ran to the other side of the alley.

There would be pedestrians who could see her if they ran after her.

Essie gazed at the exit ahead, only to miss the stone that was blocking her way. She stumbled down, and her knees scraped against the gravel.

She struggled to stand up, but one of the men held her down. "Let's see where you can go now." He smiled lewdly.

The three men quickly stepped forward to hold her down. They cackled like a bunch of hyenas about to get some fresh meat. "Come on!" they yelled at their leader. They couldn't wait to get a taste of this. With an obscene smile, the fat man began to unbuckle his belt.

Knowing that she couldn't get free from the tight hold, tears of despair streamed down her face. "Zac!" she sobbed out. She didn't know why he was the first person in her mind, but she yelled for him desperately.

Closing her eyes and readying herself for the worse, an angry fist broke through the helpless night. Billy, the fat man, groaned in pain as he fell onto the ground like a motionless pig.

Seeing this, the other three men let go of the girl and started to brandish their knives. Without another word, they rushed to the newcomer. They weren't any match for him. In just a few strokes, all three of them fell to the ground as they searched for their knocked off teeth.

Essie gazed at the man who had saved him. She squinted, not believing that it was actually Zac who came to save her. When his arms wrapped around her, she could smell his masculine scent wafting around her nose. "Zac," she sobbed. "You really came." She broke into tears.

Zac had been angry for several hours. He was like a volcano waiting to erupt, but as soon as he heard her calling his name, the anger on his face completely dissipated.

The fact that he was the first one she had called for and not Hanson, comforted him.

After they walked out of the alley, a man in black came over. In the moonlight, his handsome face and a bloodthirsty sneer hung on the corners of his mouth.

Soon enough, with a mix of butchered screams and heartfelt tears, four disabled eunuchs appeared at the other end of the street.

In the apartment.

Still suffering from the shock, Essie found herself curling at the edge of the sofa, holding the small pillow in her arms.

Zac fetched the medicine box and began to clean the wounds on her knees.

"Why are you there?" she asked gently.

"I went for a walk." His tone was flat. What she didn't know was that he had followed her to the dark alley.

"Okay," she slowly answered. "Have you sent Mandy home?" She didn't even finish when a sharp pain came from her knee. Essie groaned and winced at Zac's grip, but he quickly softened when he realized that he was hurting her. Every time the subject was brought up, he just couldn't help but be angry at her. He had already warned her, yet she was still careless as to set them up. The most hateful thing was that she left him to go on a date herself. The thought of her being with Hanson made his blood boil.

Essie was aware that he was mad, but she still didn't know what had happened between them. She pursed her lips. "It's my fault that I didn't tell you in advance, but Mandy is a nice girl. You can at least try to get along with her."

The vein on his forehead bulged out and his eyes flashed. If it weren't for the injury that she had incurred, he would've twisted her over and spanked her. "It's none of your business."

She winced. "Okay fine." It seemed that helping him find a girl was a mistake.

Zac frowned. "Do you still remember my conditions?"