Deadly Dash

The year-long experience of delivering takeout has honed my legs into a pair of swift runners; ordinary folks simply can't catch up with me. I intentionally slowed down my pace.

Watching those three men closing in on Ava, and Ava darting into a dead-end alley, I knew she had nowhere else to run.

The three men, panting heavily, stood before Ava. One of them, a bald man, stepped forward aggressively and snarled, "Run, and I'll show you what happens next."

Ava cowered instantly, clasping her hands together and pleading, "Please, give me just two more days! I'll have the money by tomorrow, I promise!"

The bald man scoffed, "You say that every time, but not today!"

Closing in on Ava, the men backed her into a corner, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.

But she was still quick-witted, seizing a moment to attempt an escape. However, one of the men grabbed her shirt, pulling her back forcefully.

"Smack!"

The bald man's heavy slap landed on Ava's face, accompanied by a vicious curse. "You still want to run, huh? I'll teach you a lesson today!"

With that, he moved to tear Ava's clothes.

"Rip!"

Ava's clothes were torn apart, revealing her pale skin underneath.

Ava cried out in fear, her voice trembling, "Please, spare me! I'll have the money tomorrow, I swear! Please believe me!"

The bald man grabbed Ava by the throat, roaring, "Shut up! Even if you have the money tomorrow, we're having fun today!"

As the other two men closed in, Ava was helpless to resist.

I felt a sense of satisfaction at the sight. It wasn't sadistic; it was her own doing. Now that she was experiencing what she had done to me, of course I felt satisfied!

But soon, I couldn't stand by any longer. These men were animals, utterly violent and disregarding Ava's well-being.

If I didn't intervene, Ava might not only lose her dignity but also her life.

She was once my crush, after all, and despite my anger, I couldn't let her suffer like this.

Thinking quickly, I grabbed a brick from the ground, weighing it in my hand. Then, seizing the moment while the men were distracted, I charged in.

As the nearest one tried to react, I swung the brick at his head.

With a dull thud, the brick split in two, and he staggered before collapsing to the ground.

The other two turned their attention to me, rising to their feet to retaliate.

I didn't give them the chance. I kicked the bald man before they could fully stand up.

He stumbled, crashing into the other man.

In that moment, I grabbed Ava and, with all my strength, shoved her away from the men. Then, I delivered another strong kick to the bald man before bolting toward the alley exit.

Ava, having already discarded her high heels earlier, followed me barefooted, and the two men pursued us, shouting threats behind us.

Despite Ava and me being no match for them in a straight race, I was intimately familiar with the neighborhood, thanks to my year-long experience delivering food.

Before long, I led Ava into a narrow alleyway. The complex terrain here would help us shake off our pursuers easily.

When I was certain the men hadn't caught up, I stopped, panting heavily from the exertion.

Ava, exhausted, sank down to the ground, her clothes in disarray, her hair a mess. She looked utterly disheveled.

After catching my breath, I lit a cigarette and turned to her. "Who did you piss off? They were out for blood!"

Ava burst into tears, but I felt no sympathy. "Don't cry to me," I sneered. "It won't help."

Ava continued to cry, her voice softening, her body shaking. It seemed she was genuinely terrified.

Once I finished my cigarette, she finally looked up at me and said, "Thank you, Alex Phoenix."

"Huh, I thought you weren't capable of gratitude," I chuckled.

Then, she told me what had happened. It turned out she owed a gambling debt to loan sharks and was being pressured to pay twenty thousand. Emily, my wife, had found her and asked her to trick me into helping her, promising to pay her the twenty thousand afterward.

So, that's the story of what just happened. Ava swore it was only about the money, that she hadn't meant to harm me.

I then asked her about the bruises on her arm. She explained they were from the men who had caught her a few days ago and beat her up.

I told her she had it coming, gambling and taking high-interest loans. She deserved what she got!

I lit another cigarette, feeling annoyed. "So, what's your plan now?"

She suddenly knelt before me, tears and snot streaming down her face, pleading, "Alex, I know you're a good person. Please help me, and I'll do anything you ask. Anything!"

"Twenty thousand! I don't have that kind of money! You know I'm broke."

Ava started crying again, saying she was finished.

Even if I had the twenty thousand, I wouldn't just hand it over. I'm not a savior.

But as I thought about my wife and her involvement in this, perhaps I could turn the tables on her?

After considering this, I finally said to Ava, "Stop crying for now. There might be a way, but when you said you'd do anything earlier, did you mean it?"

Ava stopped crying, eagerly nodding. "Yes, I'll do anything. I know you want me, and I'll give myself to you."

I turned away, telling her, "Put your clothes back on. That's not what I meant."

"What do you mean, then?" She asked, once she was dressed.

"First, delete those photos you took earlier. Then, I'll figure out how to get you the twenty thousand. It's a loan, of course."

She nodded repeatedly, "Okay, it's a deal. I'll give you an IOU. What else do you want me to do?"

"My wife. She's the one who sent you to trick me, right? I want you to trick her instead."

Ava looked puzzled. "What's going on between you two? Why are you trying to trick each other?"

"You don't need to worry about that. Just do as I say, and that's it."

Ava was obedient, nodding. "Okay, I'll do it. But to ensure she won't pull anything on me, I'll need to get a video of you admitting to everything."

Emily underestimated me. This time, I'll make her regret it!

If she doesn't care about our marriage of so many years, why should I care about it?

As I prepared to leave the hotel, Ava ran up from behind and hugged me. Then, blowing gently on my neck, she said in a seductive voice, "Don't you want me?"