Blackbourne Investigations 01 - Introductions

Chapter 2 - Kota

I heard a shout, ‘Hold Max, hold!’ and watched as a figure ran up in the rain.   I could make out a blur of dark hair and clothes through the haze of rain.  He picked up my attacker by the collar and proceeded to punch him repeatedly in the face.  

I stared dumb.  For the first time in my life, someone was protecting me? 

He dropped what appeared to be the unconscious body of my attacker back into the ground and commanded his dog ‘Hold Max’ before turning and jogging towards me.    

I flinched back, raising my arms defensively.  ‘It’s okay’ he said, slowing his approach, ‘Are you alright?  Did he hurt you?’

I stared up at my rescuer.  Raindrops clouded his glasses, nearly obscuring his emerald green eyes.  I waited for my intuition to kick in, warning me that this was someone else to fear but it was silent.  Could this be someone I could trust? 

He slowly reached out his hand towards me.  ‘Can I help you stand up?  Is that okay?’

I looked at his hand, outstretched towards me.  I know it seemed so simple to reach out to him, but it went against everything I had ever experienced.  Could I accept help from him? 

Pushing my right hand against the ground, I began to stand up while using the wall as a support.   Dizziness rushed over me and I felt a something trickle down from my lip. 

His hand gently cupped my elbow.  ‘Easy now’ he murmured as I swayed slightly.  He helped me stand and I rested back against the wall with my head down. 

His fingers touched my chin and carefully lifted my head upwards, causing my body to start to tremble.   ‘Easy now, I’ve got you.’

I pressed against the wall trying to put some distance between us.  I always avoid touch and here is someone constantly reaching out and touching me.  My elbow, my chin and now my cheek.  His thumb brushed away a tear I didn’t know I had cried before he gently traced his thumb down and across my chin.  He pulled his hand back and I saw a smear of my blood on his thumb. 

He clenched his hand then leaned down so his eyes were level with mine.  He searched my eyes with his gaze then a small frown briefly appeared on his face.  He took a careful step back, releasing me then spoke quietly ‘Can I take you somewhere?  Is there anyone I can call?’

My body started trembling harder and I wrapped one arm around me with the other hand reaching up to my split lip.  People normally called someone when they needed help didn’t they?  I didn’t have anyone to call.  He would know that I had no support.  I was leaving myself open if he knew I was all alone.  ‘I...umm, thank you for helping me but I’ll be fine now’ I managed to get out. 

His eyes continued to look at me, assessing, seeming to search and find all my secrets.   I looked back to the ground to break his gaze.  ‘I’ll give you a lift home, just let me make a call’ he said as he reached into his pocket.  He pulled out his car keys and reached out with them in his hand to give to me.  ‘You go and sit in my car out of the rain while I make the call’ he commanded ‘ you can hold the keys until you’re comfortable enough to let me drive.’ 

He reached out and started guiding me to a black SUV parked a little way down the road.  My mind whirled, questioning what I was doing, going towards a strangers car.  I glanced at him sideways under my lashes, he had one hand continually outstretched behind my back ready to help me if I slipped or fell.  His eyes kept flickering back to his dog guarding the creep, the car and me. 

With his dark framed glasses, dark suit and dark green tie he had a nerdy look happening if it hadn’t been for his rain soaked white shirt sticking to his lean, muscular chest and a certain air of authority.  I glanced back up to his face and found myself staring at his bemused eyes.  Blood rushed to my cheeks and I quickly looked back down. 

I logically can tell when someone is attractive, when their looks are put together in such a way that they are pleasant to look upon.  But I have never found myself attracted to someone.  I had always thought it was something I missed along with a proper upbringing and I’d just go through my life alone with any close relationships.  Then why, oh why, did I find myself finally finding someone extremely attractive to me?

As we reached the car, he stepped forward and opened the passenger door for me.   Keeping my eyes on where he was, I went to step into the car.  My foot slipped on the sidestep of the car and I felt myself begin to fall backwards.   His hands grabbed me and I found myself crushed to that attractive chest with my hands tightened around his biceps.  His muscular biceps.  I felt myself flush even redder and struggled out of my man-fog to scramble into the car.  Why did my hormones have to kick in right now?  I don’t even know if I should be getting into his car yet I’m sitting here dumb, ogling him at every opportunity. 

The back door slammed returning me to reality.  He rounded the car again and passed me in a sports bag. ‘There’s a fresh towel in there you can use to dry yourself off, and a blanket in the backseat to wrap around yourself so you don’t get too cold.’

Safe in my dry cacoon I pulled off my jacket and briskly started drying my arms, hair and face with the towel whilst keeping an eye on what exactly my rescuer was doing.  He’d gone to the side of the building under an overhang and had quickly called someone on his phone.   After checking my attacker he started gathering all my soggy resumes up and jogged back to the car.

I stared wide eyed as he opened the passenger door and looked me over, dumped the wet resumes onto the car mat by my feet, then locked eyes with me as he leaned over me and reached into the backseat to grab the blanket.  With his eyes still on mine, he carefully tucked the blanket around me.  A faint spicy scent clung to the blanket, relaxing me. 

Tucking a soggy strand of hair behind my ear he asked ‘How are you feeling now? Are you ready for an introduction?'  I stared, my mouth fallen open.  Had I really gotten into a car of someone I didn’t even know the name of?

‘I’m Sang’ I quickly said. 

His eyebrow quirked.  ‘Sang, as in I sang a song?’

I grimaced.  I had, in my rush to get past the awkward introduction, given him my real name.  Not Carrie, the name I was currently using, and the name all over my resume.   ‘Yes’ I said slowly, ‘Sang.’

His smile was full of warmth as he watched yet another blush colour my cheeks.  ‘I’m Kota’ he replied, ‘And now we know each other, lets get you somewhere warm.  There is a little diner I know near here, we’ll grab a hot drink and you can tell me why you’re job searching in the rain.’ 

I looked at his face.  His sincere expression, the warmth in his expression.  Could I do this?

‘Okay’ I replied.

I held out my hand and dropped the keys into his. 

For the first time, I felt safe.