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It took me way too fucking long to get to her neighborhood and I hated the way the buildings got more run down and shitty as we neared her place.
Her building was no better, though it was cleaner than the others, but it was just as run down.
There was no doorman at the door and no security either and I ran up the stairs to her fourth-floor apartment.
I banged on the door, fighting to calm my breath as I clenched and unclenched my fists when more time passed without her answering the door.
“Cora!” I yelled, banging on the door again.
Still nothing.
“Can I help you?” A man stepped out of another apartment with a tool belt and a nametag on, wiping his hands on a rag.
“Carlos?” I asked, nodding his tag. He nodded back. “You work here?”
“I do. What do you need with Ms. Valentine?” He asked looking past me to her door.
“She was mugged last night, and now she’s not answering. I’m afraid she was hurt.”
“Who are you to her?” He asked, eyeing me up.
I pulled my wallet from my pocket and handed him my ID. “My name is Maverick Jones, I’m her boyfriend.”
He eyed my ID, and then eyed her door. “She’s not answering?”
I shook my head no, banging on her door again. “Cora!”
“She was beat pretty good, my wife tried talking her into calling the police, but she wouldn’t.”
“She was beat?” My blood boiled more as panic set in, “Can you open this door?” I asked, jiggling the handle.
He looked worried the longer she didn’t answer, but behind me the lock slid in the door and then it cracked open.
“Hello?” Her hoarse voice called out.
“Cora! Open this door, right now!” I demanded. I couldn’t see her through the crack and the chain was drawn still, but she pushed the door shut and unlocked it and opened it. I turned and nodded to Carlos and then pushed the door open all the way and stepped in, shutting it behind me.
Her hair was a mess and she stood in a thin cotton night gown, covering her eyes from the bright light of the hallway. Her apartment was dark, and I could hardly see her.
I stepped forward and pulled her hand down from her face and pushed her hair back and growled when I saw the bruises and cuts to her face. “What the fuck happened to you baby?” I asked, pulling her into my arms and she came to me willingly.
She sagged into my chest as I held her up against me. I slid one hand around the back of her head and felt a welt on her skull and grimaced, I tried to avoid touching it and causing her more harm. “Let’s sit down.” I said gently and walked her over to kitchen chair only a few feet away.
She sank down into the chair and looked at me through one eye, her other one was pretty swollen and puffy.
“What are you doing here Mav?” She asked and licked her dry lips. I stood up and opened the fridge, pulling a bottle of orange juice out and pouring it into a glass from a strainer on the counter. I handed it to her and helped her raise it to her lips and she hissed when it touched her split lip but drank it quickly. “I’m okay.”
“No, you’re not.” I barely restrained my anger and rage as I looked at her bruised and beaten self. “What the hell happened?”
“I got mugged.” She said, lifting her shoulder and cocking her head. “It happens all the time in New York.”
“Why were you riding the subway to begin with?”
“How else am I supposed to get all the way across the city every day?”
“I don’t understand why you live here.” I said, shaking my head. “Why the fuck does your dad let you live in a place like this with no security in a shit ass neighborhood, riding the subway for fucks sake, look at you.” I snapped. She bristled at my anger and tried to stand up but swayed and fell back down into her seat. “I’m sorry.” I rushed out and knelt at her feet, bringing her hands up to my face and taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry Cora, I’m just worked up, finding you like this. God, I’ve never been so worried in my life.”
“I’m fine Mav.” She said again, cupping the side of my face and leaning forward to rest her chin on my head. Even in a moment like this she was trying to comfort me.
