Sophie's POV:

Derek had been right to reveal my secret to her, even if it stung at first, because this girl would have completely lost control if we hadn't tried to calm her down.

She agreed to follow the nurse into the room, but not before she gave me a frightened look.

The nurse came into the hallway.

"Excuse me, are you the one who came with Miss Stevens?"

I didn't even know her first name, much less her last.

"The young girl who was assaulted," she explained when she noticed my hesitation.

"Yes, that's correct. Is there a problem?"

"Unfortunately, Miss Stevens is a minor, and we are required to have a parent or an adult as a point of reference, but she refuses to give us her mother's number," she said, clearly troubled.

I already knew she was a minor, but I still couldn't understand why she refused to call her mother. She would need her family to get through this.

I thought to myself that she must have her reasons, and if she didn't call her mother, they wouldn't run the tests, and that jerk would end up getting away with it.

"I'm going to be her point of contact," I declared.

The nurse handed me the paperwork to fill out before she went back to the exam room where the kid was waiting.

I sat back down as my cell phone started vibrating in my pocket.

"So, how's Derek?" Ayden asked me.

I realized I had completely forgotten to update him.

"It's going okay. I'll explain it to you—or actually, he'll explain it to you himself," I said then hung up.

Crossing my arms and legs, I wondered how things ended up with Derek in the middle of all this. Not that long ago, I was hoping they wouldn't even run into each other. Now, I would have to talk to him after he got out of the ER.

Derek's POV:

After the X-ray confirmed nothing had been broken, the nurse carefully cleaned my wound and applied a bandage.

"There, it's done. Here's your discharge slip," she said, offering a kind smile.

"Thank you for your work," I simply replied.

Flirting with the nurses was the last thing on my mind. I couldn't stop worrying about the girl with black hair.

I remember when Sophie was raped at school; she was in an atrocious state afterward, but we supported her so much that she bounced back in no time. Since then, she decided to become a lawyer to support all those women who are victims of rape, harassment, as well as abused women. She's taken Karate lessons and has built a real shell around her heart that she only lets breathe with Ayden and me.

I must say we've always been there for her, especially on the day we caught that bastard.

"Are you done?" She asked as I left the room where I've been treated.

"Yes, just some cuts, nothing serious." I reassured her.

She stood up, tilted her head and gazed at me suspiciously.

"Sophie, if you have something to say, just say it. You pulled the same stunt on me before getting into the Mustang earlier."

"This girl is a minor. She's seventeen, nine years younger than us, and she's just been assaulted!" she said, her voice icy.

I still didn't see where she was going with this.

"And?"

Sophie stepped closer and jabbed her finger against my chest.

"I saw the way you looked at her after you won your race. I'm telling you now, stay away from her. You're almost twenty-six, and you have nothing to offer her, not after what she's just been through." She told me firmly, pressing her index finger into my chest where I felt her nail dig in.

I ran my hand through my hair. Even though her intense stare rattled me, I knew Sophie was right. I couldn't risk everything by getting involved with a minor.

I had finally found a job I cared about, and I wasn't about to throw it all away for some fleeting romance.

I absolutely meant to do nothing about it. That was my decision.

Sophie shot me a glare just as the door to the examination room opened.

"She's finished," the nurse said, looking at me with a strange expression.

"He's a friend—he's the one who rescued her and brought her here," Sophie added quickly, noticing the suspicion in the nurse's eyes.

"If you say so," the nurse replied. "She's getting dressed and will be able to leave soon."

The nurse shot me another odd look before finally walking away. I lowered my head; she probably thought I was the one who had hurt the girl.

"I'll take her home," Sophie told me. "You should go before she comes out. I think she'll feel more at ease with me."

I nodded; truthfully, I felt uncomfortable too.

Alix's POV:

At last, I got to put my clothes back on, even if it was only a pair of hospital pants. That exam had felt like pure torture. I couldn't stop crying, every second haunted by what happened in that alley. They let me keep the sweater the tattooed man had given me, since they'd kept the rest of my things.

After slipping on my sneakers, I opened the cabin door.

"Miss Stevens. Here's a prescription for sedatives, and an appointment with the gynecologist in three months, just to make sure everything is all right," the nurse told me.

"Do I have to come back?" I asked, terrified.

"It's just for a routine check-up." She reassured me.

Well, that was what she believed. The bills would arrive at my place, and if my mother found them, what would I do? And how was I going to pay them if I didn't mention it to her?

I completely panicked at that moment when she opened the door and I caught a glimpse of him.

For a brief second, I met his eyes, and in that moment, his intense stare looked unbearably sad before the door shut again.

I pulled the hood over my head again before stepping out, and when the door opened, I froze for a moment. He had been right there a second ago, yet now he was gone.

"I'll take you back," Sophie said as I searched instinctively for the tattooed man.

"Derek already left, if it's him you're looking for. His arm is fine, nothing serious, so don't worry," she added while guiding me out of the hospital.

Outside, I realized the motorcycle was gone too. Something in my chest tightened. I would never see him again, never thank him for what he did for me.

Sophie drove me back to the building where our apartment was, and as soon as we pulled into the parking lot, I felt myself trembling again, terrified that my mother might be awake.

"Do you want me to come up with you?" Sophie asked, turning off the Mustang's engine.

I shook my head. She had already done so much for me tonight.

"Here," she said softly. "I'll leave you my number. If you ever need to talk, even in the middle of the night, call me. I'll listen."

I took the small note from her, nodded, and stepped out of the car. By the time I slipped into the building, I heard her engine fade away—and then everything inside me collapsed. I sank to the floor and started crying again.

As the hallway light automatically shut off, panic rose in my chest. I pictured myself back in that alley, seeing nothing but his hands grabbing at me, his sweaty scent clinging to the air, and his tongue dragging across my face as he tried to force his way into my mouth.

His hands glided down my body and…

I ran out of the building, crossed the road without noticing the cars, and sprinted through the park that led to the Battery Park esplanade, thinking only about throwing myself into the Hudson River.

I didn't want to live anymore.

Derek's POV:

I left as soon as the nurse walked away, but I couldn't help myself—I ended up following Sophie at a distance all the way to the girl's building.

I had no idea why I was doing it, not really. She was safe now, but something inside me needed to make sure she got home in one piece.

I parked at the end of the street, watching as Sophie's Mustang pulled away only after she saw the girl safely inside.

The memory of finding her in that alley came back with brutal force, sending a fresh wave of pain through my chest. How could someone do something so vile? My anger boiled over, and my hands tightened so hard around the handlebars that the veins stood out in sharp relief.

The hall light inside the building switched off. That was my cue to leave. I no longer have anything to do here.

Just as I started up the engine, a blast of honking caught my attention.

I turned to see the girl burst out of the building, running straight across the street without even looking, then sprinting into the park.

"The esplanade!" I exclaimed in horror, dismounted the motorcycle, and sprinted through the park, trying to reach there before her.

I dashed onto the esplanade, straining to spot her, but she slipped past me in the shadows. I turned around just in time, grabbing her by the hood and pulling her back as she tried to climb the barrier.

The momentum sent me falling backward, and I held her tightly against my chest—for the second time tonight—refusing to let her go.

Alix's POV:

I didn't understand what had just happened. I had been ready to climb over the barrier when I suddenly felt someone pull me backward, and I was drawn straight into a pair of arms.

I was completely in tears, trembling, my breath catching so painfully in my chest while the arms around me held me tightly against a body that kept me from moving. I had no will left in me at that moment.

One of the arms shifted and began to stroke my hair while I cried in frustration, unable to calm down as I lay against this unfamiliar body.

"Calm down..."

That voice... No. It couldn't be. Why would it be him? Why would he be there?

I tried to steady myself while his hand kept smoothing my hair, but I couldn't. All I saw was that alleyway again. I didn't want to see it anymore, yet it still came back and swallowed me whole. I cried again and again, and he said nothing. He simply stayed there, holding me close, his hand brushing my hair with gentle patience.

I didn't know how long we stayed like that, but eventually my tears ran out and I started to catch my breath. My breathing was still uneven, but I could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my ear, and little by little I matched my breathing to it.

We remained like that a while longer until his arm, the one holding me close, slid down to the floor along with the hand that had been stroking my hair. I shivered instantly, as if the warmth that had kept me together had been taken from me.

In that moment, I understood that I needed to move or at least sit up. As best as I could manage with my numb limbs, I shifted and sat beside him with my head between my knees, never lifting my gaze.

Derek's POV:

I had truly believed I would not catch her in time or that her hood would tear with the force I used to pull her toward me.

This was the second time in just a few hours that we had ended up in this position, but this time I truly struggled to let her go. Maybe it was because Sophie was not there.

I stayed on the ground, my arms resting at my sides as she shifted away. The cold of the night settled over me, and for a moment I regretted releasing her.

My T-shirt was soaked with her tears, but I did not care; I was fighting the urge to pull her back into my arms.

I was out of my mind to think this way, even if she had not endured the humiliation from earlier. She was far too young for me to let thoughts like that cross my mind. She was just a kid, as Sophie had reminded me, a kid who had just gone through the worst thing a woman could experience, and I had no idea how to comfort her in a way that would stop her from wanting to harm herself again.

I glanced in her direction, pushing my hair back from my eyes so I could see her clearly.

She sat there with her head buried between her knees, silent and shivering.

Her long black hair spilled over her face, the same hair I had been stroking only moments earlier as I tried to soothe her.

I took out my cigarettes while still lying down and lit one, staring at the stars as I tried to shake off the feeling that had come over me when I held her. It had not been desire or longing. It had been fear, fear that if I ever let go again, I might never see her alive in front of me.

As I took another drag, she tried to stand. I grasped her hand firmly without looking at her, stopping her movement.

"If you want to see each other again, you must stay alive," I said calmly.

I regretted those words the moment they left my mouth. I still would not be able to see her again.

"I will stay alive," she whispered.

I hesitated for a moment, exhaled a slow breath of cigarette smoke, and released her hand reluctantly.

It would be the last time we saw each other and the only moment in my life when I would ever touch her.

Alix's POV:

I crossed the park again, and the tears returned.

It was not the alley this time. It was Derek, the tattooed man I would probably never see again.

I had heard it in his voice, even though he tried to sound firm. To me, his voice had carried something close to a cry.

When I reached the apartment, I went to the window of my bedroom and saw the Ducati roll past the building.

The fading sound of the motorcycle as it moved down the street shattered me completely. I fell onto my bed and cried again, thinking only about his tattoos.

Marina's POV:

It was nine o'clock when I arrived at Alix's apartment.

I had not been able to reach her the night before and did not dare come here then, afraid I would startle her mother if Alix was not home.

I heard the locks turn, and Alix appeared in black sweatpants, her hair wet, looking as if she could frighten the dead.

"My God!" I exclaimed. "What happened to you?"

I panicked the moment I saw her. Something serious must have happened last night for her to be in such a state.

Alix did not answer me. She went straight into her room, sat at her desk, and began drawing as if I were not even there.

"I tried to call you, but I couldn't reach you," I told her while looking around her room.

Her bed, her desk, even the floor were covered with drawings spread everywhere.

"I lost my phone," she murmured while continuing to draw.

I picked up a few sheets on the ground and only understood what she was working on when I reached the third sketch.

The sheet in my hand showed a Tibetan face sticking out its tongue, framed by a Mandala. I instantly connected it to the biker's tattoo from yesterday.

"They're the tattoos of the guy with the Ducati," I said, unable to look away from the details.

Alix did not respond, but I had known her long enough to understand she would not say anything yet. She would pour all her pain or anger straight into her drawings.

Even so, I felt relieved to know she was truly alive. Last night, my mind had imagined every horrible possibility.

I stayed in her room with her in silence through the whole morning, waiting for her to talk, but she did not.

Derek's POV:

It was the last day of vacation, and there was not a single day I had not thought about that girl with black hair and green eyes.

Not a day passed without seeing the image of her in that alley, her tearful gaze frozen by what she had just endured.

Not a day when I did not feel the memory of her trembling in my arms.

I reached the racecourse like I did every evening since that night, hoping I would come across that bastard and make him taste what he had done to them.

"You're still here?" Sophie asked me. "You're not starting tomorrow?"

"Yes, but I couldn't sleep," I replied as I grabbed a Corona from the crate.

I opened the bottle with my teeth and took a sip while scanning the people around us.

"I don't think he's here today either. I don't think he would dare set foot here again," Sophie said, studying my expression.

"You really look awful, you should go rest," she added when she noticed I kept searching.

My gaze stopped on a blond guy near the starting line, and my blood ran cold when he turned around. I would have recognized that face anywhere.

I dropped the bottle on the ground without thinking and headed toward him, rolling up the sleeves of my sweater. Rage pushed everything else out of my vision as I heard Sophie shouting behind me, but it was useless. Even she could not stop me, and she knew it.

I forced my way through the people between us, and once I got close, I threw my glasses aside and landed a punch straight into his face, sending him crashing over his motorcycle.

Everyone immediately stepped back as I grabbed him by the collar, lifted him, and pulled him close to my face.

"So you want to play the real man," I spat. "I'm going to show you what real men do."

I slammed my fist into his filthy face again, sending him back to the ground. I climbed on top of him and kept hitting him, strike after strike, not giving him the slightest chance to dodge the punches I had been saving for weeks.

"Derek, stop! Stop!"

Ayden grabbed me under the arms, and two others joined him to pull me off this bastard, but I refused to let go. The moment they managed to get me on my feet, I lunged forward and kicked him straight in the genitals.

"That's for that girl!" I snapped, spitting in his face.

I turned away without looking at Sophie or Ayden, got on my motorcycle, and started the engine.

Alix's POV:

Today we returned to school. I had absolutely no desire to go.

Since that night, I had mostly stayed inside the apartment, especially in my room, sketching his tattoos. I knew I would never see him again. I had become so obsessed with him since that day that at night I sometimes imagined I heard the sound of his motorcycle and pictured him riding down the street doing wheelies.

My new cellphone beeped. It was Marina, letting me know she was here.

She had gotten her license at the start of the vacation and had decided she would drive me to school.

She had never asked me any questions about that night, but she knew me well enough to understand I would not have said anything.

"The look. If you want to scare off all the guys, you're on the right track," she teased as I got into the Ford.

I did not answer. I wore my usual black jeans and a long black hoodie that nearly covered my eyes. I had dressed like this ever since that night.

When we arrived at the high school, we walked straight to class. As always, Marina sat beside me, but for once, I asked if I could take the seat by the window. She nodded, surprised, but there was no way for me to explain that I wanted to avoid even the lightest contact with the boys who sat near us.

"We have a new math teacher! He's so sexy!" a girl shouted as she entered the classroom.

I rested my arm on the desk and leaned my head on it while staring out the window. I should have stayed at the apartment to draw.

"Please have a seat!"

"Oh damn!" Marina muttered.

"Miss, what a lovely word on your lips. Could you tell your neighbor that it's math class time, not nap time?"

Marina nudged me with her elbow, and I turned toward her, asking what was going on.

"I'm waiting for your neighbor to take off his hood and sit up before starting the class."

I straightened slowly, keeping my head lowered as I pushed back my hood. I lifted my face toward the teacher, and the moment our eyes met, I froze. Because the intense green I saw staring back at me was his.

Derek's POV:

I had never expected to find her at this high school, much less sitting in my class. I froze for a moment, caught by her intense green gaze, but I forced myself to pull it together and reluctantly looked away so I could write my name on the board for the class.

"I am your new math teacher," I said as I wrote on the board, my hand a little tense.

"Mr. Walsh!"

"Yes," I replied, turning toward the blonde girl two rows over who had raised her hand.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked bluntly. I ran a hand through my hair before returning to my desk. I had expected that kind of question on the first day, so I smiled as I set the piece of chalk on the ledge.

"No, I am single," I answered. "But I am far too old for you, young ladies."

I turned toward her while the others laughed and whispered about my response, but unfortunately, she did not look at me. A small ache tightened in my chest, but it was better this way. She was only seventeen, and now that I was her teacher, there was no way I could allow even the slightest hint of the eye games we shared before. Even if this situation felt disastrous for both of us, I had to act as the responsible adult.

I began explaining the theme of the upcoming lessons and what I expected from them throughout the year as I walked around the classroom. The blonde girl next to her never took her eyes off me, and I gave her a warning look, which kept me from seeing what Alix was doing on her notebook, even though I had not assigned any work since we were only discussing the program for the year.

Alix's POV:

When he looked away, I realized I should not read anything into the way he had stared at me so intently. It must have been just as surprising for him to find me here as it was for me to see him standing at the front of this classroom, dressed in clothes that did not truly represent him, even if I had to admit they suited him incredibly well. But I could not let myself linger on that. He had to be uncomfortable with the situation. After all, I was the unfortunate girl who had been assaulted and ruined his evening.

I ran my hand through my hair to hide as much of my face as possible, ashamed, and pulled out my sketchpad just as a girl asked him the question to which I already knew the answer. I knew he had a girlfriend. A beautiful blonde with voluptuous curves that looked nothing like me or any of the girls in this room. Yet the answer he gave was not what I expected, and I looked up at him when he replied to her. I saw the seriousness in his eyes when he said he was too old for us.

I buried my face even deeper in my sketchbook and began to draw, trying to ignore the sound of his voice. I needed to focus on anything that would not make my chest tighten, because even hearing him speak hurt so much that I felt on the verge of collapsing onto my desk in tears.

So I spent the entire hour glued to my sketchbook while they discussed the upcoming lessons. I refused to glance in his direction for even a second. That was when I understood that I was going to suffer through a living hell this year. He knew and had seen my body in the worst condition possible. I knew that whenever he looked at me, he would think exactly what I thought: that night, when I went through hell and ruined his as well.

The bell finally rang to mark the end of class. I slipped my notebook into my bag, pulled up my hood, and quickly stood to leave through the back of the room. I did not need to make eye contact. I simply had to treat him like any other teacher. Yes, that was it! Just another teacher who would teach mathematics, which I would not understand anyway!

"Alix, wait for me!" Marina shouted behind me, but I ignored her and left the classroom without waiting.

Marina's POV:

Alix left like a whirlwind without saying a single word. I thought she would have been happy to see him again, even if he was our teacher, but as usual, she disappointed me. I quickly stuffed my things into my messenger bag so I could catch up to her, when his voice echoed from behind me.

"Miss Bowel!" he called out to me.

I looked at him, surprised that he already remembered my name.

"Yes, sir," I answered as I walked toward his desk.

"Could you tell your friend to see me during recess?" he asked. "I noticed she had some gaps in mathematics in previous years, and I would like to discuss several solutions to help her this year."

"Sure, Mr. Walsh," I replied, a bit disappointed that the conversation was about Alix.

If I had known he would give priority to the weaker students, I would have worked less last year. It would have given me the chance to enjoy a personal meeting with him too. I left the classroom and hurried down the stairs to join her for the next class.

When I arrived, Alix was already slouched over her desk with her hood up, completely absorbed in the world she had created for herself lately. I was slowly starting to worry about her condition. Still, I sat beside her without saying anything, even though I knew I had to tell her what he had asked of me.

"Alix," I said as the geography teacher arrived. "Mr. Walsh would like to see you during recess to discuss your math problems."

Alix did not answer and pulled her arms tighter beneath her head. So I did not push her.

Derek's POV:

The recess bell rang, and I let the students leave while I waited for Alix to arrive. In truth, I had asked her friend to pass on the message because I wanted a reason to talk to her about the discomfort she must have felt having me as her teacher. But after looking over her academic records, I noticed she excelled in art yet struggled in mathematics. Even though my intention to see her came from something else entirely, her math grades turned out to be a useful excuse.

What I really wanted was to speak to her about not shutting herself off in my class just because I had been there on that night. I knew very well it must have been unbearable for her since then, and seeing me now, every day, standing at the front of her classroom, had to bring back that cursed night each time she looked in my direction.

Minutes passed, and Alix still did not come to find me. It was exactly what I had expected, but I refused to let it end like that. They had gymnastics with Ayden, which might have made things easier for me.

I headed to the gym where I found Ayden setting up equipment for the next lesson.

"So, are we not saying hello to friends?!" I called out as I stepped in.

Ayden turned around, surprised.

"Damn. I knew there was a new math teacher, but I never thought it would be you!" He said as he gave me a fist bump.

"I told you you'd be surprised by my new job."

"And even down to the outfit," he added, eyeing my suit.

"Yeah, well, it's the first day." I laughed.

"Say, do you have a student named Alix Stevens who has class with you in five minutes?" I asked, running a hand through my hair. "Could you send her to my classroom? I need to talk to her about her math problems."

"No problem. Besides, I think she's unable to attend the class at the moment," he informed me. "She submitted a medical certificate."

Was she ill? That would explain why she had been lying on her bench when I entered the classroom. When the bell rang to mark the end of recess, I said goodbye to Ayden and headed back to my room, leaving the students to file into the locker rooms.

Alix's POV:

When I entered the gymnasium, I was just as surprised as Marina to see the gym teacher. Had they all gathered in this high school or what? A quick look at Marina told me she was completely charmed; she was practically drooling. I walked toward the bench, determined to draw quietly, when the teacher approached me.

"Alix, right?" He asked as he came closer.

I lifted my head halfway. Surely he did not know who I was, so I should not worry.

"I had a visit from your math teacher. He needs to discuss math support with you, and since you did not attend the class today, I gave my approval."

I took back everything I had just thought. He had to know who I was and what had happened to me if he was asking to send me to his class. But why was he insisting?

I put my sketchbook away, even though I had just taken it out, and stood up to leave the gym, dragging my feet.

Why was he so intent on seeing me? Yes, I was terrible at math, but I was not the only one, and he should have understood that if I had not gone during break, it was because I did not want to see him.

I crossed the courtyard without rushing, when I heard a whistle above my head. I looked up toward the source of the sound and saw Derek leaning at the window, watching me with a teasing smile. That was when I realized I had no choice but to go to his classroom, even if I wanted to turn around and run. Yet, at the same time, a small part of me could not help wanting to know what he really wanted from me.

Since I had not hurried upstairs, he was still waiting for me, leaning against the wall beside the math classroom door with his arms crossed, staring at the bricks in front of him.

Even from the side, his presence was striking. He was genuinely handsome, but I forced myself to shake my head. He was my math teacher now, and more than that, he was the man who had found me on the worst day of my life. I tugged at the sleeves of my sweater and walked toward him slowly, keeping my head low.

Derek's POV:

She finally arrived in front of me, and just as I expected, she dragged her feet. But I could not blame her. More than being her new teacher, I was the man who had discovered her on that cursed night, and even for me, standing here with her felt complicated.

I stepped into the classroom without saying anything and leaned against my desk while she stopped two meters from the doorway.

"I'm not going to hurt you. You can come closer," I told her gently as I opened her file.

She stepped forward but kept a safe distance, and I understood why. I did not push her. I ran a hand through my hair, realizing how deeply she did not want to be here with me.

"I know the situation must be hard for you, but you need to focus on your studies above all," I said firmly but calmly. "I'm here to help you, but for that, you need to give me the chance."

Alix's POV:

I did not answer and stayed there in front of the first row, staring at the floor and wondering what he was truly trying to do. I could not understand why he did not see that I wanted to stay in my corner, follow the classes, and avoid interacting with anyone. I already had no desire to be at school, and this situation made everything even worse.

I pulled my arms in tighter, clenching my hands at the very thought of being so close to him. He had been the one who saved my life twice in the same night. If he had not been there, I would not be standing here, listening to him talk about my studies and that math class I cared nothing about.

I was so lost in my dark thoughts that I did not notice him moving until his polished shoes appeared in my field of vision. I jolted, realizing he was right in front of me.

"I want you to trust me and let me help you move forward," he told me as he gently placed his fingers on my hood and lowered it. I clenched my fists inside my sleeves, unsure how to react to what he had just said.

"How about we start by reviewing math together during gym class since you're not paying attention to the lesson?" he continued, stepping back by a meter. I kept my head lowered, unable to understand what was happening with him. Why was he insisting like this?

"Now if you think you don't need it, I won't insist," he said in a soft voice. "It's up to you to decide."

I did not understand where he was trying to go with this. Did he really think I could focus on math exercises with him when I was barely managing to survive at all? Since that night, my entire life had turned into a survival stage, facing each minute and each breath with effort. Even the air I had been breathing since that day felt like acid in my lungs, so I saw no reason to accept any help from him that would not make it easier for me to breathe and keep surviving this miserable life.

"It's my way of keeping the promise we made to each other in the park that night," he confessed softly. I lifted my gaze to him, completely stunned by what he had just revealed. His intense green eyes looked at me with tenderness instead of the disgust I had expected.