For a Girl - J.T. D'Arelli (audio ebook reader txt) 📗

"I don't care. Cut me to ribbons if you want — but I'd rather die than have you lay another hand on me." And with that I took a deep breath in preparation for my first scream.

I meant it. And he could tell. My anger was helping me to find strength I didn't know I had. A look of uncertainty crossed his features — was he really ready to hurt me? I was about to find out as I yelled for help.

I didn't expect anyone to come, of course. The cavalry always arrives in time in Hollywood, but here in Milford, there was no director to cue the hero.

Nevertheless, he came anyway. Hal burst into the room, and took in the scene. Me, tied to a steam pipe, my blouse and bra ripped open, my breasts bare, my skirt hiked up to my waist, my panties in full view.

And Marks, standing over me with a knife in his hands. Wouldn't take anyone long to figure this one out. Hal roared and charged into Marks, knocking him down and sending the knife flying. Marks was flat on his back as Hal began to rain blows down onto him.

Unfortunately, he'd moved so quickly, he hadn't seen Uday and Qusay. They may have been reluctant participants, but they were in this all the way now. They pulled Hal off of Marks, holding him back as Marks got off the ground and retrieved the knife.

"Well, well. The gallant boyfriend arrives to save the day. How romantic." He slammed a fist into Hal's stomach, making him bend over in the old, old reaction. Another punch, this time to the head, left Hal dazed and semiconscious.

"Leave him alone, you bastard, or I'll..." I snapped.

"You'll what? What can you do to me, little bitch? You're small and weak — just like all girls. I could break you in half without even trying. You're female, Stephanie, which makes you inferior to any guy."

I struggled furiously against my bonds, cursing my slender arms and delicate chest. In that sense, he was right. I could not stand up to him — even if I were untied, he could utterly dominate me physically. It was so unfair! Why did women have to be so fragile? I found myself resenting the very femininity that I'd celebrated just a few days before.

"So now, at last, you understand. You're just a little girl, soft and pretty and helpless. Which is exactly what you should be, anyway. That's all that girls are for, to live for the pleasure of men."

He raised the knife to Hal's face. "You said you'd rather die than have me touch you. Are you prepared to see your boyfriend take your place?"

"No... don't hurt him," I begged.

"Then you'll cooperate."

"Ye... yes." I stammered.

"Then first, tell me what you are."

Confused, I just looked at him.

An expression of fury came across his face. "You're a girl!" he shouted. Jesus, he really was insane.

"I'm... I'm a girl." I repeated, trying to keep him calm.

"You're nothing but a horny little bitch."

A deep breath. "I'm a... horny little... bitch."

"You can't wait for me to fuck you, to show you what it means to be a woman."

They were just words. So why was I so ashamed? But I played along. "I can't wait for..." I paused.

"Finish it!" he shouted again, putting the knife against Hal's cheek.

"I can't wait for you to fuck me." When this was over, I was going to dig a nice deep hole and crawl into it.

It was clear than Marks was tipping over the edge. Uday and Qusay were obviously scared. But Marks had the knife and whatever hold he had over them was very strong.

I suppose if I'd been really sophisticated, I would have gone into some, "Oh Andy, you're so manly... you make it so hard for a girl to say no... I can't resist you, etc." It would have bought me some time, and maybe given Hal a chance to recover. I tried to work up my courage — but I could hardly stomach the idea.

"Those are cute panties you're wearing, Stephanie. I'm not surprised to see you in the frilly stuff — you were born for it. But as adorable as you look in those panties, I'd bet you'd look even better without them."

Once again Marks strode across the room to me, and once again prepared to yank off my pretty underpants.

And once again, the door burst opened — this time revealing the massive form of Big Mark Williams (BMW), all six feet six and 260 pounds of him.

For a moment, the half-dozen of us were frozen — taking in the tableau. Uday and Qusay reacted first, dropping Hal and rushing at the huge young man.

Big mistake. Almost casually, he reached out with two massive arms, caught each of them in a hand and knocked their heads together. They passed out cold on the floor. Hal struggled to his feet as Andy Marks slowly edged toward BMW — brandishing the blade. Marks was clearly scared as he saw his buddies unconscious — but he wasn't backing down.

BMW didn't even bother with any gestures of bravado. He just stood there, waiting for Marks to make his move. Marks attempted to lunge forward — but BMW moved with surprising speed — stepping to the side and then chopping down on his outstretched arm. The knife went spinning across the floor and BMW backhanded Marks across the face. Andy fell to his knees in a daze.

Hal rushed over to me and quickly untied me. My first reaction was utterly feminine — I pulled the shreds of my blouse together and covered my breasts. My second reaction was also feminine — I started to cry as the terror of the moment faded and I had the luxury of acknowledging my emotions.

Hal held me tightly as BMW came over to us. They both anxiously asked me if I was all right.

"Yes — thanks to you two." I raised my tear-stained face to the boys and gathered them both into my arms. Still crying, I told them how grateful I was. "If it hadn't been for you guys, I... I..." I left it unfinished — it was obvious what would have happened. "How did you find me, anyway?"

Hal spoke. "I was walking down the hall and I spotted your purse. You must have dropped it when they dragged you in here. I could hear people talking behind the door, so I stopped — then I heard you scream."

Saved by my purse. I had to smile. Becoming female had made me a target for Marks — but I'd been rescued by that same femininity. "You too?" I queried BMW.

"Yep. I saw both your purse and Hal's gym bag as well."

"God bless you both," I said — hugging them tightly.

Marks groaned, and began to rise. A murderous look appeared on Hal's face and he turned to my would-be assailant.

"No." I said, grabbing his arm.

"You've got to be kidding, Stephanie. Jesus, he nearly..."

"I know, Hal — but I have other plans for him."

"I assume you're going to report him to the police," BMW said.

"Nope. I've had enough of courtrooms lately. I've got something else in mind."

Hal spoke again. "Stephanie, there's no way he can be allowed to walk away from this."

I stood my ground. "I agree — he will pay a price. But only on my terms. Trust me, guys — I know what I'm doing."

Hal looked closely at me, then nodded slowly. "Okay then. But if he ever..."

BMW cut in. "This part I'll handle." He walked over to Marks and with one hand, grabbed his shirt and lifted him six inches off of the ground. Marks had a fearful expression. Good.

Then BMW began to speak. "She's given you a reprieve, asshole. But understand something — I'm not so forgiving. If you so much as speak to her again, or look at her cross- eyed, or ever, EVER lay a hand on her, I will bury you. Literally."

BMW had a reputation as an easy-going guy — but there was a look of such power and determination on his face, even Stallone would have been cowed. I could see Marks begin to shake, still dangling in his grasp.

BMW continued. "Pray for her good health, Marks — because if anything ever happens to her, I'll be coming for you. It won't matter if it's not your fault. It won't matter if she says to back off. Nothing will protect you from me. And when I'm done, it'll take you years just to learn how to walk again." He growled the last with fierce authority — then he threw Marks across the utility room to land atop Uday and Qusay.

All three of us left the space — we walked back to Hal's car. I was still struggling to keep my shredded blouse together — fortunately, there was no one else around. I wasn't afraid of either of these guys seeing my breasts — I know this sounds silly and arrogant — but they'd earned the right to peek. I gave a final hug to BMW — then Hal drove me home.

I was silent during the ride, reflecting on all that happened. Hal kept giving me looks of concern. When we arrived, he turned off the ignition and faced me. There were tears in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Stephanie... If the big guy hadn't shown up..."

I knew what was going on — I remembered from my own boyhood. There was a male imperative — a man was supposed to protect his woman, and Hal felt he'd failed me.

I smiled at him. "But you did save me, Hal. If you hadn't tackled him when you did, he wouldn't have stopped in time. You bought us the chance we needed. In all my life, I was never so glad to see anyone as when you opened that door. I know I can count on you. You're... you're my knight, my prince..."

Corny, yes. But that's how I saw him. We hugged again, both of us crying. Then I kissed his cheek and raced inside.

Fortunately, Mom wasn't home. I knew I could get BMW and Hal to back off on my request, but if Mom learned what happened, she'd be dialing 911 in seconds. I wanted to deal with Marks my own way.

Make no mistake about it — I was outraged and furious over what he'd tried to do. Aside from the horror of the experience (and I knew I'd be having nightmares) — there was something else I hated about it all.

He'd made me resent my own femininity.

He'd done to me what had been done to so many other women — forced me to regret my girlhood, made me wish I were a man so I couldn't be vulnerable to him. So I wouldn't be so damn small and weak.

There's a neat little movie called 'The Smokers' — about a group of teenage girls at a boarding school, coping with romance and boys for the first time. There's one scene where a girl is complaining to a guy what she detests about being female. She says to him, "You don't know what it's like walking around with a gaping hole between your legs, waiting to be filled by the likes of you. Once you're inside you have all the power."

It IS about power, and it shouldn't have to be that way. We girls should be able to celebrate and enjoy every facet of our bodies. We shouldn't have to feel helpless and vulnerable because we have vaginas, or because we lack the strength to defend them.

Yet that's how Marks had made me feel. And I knew it would forever haunt me until I regained the upper hand — until I had the power over him. Having some guy beat him up, or having him arrested wouldn't be good enough. I couldn't subcontract this to a cop or a boyfriend — I had to do the job myself.

I'd worked too hard at