Free Love on the Run by Zuri Day

maybe I’d see something in there and get inspired. That’s when I remembered that I’d turned off my phone. As soon as I turned it back on, I got a text message. It was from Jay.”
    â€œWhat did that asshole say?”
    Shayna closed her eyes and took a breath to calm the fear rising up from inside her. She swallowed and answered, “That he was tired of being ignored and that we were going to talk, one way or another.”
    â€œOh my God, Shay.” Brittney placed a reassuring hand on Shayna’s arm.
    â€œI knew something was wrong when we were on the phone earlier.” Talisha stood and began pacing. “Why didn’t you tell me about the text? You know me and Cameron would have came and got you, followed you back home or whatever we needed to do.”
    â€œBecause I didn’t expect Jay to be hiding in the shadows waiting to attack me. That’s why!”
    â€œI’m sorry for yelling at you, girl. I’m just so mad! I can’t believe he actually did this.” Talisha sat back down, lowered her voice “You must have been scared to death.”
    â€œI was petrified. When Jay grabbed me, he disguised his voice so I thought it was a stranger trying to rob me or rape me or . . . I don’t know what. I couldn’t even think . . . just started fighting and yelling and trying to get away.”
    â€œWeren’t there people around?” Brittney asked. “Somebody to call the police . . . or something!”
    â€œThere were, but these days, no one wants to get involved. Plus, it happened so fast. He grabbed my arm and I felt something pressed against my back. I don’t know what it was, a knife, a gun . . . hell, maybe even a flashlight or something else less deadly. But he said that if I yelled that he would, you know, really mess me up. All I could think about was him doing something to me physically that would end my career. I believed him and at first I had planned to do what he said.” Shayna became silent, inwardly reliving the terror of that moment.
    â€œThen what happened?” Brittney asked, plopping down on the bed.
    â€œOw!”
    â€œOh, sorry!” Brittney placed her hand on top of the hand now clutching Shayna’s side. “So sorry, Shay.”
    Shayna took deep breaths before replying, “That’s okay. I think the pill is starting to take effect now.”
    Talisha crawled on the bed from the other side. “Shayna, you don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to. It’s probably upsetting.”
    â€œNo, it’s okay, really. I’d rather get it over with tonight or you beatches will bug me forever!”
    â€œYou’re right!” Brittney said, checking her perfectly manicured nails before offering a side glance in Shayna’s direction.
    â€œSo . . .” Shayna sighed heavily before continuing. “We were by this door that led to the back of a business on Sunset, a private, totally hidden area between the store and the alley. The attacker, Jay, picked me up and tried to force me through that doorway. I had a feeling that if he got me back there, things might really get ugly. That’s when the adrenaline kicked in and I fought for my life, and that’s when my ribs got broken. Well, cracked technically, but I can’t imagine that broken would feel any worse than this!”
    â€œSo when you were fighting, that’s when you realized it was Jay?” Talisha asked.
    â€œNo, that wasn’t until I broke away and started to run. I looked back, just for a second, and our eyes met.” Shayna’s brows creased as she relived the scene. “Now that I think about it, maybe that’s why he was holding me so tight, he didn’t want me to see who it was until he got me away from the public, in a more secluded spot. I should have just answered his stupid calls. Then this wouldn’t have happened.”
    â€œI know you’re not sitting there