by Nia Arthurs
“W-what happened?” he asked, holding up his hands. He saw blood staining his palms and bruises forming at the back of his pale knuckles.
Instead of answering, Kelly scooted to the left. The moonlight revealed Clayton Neely’s battered face. The man lay sprawled on Kelly’s bedroom floor, blood pooling around his head. Unmoving.
He was naked from the bottom down, his thick legs sprawling open on the tiled floor. Blood spattered all around him and, Benjamin realized, that very same blood was present on Nelly’s skirt.
“Did he hurt you?” Benjamin asked, his voice hoarse.
“I need to call the ambulance,” Kelly said absently, as if she was speaking to herself, as if he wasn’t even in the room with her.
“Did he hurt you,” Benjamin insisted, unable to think past anything else. Harsh consequences waited around the corner. If he had killed Clayton…
Benjamin would deal with that later, but first, he had to know.
“Are you alright?”
She looked away from him. All he could see in the dimness of her bedroom was the curve of her chin and the slope of her nose. Heaviness pressed his shoulders and his heart pounded a crazy rhythm.
For the first time since his father’s death, Benjamin felt tears pricking the back of his eyes. He’d go to jail if he hit her. Take a thousand whips to the back if he caused her pain. He would never forgive himself if he laid one finger on Kelly Banner.
Whatever he’d done against Clayton Neely was fair game. He would accept any punishments the law and his own moral conscience demanded.
But he had to know.
“Kelly, please…”
The silence was putting his heart through the shredder. Had he gotten to her in time? He gripped his hair, realizing he would slowly go insane if she didn’t answer him in the next three seconds.
“Did that bastard—!”
Her sobs froze the words in his throat. Without hesitancy, Nelly dived into his arms and hugged him tight. He stood stock-still, afraid to touch her, afraid she would shatter into a million pieces if he did.
“I’m okay,” she said as her tears wet his shirt. “Benjamin, I’m okay.”
Dark Days & Bright Knights
Kelly pulled on a clean blouse and took a deep breath of courage before she opened her bathroom door and walked down the hall to her living room. Police and EMT personnel invaded her apartment and perused every inch of her space.
She hung back, sensing that this would be her last moment of peace for a while. As if drawn by a beacon, her gaze found Benjamin. He stood calmly in the corner of her hall, his face an expressionless mask as the police questioned him.
His thick dark hair was pulled and tossed to oblivion as if he’d ridden a crazy rollercoaster twice. Dark blue eyes focused on the lawman and Kelly remembered the scary sheen that had overtaken them when Benjamin pulled Clayton off her earlier.
Blood stained her boss’s hands and white shirt. She had no clothes to offer him and was grateful that his home was right above hers. Now that she wore a clean blouse and pants, Kelly felt ten times more grounded.
“Ms. Banner,” a female officer approached her, “we’d like to ask you a few questions now.”
“Make way! Excuse us!” A group of emergency response workers flew through her living room. They carried a stretcher between them. Kelly spotted Clayton squirming in pain before they whisked him through her front doors.
At least he was alive. Though she wasn’t certain he deserved that privilege.
“Would you like to take a seat?” The female officer led her to the kitchen. “My name is Najah Lewis. If you’re up to it, I’d like you to walk me through everything that happened tonight.”
Kelly nodded, still a bit stunned by what had almost happened. She’d watched the news and heard reports of sexual assault countless times. Despite knowing that over seventy percent of rape in the Caribbean was carried out by someone the victim knew, she never thought it would happen to her.
In Kelly’s mind, an assault was walking down a dark alley alone. Sudden hands over her mouth. A gun to the temple.
Not an ex-boyfriend with little understanding of boundaries.
“Ms. Banner?” Najah softly drew her back to the conversation. “What time did Mr. Neely come to your apartment?”
“It was around six thirty this evening.” She shook her head. “He wanted to get back together.”
“And did you agree?”
“Of course not. I told him to leave. Instead, he slid into my apartment and kissed me. That’s when I knew that I was in trouble.”
“What happened next?” Najah asked. Kelly glanced at the police officer. She had a frank, beautiful face and a clear-cut attitude. Her dark brown eyes were full of fire. She was sure the calm tone took practiced effort.
“He started feeling me up. He tried to force me into the couch, but I managed to get away. He caught me and dragged me to my bedroom. He was so strong…” Her voice broke as the overwhelming emotions of that moment crawled over her skin.
Clayton had never forced himself on her before, and she had been unaware of just how aggressive he could be. Never in her life had Kelly felt so powerless. At first, she was determined to beat him, but when she realized that he was far stronger than she, it wasn’t a matter of fighting him off.
It was a matter of surviving.
“I was going to let him do it,” she whispered, shame stealing over her. “He was so rough, and I figured it would be just like any other time we’d had sex. If I didn’t say ‘no’, maybe it wouldn’t be so terrifying.”
She felt someone touch her hand and glanced up to find Najah gazing at her with conviction. “This is not your fault. Don’t entertain that guilt for a second, Kelly.”
Kelly nodded, straining to clutch Najah’s reassurance with all her might, but at the back of her mind doubts arose. Maybe she was a slut. She’d been willing to give in to Clayton’s demands simply to preserve her own skin.
What kind of woman gave up fighting just to convince herself that she wanted an assault?
“Do you think you can continue?” the officer asked.
She nodded. “Clayton undressed and came at me. That’s when Benjamin stormed in.”
“Benjamin?” Najah made a note on her pad. “That’s him over there?”
“Yes. He saw us on the bed and his eyes—” Kelly’s heart pounded at the memory. “I’ve never seen that kind of anger from him before. He grabbed Clayton by his neck and flung him down.”
“And…” Najah encouraged when Kelly hesitated.
“Well… he punched him, over and over again. Slammed his fists into Clayton until I thought he would kill him. When I saw Clayton wasn’t moving, I jumped in front of Benjamin to keep him from going any further. That’s when he stopped.”
“This was the point where you called the police?”
“Yes.”
Najah nodded and patted Kelly’s hand. “Thank you for having the courage to step forward and report what happened tonight.”
“Is Benjamin in trouble?”
“Since he initiated the violence—”
Kelly’s jaw dropped. “ He did it to protect me.”
Najah held up a hand and continued in a strong voice. “I understand that he was driven by extenuating circumstances and the judge will too. However, his assault does not justify what can be seen as excessive force.”
“Excessive force?”
“If Benjamin had simply subdued Mr. Neely to the point that he was no longer a threat to you, the argument would hold in court.”
“But…?”
“But, from your description, he fought Mr. Neely to the point of attempted murder.” Najah sighed. “I’m not saying the man didn’t deserve it. I want you to understand the full breath of his responsibility in the eyes of the law.”
“What kind of law penalizes the man who came to the aid of a victim?”
“Don’t worry about that now, Kelly. What’s important is that you’re safe an
d Mr. Neely is receiving medical care. Now…” Najah leaned in. “I need you to listen to me very carefully.”
Kelly bit on her lower lip, worried by Najah’s expression. Unable to sustain eye-contact, she wiggled around and drew her gaze to the table. “W-what is it?”
“For the police to take any legal action, you’ll need to make a formal complaint.” Her breath hitched, but Najah pushed on. “Kelly, what happened tonight was sexual assault. It’s entirely up to you if you want to go the legal route, but I strongly urge you to speak out against this injustice.”
“I-I’ll think about it.”
Najah sighed and clapped her hands against the table. “Don’t think about it. The more you think about it, the more excuses you’ll find to avoid the hassle, or keep his name out of the media, or whatever other reason you can come up with—”
“Lewis!”
Najah stiffened when she heard her name and rose to face the policeman who had been talking to Benjamin. Kelly remained seated while Benjamin strode closer to her and put his hand on the back of her chair.
“Yes, sir,” Najah said, head bowed.
“I’ve told you a hundred times to stop pressuring the women to convict. It’s their decision.”
“Sir, with all due respect, if these perpetrators are let out on the street again, countless other women could be in harm’s way.”
“Now’s not the time to argue,” the man said. Kelly jumped when she saw a dark and wrinkled hand appear in front of her nose. She softly clutched his palm and shook it. “Name’s Officer Lloyd,” he said.
“Hello.” She glanced up and found kind, brown eyes peering into hers. Officer Lloyd was a short man with a slow, unassuming air. With his beard and round stomach, he reminded her of a black Santa Claus.
“I won’t claim to understand what you’ve been through tonight, Ms. Banner. I can only imagine what you must be feeling. Please know that our department is here to protect you and to keep you safe. I’m only glad Mr. Levy was here to do that when we couldn’t.”
“Sir…” Najah hissed.
He held up a hand to quiet her. “We’ll monitor Mr. Neely’s condition and check in with you tomorrow. In the meanwhile, try to get some rest. Do you have someone who can stay with you?”
Kelly thought of her grandmother and shook her head. No way would she burden Granny Mercy with the horrors of tonight. Nor did she want to deal with Rene just yet. Her friend would freak out and Kelly wasn’t in the mood to console herself, much less anyone else.
She would check into a hotel and try to settle down on her own.
“I—”
“I’ll stay with her,” Benjamin said firmly. It wasn’t a suggestion.
Officer Lloyd and Officer Lewis exchanged glances. Finally, Najah leaned over and spoke with authority. “Please don’t leave the country, Mr. Levy. We have some more questions for you.”
“Of course.”
The officers cleared out as quickly as they’d arrived, leaving heavy, uncomfortable silence in their wake.
Benjamin Levy had broken her heart and then saved it in the space of forty-eight hours. She should thank him and kick him out. The only problem? Kelly really didn’t want him to leave.
When You Can’t Hold Me
Benjamin
Kelly didn’t seem to know what to do with herself. She kept tapping her hands against the scarred surface of her wooden table. Kept darting her gaze to and fro, resisting his intense stare with everything she was worth.
Benjamin wanted to wrap her up in his arms and hug her. Wanted to whisk her away to a tower where no one could ever hurt her again. She was so heartbreakingly strong and yet so fragile, he wanted to protect her for the rest of his life.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, but he might as well have been talking to air. Kelly made no moves to indicate that she head heard him.
Benjamin strode to Kelly’s bedroom and stopped short at the sight of blood on the floor. He sniffed and grabbed a towel and bleach from the closet to mop up the stains. When he was satisfied with his work, Benjamin walked out to discard the towel.
He passed the kitchen and found Kelly fast asleep. Her head was on her arms and her lips slightly parted. A bottle of sleeping pills lay open on the table before her and he panicked, briefly wondering if she had tried to overdose.
Benjamin darted to her side and stuck his finger beneath her nose. He chuckled gratefully when he felt her tiny breaths hitting his skin. She was fine. She was alive.
“You keep breathing, sweetie,” he whispered and gently ran his hands through her hair.
Benjamin returned to the bedroom and eyed the bed. His muscles coiled and he felt anger burnishing his stomach when he imagined Clayton forcing himself on Kelly. Whether or not he had to pay a fine or do the time for excessive force, Benjamin did not regret his actions.
Clayton deserved to have his face plastered on posters, deserved every bit of stigma that came with being a predator.
“Calm down, Benjamin,” he mumbled to himself. “Worry about Kelly first.”
He frowned at the stripped mattress, unable to fathom the thought of putting his woman on the blankets where she had struggled. Moving quickly, Benjamin grabbed a bag and haphazardly tossed as much clothes as he could fit into it.
Grabbing the handles of the duffel, he walked out to the kitchen and slid his arms under Kelly’s knees, lifting her out of the chair. She groaned and fought him instinctively, her arms flailing.
“It’s okay, Kel,” he said softly. “I’m taking you to my place. You’re safe. You’re okay.”
She settled down and even curled into him. Benjamin cradled her close to his heart and carried her up the stairs. Gently, he turned the covers of Bianca’s bed and set Kelly there.
She melted into the mattress, her face angelic—as if the horrors of the past few hours had been a figment of his imagination. He could watch her all night, but the desire was overshadowed by his ghastly appearance.
He needed a shower and a change of clothes. Pronto.
Benjamin strode to his bedroom, his mood heavy. It had been a long, long night. More than the legal ramifications of attacking Clayton, Benjamin feared the temper that had reared its ugly head.
When he had just moved to the Levy’s mansion, anger was his only way of coping. He was a mischievous child and would often provoke Brandon, his older brother, into violent fights.
His father had been patient and fair, punishing Benjamin every time and explaining why violence was not the strategy he should default to when he was scared or upset. Eventually, Benjamin learned to stay calm and started on a streak of using his wit instead of his fists.
But tonight… tonight he could have killed a man.
He shook beneath the shower’s gentle rain, but it wasn’t from regret or remorse. He was still angry. Still capable of beating Clayton to a bloody pulp if he appeared in front of Kelly again.
Where had his self-control gone?
Benjamin stepped out of the bathtub, dried off, and pulled on a fresh pair of pants and an old university T-shirt. His knuckles throbbed and he grabbed the first aid kit to deal with his wounds in the living room’s bright light.
He padded down the hallway and was stunned to see a head of dark hair sitting in the sofa.
“Kelly?” he asked.
She turned a little, but did not meet his eyes. “Why did you bring me here?”
“It didn’t feel right leaving you in your apartment alone.” He walked around the couch and eyed her. “I thought you were sleeping.”
She shifted. “I had a bad dream.”
His heart wrenched and once again, he was struck by an overwhelming desire to give Clayton another whopping. Any scars on the jerk’s body would heal, but the wounds he’d unleashed on Kelly were far more damaging.
“Do you want something to drink? Something to eat?”
“I’m fine.”
He nodded. Silence swept between them. Benjamin could feel Kelly’s uneasiness. Should he s
uggest that she stay with Renesha? Would that make her more comfortable?
He was just about to offer to take her there when she bit down on her mouth and hissed in pain. His gaze flew to the injury on her bottom lip. Dropping to his knees, Benjamin set the first aid kit on the coffee table and reached a hand out.
“May I?” he asked before touching her.
Kelly nodded.
He gently turned her head and applied a small bit of anti-biotic cream to her mouth. Shuffling around in the kit, he found the tiniest bandage and placed it on top of the injury.
“What are you doing?” Kelly asked. “Did you just put a bandage on my lip?”
“Are you insulting my medical expertise?”
“I think I am.” She smiled and his heart warmed at the sight. The awkwardness of their interactions faded a little.
“Either way, you’re not allowed to take it off until I say so.”
Kelly puckered her lips and the bandage went fluttering to the ground.
Benjamin picked it up. “That’s cheating.”
“That’s fate.” She glanced at his face and then beckoned him closer. “Hand over the first aid kit.”
“Why? Are you going to hit me with it?”
“Why would I?”
“Did you hurt somewhere else?” he asked, his eyes roving her body.
“Hand it over, Benjamin.”
The sound of his name on her lips made him pause his teasing and honor her request. As soon as Kelly had the box in hand, she opened it up and then looked at him with palm outstretched.
“Give me your hand.”
He hesitantly placed his fist in hers and watched as she applied the ointment and softly blew on his battered knuckles. The feelings he’d hidden during their ‘break up’ yesterday rushed to the surface.
There was no way he deserved this woman. He was sure his affection for her was pasted all over his face and struggled to rearrange his expression so that she could not read him.
Kelly’s soft voice interrupted his scattered thoughts. “Thank you… for what you did tonight.”