by Torres, Ana
Savior In The Dark
By Ana Torres
Copyright © 2012 by Ana Torres
Cover Artist : Kellie Dennis at Book Cover by Design
http://bookcoverbydesign.co.uk
Editor: Rosanne Catalano
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without written permission by the author, except in the case of short excerpts quoted in reviews. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy
of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously and any resemblance
to actual events,
locales, organizations, business establishments, or persons, living or dead, is
entirely coincidental.
Visit my blog at: anaitorres-nani.blogspot.com
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Copyright © 2012 by Ana Torres
Dedication
I wanted to give credit to my friend Meaghan Johns for helping me pick this title for this book you are about to read.
I also what to thank my family for giving me support in all that I have done, and my 3 sons, I love you all, no matter what. And of course to my husband particularly, who has put up with me, the late nights coming to bed. I love you very much.
Introduction
Sophia St. John thinks her life is dull and holds no excitement at all. After her brief relationship with a man that was too demanding, she wanted to move on. He wanted his way, and never gave in to hers. It was always about him, and his mother.
One night changed her life forever. She was attacked going to work after leaving a local deli and was saved by an unknown person, who rescued her from being cut, by a local drug addict. His swiftness not only stunned the man out cold, but he also captured Sophia’s heart, who wanted to know more about her hero. If there is anything such as karate love, Sophia heart yearned for it. With newly found freedom in the self-defense she was taught, she learned along the way what true love really is.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1………. The attack…………………………………….…..
Chapter 2………. The confrontation…………………………..…
Chapter 3………..My Break…………………………………….…....
Chapter 4………..Teaching private lessons……………
Chapter 5………..Dinner and Unexpected Guest…………
Chapter 6………. Just Us……………………………………
Chapter 7………..The Underground Battle……..…………..
Chapter 8………..Feelings………….……………….…..…………….
Chapter 9………. A New Beginning……………………………….
Chapter 1 - The attack
~~§§~~
Again working late, someone called in again. I wondered who it was this time. Was it Mary or Sue? Henry’s Diner was always busy, being the only 24 hour opened diner in the outskirts of Sacramento.
I was running late for work, my recurring nightmares leaving me disorientated and sleep deprived. Rubbing the grit from my eyes, I walked straight into corner of the drawers, stubbing my toe as I hurried to gather my clothes. Cursing at my stupidity I hobbled towards the bathroom and slid the dirty shower screen aside. Stepping in as I turned on the water, I sucked back a silent scream as the icy needles stung my back making goose-bumps rise all over my body. Clenching my teeth as the curses rushed up my throat I soaped up my sponge and rubbed vigorously. No matter how many times I complained to the landlord about the lack of hot water, my pleas went unanswered. Just another black mark to add to the already unpleasant start to the day. I had never taken a shower so fast; it was in and out.
My job at Henry’s Diner had its benefits. Working as a waitress is okay, but not my ideal job. It paid the bills, for now anyway.
But what else was I going to do? Anyway, I was dressed and ready to leave, when I almost forgot my keys. How would that look again? My landlord barely listens to my complaints. How will he get to open my place if I left my keys inside again. I remember the first time. He wasn’t so happy. But I grabbed them off the kitchen counter, and off I was running down the stairs like the house was on fire. It was about 6:00 pm. It was still early yet, so I figured I’d go and stop at the deli down the street before I went to work.
My stomach couldn’t take another round of Hugo’s cooking. I really didn’t know what attracted people to Henry’s Diner, but I know they do have the best Apple Pie. I got in my car and drove about three blocks.
I was thinking, Good thing I took my car; that would have been a long walk. By car everything is closer. In the parking lot of the deli, there were some cars there already. I guess since it was dinner time for most people, unlike me, it was just a break from diner food. I walked in and it did not look too busy. I was happy about that. I knew I would get my sandwich faster this way.
So I ordered and some guy walked in the deli shop and stands behind me. He looked tired and very sweaty. He looked like he worked out or something. I was curious what he did for a living. He had a nice sexy body. I could see his chest frame and abs. He didn’t have the six packs; he had the very tone of eight pack abs! I thought “DAMN”. Okay he sure is nice on the eyes. He had a Chinese logo on his shirt. I sure did get a good view from his shirt, well defined. Sexy, I thought to myself. He did make me very curious. As sweaty as he was, I did wonder if he has the same landlord as I do. I softly giggled to myself. If I were not in such a rush I would have made small talk with him. He knew I was checking him out. He smiled at me, a beautiful gorgeous smile. One could just melt under that smile. He was very toned from head to toe. I was embarrassed and turned away. I thought to myself, Damn I need to get laid. When was the last time I had someone in my bed? If I had him to wake up too, I think I would never wake up for work, would be too busy pleasing him. Then I thought, Here I am lusting after a man that could be married. So I had to put that fantasy and butterflies to one side like a side order. I had just seen this man once; I was already making a claim. No, I couldn’t. My last relationship ended badly. It’s my dreams I keep having, since I broke up with Ray. He was such a loser; he was a good looker. That is all I can say about him. But other things, well he was bad at lovemaking. How can someone be bad at that? He was like reading from a book, telling me what to do. At first it was interesting, something new. I thought it was sexy. Something spicy in my life, but I was dead wrong. He was boring; he had no passion, no lust; his heart wasn’t into it. It was like I was making love to myself. I had a better time with my vibrator than with him. I swore to myself no more guys like that again. Plus, I was always working. The Diner was like my second home. All I did was work, go home, sleep, and back to work. Lately, I had asked Henry for as many hours I could get. I felt like I needed to get away at times, but from what? I wondered.
I have dreams of running away, but from what or from whom? I still don’t understand the dreams. Why was I being chased away? I went to grab a bite to eat before my shift started. I saw a man walk inside the deli. No offense to Hugo’s cooking, but diner food, one can only stand so much of it. This man, wow was very handsome, off the Richter scale hot. He had golden tan skin, black hair, and I got a glimpse of his eyes, emerald green. I am a sucker for green eyes compared to my boring brown eyes. He had a body. You could tell he worked out. I could just see myself and my legs wrapped around those hips of his. I was
practically drooling over this man, undressing him with my eyes as I watched him talk on the phone. He had an accent, not Spanish, not sure, maybe Italian? I stood there watching him; just maybe I would find the nerve to ask him something. He was standing in line ahead of me. Guess he called in his order, and then I was behind him. It looked as if he had gotten a call on his cell and stepped aside out of the line. I wondered who was calling him. He gave me a smile while he was talking on the phone as he was walking and talking on the phone. I am a good waitress, very friendly when I am working, but when it comes to men, I am shy. This man was so hot and sexy, I was speechless and could only stare. If only I was like my friend Sue; she would have been all over him. But I am not her. She had the reputation of being a slut, but she was a good friend, just not one to bring your man around. After a failed relationship with Ray, I didn’t really date much after that. I just wanted to be alone again. But watching this man was raising my blood pressure inside and changing my alone status. I started fanning myself with my hand and I know it was not hot inside, but damn, just watching him was making me hot. Then he came back in line. I knew he was behind me.
As I was placing my order, I could feel his eyes on me. I turned around and he had the most beautiful smile a guy can have. As I was looking at him, he pointed to me that the girl behind the counter wanted my attention. I was so embarrassed. I said sorry to the girl. “What was that again?” I asked her, and she put my sandwich together and I just told her I wanted the smaller size bread, since I would be working in and would not have a chance to grab a break. She recognized me from the diner, and asked me if I still worked there. I told her I practically lived there. She laughed and said, “I know what you mean. But hey your place does have the best Apple Pie around. They are homemade right?”
“Yes, the owner’s wife makes them,” I replied. “She had to hire a lot of people who just came for that only. But it keeps me busy.”
I paid for my food and grabbed my soda and went to go sit down at one of the tables to eat my sandwich.
The man that was behind me, ordered his sandwich, but not just one but three. I almost said something because I thought he phoned to order his sandwiches. I was then thinking he was either really hungry or buying for someone else. As he was leaving, he looked at me and smiled. I smiled back. As I looked at my watch, I noticed I was going to be late if I stayed there. So I dumped my drink and the rest of my garbage. I grabbed my keys to my car. I noticed something was out of place. My car was there, but the lighting around was dim; it was hard to see. It was like there was a haze of light fog outside, but there wasn’t. How could time pass so fast? As I went to my car, I had a strange feeling inside me. Then it happened, someone grabbed me from behind and asked for my purse and all my money. He was trying to grab me hard and was trying to put a knife to my throat and from out of nowhere someone kicked his hand that was holding the knife. He then knocked him out cold. I was so scared my voice was so ruff sounding. “AHHHH” was all I could say, and then I realized who it was, the guy from the Deli. I said, “Thank you. Oh my, I better call the police.” He told me no, that he already had. I thought, How would he know this guy was going to do something? I found that weird. He explained that he had seen the guy waiting for someone, so I stuck around before leaving. Then he saw my questioning face, so he called the cops and he was right: they were coming and were there really fast. The cops came and immediately arrested the guy who attacked me. Then the police started towards me. They asked if I was okay, if I needed medical help. I declined, and they asked me what happened to the man on the ground. I told them a stranger from the deli had done this. And I pointed him out to the police. I didn’t get to talk to him. The police were asking me questions about the attack. Who was I, what happened? And all I kept saying was that I really didn’t know where he was from; he came out of nowhere. I was heading to work which I was now late for. The police told me to call them if I was going to be late. They still had some questions and would then release me to go on my way. So I got my cell phone and called my workplace. Henry, the owner, answered and said, “You better have a good excuse for not being here!” I was shocked that he would answer me like that. Then I told him I am here with the police, that I was attacked and being held for questioning. Then his tone went from mad to concern. He asked me if I needed a ride to work. I got pissed off and told him I had almost been killed, and you’re worry about me getting a ride to work? I told him, “Work is the last thing on my mind right now.” I heard him on the other end of the line saying, “I’m sorry, I just…wasn’t thinking.
“I’ll be in when I am done here. The police asked me if I knew the person who helped me. I said, “No, that I only saw him earlier that day at the Deli. Then he came over to the police, and told him he was the one who called the cops and also helped me. He came over to me. I am grateful for what he did, but still wondered how he knew this guy was going to attack me.
He introduced himself to me. “Hi, my name is Victor Vons and I’m sorry. I happened to see this guy watching you, so I stayed around the corner. I sensed something. I thought he was trouble, and I saw him acting weird, pacing up and down the street. When he saw you, he came running towards you. So I stayed to see what he was up to. I was right, he was trouble. He looked like a drug junkie, looking for money.” I couldn’t be mad at him. I thanked him again, and I got the nerve to tell him my name. “My name is Sophie St. John. I was just heading to work and this idiot attacked me. How did you disarm him? That was a big knife.”
He just laughed, and he just gave me that big smile and a grin. He tells me he is a teacher of martial arts, “I teach self-defense classes. I just stopped to get a few sandwiches for my co-workers.” That explained why he was so sweaty. At that moment I felt protected.
He shook my hand and planted a kiss on my hand. I was all tingly inside from that gesture. I looked to see if he had a ring on his hand. I didn’t see one, but that didn’t mean anything these days. It was like he knew what I was looking for. Oh my, was I embarrassed. He told me he was single, and nobody was waiting for him. He asked for my phone number. I fumbled in my purse for a piece of paper and pen. He had one ready. Smooth, I thought, maybe, just maybe. He told me he had to go, that his co-workers were waiting for their sandwiches. He says goodbye and told me, “This is your phone number, right?”
“Of course,” I replied. “Why would I give you a false one?” He told me that some women do.
“Well, exclude me from that group of women,” I told him.
He walked me to my car and then just walked away. I couldn’t stop staring; he had a nice body from head to toe. My heart and my stomach were doing flips. Maybe now, after meeting Victor things would change. I hoped it would. I could dream of him all day.
Then I noticed Victor walking back towards me and I said, “Are your friends going to want their sandwiches?”
He laughed, and said “Yes, they are waiting, but I wanted to make sure you were okay. Is that okay to do? I am sorry if I am scaring you.” I told him he wasn’t.
I was impressed at what he had done. I told him I was running late for my job. I had to go. As I turn around, he touched my arm and it felt like a jolt thought my body. I didn’t say anything; I just stood there and said, “Hmm is there something you wanted?” I felt like a school girl slurring my words. I thought he might have been thinking what an idiot I was. Then he said, “What time do you get off?” My first reaction was “Why?” I wanted to kick myself for that, but he said, “So I can make sure you get home safe; you were attacked once. Who’s to say you won’t be attacked again?” He looked at me with his green eyes waiting for my reply. The way he was looking at me was like he was digging into my soul. His hand on me was so warm and was a soft hold, tender. Thoughts of sweet passion ran through my mind, making me just keep staring at him and I forced myself awake.
Someone looking at me like that, I would normally get nervous, but not with him. I “Oh, I am sorry,” I said. “I’m not really sure it is a 24 hr Di
ner, so your guess is as good as mine, but it is usually about 6:00 or 7:00 am.” He nodded in acknowledgement. He liked how I got nervous around him. He loved the way I looked at him with interest. Then he asked, “Would it be okay if I came by since I heard it has good food?” I started laughing. And he said, “What did I say that was so funny?”
“I don’t care if you come,” I replied, “but if you eat anything just have the dessert. I would not recommend anything else. The cook Hugo cooks depending on his moods, so don’t say you weren’t warned.” Victor now starts laughing a bit and says, “Thank you for the warning. I’ll keep that in mind.” He still had his hand on my arm and said, “Oh sorry, I forgot about where I had my hand.”
“You can put your hand anywhere you want,” I replied in a low, sultry voice. And I thought to myself, “What the hell am I saying? I don’t even know him; I just met him today, or well, yesterday. I really have to go before I say something stupid. I really need to get to work. Henry’s a good guy to work for, but he is one of those bosses who will hold things over your head. Like I did this favor for you, so now you owe me. God I hate that in people. But for now I have to put up with it.
Chapter 2 -The confrontation
~~§§~~
I was turning into the parking in the Diner and ready to go to work or so I thought. As soon as I walked in, my co-workers attacked me and asked if I was okay. I was so tired of people asking me if I was okay. I almost shouted, “Leave me alone!” But I held my tongue and thought of Victor how he took that guy out so fast. I was very impressed indeed. But I was hoping Victor would show up later or sometime, I wasn’t sure if I would get attacked again. Leaving late was not a good idea too long after dark, and if I did start working late hours, maybe I would ask Victor about his self-defense classes. One should always be prepared. I had learned that the hard way. Wondering to myself, was this planned for me? What luck, to have met a handsome man that was very well mannered and just made me melt inside and out?
