"I can't believe it!" Lasette whispered aloud. "It's empty. Union station is never empty."

 

Walking back towards her from checking out the doors Dorian stopped a few feet away. "It isn't just empty, it’s closed," the anger in his voice was audible even through the freezing wind. "There is a sign on the door listing all the cancellations due to weather."

 

At this point, she was visibly shaking all over. The cute brown suede gloves and matching hat were doing absolutely nothing to keep out the real winter conditions they were so clearly not designed for. Why did she listen to this man? She should have stayed in her work building, at least there she could have blindly made her way back to the office and hunker down there for the night.

 

Who is she kidding, she sighed that was a terrible plan, and she knew exactly why she followed this six-foot statue. It was the commanding self-confident aura he exuded that somehow made her feel that everything would be all right as long as she was with him.

 

Look how far that got her, she huffed.

 

"Now what?" She asked, hugging her for coat tighter around her.

 

Checking his phone again she watched him frown at the screen. Shoving the phone in his pocket, he looked down the street beyond her not saying anything.

 

She couldn't take it anymore she was so cold and tired she felt numb. She refused to be a part of this man's silent macho take-charge attitude anymore.

 

"Well, I think we should do what we should have done in the beginning and go to the police station." She said trying to put a note of confidence behind her teeth chattering tone.

 

For the first time that night he smiled at her, but there was nothing good about it. The smile was mean and taunting as his eyes cut to hers like a whip.

 

"The police station is at least ten blocks away." With his hands in his jacket pockets, he stood there looking down at her as if there was merely a chill in the air. "You are already out of breath just from walking here not to mention freezing in your thin clothes and soaked shoes."

 

Lasette opened her mouth to argue, but he continued. Stepping forward he crowded her looking down into her eyes directly.

 

"And let's just say you do somehow make it there my little chatterbox," Lasette couldn't look away, the steel gray eyes seem to have her in some sort of trance. "You really think the police are going to have time on their hands between the storm of the century and a major outage to drop you off at home? But hey, you're welcome to try—alone."

 

They might, he didn't know that her mind screamed to yell back at him. Not caring what he did anymore, she shook her head and moved away from him, she needed to clear her head from the spell his big warm body was putting her under. Stepping back through the tracks they made she turned and gave him an equally mean look to match the one he gave her.

 

"Fine do you want," she yelled. "I have no intentions of traipsing all over Denver with you and your sour personality anyways. Hopefully, your next idea, since they are obviously so much better than mine, work out for you."

 

A momentary look of shock passed over his face before he quickly settled into anger. Like steel colored lightning his eyes crackled in quiet fury.

 

 "You think I'm enjoying this?" He took one menacing step forward, closing some of the distant she achieved. "Let me be clear I would've been here a whole helluva lot faster if it hadn't been for you."

 

Outrage she opened her mouth to respond but couldn't find the words. No, she refused to shout at the man in the middle of the street any longer.

 

"Thank you for getting me out of the elevator Mr. Fields," she emphasized his name. "Goodbye," she said crisply before turning away.

 

Refusing to look back Lasette slowly made her way back along the path they created. If she turned on Seventeenth street and kept down until she saw all Olivedale street she would be able to get to the police station.

 

Dorian was right however, it was a really long way in this weather. Well it didn't matter, she thought hugging herself tighter, she had no choice so regardless she had to try.

 

Turning down Seventeenth street she let out a pitiful groan at the snow packed sidewalks. There were no deep premade tracks for her to conveniently follow in. For a moment she considered walking in the tire tracks in the street but decided against it. The conditions were too bad for her to hear or see a vehicle in time not to mention the driver not being able to see her on the unlit street. Stepping down on the crunching snow she slowly made her way forward.

 

The sounds of shouting echoing across the buildings startled her, but it was the sound of shattering glass followed by raucous yelling that made her stop in her tracks. Steadying herself against the building’s brick wall she strained to decipher the sounds. Her mind already pieced together what it was but her nervous twisting stomach wanted to rebuke it.

 

Someone or some people, by the sound of the numerous voices, were looting some of the nearby stores.

 

Dear God she needed to turn back. Alone, defenseless, and not to mention female around a bunch of criminals on a lawless night like this spelled certain unspeakable disaster.

 

The sounds of men yelling and glass crunching and breaking bounced off the walls around her in a terrifying cacophony, Lasette couldn't tell where they were coming from. The sounds were coming closer. Lasette's body felt a renewed a bolt of energy as she tried to quickly backtrack in the sinking snow. She only made it a few feet when the voices became clear.

 

Dear God, they sounded like they were right behind her, Lasette prayed they wouldn't see her in the darkness.

 

"Hey!" The male shout behind her made her heart stop.

 

Turning to look back over her shoulder she could see the dark outline of two men at the intersection she was initially heading towards.

 

One of the shadowy figures pointed at her shouting. "Hey don't leave. Where’re you going?" The undertone of wild humor laced with aggression told her he didn't mean her any good.

 

Cold terror gripped her, spurring every aching muscle to move faster. Pulling her legs up higher through the high snow she ran half hopped back through her tracks stumbling back around the corner to the original street.

 

The painful grip to her upper arm caused her to cry out in fear. Pulling her upright against her will, Lasette was prepared to scream when she felt the cold hand slap over her mouth, and familiar gray eyes meet her gaze.

 

Fear, shock, elation everything rushed through her, making her want to faint. Not giving her a second of reprieve Dorian swung her body around him forcing her to stumble and fall in the snow behind him. Lasette wanted to tell him about the men and that they needed to run but the unexpected fall into the freezing snow took her breath away. Pushing herself to stand, Lasette's heart beat faster as she heard the multiple sounds of snow crunching echoing off the silent street's walls. Oh God, they were actually following her. Horrific thoughts immediately sprung to her mind paralyzing her with fear. Looking to Dorian, Lasette finally realized why he was just standing there. With his gloves off Dorian stood ready next to the corner of the building with his feet shoulder width apart—and gun in hand.

 

When did he…? Her mind didn't allow her to finish that question before another one superseded that one. Did he intend to use it? Lasette couldn't see his face, but she knew the answer to that, the waves of powerful determination rolling off of him told her as much.

 

Too frightened to speak Lasette pressed herself against the wall in fear as she heard the multiple steps around the corner.

 

"Hey where… Whoa, what the fuck?" The two men stopped at the sight of Dorian. Standing in the middle of the intersection the three men faced each other. The two guys were about five yards away from Dorian who stood calmly with his gun in his hand to his side.

 

Despite the sheer terror pumping through her body a perverse humorous thought passed through her mind, standing there with his gun down at his side Dorian reminded her of a gunfighter of the old West.

 

With a lethally calm voice, Dorian spoke first. "Turn around and go back the way you came."

 

Not able to make out their faces in the dark street Lasette watched with a held breath as one of the men took a step forward.

 

"Man fuck you we ain't…" The man's hostile words stopped short when Dorian changed positions, in a blink of an eye Dorian raised his gun to the level of his chest.

 

A red dot suddenly appeared on the man's chest.

 

The other man began backing away. "Come on Drew, let’s get out of here." Lasette didn’t miss the audible fear in the man’s voice

 

Turning both men ran the other way. Dorian stepped forward watching the men run down the street before turning back to her. Without a word, Dorian grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her along behind him. She wanted to speak, to say something about what just happened but she knew it wasn't the time. With his hand securely around hers, Dorian easily backtracked through their now wider path in the snow, this time turning sharply down an alley they passed earlier. The alley was even darker than the street. Letting go of her hand Dorian reached in his pocket for his flashlight. Shining the light ahead of them he shined it on an old blue pickup parked in the middle the alley with the driver side door hanging open. Following Dorian closely Lasette could see that there were other cars parked in the small lot hidden between the two buildings.

 

"I saw this on our way here, I was in the middle of getting it started when I heard the noises," Dorian explained, his voice was clipped and short, wordlessly telling her not to inquire any further. Opening the passenger door, he took her hand again and tugged her forward. "Get in."

 

Following his orders, Lasette scrambled onto the long bench seat. Coming around to the driver side Dorian easily hopped in and shut the door. It was then did she notice a portion of the back window was missing and the feel of broken glass underneath her shoes. With his gun in his lap, Dorian stuck the end of the flashlight in his mouth and reached under the steering wheel.

 

Dear God, he was hot-wiring the car.

 

Lasette sat perfectly still as the seconds ticked by with only the sounds of his working fingers moving along the pulled out wires. Suddenly the engine rumbled to life beneath them, clicking off his flashlight Dorian pulled the steering wheel shift down notching it into drive. Relief so tangible and foreign flared to life in her as Lasette watched the truck's headlights illuminate the alley lighting their way out.

 

"I saw the alley on our way to the station, and I remembered there was a small car lot in it," Dorian slowly guided the truck through the thick un-shoveled snow. With each building, they passed Lasette could feel her heartbeat return to normal. "I followed you back and stopped to get this truck when I heard the shouts."

 

Lasette still couldn't believe that just happened. Trembling all over she sat stiffly in her seat as the icy air from the broken window rushed in behind her. Those men were actually going to attack her. If it had not been for Dorian, she could have been sexually violated by two men on the street. Just thinking of it made her stomach turn and skin feel clammy.

 

"Hey talk to me," he gave her a worried look before turning his gaze back to the road. "It actually worries me when you're not talking."

 

Startled from her thought she turned her head towards her window to hide her tearing eyes. "I think they were going to rape me." She could barely voice it without her voice cracking.

 

"No." He replied with quiet authority as he carefully turned onto another dark street.

 

Furrowing her brow in confusion, she shook her head. "What you mean "no," they were…"

 

"What I mean is I would've killed them if they had laid even one finger on you before I got to you," he explained coldly.

 

Nodding she sat numbly in her seat, not sure how to process the man's deadly response.

 

"Finally," he muttered, pointing with his hand still gripping the top of the steering wheel. Looking ahead Lasette smiled at the sight, up ahead they could see city lights. Sighing in relief Lasette relaxed in her seat.

 

"Tell me where you live," she could hear the tension leaving his voice as he too relaxed.

 

Giving him a quick directions Lasette realized that the last time they were together, she yelled at him. The man legitimately saved her life twice in one night. The heat from her embarrassment spread throughout her face. Turning to him she tried to think of what to say as an apology.

 

Boy did he have a nice profile though. The slight indention's in the hollow of his cheeks really accentuated his high cheekbones giving his face that severe sharp look that went well with his equally sharp eyes. This was the first time seeing him in better lighting albeit a dim overhead light, his brown skin was naturally sun-kissed and smooth while his dark close cut hair showed telltale signs of curls fighting their way forward. Pulling up to a deserted flashing stop light he gave her questioning look.

 

Nervously she just started talking. "So um... What are you going to do with the truck when this is all over?"

 

There was a beat of silence before he answered. "Probably just park it back on the lot and leave some money in the glove box."

 

That made sense she thought Lasette wasn't sure if she would have thought of that. Stealing another look at her companion she braced herself for what she had been avoiding.

 

“I'm really sorry for yelling at you back there I…" She wanted to add some sort of reason or justification for her actions, but she couldn't think of one. Bottom line she was wrong. "I can't believe I reacted that way especially after every…"

 

"Don't worry about it," he replied brusquely never taking his eyes off the road ahead of them.

 

Frowning she just stared at him for a second, the man sure did make it difficult to talk to him.

 

"I can't, I know you probably don't think much of me, but I really mean it I am…"

 

"You're wrong," pulling the truck to a stop he took his stern gaze off the window and met her gaze directly giving her a sad smile he continued. "I think so much of you, in fact, I’m willing to let you stay at my place tonight."

 

There was a moment of silence as she replayed his words.

 

She frowned. "What are you talking about?"

 

Pointing his finger out the window, she followed his line of sight.

 

They were parked on top of the bridge that looked down over the highway and out towards the mixmaster. From this vantage point, they could see sections of the city lit up in patches while great huge patches were pitch black. It was the long trail of ruby and diamond colored lights that made her heart sink, however. The highway was bumper-to-bumper with people presumably trying to get home—and it wasn't moving in either direction.

 

She wasn’t getting home tonight.