Read No More Running for Free Online

other options, it escalated even further.  My mother died when I was twenty.  She conveniently fell down the stairs, and he supposedly found her when he got home.  Him being a detective, he told me nobody would believe me if I tried to say anything.  I had never accused him straight out of murdering my mom, but it conveniently happened after he had put me in the hospital because he overheard my mom tell me that she had found us a place to go.  I left him after her funeral only for him to find several months later.  He beat me so bad; I was in bed for three weeks.  He wouldn’t let me go to the hospital that time because it was too soon after my mom’s death, he was afraid of raising suspicions.  I was stuck with him, basically a prisoner in my own home for another couple of years.  About four years ago, after a pretty bad argument, I was admitted to the hospital.  After eleven days in there, a friend I had acquired over the years helped me escape.  He got me a car, some fake IDs and a bunch of money.  It was done legally, so don’t think he or I ever broke the law.  Anyway, I found myself in Tacoma.  I figured with a new name, a new look, and being so far away from Chicago, he wouldn’t find me, so I got comfortable.  I had a job, a home, and several very good friends and I was dating someone.” 
    I stopped and looked down for a moment thinking of Patty and Jamie.  A mother like figure and a boyfriend.  Both I would have died for, one that I had fallen for.  “I got so comfortable, I got arrogant, thinking there was no way he would ever find me, but I was wrong and people got hurt.  One person very close to me almost died.  Chuck sent me pictures after it happened letting me know he was there.  He obviously enjoyed tormenting me, thinking I would give up and go back to him, but instead, I ran.  I have been running ever since, never staying in one place for more than a six or seven of months.  Now, I have people who care about me that will end up getting hurt or worse because of me.  I’m not worth it, and staying with you guys to make myself feel better, is not worth what will happen as a result.”
    They were all silent for a moment before Claire came over and sat beside me on the arm of the sofa.  “You can’t decide that for us.  It’s not fair, Di.” She said.  “I’m sure these two lug-nuts will agree that we all think you’re worth the risk.  You know what they say; four is definitely better than one.”
    “You know, Dina, that I teach several forms of self-defense in the evenings and on Saturdays.”  Stefan joined in.  “You should come to one of my classes and see if it’s something you think you’d be interested in.”
    Garret butted in before I could respond.  “Of course she would be interested.”
    “You can’t say that.  What do you know about me to think you can talk for me?”  I said in indignation.  I couldn’t believe he thought he could talk for me.  I had thought after his earlier statement, that he respected me more than that.  He had a look of regret in his eyes, and I knew he didn’t really mean anything by it, but I was so done with people controlling my life, that I had reacted first.  I gave him a smile before I turned back to Stefan.   “What could I possibly do?  I’m five foot two and one hundred and five pounds.  How would I be able to defend myself against a six foot four, two hundred and forty pound police detective?”
    “Trust me, Dina, there are plenty of things you could do.  Just give me one lesson, I’ll even make it to where it’s just between the four of us, but give me that one lesson and I guarantee that
you’ll be able to take down Garret here.  He fits your size criteria.”
    “Hey!  Who says I want to get my butt kicked?”  Garret asked, acting like he was offended by the idea, but he looked at me and winked causing me to blush.
    The others laughed calling him a wimp and girlie man, but I was too busy