Summary: It feels like every other day you’re in Frank Adler’s garage while he looks under the hood of your beat-up vehicle, trying to diagnose the newest problem. He’s always been sweet about it; you coming in at the last second because you’re running late for work, always slashing the prices so you don’t go broke.
One day, on your way into work, your radiator overheats, leaving you stranded on the side of the road. Knowing he won’t let you down, you call Frank. Ever the gentleman, he gives you a ride, but when he drops you off at work, he discovers a secret you had worked so hard to keep.
You promised your boyfriend you’d never cheat, but now you’re not sure what you have could even be called love.
What happens when Frank finds himself falling for you? Will he be able to keep himself from intervening in the toxic and tumultuous relationship you and your boyfriend have?
Word Count: 1,169
Warnings: First and foremost, domestic violence; emotional, verbal, & physical. Language, heavy angst, insecure female reader, PTSD, no cheating, possibly more to come.
Author’s Note: A huge thank you to @captain-rogers-beard for allowing me to steal some of her thunder. Your unwavering support has left me speechless.
My work is not to be posted on any other sites (AO3, Wattpad, etc.) without my express written permission. Reblogs are fine.
Fear was a great motivator.
Your muscles were cramping up, sweat was running in rivulets down your back, and you knew that the people you ran past were staring at you, but you didn’t care. If you stopped, there was no doubt in your mind that James was going to catch you. But, if you kept moving, if you kept putting one foot in front of the other, that meant you had a chance to get away for good, to survive.
When the garage where Frank worked came into view, you choked on a sob. You honestly didn’t think you were going to make it another step. Hell, you felt as if you were going to pass out, but you kept pushing, straight through the front door, and into the bathroom. You threw the lock and rushed across the small room where you dropped to your knees and threw up into the toilet.
Once your stomach stopped rolling, you flushed the toilet and drug yourself off of the floor. You didn’t dare look at your reflection as you turned on the water and splashed your face, making sure to rinse your mouth out. It didn’t get rid of the taste of vomit, but it would have to do the trick.
“Y/N?” It was Frank that knocked on the door, his voice low and worried.
Before unlocking the door, you wiped the water from your face with a paper towel. Frank was standing there, his eyes flicking over your face, especially the bruise from James’ fist. You watched as anger flashed across his face, and you couldn’t help but flinch at the way it darkened his eyes. It lasted only a second, just long enough for Frank to see the way you reacted.
“I’m sorry,” he breathed, taking a step back, giving you room. “Are you okay?”
You thought you had run out of tears, so when your eyes filled up once again, you let out a groan of disappointment. “No, I… I’m not okay, Frank. I… I need your help.”
“Let’s go to the office,” he offered softly, a tip of his head as he lead the way.
Frank sat back and watched Y/N as she drank glass after glass of cool water. Her legs and hands were shaking, and she kept looking over her shoulder to the door.
“It’s okay, Y/N,” he assured her gently. “You’re safe here.”
She rolled her eyes and scoffed. “I ain’t safe anywhere. He’ll find me, Frank. He always finds me.”
Frank wanted to sit next to her, to drape his arm over her shoulder, and comfort her in any way he could, but he wasn’t going to. The main reason was that he didn’t want to scare her more than she already was, and the other reason was that he didn’t completely trust himself not to do something stupid.
He was about to reassure her, to swear that he’d die before anything else happened to her, but he didn’t get the chance. The door burst open at that very moment. It was Cole, and he looked scared.
“He’s here, Frank.” The words left him in a rush and his eyes fell on an already-crying Y/N.
“I’ll be right there, Cole.” Frank ran to his desk and pulled out a key from the top drawer, pulled Y/N off the couch, and shoved the key into the door handle. “As soon as this door is closed, you lock it, and you hide under my desk.”
“Wha- what about yo- you?” she stammered, her eyes wide with fear.
“Lock the door,” he repeated sternly. “Do not open it for anyone other than me, okay?”
When she nodded, Frank slammed the door behind him, thankful when he heard the key turn. Pulling in a deep breath, he rushed out to the lobby and almost crashed into a very drunk and belligerent James.
“There he is,” James accused, a snarl on his lips. “The man that’s fuckin’ my girl.”
Frank was shaking his head. “James, I’m not sleeping with Y/N. All I do is fix the car.”
James laughed loudly. “You don’t even fix cars! Your spe- specia… you fix boats.”
“You’re right,” Frank agreed, taking several steps closer to James, hoping that would steer the man away from the hallway. “But I do know how to pour water into a radiator.”
Cole, who was nineteen and had never seen James in the flesh, was holding the shop’s phone in his shaking hands as the color drained from his face.
“So you are fuckin’ her.” James stood to his full height, which was a solid three inches taller than Frank. “Where is she?”
To his credit, Frank remained calm, though his heart was hammering wildly in his chest. “She ain’t here, man. I haven’t seen her lately.”
“Bull-fucking-shit,” the drunkard slurred. “I know she’s here.”
“James, I’m telling you, you’re wasting your time,” Frank insisted, continuing his journey towards James.
Despite being hellbent on finding Y/N, James’ body acted on its own and started backstepping. “I’ll find her, Frank.”
“Not here, you won’t. Now, either you leave, or I call the cops.” Frank held his hand out for the phone, which Cole handed over quickly.
James scoffed painfully loud. “And tell ‘em what?”
“I’ll tell them that you’re drunk and threatening the staff,” Frank answered coolly. “I’ll tell them that you’re violating your probation by drinking and driving. I’ll tell them that I’ve seen the bruises on Y/N.”
Rage flashed in James’ eyes. “It’s her word against mine.”
Frank pushed a button on the phone, filling the space between them with the dial tone. “You have a history in this town, James, and it ain’t pretty.” The number nine was pressed, making James grind his teeth.
“I know people on the force,” he threatened under his breath.
Frank pressed the number one while holding James’ dark gaze. “Not as many people as I do. Now, what happens next is all up to you. Go, or I finish calling the emergency line.”
James stood there, glaring at Frank, his hands balled into fists, his chest heaving, for all of thirty seconds. Sneering, he turned on his heel and stormed out, slamming the door hard enough to crack the glass. Cole let out a groan as he hunched over the counter, and Frank watched to make sure James actually left. Only after the car had disappeared down the street did Frank march back to his office.
“Y/N, it’s me, it’s Frank,” he announced, knocking on the door with his knuckles. “James is gone.”
A moment later, she was opening the door and lunging at him, hugging him and weeping openly, staining his shirt with her tears. Frank held her close, yet refrained from kissing the top of her head.
It was several minutes later when he said, “We gotta get you out of here.”
“I know,” she sniffled. “But, where am I gonna go?”
“We’ll figure it out,” Frank promised.
SIX
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