Page 112 of Save Me

I look from him to Nicole.

“He would only help if I told him you’d pay,” she says apologetically. “I lied,” Nicole then tells him. “I’m sorry, but this was important, and you wouldn’t tell me where the motel was unless I told you she would pay.”

Nicole turns to me. “They change motels every few months. I didn’t know where they were keeping the kids without him.”

She turns back to Michael. “She needed to see this, and you’re the only one who knew where the hotel was.”

“Bullshit!” Michael says. At the same time, he yanks Nicole’s arm so hard that she stumbles and falls onto the trunk of her car.

“What the fuck?” I yell.

“Listen, bi—” The rest of the asshole’s words are stolen when I throat punch him.

I grab and twist his arm behind his back, and with my free hand, I grab the back of his shirt and slam his face against the trunk.

“What the hell were you just saying?” I ask while yanking on his arm.

He squeals like the bitch he is. “Let me up!”

“Finish what you were about to say,” I say through gritted teeth. “Bitch? Was that it?”

He doesn’t say anything as he breathes hard, his face reddening.

“Nicole, tell her to get off of me,” he squeals.

She remains silent.

“Do you want me to let him up?” I ask her.

She hesitates.

“Bitch, oof!” he yells when I grab a handful of his hair and slam his head against the trunk again.

“You like using that word.” I shake my head. “She has a name.”

“Nicole, tell her to let me up.”

“Shut up!” I pull on his arm again.

“P-Please,” she finally speaks. “I just wanna leave.” She switches her weight from one foot to the other, her eyes shifting to the front of the motel back to me and her boyfriend.

I let him up but shove him so hard that he falls on his ass against the pavement. When he tries to get up, I plant my foot in the middle of his chest.

“You wanted payment?”

I pull out a twenty from my pocket and throw it at him. “This is for a taxi to wherever you wanna go. You’re welcome.”

With my foot still on his chest, I turn to Nicole. “How about we get something to eat, and you can tell me more about this?” I jut my head toward the motel.

Her nervous gaze moves between the piece of trash on the ground and me. She nods. “Okay.”

“Get in the car,” I tell her.

I wait until she’s behind the driver’s seat to put my attention back on him. “Stay down there until we leave. If you get up before that car exits the parking lot, I’ll return and lay you out again. This time, your blood will be spilled on the pavement.”

Slowly, I lift my foot from his chest. The asshole must have some sort of self-preservation instinct because he doesn’t move. If looks could kill, my head might be rolling on the ground next to his body, but glaring is all he does.

I get into the passenger seat and direct Nicole to take us to a pizzeria near my office.

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