Page 164 of Save Me

“I need to take care of—” Dae says, as he turns to face Daniel Park, who’s still on the floor.

Park attempts to sit up. Dae starts to lunge for him but he’s stopped.

“No,” a familiar voice says. “We’ll take care of this bastard.”

“Daddy?”

My father looks me over, his already scowling face darkening even more, presumably from the bruising on my face.

He brushes past Dae and pulls me into his arms, almost squeezing the air out of my lungs. A slight tremble passes through him.

“Baby girl,” he mumbles in my ear. I can feel his fear.

“I’m okay, Daddy,” I assure him.

He squeezes me tighter before letting me go. “You need a doctor.”

“I’m fi—” I start to say, but Dae cuts me off.

“We’re going to the doctor who’s waiting for us.” His arms tighten around my body. “Let’s get you out of here,” he says, ushering toward the door.

“Wait, Nicole,” I say, trying to pull away from him. “She—”

“We’ve got her,” my Uncle Brutus tells me, coming up beside us. “We’ll take care of her and everyone else.”

I don’t have time to ask what that means before I’m ushered out of the door, in Dae’s strong embrace.

I follow him willingly. My head throbs, but with Dae’s arms wrapped around me underneath the watchful eye of my father and my Uncle Brutus, I feel safer than I ever have.

I give in to their wishes to take care of me.

CHAPTER 49

Dae

“I swear, I’m fine,” Kennedy protests as she tries to push past me to get up and shower.

“No, you’re not,” I remind her while pressing her shoulders back against the bed.

Rolling her eyes, she attempts to swat my hands away. “You’re going overboard.”

“He’s right,” her father’s deep voice says from her bedroom doorway.

I peer over my shoulder to see him looking Kennedy over. But when his gaze moves to me, his eyes darken in malice, and his scowl deepens.

“You shouldn’t be moving around,” he tells Kennedy as he steps inside of the room.

“You’re both being ridiculous,” Kennedy asserts. “It’s been over twenty-four hours. The doctor already determined I don’t have a concussion. And I just want to get up to take a shower.”

“No,” her father and I both say at the same time.

“She’s right,” Kennedy’s mother chimes in, pushing past her father as she enters the bedroom. “She’s rested. At least let her get up and shower. Besides, she needs to eat something.”

Her mother looks me over, her expression remaining neutral as she helps Kennedy from the bed.

“Thanks, Mom,” Kennedy mumbles.

“And stop hovering,” her mother adds, looking between me and Aaron Townsend. “She’ll tell us if she’s not feeling well.”

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