Page 69 of Save Me

I glance over to see Ardie next to me. I do my best not to roll my eyes. We’re mostly able to keep things civil between us, but that’s only because we do our best to avoid one another in the office.

I assume the alcohol I smell on his breath is the reason he’s approaching me right now.

“Wonder how it feels knowing she earned her position fair and square,” he continues.

I grab the glass of beer placed in front of me and step around Ardie. But then he makes the mistake of blocking my path.

Fine.

If this is how he wants it to be, we can do it this way.

“You’re drunk and halfway out of the door of the company as it is,” I say to him. “Your articles are weak, lack thorough investigation and forethought, and you’re looking for someone to blame instead of looking in the mirror.”

My voice is calm, relaxed as I cite all of his failures.

“You want to harp on this imagined nepotism that I’ve received, have at it. If that’s what lets you to sleep at night. Meanwhile, stay the fuck out of my face and out of my way.”

I scowl as I step closer. “Because if you so much as look in my direction again, I’ll show you exactly what I learned from my family about not taking shit from anyone.”

As a bonus, I accidentally trip and splash the entire front of his shirt with the beer in my hand.

“Shit, looks like I’ll need another drink,” I say without a hint of remorse in my voice.

Instead of turning back for the bar, however, I go to move past him. Ardie is as dumb as he looks because he grabs my arm and spins me to him.

His grip is tight.

Work event or not, I’m about to make good on my word when, before I can blink, Ardie’s hold on me falls away entirely.

My eyes bulge when I realize Dae has Ardie with his arm twisted behind his back and his head pressed against the bar. Ardie’s mumbling something indiscernible. I imagine it’s something like “let me up.”

“She told you nicely the first time to fuck off, right?” Dae asks him. It’s not the position that he has Ardie in that takes me by surprise the most. It’s the fact that he appears to be totally relaxed.

He doesn’t raise his voice. There’s no tension in his face or body. Yet, his hold is tight, trapping Ardie in place.

He makes a move that jerks Ardie’s arm farther behind his back. He shrieks, and even I wince slightly. Another move like that would pull his shoulder socket out of place.

“I asked you a question,” Dae says.

“Yettthh,” Ardie responds, his ‘yes’ coming out muffled.

The bartender on the other side of the bar doesn’t notice the scene, but out of the corner of my eye, I can see people staring our way.

“You should’ve fucking listened.” Dae stares down at him as if contemplating where to hide his body.

“Dae,” I call calmly.

When he shifts his head to look at me, the deadly look in his eyes lets me know he’s on the edge. One wrong move, and he could tip over into the abyss of his own darkness.

“Let him up,” I tell Dae in a firm voice.

I think he’s going to ignore me, but then he asks, “Why should I?”

I swallow. “Because I’m asking nicely.”

His lips pinch.

“You’ve been ignoring me for days, and now you want to ask me a favor?” he says casually as if I’m asking him to borrow his pen, not stop him from ripping a man’s shoulder out of its socket.

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