Page 68 of Protecting Christina

“If you want to leave, I’ll take care of your living expenses for a year.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Why should I believe you?”

“Call Gabby and ask her. I’ve done this before. I’ll do it for you. But you need to come with me now.”

Ingrid rocked back and forth and finally nodded. “Ok. Let me grab my bag.”

***

I dropped Ingrid off at the safe house with instructions on her new living arrangements. She wouldn’t be in the same building as Faye. I had several apartments in the city, some I rented, others I kept for cases like this one.

It was nearly five o’clock, and I was about to head back home when my phone rang. Blinking, I stared at the screen. I didn’t recognize the number, but I knew the name. It was the bar. Tina was the only one there who had my number. I told her to call me if she ever needed me. This was the first time she’d ever taken me up on my offer.

“Tina, hey, is everything all right?”

She blew out her breath. “I’m sorry to bother you, but can you come down here? He’s drunk again and he won’t leave.”

Checking the time again, I hesitated, but figured I’d still make it in time for seven. “Yes. I’ll be right there.”

“Thank you.”

Pulling a U-turn, I headed toward the bar. When I hit traffic in midtown, I ran my fingers through my hair and narrowed my eyes at the clock on my dashboard. “Come on,” I growled when the cars barely moved.

I finally reached the bar nearly an hour later, and I was out of patience. I stalked over to Tina’s boyfriend who was slouched in his chair and screaming profanities at another server. The owner was arguing with Tina, but I had no time to speak to either of them.

“If he does this again, Tina, you’re both out of here. Do you hear me?” her boss shouted. The threat only fueled my annoyance, and I grabbed the asshole by his legs. His ass hit the ground first and then his head smacked the wooden floor. “Ow!” he screamed and tried to kick himself free. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“I’m taking care of this once and for all.”

Tina rushed over. “Just take him back to my place. He’ll sleep it off.”

“It’s six o’clock, Tina. He’s not sleeping this off,” I said, frustrated. I would be late for dinner with Christina, and this asshole would get Tina fired. I was done being patient with him.

He scrambled out of my grasp and struggled to get up on his feet. “I’m not leaving.”

“You’re a piece of shit,” I said, stepping right up to his face.

“Will,” Tina warned, placing her hand on my chest, trying to back me up. But I didn’t budge.

Her boyfriend stared at her hand, and his face turned red.

“Are you fucking him? Is that what this is? You fucking slut!”

His last word triggered a memory I’d pushed back deep into my subconscious, and the man who stood before me wasn’t Tina’s boyfriend anymore. It was my father’s face I saw.

I had his eyes and his mouth, but I swore never to be like him. Hell, I promised myself I would be the complete opposite of him. My chest tightened and my fist clenched at my side. “Get out of my way,” he said to me, his feral eyes focused on Tina. He shoved my chest and when that didn’t work, he pulled back his fist. I knew enough to move out of the way. Even someone untrained would be fast enough to move out of a drunk man’s punch, but I wasn’t trying to avoid it. I had counted on it.

When his fist struck me on the jaw, he cradled his fingers and grimaced. “Fuck,” he swore and shook out his hand.

I smiled. “You shouldn’t have done that,” I said. “Because now I can do this.”

I made a fist, inhaled a deep breath, and with all my anger and frustration balled up, I pulled my arm back and let my fist fly.

It landed square on his cheek.

Crack!

“Ow!” he screamed and fell back, slamming into the table behind him.

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