Page 69 of Protecting Christina

“That’s it. Everybody out!” shouted Tina’s boss.

I picked up the piece of shit and dragged him outside. He squirmed, but I didn’t let go, not until he was outside. “I’m pressing charges,” he said.

“Go ahead. Then I’ll sue you for hitting me first.”

His eyes bugged out. “What the fuck, man? You’re the one fucking my girl.”

“I’m not sleeping with Tina, you idiot. I’m trying to get her to leave you. You’re no good for her.”

His face fell, and he stared at Tina, who stood next to me.

“You want to leave me?” he asked, quietly.

She tapped her toe next to me. “I’ve been thinking about it. Especially when you act like this.”

“Babe, babe, you can’t leave. I love you. I won’t do it again. I promise.”

“Don’t listen to him, Tina. He will do it again.”

“I won’t,” he shouted. “Believe me. I’ve learned my lesson.”

Tina’s brow furrowed, and she looked down at her boyfriend and then at me. “You shouldn’t have hit him so hard,” she said.

My jaw ticked. “Am I taking him to the police station or not, Tina?”

“Police? For getting drunk?” she asked, her eyebrow raised.

“It’s not just that. You know you can press charges for what he’s done in the past.”

“I’m not going to press charges.”

“Then what am I doing here?” I snapped.

“I called you to get him out. I never wanted it to get this far.”

Frustrated, I ran my hands through my hair. “Fine. He’s out and so am I.”

She stared at me as I walked away.

I’d lost my cool. I hadn’t done it since joining the army. But for the first time since I started helping these women, I felt like I was getting nowhere. That I was just wasting my time. And now Christina would be waiting for me.

It was almost seven o’clock.

I started my car and pulled away from the curb without looking back.

I was pissed. I couldn’t deny it. My fists clenched over the steering wheel as I thought back to the situation. How could I have handled it differently? How could I have made her see that she needed to get away from him?

I received a message on my phone, and a bead of sweat trickled down my neck. Picking up my phone, I called Nikole.

“Hey, Will.”

“Nikole, I need to ask you for a favor.”

“What is it?”

“A car is waiting outside of our building. Christina is inside. I was supposed to bring her up to my apartment but can she stay with you until I get there? I should be home in about thirty minutes.”

“Yeah, sure, Will. It’s no problem.”

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