Page 23 of Protecting Christina

She rolled her eyes, but there was something different in the way she looked now. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

“Promise me.”

“Fine.”

“You have to say it.”

“I promise I’ll call you if I need you.”

I watched as her eyes scanned my face. I didn’t move, allowing her to read the truth behind my stubbornness. “I’ll be there.”

Then, I stood up and walked out of her apartment, expecting to never see or hear from her again.

6

Christina

Lifting my bangs, I stared at the thin red line in the mirror. I removed the bandage two days ago when the stitches came out.

The red mark over my mouth disappeared shortly after Will left.

That was three days ago.

The mark he left on me remained.

I could still smell his cologne in my room. Or at least I could when I closed my eyes.

I was attracted to the man, there was no denying it. But I wanted nothing to do with him. He wanted to save me, and while I’d provided the perfect scenario for him, I refused to let it happen again.

How humiliating. I couldn’t even think about the scene without smashing the palm of my hand over my eyes.

I twisted the cap of my lipstick off and applied it using the mirror. I was meeting Gabby in her office in thirty minutes.

I often did pro bono work for my friend whenever one of her clients needed it. Today, I was meeting a woman stuck in an abusive marriage. She had three kids, and she was afraid he would fight her for custody, and she didn’t have the money to pay for a lawyer.

Thankfully, Gabby called me and she knew how much I loved cases like this. Loved nailing their sorry asses to the wall. Usually, my client not only won full custody, but I would throw his ass in prison for previous assaults.

Picking up my black blazer from the bed, I slipped it on and buttoned it over my black skirt. I refused to wear anything less than what I would wear when meeting with one of my corporate clients. These women deserved the same respect.

Slipping on my black flats, I locked the door behind me and climbed into my car.

It was after eight and dusk settled over the bridge. I preferred sunrises to sunsets, but the orange and pink hues in this one were pretty.

I reached Gabby’s downtown office in good time and parked my car in the lot outside. Thank God my mechanic was able to fix it after I drove it into a ditch.

Just as I was climbing out of my car, a black truck pulled into the spot next to me. A shiver ran down my spine when I spotted the driver. He turned his head and his brow furrowed.

As he opened the door, I crossed my arms over my chest. “Are you following me now?”

“Following you?” He shook his head. “No. You made it quite clear that you want nothing to do with me.”

That sounded suspiciously convincing. “So, what are you doing here, then?” I asked.

“I’m here to see a friend.”

Subtly, I checked out his slim cargo pants and fitted black T-shirt. He looked more like a soldier today than a bodyguard. Except for the expensive watch. The watch alone must cost more than ten thousand dollars.

His hair was tied back in a man-bun. He looked rougher, somewhat less polished.

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