Page 24 of Morally Corrupt

But I find that I can't choose one. I'll get my revenge, eventually. But Bianca . . . I want her by my side when that happens.

"I'll have the same," I add.

"I'll quickly go to the restroom before our orders come." She gets up and heads to the back of the restaurant.

I pull up my phone and go through some messages when suddenly a noise gets my attention. People gasping around, I look up to see Bianca slowly approaching, shoulders slumped, gaze alarmed. Behind her is a man ordering directives as he waves a knife around, settling on her neck.

For a second, I stiffen, panic unlike anything I'd experienced before settling deep in my gut. But realizing the seriousness of the matter, I force myself to focus.

I stand, putting my hands up to show I'm unarmed.

"Easy," I start, taking a step forward. "That's my girlfriend you're holding." I catch Bianca's eye and I can see she is terrified but trying to hold it together. "Let her go, please."

"No!" he shouts, the hand holding the knife trembling slightly and digging into her flesh. God, I think I see some red. "It's all your fault! All of you!"

Alarmed at the possibility that he might actually harm her, I take a deep breath and decide to de-escalate.

"Easy. Maybe I can help you. What's your name?"

His eyes move swiftly from side to side, and for a moment I contemplate he might be on narcotics — that would make the situation even more unpredictable.

"Jacob . . ." he mumbles, looking anywhere but at me.

"Jacob, tell me what I can do to help you," I slow my words, trying to make him see me as inoffensive.

"You can't! No one can!" He flails his arm around, his knife now pointing toward me. Seeing that it's no longer at Bianca's throat, I release a relieved sigh.

"Maybe I can. Why don't you tell me about it?" I continue, while signaling to Bianca to make a run for it if she has the chance.

"It's all your fault, fucking elitists. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have lost my job or ended up on the streets. My wife left me." He sniffles a sob. "She took the kids."

"She made a mistake. You can always turn your life around. Then you can get your wife and kids back," I say and watch the emotions play on his face. Just when I think I’ve gotten through to him, he tightens his hold on Bianca, placing the knife at her neck again.

"Look, man, there's still a chance to make this right. But if you continue with this . . ." I shake my head. "Then there's no returning, do you get me?" My eyes are fixed on Bianca the whole time, and I think of all the ways I can get her out of harm’s way.

"But you don't get me. You don't know what it's like to be me!" His voice is even louder now, and I can tell he's becoming more agitated. Not good.

"Look, why don't you take me instead of her? I work for the police, I'm of more value to you." I hope he'll buy that. He looks at me with an angry expression, but he seems to consider it.

"Fine! But come slowly, or she gets hurt." I do as he says, and he pushes Bianca to the floor just as I am one foot away. Seeing that she's out of his reach, I act. I go straight for the hand that holds the knife, knocking the weapon out and twisting his hand behind his back.

Using my knee, I kick his leg and hold him down on the ground, immobilized. He's thrashing in my hold, but he won't be able to escape anytime soon.

The police soon make their appearance and they take Jacob into custody. As soon as I am able to, I rush to Bianca's side. She's being treated by the paramedics for her cut.

"Are you ok?" I take her face in my hands, trying to gauge what she's feeling. God, she must have been so scared. "I'm so sorry." I tug her to me and hug her tightly, mad with myself that I put her in danger's way.

"Y-y-yes," she stammers, her small body trembling with residual fear.

"Shh, I got you." I kiss the top of her head, and I stroke her hair. Her hands come around my waist and she holds onto me.

"Thank you," she whispers, burrowing her face deeper in my chest.

When we get back to her house a while later, I feel reluctant leaving her alone, the sight of her so vulnerable, a knife digging in her neck still engraved in my mind.

I hold on to her hand, wanting to feel her warmth, her physical presence.

"You scared me, little one," I admit. She raises her enormous eyes to look at me and my restraint snaps.

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