Page 39 of Always Salty

I disappeared back outside, closing the sliding glass door almost soundlessly behind me, and started making my way down the fire escape.

It must’ve taken me a bit longer than I’d thought because by the time I’d gotten to the other side of the building, Keely was already downstairs and walking to her car.

Anger rose up inside of me that Michel would walk Kara to her car, but not do the same for Keely.

I’d just taken a step in Keely’s direction when she passed an alley two away from the one I’d just come out of.

I watched in horror as a man came out of the shadows and wrapped Keely up in his arms and lifted her off of her feet.

Keely didn’t have time to even scream as she was pulled into a dark alley with the man’s hand wrapped around her mouth.

Keely fought hard, but like she’d been telling Dorie, she was no match for a man that wanted to take her and hurt her.

I started running before I realized I was even moving, making it to the alley in time to hear a scuffle.

I pulled out my gun, took aim at the only thing that was available, and fired.

The man holding Keely fell to the ground in pain, clutching his leg. Meanwhile, I walked right up to Keely and pulled her into my arms.

She was shaking like a leaf and frozen in fright.

“Oh my god!” Dorie cried out. “Michel!”

I backed away as Dorie came around the corner and screamed when she saw…

Yep, that was Michel on the fucking ground.

What in the actual fuck?

“What did you do?” she screeched, dropping to her knees next to her bleeding man.

“What did I do?” I laughed. “I saved a woman that was getting kidnapped. What any normal, run-of-the-mill, red-blooded man would do.”

“He was just playing a joke!” she cried out.

“Fuck!” Michel cried. “What the fuck, man?”

“What the fuck?” I asked, anger starting to take root in my soul. “What, exactly, did y’all think was going to happen?”

“I didn’t think he’d get shot!” Dorie cried as she put pressure on the wound in her boyfriend’s lower leg.

I snorted. “Well, now you know.”

“You are going to jail, buddy!” She pointed at me.

“No.” I laughed darkly. “I’m not.”

“You are!” she cried.

And since she couldn’t see me clearly due to the darkness and shadows, I disappeared with Keely in my arms.

Once I had her safely ensconced in my truck, the heater running despite it being fuckin’ eighty out, I went back to the scene of the crime.

I could hear sirens blaring in the distance as I walked back into the alley.

When I saw the phone lit up beside her bleeding man, I stomped on it and then bent down so that my face was inches from hers.

Before she could react, I wrapped my arms around her and allowed her to struggle.

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