Page 92 of A First Sight

“Ain’t you the smart one,” Dale said.

“Threatening my friends won't get me back,” I continued. “No matter how single I am, I’ll never be with you again.”

“You’ll never be with anybody again. I’ll make damn sure of that. Your face will be too ugly to attract any man.”

I tried to move as he came toward me, but I was out of space and backed into the desk, trapped. His fingers latched onto my arm.

“You’re done.” His face was close enough for me to smell his stinky breath. “I'm going to enjoy this.”

“Let. Me. Go.” My pulse raced, but I kept my voice steady.

He moved back just far enough to hit me. The back of his hand connected with my cheek with a loud crack, and my head snapped to the side. Instead of letting the shock paralyze me, I shoved him.

He stumbled, but dug in his grip, yanking me with him. I fell forward. He grabbed my hair, tugging and twisting it. I shouted for him to stop. A fist hit my stomach, driving the air from my lungs, then another blow to the ribs knocked me sideways. I scratched him and tried to kick, but his grip on my hair let him control my movements and kept me off balance.

“Stay still, bitch!”

I caught a glimpse of his fist in the air and tried to twist away. But then–

“Dale! What the hell are you doing?!” Nehemiah’s voice boomed.

“Get off her!” Irene screamed.

As Dale let go of my hair, I stumbled away.

“Maggie, are you all right?” Irene asked without taking her eyes off Dale.

“I am.” My side and stomach hurt, but I didn’t think I had any broken bones. My cheek smarted from where he backhanded me, and my scalp hurt the worst.

“Well,I’mnot.” Dale panted as he pressed his hand to his neck where he was bleeding. “The bitch scratched me out of nowhere. I had to defend myself.”

“Fuck you, asshole.” Irene pulled out her phone.

“What do you think you’re doing with that?” Dale asked, his voice sharp. “You don’t need to call the cops. I’m not pressing charges.”

“Oh, I’m not calling the cops,” Irene said as she pointed her phone at Dale. “Nehemiah already did. I’m recording.”

“You don’t want to do that,” he snarled, any trace of his polite mask gone. “This is between Maggie and me. Butt out.”

Irene ignored him and turned to me. “What happened?”

“I told him to leave me alone. He attacked me.” I stuck with the short version. If the police were coming, I’d be more detailed.

“I’m not sticking around to listen to the lies of that bitch.” Dale took a step toward the door.

Irene and Nehemiah stood their ground, not getting out of his way.

“You’re staying until the police get here,” Nehemiah said.

“You don’t have any right to keep me here.” Dale loomed over Nehemiah, but our conductor didn’t blink.

“I am in charge of the orchestra. I’m the boss in this building and I tell you to stay.”

“Do we have a problem, Mr. Plight?” A security guard appeared behind Irene and Nehemiah.

He was massive, and a knot inside me relaxed.

“Mr. Leighton is not to leave before the police arrive,” Nehemiah said. “We’ll have someone collect his things for him.”

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