I rush out of the house, ignoring the confused looks of my family members. Once out to my car, I mash the button to start it and then get the route directions going.
“Are you still there with that guy?” I ask, voice gritty and dry.
“Yup.”
“What’s he doing?”
“Licking his lips. I’m going to have to use my mace, aren’t I?”
The fact she has a can of mace brings me comfort. “If he touches you, yes. The smart thing to do would be to leave that shithole you’ve hunkered down into.”
“Oh crap,” she hisses. “Flashlights. They’re coming.”
I gun it and blow through a yellow light as it turns red. My heart is racing a mile a minute. Abby is a thorn in my side, but I don’t want her to get hurt.
A commotion breaks out and Abby cries out.
Hell no.
“Abby,” I bark out. “What’s going on? Talk to me? Do you have your mace?”
I can hear her cursing and struggling. She calls someone a pig. A man yells back at her telling her to calm the fuck down.
The line goes dead.
“Fuck!” I roar as I push the limits of my car on the highway.
A few exits later and I’m on the road that’ll take me to the bad side of town. Once I’m near where the location of the pin is, I scan the area for Abby. When I see red and blue flashing lights, I know I’m close.
I pull up near the cop car and shut my vehicle off. Abby, with her hands zip-tied in front of her, is yapping angrily at the officer.
“Is there a problem?” I ask as I stride over to them.
“Yeah,” the cop says with sneer. “Someone here thinks she can break the law and get away with it. What’s it to you? You know her?”
“My girlfriend,” I lie, not looking at her when I say it. “Is this about the dine and dash mix-up?”
The cop barks out a laugh. “Not exactly a mix-up. She ate the food, didn’t pay, and ran away.”
I pull out my wallet and wave a hundred-dollar bill at the man. “I was just coming to pay it.” When the cop doesn’t look like he’s going to relent, I lower my voice. “She’s going through some mental shit, man. I’m trying to get her the help she needs. Throw us a bone here.”
Abby glowers at me, but I ignore her since I’m saving her ass.
“Fine,” the cop grumbles. “You take her home and I’ll deliver the cash to the diner.”
I take the prisoner in exchange for my hundred-dollar bill. Abby rubs at her wrists after he cuts off the zip-tie. The cop hands me her backpack. I clutch onto the back of her neck and guide her over to my car. She breaks free, stomps over to the passenger side, and flings open the door. Once I’ve tossed her bag into the back and we’re in the vehicle, I turn to look at her.
Abby is a polar opposite of my girlfriend. She’s all dark edges and spice. There’s nothing soft or gentle about her. Basically, she’s like a pissed-off, feral black cat.
Why the hell did you fuck her, man?
Before I can go back down that mental road again, I turn the car on and then drive away from the cop drama. Once we’re on the highway, Abby fidgets and huffs angrily.
“I just saved your ass,” I growl. “The least I could get is some gratitude.”
“Gee, thanks, baby daddy.”
I scowl at her. “Smartass.”
