Page 27 of Enforce This
Chapter Fourteen
Eric
What the fuck was wrong with me? Why did that girl get to me so much, and why did I always have to snark back at her?
I was just trying to flirt, but shit…
I chased after Trista and grabbed her upper arm. She spun back and slapped me so hard my ear rang for a moment.
“Woah. Woah.” I warned, looking around. “This ain’t Swanwick. Trust. Me. You don’t want to sit in Saint Louis County jail.”
“Fuck you!” she spat, her eyes brimming with tears.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that… I was just… Look, I don’t know how to flirt, alright. I fucking went to Afghanistan straight out of high school, and I been with the Disciples ever since. I don’t have any experience with college girls. I just…” I swallowed and stared into her eyes.
It was so painfully obvious that she wanted to hear something, anything that would make her feel better or excuse my douchebaggery.
I sighed, “I fuck shit up. It’s what I do. I’m not a hero, so I’m going to need you to stop looking at me like you’re going to find one hiding inside me.”
I choked on laughter and ran my knuckles gently along her cheekbone.
“C’mon. Let’s get the fuck out of here before security comes.” I reached for her hand, and tangled my fingers between her own.
She swallowed hard and I could tell she didn’t know what to do with what I’d said.
“I’m not the good guy, but I’m not a heartless fuck. You can trust me. I’ll keep you safe… And right now, that includes taking you into the hospital for a chat with Mark. We need direction and a safe house.”
I gave her hand a little squeeze and she hesitantly nodded.
“Okay,” she whispered, falling into place beside me.
I needed to prepare her for what was about to come, but I wasn’t sure it was a good idea right now. There were too many people coming and going inside St. Luke’s massive foyer.
A lady with a friendly smile nodded from behind a sizable reception desk and pleasantly greeted, “Welcome to St. Luke’s. Clinics are on the ground floor. Labor and Delivery on the second. Med Surg will be right there on the third.”
“That’s the one.” I nodded, just to shut her up and hurried Trista into an elevator.
“Alright, then. Ya’ll, have a blessed day,” the woman called, before returning her attention to her computer screen.
“You, too.” I raised a hand and winked, dropping the act the moment the doors snapped shut.
I hugged Trista’s hand and took a deep breath as the elevator started to climb.
“There will be cops up here,” I bluntly admitted, “They’re going to have questions…”
Fuck, the thing was raising so quickly I didn’t have time to say shit.
“Just remember, they can’t protect you the way that I can.”
A ding sounded and the doors shot open, leaving her to stare at me for several long moments.
“This is it. Third floor,” I announced, a little louder than necessary.
She blinked and the hand that wasn’t in mine nervously shot toward my wrist. She clung to me like her life depended on it, and I steered her past a uniformed aide with a tall tower of vitals equipment he was wheeling down the hall.
“Afternoon,” he cheerfully greeted me.
“How’s it going?” I quipped, keeping it moving.