The next thing I know, Alfie has James pinned against the wall, forearm across his throat. “If you ever touch her again?—”
“Alfie, don’t?—”
“What are you going to do?” James chokes out, but there’s fear in his eyes now. “Daddy’s lawyers?—”
Alfie presses harder. “I don’t need lawyers to deal with men who don’t understand the word ‘no.’”
“I can handle this,” I say sharply, but neither of them seem to hear me.
“You’ve been warned about harassment,” Alfie continues, voice deadly quiet. “Multiple complaints. Multiple women. Did you think nobody would find out? I found out, James Kelley, and I swear to fucking God if you touch her again, I will end you.”
James struggles but can’t break Alfie’s hold. “You have no right?—”
“Every right when you’re hurting her. When you’re creating a hostile work environment. When you’re?—”
“You’re fired,” James spits at me. “Both of you get out before I call the police.”
“Call them,” Alfie says coldly. “I’m sure they’d love to hear about all those complaints you’ve buried.”
“Alfie, stop!” My voice breaks. “Please.”
Something in my tone finally reaches him. He releases James, who slumps against the wall gasping.
“Tara–” Alfie starts.
“Don’t.” I’m shaking now, with anger or hurt or both. “You promised. You promised you wouldn’t get involved.”
“He was hurting you.”
“And I was handling it! I had a plan.” The tears are back but now they're angry. Though even as I say it, Iknow it's not entirely true. James had been getting bolder, scarier, and maybe I had been naive thinking I could manage him forever. But that's not the point.
“I didn't need you to swoop in and save me. I needed you to trust me.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“I don't need your protection!” It comes out like a sob. “I needed my job. I needed you to at least talk to me before deciding what was best. But you just couldn't help playing the hero, could you?”
The worst part is knowing we were both wrong - me for pretending I had it under control, and Alfie for not even giving me a chance to handle it myself.
“Get out,” James wheezes, straightening his collar. “Both of you. And don't think about coming back.”
“Tara, please?—”
“Just go.” I turn away. It's raining and dark and I don't have a way of getting home but I don't care. I can't wait in here until an Uber comes, I sure as hell can't ask James or Alfie for a ride. I grab my backpack and start the 3 mile walk home.
The rain startsabout two minutes into my walk home. Of course, it does. Because this night couldn’t get any worse.
I hear his car before I see it, crawling along beside me at walking pace. My fluffy pink backpack is already soaked.
“Go away, Alfie.”
“Get in the car, Tink. It’s pouring.”
“Don’t call me that.” I walk faster. “And don’t follow me. Nobody’s around. You don’t need to pretend to be my boyfriend, remember?”
“Tara.” Just my name, soft and worried.
“I said go away!”
