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I didn’t feel like I was throwing him under the bus.
I felt like I was throwing Bart under the bus.
If he went after that wallet, he’d learn very quickly that what worked on me would definitely not work on him.
He shoved me hard, causing my neck to pop uncomfortably, and I saw stars.
Seconds later, I was thrown to the ground and the next thing I knew, I was waking up.
“…her emergency contact,” I heard someone say.
Emergency contact?
Hey, I just changed that today!
Learning that Bain was out, I’d chosen to make him my emergency contact in hopes that he would be able to handle an emergency better than my best friend could. I’m not saying that Mattie would freak out or anything, but she would definitely freak out.
What were the odds that he’d be called today?
“…already called. He’s on his way.” There was a long pause. “Should we call an ambulance?”
They called my emergency contact before they called an ambulance?
Interesting.
“…looks like she’s waking up,” I heard the other voice say. “Ma’am, can you hear me? What happened?”
I blinked my eyes about a hundred and ten times before the man hovering over me came into focus.
An elderly police officer. Campus police.
“Oh.” I blinked, shifting to sit up and immediately regretted it.
My neck hurt.
Bad.
As in, I could barely turn it from side to side bad. Let alone turn to look at the other man behind me.
Fuckin’ Bart.
“I was attacked,” I said, feeling my voice crack. “Don’t call an ambulance. I won’t get on it.”
The old man snorted. “You don’t have a scratch on you. I don’t tend to call when it’s just some drunk college kid who can’t walk straight and passes out by their cars.”
I would’ve shaken my head, but I’d already learned my lesson. “I’m not drunk. A man attacked me in the parking lot.”
“Who is this man?” he asked. “A student?”
Before I could answer, the roar of pipes sounded from far away, getting closer and closer by the second.
“Let me guess,” the older officer said. “Your man drives a bike?”
My man? No.
The man who I wanted to be my man? Yes.
“Yes,” I decided was the easier answer.
“Hmm,” he said. “So he’s no good?”
I snorted out a laugh. “That’s a little prejudiced, isn’t it? Automatically assuming since he rides a bike that he’s bad?”
I mean, he’d killed a man for me. So maybe he was a little bad… but still.
“If the shoe fits,” he said as he helped me to stand. “Come over here. Sit on the edge of your seat and let me look at you.”
By the time the spray of gravel and roar of pipes sounded, I knew without a doubt that Bain was there. And not even because of those things that announced his entrance. It was due to the fact that I could practically feel the fury and worry rolling off him in waves. Even with him being at my back.
“Luce?” Bain called as he hurried around the hood of my car.
I could only see him when he entered my peripheral vision.
He looked at me with a boatload of concern.
“What happened?” he asked.
I bit my lip. “My mouth was too big for my brain? I don’t know. Maybe I should’ve not pushed Bart at the diner a few days ago.”
He frowned, then understanding dawned. “The wallet.”
I confirmed, barely stopping myself from nodding my head. “The wallet.”
“My prejudices were right,” I heard the older officer say. “Your dude’s an ex-con. You’re telling me that you trust him?”
I looked at the old man, then glanced at Bain who was now staring at the officer like he was dog shit.
“Yes,” I answered instantly. “More than I trust you.”
His bushy brow rose, then he shrugged before saying, “I can pull the feed and have it sent to you. My guess, there won’t be much to see due to the fact that you parked under the only tree in the lot.”
I looked at the tree, then defensively said, “It’s hot as balls in Florida, man. I’ll take the bird shit and the shade and the lack of video surveillance any day than have to get into this hot monstrosity of a car.”
We all looked at all the bird shit on my car, then Bain snorted.
“Appreciate your help,” he said as he helped me stand. “You okay?”
Was I?
I pointed to my neck. “He squeezed my neck and I felt something pop.”
His worried eyes became even more worried.
“You’re going to the hospital,” he ordered. “Right now.”
• • •
An hour later, with Bain’s glaring, I was seen, treated and released with the order to see a chiropractor when they opened the next morning.
Thank God.
“When I signed up for the diner, I didn’t think I’d have to deal with weird people who slapped my ass. I thought that would only happen at a bar or something,” I grumbled. “I was just supposed to find an easy place to work while I went to vet school. And then I could…”
