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He looked into my eyes and I tried to hide the fact that I was scared shitless.I tried to muster all the adoration I possibly could, tried to find it all buried deep down and bring it back to the surface so he could see that he was hurting someone he once loved.
He let go of my hair and I slid to the floor, a puddle of emotion and fear.“Where’s the janitor, Nick?”I went back to my original question, wondering if he ever went for help at all.
“I paid her off.She gave me the toilet paper and put a sign at the door that this bathroom was out of service.”
My head was pounding, a headache I’m sure coming on, but also from the pain it caused when he pulled my hair with all his might.I tried not to think about that right now.“Let’s get out of here, Nick.You know you don’t actually want to marry me.Let me go, what do you say?”
I must’ve pushed too far, because he only growled, his face turning bright red.“Don’t you dare pull that shit on me.Rafe was going to let it go that you knew.He was going to move on.But you just had to bring someone else into it.”
“Nick, I’ll break up with him.He means nothing,” I lied.
“Bullshit,” he spat back.
“So what now?You know we’re in a courthouse, right?This could never end well for you, not with all these authorities here.”I asked the questions to buy myself a second.I needed to think.How the hell was I going to get out of here?Once Colt showed up, who knew what he was going to do.
As he answered, I didn’t listen, only considered my options more.There was only one and I didn’t know if it was going to work.But I had to try.I got up slowly and started to walk toward him.If I could switch places with him, maybe I could make a beeline to the door and run.It was the only idea I had.Once I got out of here I could scream, get an officer to deter him.But none of that was going to be possible if I couldn’t get out of this goddamn bathroom.
“Are you even listening?”he inquired, furious.
“Of course,” I feigned interest.“I just want to know what’s going to happen after all of this.Are we moving in together?Did you and Rafe figure all of that out?”While I was asking my hundred questions I got around him and switched spots.Now all I had to do was run.
He blew outwardly and ran a hand through his hair.“None of that matters, Scarlet.”He looked away for a moment into the distance and I took that as my chance.My wedges made it harder for me to escape, though, and I didn’t make it very far before he caught me and pulled my leg out from under me.
“Where do you think you’re going?”he yelled as I fell face first on the floor.
I tried crawling, but he kept pulling me back.“Get off of me, Nick!”I yelled.Hopefully someone heard the commotion in the bathroom and came in.I closed my eyes and hoped for a miracle.
“You heard her.Get your hands off of her!”Colt.
He only pulled harder, this time catching me off guard and dragging me so hard and fast that my body flew under the sinks and I stopped only when I slammed into the back.Watching the pain show on my face only made Colt angrier.He stalked toward Nick and put his hands around his neck.“You listen to me, you worthless piece of shit.”
That got Nick’s attention.Pinned up against the bathroom wall, he tried to talk and couldn’t.Which seemed to be exactly what Colt wanted, because he didn’t loosen his grip.“You’re going to leave her alone, do you hear me?Because if you don’t, I will make sure you live to regret it.Do you understand me?”
To receive an answer, he loosened his grip a little and Nick choked out a meek, “Yes,” and shook his head so Colt got the picture.
Before he let him go, he insisted, “Two more things, asshole.You’re going to apologize to Scarlet.Then, you’re going to walk out of here with your tail between your legs, go to your boss and tell him that he’s going to leave Scarlet alone.And if he doesn’t, he’s going to suffer a fate crueler than prison.”
Nick nodded again, looking scared.But I didn’t feel a shred of sympathy for him.Not after everything he’d done.He went too far this time.
“I’m sorry,” he choked out when Colt let him go.
“Good, now get the hell out of my sight,” Colt demanded, “before I decide my generosity has run out and I turn to get the police officer I saw by the elevator.”
Before he could leave, though, Colt stopped him so he turned around long enough for him to punch him squarely in the face.
Nick didn’t stay long enough to lick his wounds, just ran out.
Colt came to my side immediately once he was gone.In the midst of them fighting I found it in me to slide out, but couldn’t find the strength to actually get up.“I’m so sorry,” I cried.I couldn’t believe all this happened in such a short span of time, and in a courthouse to boot.It was absurd and I was still visibly shaken by the whole ordeal.
He wrapped his arms around me and in the comfort of them I couldn’t do anything but cry.All the emotion from the day came pouring out of me, I felt like a water fountain.
He tried to shush the loud sobs.“It’s okay, baby.You’re safe now.”
I finally stopped crying long enough to sniffle in and say, “Take me home, Colt.”
He obliged, helping me up.“That’s going to bruise,” he said, pointing to my knee that was swollen and red.
I rubbed my shoulder.“So is this, I’m assuming,” I added.
