I don’t know what Rogue had to do to get this address, but I don’t think I’ve ever gotten my shit together so fucking fast. He got out of jail after I finally got a hold of him. Thank god he’s a lawyer with so pull at the hotel. I know how much he hates giving favors, and he probably gave more than he wanted in order to get out.
As soon as I got back to the hotel room, I showered and got my car from the valet. I’d driven down to the bachelor party, enjoying the ride and taking my ti. Now I’m eight hours from ho and don’t really have a plan for what’s next.
The one thing I know for sure is I’m going to see Estella again. I have to see her and explain what I felt. Maybe I could convince her to go to dinner with or get a coffee? Five minutes is all it would take for to convince her that there’s sothing between us. Just like Dad always told us would happen, lightning struck, and I’m not about to ignore it.
I check the address three tis as I look up and down the street. Soone who makes a couple of grand a dance should not be living in a place like this. There’s trash everywhere, gang markings all over the building, and a holess camp in the alley with at least half a dozen people sleeping in it. The building itself has a huge crack on one side and so of the windows are busted out. Could soone have given Rogue the wrong information?
I put my SUV in park and get out. I lock it twice and scan the street as I walk up to the building and see if there’s a buzzer or anything. The door to get inside is a joke, because not only is there no lock, there’s no handle. It looks like it was broken off a long ti ago, and a brick props it open.
I walk up the rickety stairs to the third floor. Sirens sound nearby, and that’s not the first ti I’ve heard them in the past fifteen minutes. I shake my head and hope I’m wrong as I enter a dingy hallway that slls like mildew.
There are a ton of doors and half of them don’t have numbers listed as I scan for the one I’m after. As I walk, I hear televisions and people talking, but then I hear sothing that sounds like a woman screaming. All the hair on the back of my neck stands up as I walk back from where I ca to one of the numberless doors.
I stand there for half a second, making sure this is where I heard the noise, and press my ear to the door. Sothing breaks within and I hear a strangled cry. Even if this isn’t Estella, I know sothing is wrong.
With one movent I lean back, raise my foot, and kick the flimsy door so hard it cos off its hinges and bangs to the ground.
In front of is what nightmares are made of. Estella is on the ground with her eyes half closed, and the big bouncer from last night is on top of her with his hands around her throat. He looks at , his eyes widen, and I’m like a bull seeing red.
I lower my shoulder and run straight toward him, knocking him back so hard he hits the wall on the far side of the apartnt. The contact rattles my whole body, but I don’t feel a thing. It’s probably the adrenaline mixed with the rage, but I see Estella out of the corner of my eye, coughing as she rolls to her side, and I’m so goddamn thankful she’s okay.
I hear Bouncer groan as he struggles to get to his feet. Oh fuck, no, he’s not making it out of this room using his legs. I climb over all the ss in the room and stomp on his knee. There’s a loud crunch before he screams, and I punch him in the mouth to shut him up. A few more hits and he’s nearly out cold, but I grab his face and lean in close.
"Your biggest mistake was putting your hands on my girl." I hold his wrist up and with one twist, it snaps back and he cries out again.
"Mufasa." I hear her whispered voice from behind , and I turn around to see Estella is a ss as she watches with wide eyes.
"Do you want to kick him in the balls?" I ask, and she takes a second to think it over.
She nods and then changes her mind and shakes her head. "I don’t want to hurt my foot."
I stand up and do it for her, because fuck this asshole. He whimpers quietly and then I see he’s passed out from the pain. That’s too bad, but he’ll probably be feeling that for a few days no matter what.
"How—?" She looks around like she’s not sure where to begin or what question to ask first.
"Grab a bag. We need to be out of here when he wakes up." I glance into a bedroom next to and motion for her to co.
"I don’t even know you." There are tears in her eyes as she looks at the unconscious bouncer.
I try to think of a way for her to trust and pull out my cell phone. "Here, you can take this. It’s not locked and the favorites in there are my parents and my brother. You can call them and tell them you’re coming with , or call anyone you want, and I’ll take you to a safe place. But we can’t be here in case he told people where he was going."
I hold out the phone, and she stares at it like she’s never seen one before. Then she rubs her neck and decides to take it.
"I’ll just hold it for now." She tucks it close and I nod as I go into her room.
"Is this yours?"
"I hope you like road trips."
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