Page 17 of Save Me

Because if I do, then I’ll have to admit that this is real.

“I think that’s enough.” He speaks at last as I hold the glass bottle in my clutches, my eyes glazed over and staring at the TV.

I shift my eyes from the bright screen and onto his, slowly bringing the bottle to my lips again, taking a purposeful sip, refusing to break eye contact.

“Evi, come on, you’re going to make yourself sick.”

“Why do you care?” I bite back, the alcohol making me bold as everything else inside of me remains numb.

“I don’t,” he starts, shifting nervously on the couch. “I don’tnotcare, but I don’t care.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “And here I thought you were some fancy hot-shot who works with Rhett, but you can’t even string a proper sentence together.” I bark a laugh but it sounds all wrong, as if it’s not me speaking.

He takes a breath.

“What I meant to say is that I don’t care about what you do while you’re here, but whatever this is”—he gestures at my face and neck—“whatever happened after I left yesterday, and I think I have an idea, even I can admit that it’s unacceptable.”

I stare at him coolly, pressing the bottle to my lips and taking another swig. My throat burns as I swallow even though I barely taste what I’m drinking anymore.

“Don’t tell me you’re suddenly gaining a conscience,” I start. “After everything you’ve done, you’re just as involved ashim.” I refuse to sayhisname out loud, swallowing it with another sip of rum.

He shakes his head slowly, shifting forward so his elbows are on his knees.

“I’m not, and I think you know that.”

“Then why am I still here? If you’re not like them, why did you help them bring me here, why are you not taking me home right now?” I challenge, my wall of numbness faltering as anger rises to the surface.

He rubs his face with his hands.

“Because Ican’t, okay?”

“What do you mean youcan’t? Youcan, but youwon’t,” I hiss.

“It’s complicated, okay?”

“Complicated?” I huff a laugh, resisting the urge to roll my eyes as I lift the bottle to my lips again, focusing on the warmth that spreads through my body as I keep drinking.

“It is complicated,” he insists, rubbing his face with his hands. “You wouldn’t understand. Not that I owe you an explanation anyway.”

“I don’t think it’s complicated at all,” I say, my voice growing louder. “I think you’re just like them, getting some sick satisfaction from this whole situation, all because of what? Someone owes your friend money?”

“I’m not like them—”

“You’re exactly like them,” I cut him off. “If you weren’t, I wouldn’t be sitting here with you acting like some guard dog—”

“He has enough shit on me to make my life a living hell,” he fires back.

“Oh, I’m sure your life is just horrible,” I say, sarcasm coating my words.

“He buried evidence for me and he’s dating my sister.” He deflates slightly as the words spill from his lips.

“What?” I’m too shocked to process the information.

He sighs before continuing, “I got caught doing something that isn’t exactly legal—”

“Kind of like keeping me here?” I cut in, my words slurring together slightly.

“Nothing like this,” he says, taking a breath before continuing. “I may have learned how to hack into some servers I shouldn’t have been able to hack into. Rhett was the only one who was game enough to help me. He buried evidence that could have put me behind bars for years.”

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