Page 57 of Brutal Knight

At the sight of me, he paled. "It's you."

I had no idea who this guy was, but apparently he knew who I was. I didn’t answer.

"I'm sorry, sir," he said.

I rolled my window back up, forgetting about him and he sped off.

"Tati, baby, speak to me." She'd been throwing up the whole time. "Are you okay?"

She took several breaths, then I heard the phone move. "Yeah. I think I'm okay." Her voice was soft and vulnerable in a way I hadn't heard in a long time. "Can you come get me?"

"Tell me where you are."

"I'm not sure," her voice wobbled.

"Are there people surrounding you?"

"Yes. A girl. She stopped to ask if I'm okay."

My view of the world changed, and I suddenly believed in the goodness of people again. “Give her the phone."

There was a rustling noise and then a girl’s uncertain voice. "Hello?"

"Tell me where you are," I barked out, and the girl hesitated, stumbling over her words. It took her a while to answer.

“Las Vegas Boulevard.”

“What’s the closest street nearby.”

Again, it felt like it took her a fucking century to answer. “West Flamingo.”

I almost dropped the phone. That was only a few blocks away. I jumped out of my car, rushing in that direction, ignoring the beeping noise my car was making because I had my keys in my pocket.

"What's wrong with her?" I said into the phone, pushing people out of the way as I hit the strip.

"I'm not sure, she looked a bit drugged out." I growled at that, and the girl hesitated, stumbling over her words again. “I—I think. I’m not sure.”

"Her legs," I asked. "What's wrong with her legs?"

"Her legs?" the girl sounded confused. "Her legs are fine, but her shoulder is hurt. She's got blood on it." There was more background noise, it sounded like a guy and he was talking.

"What's your name, honey?"

"Her name is Tatiana,” I snarled. “And he doesn't need to know anymore about her."

“Hey! He’s just trying to help.”

I bit down on my response, trying to tamp down my anger, knowing it wouldn't help the situation. "What are you in front of? So I can find you.”

“Some water fountain thing.”

I was only a block away now. "Ok, I'll be there soon."

Within a minute, I could see them. Tatiana was curled up on the ground, and the couple hovered over her, worry on their faces.

Most people barely gave them a glance and I wanted to punch them all in the face. What the fuck kind of world did we live in where people just walked by something like that?

It made me want to burn the world down.

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