Page 71 of Justice II

The anger came so fast I had to turn the radio off. Everything was getting on my nerves. The music, the directions, the driver in front of me taking his sweet-ass time turning into a shopping center.

I wanted to ask her why she hadn’t called me. I could already hear what she would say.

I had told her to leave.

I pressed my tongue against the inside of my cheek and kept driving.

She could throw that in my face when I got there. She could say whatever the fuck she wanted as long as she was still sitting in that waiting room.

When I pulled into the lot, I spotted her car before I found a space. I parked and got out with my phone still in my hand.

Through the glass entrance, I saw a row of chairs. A woman sat with a clipboard. Another stood at the counter.

Then I saw Melody.

She was sitting near the end of the room with her purse in her lap. Her head was down, and she kept rubbing the edge of a folded paper between her fingers.

I pulled the door open and stepped inside.

She looked up.

“Justice?”

I slammed the door behind me so hard the glass shattered. Somebody screamed. The woman at the counter jerked away as pieces scattered across the entrance.

I kept moving toward Melody.

She stood halfway before I reached her. I caught her by the upper arm and pulled her to her feet.

“Get your purse.”

“What the hell are you doing?”

“We’re leaving.”

“Let go of me.”

She tried to pull her arm back. I kept hold of her as she snatched her purse off the chair.

“Sir!” someone behind the counter shouted. “You need to let her go.”

I turned toward the entrance, taking Melody with me.

“Justice, stop!”

Her voice carried through the room. A woman rose from her chair as Melody pulled against my hand.

I kept walking.

“Don’t call the police,” Melody told the woman reaching for the phone. “Please. I know him. Don’t call them.”

I pushed through the entrance with her beside me. The air outside hit my face, but it didn’t cool shit down.

She jerked her arm again.

“Get your fucking hands off me.”

I released her. She stepped back, clutching her Coach bag while she stared at me.