Don't Say Anything

51. Lies And Fights

Will's POV

"Don't fucking touch her!" I say as soon as I put Jessi in my car. The asshole is on the ground with one of his hands on his right eye and the other on this nose. I didn't even hit him that hard. I would beat him to a pulp if I wasn't so worried about getting Jessi out of here.

"I didn't know... She was alone..."

"Save it for when the cops come." I didn't actually call the cops. Everyone knows not to walk in this section of town, so it's half Jessi's fault. It doesn't look like he really hurt her, not saying he wasn't planning on it. The police threat will freak him out for a little bit.

I jog around to the other side of the car and get in without looking back at the guy. We need to get out of here, right now. I don't think twice as I pull out of the homeless street and into the busy traffic. Then I look over at Jessi. I'm so pissed at her right now. 

Her head is against the window and she's staring straight ahead. Her body is shaking a lot more than it should be in a car that's barley moving. Oh, God. She can't be having a panic attack right now.

"Jessi!" She doesn't move her gaze.

"Jessica Black, please look at me!"

Not this shit again. I think it scares me just as much as it's scaring her. I'm trying to remember what I did that time at her house that made her finally snap out of it. Oh, right! I talked really calmly. Damn I'm so round up, I don't know if I can be calm.

"Jess," I say as softly as I can. The traffic is at a standstill, so I'm able to reach over and hold her face.

"Jess, please look at me. Please come back to me."

She blinks and her eyes connect with mine, but she's still shaking and she still looks lost.

"Fuck, are you alright?" I say returning my hands to the wheel so I can drive.

I can't tell if she nodded her head voluntarily or not.

"Talk to me, Jess."

"I'm fine," she says in a squeaky voice.

It's the second time this has happened, and I can't think of anything to connect the two incidents. At least I understand this one a little better. It makes sense to be freaked out when you think some sicko homeless guy is going to rape you, but I've been trying to figure out the last time for a month. There's got to be some connection between the two.

"We'll talk when we get to the hotel."

Her eyes widen. "No, no. I need to get to my car."

"You think I'm going to let you drive like this? You need to rest. There's a Conrad up at this corner."

"Conrad?"

I don't like hearing her talk like this. It reminds me of how Leah used to talk when I was a teenager. There's pain in her voice that I can't put my finger on. I hate listening to it, because I know there is nothing I can do.

"It's a hotel owned by Hilton. Don't talk anymore. We're almost there."

I don't like going to places associated with Ethan, but it's the closest place, and I bet every hotel down here is booked for tonight. I just want to take her home, but it would take hours to exit the city with this fucking construction.

It takes five minutes just to move three buildings, and my frustration is steadily growing. I pull into a parking space and Jessi is still staring at me. She can tell I'm mad.

"Can you walk?" I ask as nicely as I can; although, it doesn't come out very nice.

"Yes. I said I was fine, Will."