Free The Right Thing by Allyson Young Page B

Well, will asshole go
away? Or is he gonna stalk you?”
    “Thanks for not running screaming from the room, Donna,” McKenzie
said wryly, amazed to find any humor in the situation. “It means a lot. And I
honestly don’t know what Michael’s going to do. I’m trying not to think about
it.”
    “ I’m working hard at not
thinking about what you and him did together. Or should I say what he did to you , girlfriend. But I know controlling
guys well enough, and they always want the last word. Lots of them are just
plain assholes, through and through. Maybe it’s better if you talk to him, you
know, in a neutral place, like a Switzerland thing. I’ll have your
back and you can break up with him. How’s that sound?”
    “It sounds like a plan, but Michael isn’t easily dissuaded.”
    “Well, I can arrange for someone to fix him, if you want.”
    McKenzie felt herself boggling at Donna who apparently just offered
to have Michael killed. “You mean…” Voice faltering.
    Donna laughed. “Please. I don’t have those kinds of contacts. But I know some guys who’ll beat him
bloody, if that will help.”
    “No. No, that’s okay. I appreciate your help but I don’t want to
bring the police into it. Michael has a lot of money and power in this city.
You’d get in trouble.” Holy crap, what was she opening up here? Michael beaten
bloody? She felt everything Michael felt. It would kill her .
      “Girlfriend, there’s no way
the cops would figure out who laid one on Mikey . But
if you don’t want it, then we’ll just have to figure out another way.”
    McKenzie laughed, though the sound falling past her lips didn’t
resemble laughter. It sounded like a cough an old man with asthma might make,
and didn’t fool Donna. “I need somewhere to hide out, but I can’t afford not to
work. I’m barely making enough as it is, and I can’t impose on the Lees and
Mrs. Wu for too long. Michael’s going to track me down and he’ll make their
lives miserable. I just don’t know how I’ll be able to resist him. I know I
sound like one of those swooning southern belles in Gone With The Wind .”
    Donna’s look suggested she had no idea what Gone With The Wind was, and probably didn’t get the reference to
southern belles either, but gave ’Kenzie a little knowing smile anyhow. “Well,
now I know the mess you’re in, I’ll think on it. For sure asshole’s going to
hang around, and if he screws with business then the Lees might do something
about him themselves. They got contacts too.”
    McKenzie put her head in her hands. “That’s another thing I want to
avoid, Donna. I don’t want to cause any trouble. I think I should just move on.
Do you have somewhere I could go? I hate to ask, but maybe you have a relative
or somebody? I can do anything for work.”
    “Well, you proved that, kid. You and your pretty hands and pampered
look. Me and Lisa thought you wouldn’t last a day, but you’re stronger than you
come across. Must be something to do with that BDSM stuff. Let me think on it.
I don’t have any family I’d trust with you, but I’ll ask around and maybe
somebody will have an idea. Meantime I’ll walk you to work if you promise to
ignore the asshole. You don’t have to go in tomorrow though. Mr. Lee said for
you to take a day off and he’ll pay you. The boss insisted.”
    “Okay.” The word sounded faint, and weak, but was all McKenzie could
manage.
    Donna didn’t stay much longer. They finished the coffee and McKenzie
walked the other woman to the front door. Donna wrapped an arm around her
shoulders and squeezed out a side hug. McKenzie allowed herself to accept the
comfort and allow herself some hope, even if her heart ached. She needed to put
distance between her and Michael. It was the right thing to do.

 
     
     
    Chapter Six
     
    Michael wasn’t proud of himself, but like the DNA testing, it didn’t
matter about anyone else. Pride went before his fall. He was putting this thing
with