Save Me. (Matthew Espinosa)

Chapter 4 - Safe

Matt's POV

"Would you like me to wheel her down?" an older nurse asks me as Lacey and I pass her by in the hospital corridor.

"No, thank you. I can handle it," I state politely but sternly. After the little encounter I continue to speed walk towards the elevator. Once we are successfully inside the small compartment and the heavy, metallic doors had slid closed, I look down at Lacey.

"Now, your dad is waiting in the lobby, right?"

"I think so.." She answers, slightly unsure. Even if he isn't, I'm not going to risk her getting caught.

"Whatever you do, keep your head down and don't talk. If he sees us, he can't know that it's you that I'm wheeling out." She nods her head in understanding and the door to the elevator opens on the ground floor. I wheel her out and I hear a gasp escape her lips, followed by the action of her whipping her head down. I assume that the only man standing in the lobby must be Lacey's father so I walk quickly to avoid making any unnecessary contact with him. I must admit, it's a little difficult and frustrating to just walk past such a waste of space when justice should be served. However, it's too risky to pull some heroic move and I just grit my teeth and focus on getting Lacey out of here.

"Hey!" A voice calls suddenly and I look up startled at first, and then relieved to see it's only a confused looking Nash.

"What the hell-"

"Shh!" I tell him harshly, keeping my head down as I continue pushing Lacey in her wheelchair.

"Walk. Now." I sternly and quietly demand of him and he does as told. I feel pressure and anxiety in my chest when I see Lacey's dad in my periphial vision not far from us, staring at us suspiciously. I continue to wheel her down the hall, Nash striding along beside us until we're completely out of sight from her father.

"Look, this is all really complicated and I don't really have time to explain," I begin in a hushed tone, "but I need to get her out of here. Now."

"What? I mean... Wait, what?" Nash shakes his head slightly in complete bafflement.

"I'll be at the hotel. Keep your mouth shut and don't repeat anything to anybody." Nash only stares at me in bewilderment as I wheel Lacey out of the exit to the hospital.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Lacey's POV

"Where are we going?" I ask Matt, his gaze focused out the windshield. His eyes flicker to me, only looking away from the road for a few moments before speaking.

"Well," he begins, "long story short, me and some of my 'viner' friends are on a tour called Magcon. We're only here in Dallas for about three more days, except we might have to stay a little longer because Cameron cut his foot. We'll be headed to Orlando, Florida next though. Right now, I'm just taking you to our hotel."

"What am I gonna do when you guys leave though?" I can't help the slight panic and despair from seeping into my voice.

"I won't leave you, Lacey. I promise. We may have just met but there's no way I'm going to leave you in a place where you're vulnerable to your dad. Speaking of him.." Matt's hand moves towards mine a bit as if he's going to grab it but he seems to decide against it, hand instead lying limp on the console. He glances over to me once more before continuing.

"I know you probably don't want to talk about everything that happened but I need to know.. to protect you." My heart thumps loudly in my chest, dread flowing through me. I knew the moment would come when I would have to speak about this to him, but I wasn't expecting it to be quite so soon.

I inhale shakily and then part my lips. Words tumble from my mouth as I explain everything from my mother dying during my birth to now when I finally stood up to him after all these years. He looks disheartened, forlorn features expressing how upset he is about my past. His hand that lied on the middle console engulfs mine by the end and I'm grateful for it. Tears escape from my eyes and I feel as though the only thing I've been doing is crying lately but I can't stop the salty liquid from running down my cheeks.

"Don't worry. You're safe with me. I can protect you." he tries to sooth me with his reassuring words, thumb rubbing over the back of my hand, squeezing gently every so often.

"P-please don't tell anybody, Matt. Please," I plead desperately just as we pull into the parking lot of a rather large hotel. If he tells anybody then the whole situation might get out of hand. My dad could find out and I'll just end up back in his violent arms. My body involuntarily shivers at the thought.

He turns off the ignition and shifts in his seat, facing me. His brown eyes look me straight into my green-blue ones. "Your secret is safe with me- You're safe with me" His hand cups my face, thumb softly brushing my tears away, a light peck being left on my forehead. I let his calming words repeat in my mind.

"You're safe with me."