Page 13 of Bombshell

“All right then,” I replied with a nod.

It looked as if he was going to smile, but he didn’t. Instead, he turned and headed for the stairs. I had to almost run to keep up with him and his long legs, but I didn’t mind. The quicker we got out of here, the better. I wasn’t going to complain again. I was going home.

When we reached the bottom step, I paused and looked back at the red door. I hadn’t eaten one bite of the food Nina had left for me. I should have at least taken the cake with me. Micah wasn’t stopping as he headed to the door. I’d have to send her an apology for not having eaten any of it. Not wanting to chance him changing his mind, I sighed and hurried after him.

It was dark when we stepped outside, and the evening air was its usual warm, balmy temp. Micah led me past the bikes to a large, shiny black truck with four doors. He stopped and jerked open the passenger door, then held out his hand to me. As much as I didn’t want to take it, I knew I was going to need help getting up in this thing. It was too far off the ground for me. I slid my hand in his, and when he wrapped his larger hand around mine, I tried not to feel anything, but the tingling sensation came anyway. Perhaps some things never changed. I managed to quickly get inside so I could let go of him as fast as I could. There was no good to come of me tingling anywhere because of Micah Abe.

“Nice ass, Tink,” he replied before closing the door and walking around the front of the truck to the driver’s side.

My face was instantly warm, and I would be lying if I said the fact that Micah had just complimented my butt didn’t make me feel slightly giddy. The little girl with a crush was inside, doing a happy dance right now, completely oblivious to the grown-up Dolly, who knew she needed to stop it. Besides, hadn’t I been sure just hours ago that I was in love with Canyon? What kind of person was I turning out to be?

Micah climbed into the truck, and I reached for the seat belt to buckle up, trying not to think about how nice he smelled. Perhaps I just needed a man candle. I clearly had a thing for their scent. Rolling my eyes at my thoughts, I turned my head to stare out the window. Looking at Micah Abe was a massive mistake I would not make.

Once we were pulling out of the gated compound, or whatever he called it, I relaxed slightly. I would be home soon. In my own little space. With my things. I could take a bubble bath and wash this day away with a glass of my favorite prosecco.

“Pep is meeting us at your apartment,” Micah said, breaking into my thoughts.

I turned my head to look at him now. “Why?” I asked, still confused about why she hadn’t responded to my text or calls.

“Because I stopped by the bar and told her I had you, why I had you, and that I was going to send protection home with you. She isn’t expecting me to be that protection because that wasn’t the plan when I spoke with her.”

I frowned at the idea of needing anyone there to keep me safe from Canyon. “You can’t mean you’re actually staying with me?”

He glanced at me with a look that said he clearly didn’t like the idea of it either. “Not much choice.”

“Canyon wouldn’t hurt me.”

The one hand Micah had on the steering wheel tightened, and his jaw clenched. “Yeah, Tink, he would. If you had just stayed at the club, then this would all be a nonissue.”

“For crying out loud,” I argued. “He has been alone with me many times. If he were going to hurt me, he would have by now.”

Micah sighed heavily. “Just talk to Pepper. I’m tired of this same argument.”

His annoyance with me only ignited my temper. How dare he get annoyed with me! I was the one who had the right to be annoyed. Me! Not him!

“As much as I love Pepper, she can’t tell me something about someone she don’t know. I never introduced her to Canyon. I told you, she didn’t know I was dating him. You’re making this into something it ain’t.”

Micah’s jaw was working, and I noticed the veins in his neck. He was angry.

Fine. Be angry. Join the club.

I was furious and tired of being treated like a child. My momma already did that enough. I didn’t need him adding to it.

“Pepper ever tell you how she lost her virginity?” he asked, his voice tight as he spoke through clenched teeth.

“Yes,” I replied, not sure how this had anything to do with me and Canyon.

She’d lost her virginity at sixteen to a man who was too old for her and had used her. She had thought he loved her. I remembered her crying as she had told me about it years ago.

I was a grown woman. I knew better. It wasn’t the same.

“The guy who did it was Canyon Acree.”

Micah’s hard response settled on me as I sat there, staring at him. Waiting for him to say joking or just kidding. But he said nothing. His body remained rigid. His hand gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were white. He was serious.

Oh my God. No. This wasn’t right. He was confused. Canyon wouldn’t do that.

I replayed that day and all she had said. The weeks that followed and how she was withdrawn, even from me. How I had sat with her in silence and held her hand for hours in my room. Neither of us saying anything. Just sitting there.

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