Page 25 of Bombshell

He shrugged. “It’s enjoyable though.”

Enjoyable. That was a good thing. He was enjoying himself.

His hand reached over and took mine. My gaze dropped to see his thumb brush over the small red welt that the espresso had left this morning.

“You want me to get an ice pack?” he asked.

I shook my head, not sure I could form words. Micah grinned, then lifted my hand to his mouth and brushed his lips over the tender flesh. The butterflies in my stomach morphed into something much more intense. They were more like a bunch of crazed seagulls.

“You even smell sweet,” he murmured against my skin.

I was sure I might just pass out right now. Micah Abe was kissing my hand—or as close to kissing as one could get—and telling me I smelled sweet.

“You sure you don’t want me to get you one of those pretty little pink ice packs? I don’t like the idea of you being in pain.”

Good Lord almighty, had I fallen asleep, or was this really happening?

I started to shake my head when a loud knock rattled my door.

“Dolly, babe. Open up!” Canyon called from the other side.

Oh no. This was a bad thing. A real bad thing.

Micah dropped my hand and shot up from the sofa.

I scrambled to follow him as he started stalking to the door. He was almost there when I managed to wrap my hands around his arm to attempt to stop him.

“Micah, wait!” I begged, not sure what would happen if he opened that door.

“Let go, Tink,” he demanded.

“DOLLY!” Canyon shouted from the other side of the door. “You’re not answering my calls or texts. Talk to me, baby.”

Micah’s eyes locked with mine. “He’s called and texted you?” he asked me in an accusing tone.

“We were dating,” I exclaimed. “I didn’t respond. You heard him.” I didn’t like the way he was looking at me, as if I had done something wrong.

He jerked his arm free, and his hand went to his back, just under the leather vest he was wearing. Fear sliced through me as he pulled out a gun. Panicking as tears filled my eyes, I didn’t reach for his arm this time. Guns terrified me.

“Micah, don’t, please,” I begged.

His jaw clenched, and it only made the perfect angles of his face appear sharper. “I told him to stay the fuck away from you,” he said through clenched teeth. “He was using you, Dolly. What part of that do you not understand?”

Even though I’d already known this, it still hurt to hear him say it. I’d loved two men in this world—or at least, I thought I had. Micah had been the first and Canyon the second, but then with Micah, I had been too young. With Canyon, I had been…blinded.

“Just let me talk to him. Do you have to get the gun out for that? It’s a touch too much, don’t you think?”

“Go to your bedroom and lock the door,” he clipped out.

They were only words, but the memory came flooding back with it. I closed my eyes tightly, fighting it off.

“One hundred twenty-two,” I whispered. “One hundred twenty-two.”

Another loud knock. “Dolly! Come on, baby. Please.”

This was not happening. There was no gun. I wouldn’t lock myself in my bedroom.

“One hundred twenty-two.”

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