Page 51 of Discover Me
I laugh, charmed by his honesty. "That's more than most people can play. And I can definitely do something with that. Play those four notes again, on repeat."
Micah does as I ask, the simple melody filling the small space. I pick up the guitar and find a tune that complements it, weaving around his notes with something more complex. The harmony builds between us, two simple parts creating something more interesting together than either would be alone.
Micah grins at me as he keeps playing, his good hand dancing across the keys. For a few minutes, we just exist in this bubble of music and connection, creating something together without pressure or expectations. This is what I've been missing, thispure joy of making music with someone just because it feels good.
I end the song and place the guitar down carefully, my chest tight with emotion. Micah stops playing and comes over to me, straddling my lap in the chair. His good hand frames my face and he pulls me into a heavy kiss.
The kiss deepens quickly, his tongue sliding against mine as my hands automatically go to his hips. I slide them down to grip his ass, pulling him closer until we're pressed together completely. He makes a sound into my mouth, somewhere between a moan and a sigh, and I want to hear it again.
My hands tighten on his ass, fingers digging into the muscle there. Micah grinds down against me and I can feel him getting hard through his jeans. Heat floods through me, arousal spiking fast. We're in a practice room where anyone could walk in, but right now I don't care. Right now I just want him.
Then the door bursts open and Tom stands there, his expression thunderous. "What the fuck is going on?"
Micah freezes on my lap, his face flushing red with embarrassment or anger or both. I keep my hands on him, refusing to let Tom's intrusion make this something shameful.
"You guys are supposed to be playing into a relationship, not actually having one." Tom's voice rises, his anger palpable. "I know that it's a temptation to get your dick wet, Kellan, but maybe not this one. He's temporary. He's a means to an end. This was supposed to be professional."
I grimace, my jaw clenching. "Get out, Tom."
"I think I underestimated your need to screw things up." Tom ignores me, his attention shifting to Micah. "So from now on, Mr. Davis, you'll return to your house until the breakup portion of your contract. A car will pick you up and drop you off for any required appearances, but you won't be staying with Kellananymore. I don't trust things to not blow up in my face between you two."
"You can't do that." I stand, forcing Micah to climb off my lap. "The contract says he stays with me for appearances. Selling the relationship requires us to be together."
"The contract says he participates in promotional activities as required." Tom's smile is sharp. "Living arrangements aren't specified beyond the initial period. Consider this a modification to better serve the project goals."
Tom storms out, slamming the door behind him. The silence he leaves behind is deafening, oppressive.
Micah deflates immediately, all the tension draining out of him. He places his head on my shoulder, his weight heavy against me. I wrap my arms around him, holding him close.
"Fuck, I'm sorry." The words feel inadequate. "This is my fault. I should have locked the door, should have been more careful."
"It was going to happen anyway at some point." Micah's voice is muffled against my shirt. "Tom was looking for a reason to separate us. I still know where you live though. He can't stop me from visiting."
"When you say it like that, it sounds like a threat." I try for humor but it falls flat. Nervous laughter escapes me and I cup Micah's face, tilting it up so I can see his eyes. "But I can see fear there. Real fear. What's going on? Is it those Alphas who hurt you?"
Micah pulls away slightly, his expression guarded. "They're roaming the streets and I fucking hate it. I see them around town, at the grocery store, at the gas station. Everywhere I go, there's a chance I'll run into them. I can sue them with the money I got from this contract, but it won't be immediate. Civil cases take time. Jamie is looking into a protective order, but that's just a piece of paper."
"Who's Jamie?" The name is familiar but I can't place it.
Micah laughs, the sound a little broken. "Just a friend who's been helping me with everything. My best friend, really. He's been checking on my house, dealing with the legal stuff, keeping me grounded through all this chaos. But I'd rather not be at home while Derek and Colt are still roaming around. The house feels unsafe now that they know where I live."
"Fuck, I don't want you there either." The thought of Micah alone in that house, vulnerable to those Alphas who already hurt him once, makes my skin crawl. "Stay with Jamie then. Or get a hotel. I'll pay for it."
"I'll call Jamie, okay?" Micah pulls out his phone, already scrolling through his contacts. "See if I can crash at his place for a bit."
"Why aren't they in jail?" The question comes out harsher than I intend. "They assaulted you. Nearly killed you. How are they just walking around free?"
Micah stands, creating distance between us. His expression shuts down, walls going up. "Because there weren't any eyewitnesses that saw the whole thing. People saw me falling and saw me on the ground after. But nobody actually saw Derek and Colt shaking the ladder. It's my word against theirs, and apparently that's not enough for assault charges."
Something clicks in my mind, a memory from that day. "I saw the end of it. When I came around the corner, they were at the bottom of the ladder and it was moving. I told the police that when they interviewed me. I couldn't really describe the guys because I was focused on you, but if I saw them again, I could absolutely identify them. Point them out and confirm they were the ones there that day."
"I can't ask you to do that." Micah shakes his head. "Getting involved in my mess, testifying in a potential trial, dealing with legal proceedings. That's too much."
I stand and close the distance between us. "You're not asking anything of me that I wouldn't do for anyone else. This isn't about our relationship or the contract or any of that. This is about holding people accountable for hurting someone. Go home, or go to Jamie's, wherever you feel safe. And I'll talk to that officer who interviewed me, what was his name? Morrison? I'll talk to him and we'll get this straightened out."
Micah looks at me for a long moment, something shifting in his expression. "You'd really do that? Get involved in all of this?"
"Of course I would." I cup his face again, making sure he hears me. "You matter to me. What happens to you matters. If I can help make sure those assholes face consequences for what they did, then that's what I'm going to do."
