Page 81 of The Tempted

I don’t know how long I slept for but when I awoke every bone in my body ached. My guess it had to do with sleeping in the chair beside Mikey but I’d take the discomfort any day of the week before I left his side again. I sit up and find Mikey smiling at me.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” I ask as I yawn.

“You’re so pretty when you sleep,” he says his voice sounds more like his own than when he first woke up, but you could tell there was still a strain when he talks. He brings the pillow that the nurse gave him in case he coughs to his abdomen I guess when he speaks it hurts him. I lace my fingers with his and sit on his bed. “Are you okay?” he asks me concern etched along his handsome face.

“I’m fine,” I say confidently. “I was a little dehydrated, but they put fluids in me and now I’m good as new.”

He looks down at my wrist his thumb tracing the red lines that mark my skin where I was tied, “I could kill that bastard.”

I smile. “You already did.”

“Good,” he says closing his eyes briefly. “Hey, Nikki?”

“Yeah?” I ask his eyes are still closed but he smiles.

“I’m going to marry you someday,” he opens his eyes and raises an eyebrow towards me testing me.

“Good,” I mimic treating him with a wink watching as his smile widens. We stay like that for a few moments just smiling like a bunch of lovesick clowns when there is a knock on the sliding glass doors. We turn around to see my father walk into the room and I notice the same cops who questioned me are outside Mikey’s room, standing by the door, they’re probably here to question Mikey and get his statement.

“It’s good to see you awake Michael,” my dad says walking closer to us. “The doctor says you’re likely to make a full recovery as long as you listen to them,” he cocks his head to the side a knowing smile playing on his lips we all know Mikey doesn’t follow rules well.

“I plan on being the perfect patient,” Mikey says looking at me.

My father waits for a beat before letting out a heavy sigh glancing over his shoulder at the cops that are by the door before turning back to us. “I don’t have much time, so I better cut to the chase.”

I peel my eyes from Mikey and look at my father confused. “Are you going back home?” I guess he had loose ends to tie up and all that, not to mention I had been so preoccupied with what was going on here that I didn’t even think to ask about my sister or Anthony.

“Yes,” he said looking down for a minute before lifting his gaze to Mikey’s. “I just came to check on you son. I can’t thank you enough for what you did,” he looked at me when he spoke. “Taking that bullet for my daughter,” he shook his head. “I’ll never be able to repay you.”

“I’d do it again in a heartbeat Vic. I love her,” Mikey squeezed my hand.

My dad’s eyes moved from mine back to Mikey’s nodding slightly. “I think that would’ve made your father as happy as it makes me,” he paused. “Can I ask a favor?”

Mikey looked at my father, his eyes showing as much confusion as mine. I didn’t know where my father was going with this conversation, but I didn’t like the feeling that I had in the pit of my stomach.

“Go ahead,” Mikey urged.

“Will you take care of my little girl?” I watched as my father’s eyes welled with tears. “I didn’t do the right thing by her always and I just want…,” he wiped away a tear. “I just want to make sure that someone finally does. I don’t deserve the peace of mind, but if you could just give it to me anyway I’d appreciate it.”

My father’s words stung because I knew the guilt he was feeling was because of the lashing I had given him before. I didn’t mean to make him feel so horrible about himself, especially about the kind of father he was. Regardless of everything, my father did provide a beautiful life for me and my sister we never longed for a thing and most of all we never felt neglected or unloved. I felt awful for making him think otherwise.

“Daddy, I didn’t mean for you…,” I started only for him to cut me off.

“Shh, it’s okay,” he whispered. “It’s going to be okay, I promise. Mikey’s going to take care of you—you’ll take care of each other,” he sighed heavily before glancing over his shoulder at the police officers that were watching us intently.

“Daddy, what’s going on?” I cried nervously.

“Nikki come here,” Mikey said as he held my father’s gaze knowingly. I diverted my eyes back and forth between my dad and Mikey wishing one of them would clue me in.

“I’ll take care of her,” Mikey vowed taking my hand in his and pulling me towards him with whatever little strength he had.

“Would someone please tell me what’s going on?”

My father turned around to face the police giving them a curt nod before turning back around and meeting my gaze his eyes asking for my forgiveness. The police stepped inside Mikey’s hospital room, stopping to stand right behind my dad.

“Victor Pastore you are under arrest for the murder of Rico Sanchez. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney if you can’t afford one, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights as they have been given to you?”

“I do,” my father said eyes fixed on me.

---