Page 71 of Ice
Lissa’s eyes widened. “Oh my god, I should go.”
I grabbed her hand, making sure my grip was good and tight.
“Not. Fucking. Going. Anywhere.” My words were gritted out against a wave of pain and nausea, which I really fucking hoped would stop with whatever the fuck Doc had given me.
“Oh god. Can I get a cool cloth or something for his head?” Lissa was finally meeting Doc’s eyes, and I watched him closely to make sure he behaved.
“I got some shit over there you can use.” He pointed to a drawer, and she dug out a cloth, and ran to the sink to soak it in water.
“Good one you got there, brother. Don’t let her slip through your fingers.”
I met his grin with a sharp one of my own.
“Not fucking planning on it.”
Did it feel like heaven when she started dabbing at my face with that cool damp cloth? Hell to the yes. The way her eyes were on mine the whole time, it was fucking everything. She cared. She fucking cared about me. She might not have used the ‘L word’ like I had yet, but she was getting there, even if I was the reason that she had nothing left but me. Jesus, when I put it like that, even I wondered what the fuck she was still doing here.
The door opened, and Reacher stood there looking exhausted, but then when didn’t he? We’d had a dramatic couple of months in the club, and I could see every fucking day of it wearing on him. Fucker needs a break. He had a heart condition after all.
“Hey, Pres. You remember Lissa, right?” I offered him a shit-eating grin, but weirdly even that seemed to fucking hurt right now.
“Yeah, thanks, Jackass, I get your point. Doc, can we get a minute?”
Doc was good at disappearing rapidly, so a minute later the door closed, and it was just the three of us. Lissa was chewingher lip, as she carried on mopping my face like it was sweating a whole hell of a lot more than it actually was.
“How are you feeling?”
I shrugged, feigning carelessness.
“Like a junkie who really needs a fix.”Lissa gasped, and Reacher shook his head.
“But we’re not going to let that happen again, are we?”
Lissa looked at him then. “Is that directed at me? Because I tried to stop him last time, and I’ll do anything to stop him if he tries again.”
Reacher sighed, dragging a hand through his hair.
“I told you not to come back here-”
“Pres-”
“Let me finish, please. I was pissed. I was an asshole. If my old lady is to be believed, the words were uh… ‘hypocritical asshole from hell’ and she wasn’t wrong. I messed up your job, and ruined things for you, Doc, and I’m really sorry. I don’t necessarily think you’re the right person to be helping Ice, but I shouldn’t have done what I did.”
I grabbed her hand as she tried to retreat.
“Reacher, that’s the shittest apology I’ve ever heard, even from you, and I’ve known you a while. She didn’t cause my relapse. If anything, she delayed it longer than it would have been. If it hadn’t been… uh… I was on a knife edge anyway. She gives me something to live for. A reason to want to succeed.” She was too fucking quiet. It was like she felt intimidated by him or something. Where was the sassy woman from that first meeting?
“Lissa?”
She was slow to meet my eyes, but she did it at last.
“Don’t be cowering in front of him, or trying to fucking be submissive, or some shit. He’s just the Club President. I’m your fucking man, and you sure as hell don’t do that with me, nor would I want you to.”
Her lips twitched. “I’m just… look, I know I haven’t shown my best self since you guys have known me, but I’m actually, well… not always a fuck up. I swear, I earned my doctorate through hard work, and commitment, and until I met Ice, I hadn’t put a foot wrong. Not during my entire life. I’m ashamed of the way things have gone, because I’ve always done my best to…” she sighed, “to be a sanctimonious asshole. My god, listen to me. Why the hell did I think I’d be the best person to try and guide people, when I’m getting fed up with the sound of my own voice.”
I dragged her fingers to my lips.
“I’m not. Keep talking, babe.”
