Page 45 of Micro
I brushed the back of my free hand over my mouth as I straightened back up, and he was holding out a bottle of water for me. I blinked dumbly at it for a few moments, not really believing that he was doing something for me.
“It’s okay, take it.”
He’d already removed the lid so I lifted it to my mouth, and rinsed with the first mouthful, spitting it to my side again, and then I drank, and I fucking drained that bottle. My stomach clenched painfully, and I wondered if it’d even stay down, but I needed it.
“Thanks,” I said, as he took the empty bottle back and laid it on the floor beside him.
“Maybe it was poisoned,” Reacher said lightly, sitting back again, but I found myself grinning at him.
“Never expected poison to taste so good, but still, thank you.”
He cleared his throat and I knew a serious question was coming. A lifechanging one. I just hoped I’d have the right answer for him, not for me, but for Soph, and her sister. They were all that mattered now.
“Why go after our old ladies? Why not come straight for me and Stitch? Was it cowardice?”
Shit. I glanced down at my free wrist, at the red lines and bruised skin, as if I’d find the answer there.
“Honestly?”
He rolled his eyes. “No, I’m here for more of your lies.”
“I think I’d pretty much come to love living here, but the old ladies changed that. Not because it meant we couldn’t all cut loose, that was just macho bullshit I hid behind. Because it showed me that you and Stitch got your happy ending, while you cut dad’s short. It was like a kick in the gut, like look at us living the big life, while he’s worm food.”
Reacher opened his mouth, but it snapped closed again, and he nodded once.
“You nearly killed Ally. You nearly took the most important person in my life.”
I nodded, but had to open my mouth too, because when would I get another chance to say this shit.
“I was aiming for you, but you both changed direction at the last second, and I couldn’t manoeuvre in time. At that point, I was honestly gunning for you.”
He leaned forward and raised his hand and, for a moment, I think he really was planning to hit me, but the tension left him, and he sat back again.
“If you’d just come at us guys, maybe this could have been worked out, but you went for our women. You went for what matters most to us. You went for people we’d die for, and now, what? We’re supposed to forgive that, because you’ve found yourself a nice lady? She got magic pussy or something?”
“Don’t you fucking talk about her like that! You wanna come at me, you come at me…Jesus…” He smirked at me, as he saw his point hitting me right in the balls. “Well played,” I murmured, and he angled his head at me. A sort of nod.
“Look, right now, we need to get that kid out of trouble, and that means I’m gonna do something crazy here. Fuck us, and it’s the end of the line. You save the kid, and then you get back here for your club justice.”What?I sat up straighter.
“You’re gonna let me go rescue her?”
“I’m a fucking idiot, but looks that way.” He cut the tie on my other wrist, and handed me the knife, while I stared at him in shock.
“I ain’t getting on my knees to cut you free, fucker. You’ll do it, and give that right back, or you’ll die right here.” Something about the expression on his face convinced me, even though I was fully intending to toe the line. The old me would have jammed this knife up under his ribs, and carved out his fucking heart.
“Thank you. Do we have intel on whether the Rogues definitely have her?” Reacher took the knife back and tucked it away, as I struggled up from the chair, and groaned as my stomach clenched on nothing but water, and my shoulder and chest throbbed from my injuries.
“Can I get some painkillers, so I’m of use, by the way?”
Reacher groaned, and gestured for me to walk ahead of him, not trusting me at his back.
“So you’re already making demands, huh?”
I started up the stairs without answering, because it wasn’t really a question, even if he’d pitched it like one.
“Ice will have an update for me when we get upstairs. You’ll stay quiet and listen. Jesus, you stink. Did you piss yourself in there?”
I laughed, even though it wasn’t exactly funny, but lock a guy up for hours with no toilet, and he’s likely to pee. For the record, I hadn’t, but I knew I smelled sweaty and disgusting.
