Page 71 of Micro
“You stay the fuck away from Soph, or I’ll hunt you down from Hell, and destroy you.”
He lashed out with the gun, smacking me across the side of my face, and for fuck’s sake, what was with everyone hitting me today?
The deafening bang, of a gun going off a second later, had me wondering if I was alive or dead, and what the fuck had happened, but as Burn’s body crumpled at my feet, I met Grease’s eyes as he lowered his own piece. That sudden warmth and wetness against my fucking face and neck? You don't wanna know.Ugh.
“Sorry, Pres. Just taking out the trash. Did I get you?” Jesus fuck, this guy saved my life? He grinned, and I let out a raspy breath, as I rested a hand over my heart.
“Took ya time, man. And no, you didn’t get me, dickhead. Thanks, though. Fuck me, thanks.”
Grease nodded at the corpse.
“Found all kinds of shit on this fucker in their system. He shoulda been banged up a long time ago, but this club had a habit of covering up a whole lot of shit the members did, while keeping very stringent records, presumably for collateral to keep them in line. I was gonna recommend we end him, so uh… yeah, guess I nailed that. Item one off the to-do list.”
He tucked his gun away, typical mafia bastard, carrying a fucking gun, but thank fuck.
“Guess we need prospects to clean shit up, right?” He scratched his jaw as he backed away from the spreading pool of blood emanating from what used to be Burn’s head.
“Yeah. We have one, but I can get some others on it with him. We good, man?”
He lifted a shoulder, looking like he didn’t care one way or another.
“You don’t fuck with me, and I won’t fuck with you. I’m here to do a job, and I’d rather make it easy on myself, so I’ve got your back, if you’ve got mine.” He stuck a hand out, and I shook it, nodding at him.
“You know it. I guess I should get back to Soph, and make sure she’s okay.”
“Have fun telling her how you nearly came home without a face, women love that shit.”
Sophie
Themanwhocamehome to me was beaten, bloody, and exhausted. What the hell had happened in the few hours we’d been apart?
He waved off my concern and went straight for the shower, and when he came out, I was waiting by my bed with some clothes for him, and the first aid kit. He smiled, his eyes lighting up as he saw me there.
“Aw, babe, you’re a sight for sore eyes, and I mean that literally.”
“What did they do to you?”
He laughed, cupping my face with his big warm hands, and dropping a kiss on my forehead.
“Everyone has a beef with me, but it’s all good, babe. We got rid of the other one Harley warned me about, and Grease is onside. It’s good. How are you doing though?” The concern was back in those rich brown eyes of his, and I loved that, even beaten and hurting, he cared more about my wellbeing. How could this be the same man who did such awful things?
“Soph, nothing can change the things I did, no matter how much I wish that could happen, but I’m not the same man. Nearly dying changed me, but more than that,youchanged me. You brought out a side of me I didn’t know was in there, inme. I’m… Jesus… a real pussy, listen to me.”
I dragged him down to sit beside me on the bed, half hoping that towel would drop off as he moved, but it didn’t.
“I know you did bad things, and I know that the people you hurt have every reason, and every right, to hate you for it, but you’ve only ever been good, and kind, and gentle with me. You’ve made every day better, since you’ve been in my life. I honestly can’t reconcile that with the man they describe, with the things you’ve admitted to doing. I know you didn’t rape anyone, and despite apparently threatening things like that, with women who deserved better, you never crossed that line. I’m not saying this makes you a good person, but I’m saying who you are now is what makes you a good person. The things you’re doing to make amends. They can try and turn me against you, but it’s never going to happen, I promise. I had a bad moment today, but it won’t happen again.”
Micro sighed, taking my hand and lifting it to his lips, kissing each of my fingers gently.
“I’ll work so hard to be that better man every day, Soph, for you, because you’re the reason for all of it. I shouldn’t still be alive, but I am because of you, and I got a second chance because of you, and I feel like life actually fucking matters now, like there’s a reason I’m alive. It’s you. I’m alive because you exist, and I need to be beside you always.”
“Let me patch you up, because I’ll feel better about all this deep heartfelt stuff when you’re not bleeding, and hurting.”
He chuckled softly, kissing my fingers again.
“When I’m with you, there’s no such thing as pain, babe.”
I reached up, and pressed my finger gently beside the bleeding cut on his cheek, and he hissed in a breath.
