Page 62 of Micro
Micro seemed absolutely stunned into silence, but he suddenly took a deep breath and spoke again, like he was coming out of some kind of fog, or something.
“Which brothers?”
They seemed to have been expecting that question, because there was no surprise on their faces, just a kind of grim defeat, like what was happening was the lesser of two evils, and they were forced into it. Who knows, maybe this Rossi guy was in charge, and forcing all of it.
“Rocket and Stag. Both are looking for a change of scenery, for different reasons, and they’re on board with this. They’ll follow you down in a few days, after they wrap up their shit here. It won’t be permanent until we see how things go for six months. At that point, they can choose where they settle, but you can’t. It’s this or death.”
Micro nodded, as if his harsh words were something gentle and kind, and maybe to him that’s how they seemed. Like it was what he was used to, like it was how he’d always been treated.
“Does he get to choose his VP?” I asked warily, because the chances were that they’d enforce that too. I knew it wasn’t my place to ask, but he seemed to be mostly in shock, and I wanted everything out in the open, before we left here.
“He doesn’t get one until we see how this goes. He’s a lone wolf, but he’ll get to make a recommendation on who it should be, and we’ll make the final decision. Understand this, Micro, you’ll be President, but you’re just a figurehead. If this goes badly, it’ll be your failure. If it’s successful, it’sourwin. So… that’s the deal, take it or leave it.”
Micro was silent, his eyes squeezed tightly shut, like he was holding back something, or maybe he was just overcome with shock and relief.
“This decision gets made right here and now, and then you get out of here and back on the road.”
“We don’t get to rest first? He’s been injured, and he needs sleep.”
Stitch shrugged, folding his arms resolutely, while Reacher simply watched Micro.
“It’s okay, babe,” he whispered, squeezing my hand, “this is more than I could have ever hoped for. Way more than I deserve. Thank you. I know you’re not doing it for me, but thank you. I promise I’ll do you proud. I’ll fucking grow a club you can be proud of, so you can patch it over, and then, I’ll do it anywhere else you send me.”
Reacher finally stood up, walking around the desk, and leaning back against it.
“This is the only club, kid. You get this one up to our standard, and you have a home there, with your old lady. We’re human, yeah? We made mistakes, and you made some bigger ones, and we can go on making mistakes, or we can try and find a new path for the future. This is the path, and we want it to be a success. You’ll be very tightly monitored, but you’ll be given a chance to prove yourself, and from there, a future.”
Micro stood up, dragging me with him. “I don’t deserve this, but I’m up for it. I’ll be what you need me to be, and I won’t throw this chance away. I get it. This is the last minute stay of execution I was fucking desperate for, and I won’t blow it.”
Reacher nodded. “Good. Now get out of here, and see Tommy on the way out. He’s packing up a few plates for you guys, and Nick’s driving you. Try not to fuck in the van this time though, or I’ll make you lick up any mess.”
Oh my god!I was mortified, turning and hiding against Micro’s chest.
“Tommy told you?”
Stitch barked out a laugh then. “You still had your earbuds in, dickhead. His music couldn’t drown everything out, and Ice was seriously pissed, since we had him on watch ’til you got back. Try not to bump into him on your way out.”
Oh god, oh god!! How did we forget those? We hurriedly removed the damn things from our ears, and deposited them on Reacher’s desk.
“One last thing,” Reacher said, as we turned to head for the door, “You’ll be getting therapy sessions with Lissa, via video chats, and she’ll help make you into a well-rounded individual. Your sessions will be confidential, of course, but don’t give her reason to doubt you. That’s not fair on her. Get it?”
Thirty-Four
Ittookallnightto get back to Soph’s place, and settle in, and she let Nick take the spare room for a rest, before he headed back. I didn’t go to my old room though, I went straight into hers, because if she’d declared her love for me, and we were still alive, I planned to make the most of every fucking second.
Her room had an ensuite shower, and I’d freshened up while she settled Nick in for the night, and we’d eaten on the journey, so I waited impatiently for her to shower too, since I wanted our second time together to be fucking special, and not up against the tiles or something.
“Micro?” I never thought I’d enjoy hearing my road name, but it seemed to slip from her lips like a fucking blessing. God, I’m turning into such a pussy.
“Babe, you put pyjamas on?” She bit her lip, glancing down at the satiny shorts and vest she’d covered up with, like a fucking cardinal sin.
“We have a guest here,” she hissed, approaching me warily, as I stood up, and tossed aside the towel I’d still had around my waist.
Her eyes immediately travelled down over my bare flesh, over my tattoos, the patched up burn on my chest, and the bandage around my upper arm. They kept sliding down over my skin, like she couldn’t stop them going there, right to my fucking cock, which was saluting her, my fucking goddess.
“Oh… wow…” she bit her lip as she stared right at it, “it’s… you have tattoos on… on your… wow…”
“If you don’t want to, we can just sleep,” I said quietly, but fuck, I really hoped she wanted to, because I needed inside her like you wouldn’t believe.
