Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” I said.
Pepper didn’t look convinced. “Do you want me to send your momma back? I’d come back, but someone is going to have to control Micah. I’m the only one he might not punch.”
I rolled my eyes. “Momma can come back, but don’t leave me with her long. Please. She’s trying to take me to her house when I’m let out.”
Pepper raised her eyebrows. “Oh, I can promise you right now, that won’t happen.”
I wanted to reach out and hug her. “Thank you.”
She smiled. “Not me you need to thank, but nevertheless, I’ll go deal with the beast outside and send your momma back. If I can. I’m not making any promises. But I will do my damn best.” She turned and left the room without explaining herself.
I tried to reach the cup of ice, but moving hurt too much. Taking deep breaths was painful as well. In fact, just about everything was throbbing or aching in some way.
Loud voices caught my attention outside the door, and I listened, but it was muffled. There was some shouting, and the door swung open. Micah entered the room, looking…rough. His eyes were wild, his hair looked like he’d run his fingers through it and pulled it in different directions, and he was breathing hard.
“I tried!” Pepper called out as Micah closed the door, not taking his eyes off me.
He took long, determined strides toward me. When he reached me, he grabbed the edge of the bed, and his head fell forward as he let out a weary sigh.
“Fucking hell, Tink. You took years off my life, baby.” His hand slid under mine, and he held it. “There aren’t words to tell you how sorry I am.”
“Don’t,” I said, wincing from an agony worse than the injuries to my body. “I can’t. I know. You’re forgiven. Just go, Micah. Please.”
His blue eyes searched my face, and I realized they were bloodshot.
“No. I’m not going anywhere. There’s a real good chance I’ll never leave your side again. I can’t go through something like this again.”
I stared up at him, not real sure what he was saying. Guilt was one thing, but this seemed like more.
“Calista came to see me,” I told him.
He nodded, and a darkness settled over his expression. “I know. She’ll pay for it too. I won’t rest until she suffers a hell worse than what she did to you and what I was put through today.”
His hand tightened over mine, and he pulled the chair my mother had been sitting in up as close as it would get to the bed, then sat in it so he was eye level with me.
“She loves you,” I told him.
If he was going to force me to do this now, then I needed to rip myself wide open and get it done.
“No, Tink. She loves herself. She always has. But even if she did love me, it wouldn’t mean shit.” He leaned forward, his eyes locked on mine. “Because I’m so goddamn in love with you that I can’t see anyone else. I just see you. Everywhere I go, you’re all I think about. When shit gets bad, I want you because I know that when I see you, my world will be set right again. You’re my own little sunshine that I don’t deserve and I sure as shit never expected. But from the moment you looked at me across that bar with those gorgeous eyes, I wanted you. I just didn’t know then that I’d come to need you. You’re mine, Tink, but I’m yours. I can’t be anyone else’s. You own me.”
He reached over and brushed a tear from my cheek with his thumb. “Now, tell me you love me. I need to hear it. Today has threatened to take my damn soul. Love me, Tink.”
I sniffled. “I do.”
A small smile tugged at his lips. “I need to hear the words, baby. Give me that. Please.”
I turned my hand over in his and squeezed it back. “I love you, Micah Abe.”
36
Dolly
“Your momma hates me,” Micah said, walking into his room at the club, carrying a tray of food.
I sat up in bed and tried to hide my wince from the pain. I’d told him I didn’t need to take my pain medicine this morning. I hated the way it made me groggy.
“She’ll grow to love you,” I replied. “Did she call again?”
He nodded, setting the tray down. I could see Nina’s homemade bread and Goldie’s cheese grits, along with several other things. “She isn’t a fan of you being here. I think her exact words were, ‘You’re keeping her in the devil’s lair, and the Lord can’t heal her darkened soul if you don’t free her from the sinfulness in those walls.’ ”
A laugh bubbled out of me as he got the lap tray and set it over my legs.