“So maybe you should stop talking about him?” I suggested sweetly.
“So Harry, how long have you been into music?” Dee cut in. Harry smiled and began chatting. The tension eased.
I sighed and sank into my seat, silently thanking her for her subtle diversionary tactic. I needed a few minutes alone with my thoughts, even if they had my stomach twisted in knots as I thought about Sax. Was he hurt? Harry looked pretty messed up. What the hell had they been fighting about?
***
So glad I decided to come.
I sighed and ran my finger around the rim of my glass, wishing I’d just stayed at home. I was sitting alone at the bar after being abandoned by everyone. Dee had followed Harry outside like a puppy after he’d invited her to get some fresh air.
I snorted. ‘Fresh air’ my ass. This was supposed to be a way for me to keep my mind off Sax, yet there I was, drowning myself in a drink I technically wasn’t allowed to drink, checking my messages constantly for some kind of sign that he wasn’t going to hate me forever.
Things were looking pretty grim.
***
“Micah.” Dee grabbed my arm. Right away I could tell something was wrong. “It’s Harry. We were out front and this group of guys came out of nowhere.”
Shit. I grabbed her hand and ran back over to where I’d last seen the other guys. Fuck. They were gone. My hands on my head, I glanced around, trying to figure out what to do. My head was throbbing—a combination of not eating all day and my two glasses of vodka and soda.
“Come on, M, we have to do something,” she begged. Tears welled in her eyes. “I think they’re going to kill him.”
“Okay, let me think,” I mumbled. I pulled my phone out of my purse and called the only person I could think that could help.
Only he wouldn’t answer. Fuck! My hands shaking, I tapped out a message and pressed send.
Dee grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the exit. As we walked outside, my heart jumped.
I could see Harry on the ground, groaning as three rough-looking men kicked the shit out of him. A blonde stood behind them crying, her arms clutched around her waist.
“What the hell happened?” I said to Dee. I had to do something. Whatever Harry had done to piss these guys off, they were out for some serious revenge.
“We were just talking, and the guy with the shaved head came out of nowhere and dragged him off. He was shouting something about his girlfriend. I think he hit on the blonde? I don’t know. We have to do something,” she begged.
“Go inside and get them to call the cops,” I ordered her. “Now.”
She nodded and disappeared inside. Where the fuck was the security dude that was supposed to be manning the door?
“Hey,” I shouted at the thugs. “Get away from him. The cops will be here any minute.” I flicked my phone over to video and pressed record, making sure I had clear images of the guys.
“Not your business, sweetie. Walk away,” the shaved-headed guy yelled as he laid another kick into Harry’s stomach. I winced, almost feeling his pain.
Fuck. They’re going to kill him.
Taking a deep breath, I reached into my purse and pulled out the small can of pepper spray I carried with me. Three years in LA and I’d never had to use it until now. I charged at them, my finger poised on the nozzle and let them have it.
“What the fuck,” the big dude yelled as he clutched his eyes. The other two backed off. “You fucking bitch,” he snarled. He ran toward me, swinging his arms wildly, but his eyes were already so clouded with tears that it slowed his progress in his attempt to get at me.
I cried out as his fist connected with my chin. Pain shot through me and I felt myself fall backwards, the harshness of the gravel on the ground scraping at the delicate skin on my knees.
“Get away from her, you motherfucker.”
My heart stopped as Sax appeared out of nowhere. He swung at the thug, knocking him to the ground.
I scrambled over to Harry, who was conscious, but not doing well at all. “Can you stand up?” I whispered. I helped him to his feet.
“Get him in the car,” ordered Sax.
I nodded as Dee appeared on his other side. Together, we led him over to the car and bundled him in.
“Get in. Now.” Sax hurtled across the hood and dove into the car.
I opened the door and jumped in, pushing the lock just as the thug reached us. “Drive,” I screamed.
He slammed his foot down on the accelerator and skidded out of the parking lot. My heart pounded as I tried to process what had just happened. I glanced in the back. Dee had her arms around Harry, who was groaning in pain.
“What the fuck happened?” growled Sax. “Harry? What the hell did you do?”
“Nothing,” he muttered. “Fucking assholes came out of nowhere.”
“It’s true,” Dee said. “It was totally random. We were just standing there and the next minute they were on him.”
“‘Random’ my ass,” Sax snorted. “Did you get a look at the dude laying into you? Or maybe the blonde standing behind him?”
“Fuck,” Harry muttered, wiping his bloody lip.
“I told you not to get mixed up in that shit, Harry. Honestly, I don’t blame the guy. You banged his girlfriend! You’re not invincible, dude. One day you’re going to find yourself completely fucked.”
“Spare me the speech, Sax,” Harry scoffed. He winced in pain as he shifted his weight off his left side. “You think you’re better than me, but the reality is you’re a washed up piece of shit, and the last person who should be giving out advice.”
Sax laughed bitterly and shook his head. The look in his eyes terrified me. I’d never seen him so angry. His jaw twitched as he stared straight ahead, weaving in and out of the traffic like a maniac.
“Just take me to Liam’s. I don’t need or want your help, okay? Get that through your fucking head.”
This was bad. I glanced at Dee, who was staring at me, her eyes wide.
“I think you need a doctor, Harry. Your ribs might be broken,” she said.
“Then drop me off at the hospital,” he growled. He closed his eyes and took a sharp breath. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, giving Dee a small smile. “I’m sorry the night turned out like this. Just drop me off at the hospital and I’ll get Liam to pick me up, okay?”
Sax didn’t answer, but drove the few miles down the road to the county hospital.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” he said, his voice quiet.
“I’ll stay with him,” Dee assured us as she helped Harry out. “M, I’ll call you later, okay?”
I nodded and gave her a quick smile. “Thanks, Dee.”
***
The silence was killing me. Sax hadn’t said one word to me since we got in the car.
“Where are we going?” I asked when he drove past the turn-off that led to my apartment.
“My house.”
Oh. My heart began to race. This whole night had been one big disaster, and all I wanted to do was curl up in bed and forget about everything. I didn’t have the strength to fight any more. I’ll call a cab from his house. At least that way I would know that he was home and safe. He was in such a foul mood that I was afraid he would do something stupid.
We pulled into his garage, the door closing behind us.
“I’m going to call a cab,” I said quietly, not meeting his eyes.
“No, you’re not. Get out of the car and come inside. You need something on those knees.”
I glanced down at my bleeding grazes. I’d been so caught up in what had happened, I’d completely forgotten. Rubbing my lips together, I watched him disappear through the internal door.
Why was he so intent on helping me? I glanced behind me at the locked garage door, knowing the only way I could leave now was through the house.
Fuck.
Getting out, I slammed the door. My feet were aching like crazy and I was in no mood for his little games. I stalked inside.
> He stood in the kitchen, his palms flat on the counter, his head down. He looked at me and then walked over. Crouching down in front of me, he squeezed some antiseptic cream onto the palm of his hand.
“This will hurt.”
Pain shot through me as he dabbed it onto my raw skin. He applied a few Band-Aids and then stood up. My heart ached as his cold eyes met mine, and for the first time I noticed the bruising around the side of his face. Had Harry done that? It took all my energy not to reach up and kiss him.
“There,” he muttered, walking over to the sink to wash his hands. “Tell me what happened. Why were you out with him? Do you have any idea how badly you could’ve been hurt?”
I jumped as his voice drove through me. All his anger was centered on me.
“Why does it even matter? Why do you care?” I asked helplessly.
“Because I’m fucking in love with you,” he growled. He stalked over to me, pinning me against the wall. “You have no fucking idea what you do to me. What you’ve done to me. I can’t think about anything but you.”
He grabbed my chin, tilting it to the side. I groaned as he kissed my neck. His fingers grasped onto the skirt of my dress, tearing it from my body. He lifted me onto his hips, his mouth pressing against mine.
“Fuck, Micah. What have you done to me?” he muttered, burying is face in the crook of my neck. My fingers lifted his face up to mine as I kissed him again. He reached behind me and unclasped my bra, tearing it off my breasts.
Spinning around, he threw me on the kitchen counter. I gasped as the freezing surface met my skin. His hands curled around my thighs as he pulled me toward him. I lay there waiting as he unzipped his jeans. His erection sprung out.
“Fuck,” he cursed, digging through his pockets. “Hold on.”
I laughed, covering my hand with my face as he disappeared. He came back a few seconds later, a condom in hand and a smirk on his face.
I groaned as he nudged my legs apart, dragging my panties down over my legs. He lined himself up and pushed inside of me. I gasped, my back arching as his length filled me.
“Oh yeah,” I cried, clutching onto the edge of the counter.
He growled, his fiery blue eyes not leaving mine.
“Harder,” I gasped, lifting my hips.
He answered by thrusting himself deeper and faster, eventually releasing. He groaned and hunched over me, his mouth hungrily kissing my breasts while he was still inside me.
“Come here,” he muttered, hoisting me up.
I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me to his bedroom. He gently lay me down on the bed, lifting his shirt over his head. He stepped out of his jeans and boxers, kicking them across the room. He lay down next to me and smiled.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he muttered, kissing my forehead. “I can’t fucking breathe without you. You’ve broken me, Micah.”
I closed my eyes and cuddled against his chest, desperate to make the most of this moment. Nothing had been resolved. He was still hurting, and I was still underage, but I had never felt closer to anyone than I did at that moment.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Micah
Rolling over, my hand slipped across the empty bed and I sighed. I sat up, using the sheet to cover myself. I was still in his bed, only he wasn’t there with me. Wrapping the sheet around me, I stood up and walked out of the room, making my way down to the living room. Silence greeted me.
Sighing, I poured myself a cup of coffee.
He was in love with me. Only we hadn’t really solved anything. I was still eight years younger than him. I still had no idea what we were…if we were even anything.
“Hello?”
My eyes widened as I realized Stace was letting herself into the house.
“Shit,” I muttered, setting my cup down. “Hold on!”
She rounded the corner and smiled at me. “Big night?” she asked, her voice dry.
I blushed and she laughed.
“Sax asked me to come over. He had some stuff to do.”
He asked her to come over? Now I was even more confused.
“Look,” she said, shifting on her feet. “I just want to come right out and say this. Sax told me everything. So if you want someone to talk to, I’m a really good listener.”
“Oh,” I said. I walked over to the sofa and slumped down onto the cushions. Everything? Who else had he told?
“Do you want to get dressed?” she asked, setting my coffee in front of me.
“Not really,” I admitted. I reached for the blanket covering the back of the sofa and wrapped it around me.
“Don’t be angry with him. He needed someone to talk to, that’s all.”
“Angry?” I laughed. “I’m not angry. I have no right to be angry…” I wasn’t sure what I felt. Embarrassed, maybe? After all, I’d lied to her too. I’d lied to everyone. “How is he? Sax?”
“He’s okay. Confused, I guess.”
I nodded. “I lied to you too,” I mumbled.
“Do you want to talk about it? Might make you feel a bit better,” she added sympathetically. “For what it’s worth, I’m not mad at you. I’m worried about both of you. I can see how much he loves you, and even in the short time I’ve known you, I know your feelings are genuine. You can’t fake that.”
It meant a lot to hear her say that. I hadn’t meant to hurt anyone. I wasn’t a kid trying to pretend to be older to impress a guy. I’d been a scared child who needed to get out of a bad situation.
“Pete had just died and Mom blamed me. She was about to send me back into care, so I left. I knew a couple of kids from the system who helped me get what I needed. Shelter. Food. I slept in refuges, bus shelters—wherever I needed to.”
“Wow. I can’t even imagine how hard that must’ve been.”
“It was, but it was better than the alternative. I was at the age where no family was going to take me, and I’d most likely have ended up in another group home.”
“So how did you get where you are?”
“Being fourteen, a girl, and on the streets is not good,” I said. “So I did what I needed to change that. It’s amazing what you can find on the Internet,” I added with a wry smile. “Once I had ID saying I was eighteen, things magically became easier. I got a job and a place to live.” I reached for my coffee and took a sip. “It helped that I looked older. People had no reason to doubt me. My ID said I was eighteen. Hell, I got my driver’s license without a problem.”
“Wow, that’s insane,” she muttered. She tucked her blonde hair back behind her ears. “I actually admire you, Micah. I think what you did took guts. You took control of a situation and made things better for yourself. If you ask me, you’re more mature than a lot of people our age.” She giggled suddenly. “Hey, I’m older than you,” she grinned.
I smiled. “Maybe that’s why we get along so well.”
“That’s the thing. I’ve always gravitated toward people older than myself. Most of my friends are in their mid-twenties. I think what happened to me, and with Sax being in trouble, kind of made me realize how fragile life can be.” She paused. “He loves you. I can tell.”
I smiled sadly. “But none of that matters if Sax can’t get past my age.”
Music was always the only thing I cared about. The funny thing was, I didn’t give a shit if I never sang again. The thought of never feeling his touch or his kiss was enough to break me.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Sax
“What do you want?” Harry mumbled.
I stood in the doorway of his bedroom, my arms crossed over my chest. He looked like shit. His face looked worse today. The swelling had doubled so that the whole side of his head was swollen. I imagined I didn’t look much better.
“And who the fuck let you in, anyway?”
“Liam did. Now get up. You and I need to talk.”
He rolled over, ignoring my comment. Fuck this. I wasn’t here to play games. I stalked over to his bed and yanked the covers off.
“Hey! What the hell, man?” He sat up, rubbing his head, his face creased in anger. “What the fuck is your problem?”
“What do you think it is, Harry? Once and for all, we’re going to sort this out. Now get dressed, or I swear to God I’ll call Mission Statement and cancel your gig.”
“You wouldn’t fucking dare,” he spat back.
“Yeah? Try me.” I turned around and walked out, slamming the door.
It took him five minutes before he finally followed me into the living room, dressed.
“Okay, I’m dressed. So talk.” He sat down on the arm of the chair closest to him and scowled at me.
“Did you go to the hospital?” I asked, surveying his face.
“You dropped me off there, dipshit.”
“What did they say?” I asked, ignoring his comment.
“I’m fine,” he mumbled, rubbing his head. “Bruised ribs, but nothing broken. Why do you care?”
“What the hell is your problem?” I sighed, shaking my head. “Am I ever going to be able to apologize enough for what happened to Kara?”
“You think I should forgive you? You ruined her life, man. How about I forgive you the day she can get up out of that chair and walk?”
“I think about that fucking night every single day. Trust me, I’ll never forgive myself for what happened to her. But for her sake, I’m trying to move on. All you and I fighting does is remind her of what she lost.”
“Don’t you think she gets that every fucking day when she wakes up?” He shook his head and laughed. “That’s just it, Sax. She’s reminded of what happened every fucking day. Dude, you had everything. Everything I could have ever wanted, you had it just handed to you. And you fucked everything up, including my sister.”
Wow. I stared at him, shocked by the hate in his voice.
“I worked damn hard—”
“Fucking bullshit, dude,” he spat. “You were discovered by some hotshot while you were singing in a fucking park. You didn’t even want it. And when it came down to it, you couldn’t handle the pressure.”
“You think you know what it was like?” I retorted, my anger rising. “What you’ve experienced with Resurrection doesn’t even come close to the pressure I felt back then. Nowhere near it. You have no idea what it’s like to have your every fucking move highlighted and criticized. I couldn’t breathe without someone reporting about it. Everyone wanted something from me.”
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