At his words, that anger bubbled up, and Michael slammed his hand down on the table, gettingEVERYONE’Sattention.
His voice was low.
But the intent was clear.
He owed no one an explanation.
NO.
ONE.
Or that was what he believed.
“I took that job to set us up in the future. I took the very honorable job that paid a shit ton of money so I could give him a life he deserved. I took that job to be honorable for the first time in my career. I took that job for both of us—not just me. I get paid a lot. Or I did. I took this job to save him, and myself.”
Finn said nothing.
At first.
“Are you convincing me or yourself, Saint Michael?” he asked.
The man flushed red.
“Because you sound like you’ve rationalized it all in your head, but you don’t even believe it. The bottom line is you left.You should have at least told him. Imagine his perspective of you just walking out with no explanation.”
Michael was pissed.
“He gave me an ultimatum. I guess that’s fine and dandy too. I don’t need someone to referee our relationship in the past. It’s too late to go back there. It was classified, and I couldn’t tell him.”
Finn lifted a brow.
“Couldn’t or wouldn’t? I ask because if someone told me to do something that might cost me Gabby, but I couldn’t tell her, I’m absolutely telling her. She’s my ride or die. Maybe he wasn’t yours, but you were his. I know Graham. He would have told you in a heartbeat.”
That was a barb to his soul.
How many times did he rehash that, thinking that he should have said,‘fuck the government’,and just shared the job?
Would it have mattered?
He wasn’t sure.
Michael found himself wanting to punch the cop in the face, and that was never a good sign, so he needed a break from him.
“Bathroom?” Michael asked, focused on Gabby and not her annoyingly accurate fiancé.
Michael didn’t need him judging him. He was already the harshest critic of his past.
Seeing he needed a break, she pointed toward the back of the pub, and let the man go.
When he did, she focused on her fiancé.
“Fineas.”
He sighed.
“I know Michael is your friend,” he said, “but Graham is my best friend, Gabriella. I love Graham, and he’s already at rock bottom. I’m scared I’ll lose him, and this man…”
She touched his cheek.
