“Just wait, Hernandez. Just wait.”
All those unspoken words speak louder than I thought possible. But it doesn’t scare me. He doesn’t scare me. He can talk a big talk, but ultimately Mickey is a high-level lackey with too much ego, not enough actual power.
I don’t back down, glaring right back at him, to show him that he’s not getting in my head. My lips curl at the edges, slightly tipping up in a menacing grin, answering his threats with my own.
“Neither will I.”
“She’s undermyprotection now. I’ll lay down my own life before something harms her again.”
“You’re lucky I didn’t come in the middle of the night and slit your throat while you slept. Consider this mercy.”
“Wait until I stop holding back.”
CHAPTER 18
I don’t like this.
The guys wouldn’t take no for an answer, so I had to let them go. I bite my nails nervously, pacing back and forth, from one end of the apartment to the other.
I had to let them go. Right?
I didn’t have to. I know that. But Ty said he’d be careful, that he wouldn’t be the first to start something. That he’d go in, get my stuff and get out.
But I know Mickey. Mickey’s going to try to tell him some shit that will ruin what Ty and I have. Mickey’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure Ty never looks at me the same way again. Because for some fucked up reason, Mickey wants me in his possession. He’s obsessed because I never fell at his feet. He’s a typical spoiled little boy, he wants what he can’t have. Ultimately, he wanted me to give in, to thank him for picking me,towillinglybe his little doll, his little plaything, his little money maker.
And I never did. I never will.
Obsessed.
I take a deep breath to try and calm myself down, but it does nothing toactuallycalm me down. Don’t you hate it when people say that when you’re stressed, angry or worried?Calm down.Does it ever actually help? I think people just like to hear themselves give some kind of advice, even if it’s shit.
It’s after four in the afternoon. They should be back by now.
I’ve been beside myself, unable to eat, barely able to sleep once I heard the door shut at six. I ran to the door after my brain fully woke up, and just as I was about out the door, I heard the rumbling of Ty’s bike.
There’s a fucking pacing line in the ground from how much I’ve been walking back and forth.
“Goddamn it, Ty, where are you?” I snap, running a hand through my hair.
Maybe I should go out and check the shop. I thought only Asher was working today, but maybe Ty stayed. Maybe everything’s fine and they just haven’t had a moment to come back to the apartment.
But… What if something happened? I can’t just sit here doing nothing.
That’s it, I’m going. I walk towards the door, grabbing a set of keys I hope are the house keys and the moment my hand touches the doorknob, I hear the familiar rumbling of a motorcycle.
My head drops in relief and I can finally take a full breath.
I rip open the door and run down the stairs of their old apartment building, make it to the front door of the building just as Ty kicks his leg over the side and pulls his helmet off. The smile I get from him is so loving and pure, my heart beats faster.
There’s no marks, no black eyes, no broken nose, no blood. He’s okay.
“Daddy,”I sigh in relief and run out, jumping as soon as I get close enough to him and his arms wrap around my hips, holding me close.
“Roxie,” he says equally as awed, speaking my name into my neck before pulling back to look me in the eye. “You stayed here, good girl.”
“Oh, don’t start that with me.” I smack his chest, but then wrap my arms around his neck and hug him to me again. “You’re okay.”
“I’m okay,” he repeats and sets me down softly.
