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“Landon?”
Shit, it even hurt to talk.
In a second, my mother leaned over me. “Micah? Are you okay, baby? Mommy’s here; everything’s going to be okay. You’re safe now. He’ll never hurt you again.”
When she made that promise, something flashed in her green eyes. I knew she didn’t believe it, but I didn’t have time to worry about the negative. “Where’s Landon?”
She looked across the room at Samantha. “He isn’t here, baby. You punched him in the face. Sam and I assumed something had happened between the two of you and we haven’t allowed him in the room.” Her hand touched the side of my face. “Was he involved with what happened, Micah? It’s okay; just tell us.”
Landon involved? What the fuck were they talking about? I punched him? Me? Never; I loved him. I wouldn’t punch him.
Wait…maybe I would. Damn. He’d cheated on me. He had another lover. I’d overheard them talking. It was why I’d ran. He’d broken my heart. I’d thought he loved me the way I loved him but then I’d overheard him talking to someone else on the phone, vowing he’d never lied to them. I’d known he was referring to me—that I wasn’t important, just a job. I’d ran. Trevor at the elevator. Going to the rooftop to contemplate suicide. Vowing to myself that I’d fight for Landon. Then….
“Is he here?”
My mother’s eyes jumped up to Sam again. “Yes, honey, he’s here, but let’s not worry about that right now. We need to make sure you’re going to be okay. You have a dislocated shoulder and a broken leg in three places.” She leaned over and kissed my forehead. “How did you do it, Micah? How did you hang on for that long? The authorities said it was impossible, yet, here you are.” Tears poured from her eyes. “I almost lost you, Micah. You know I would die without you in my life, baby.”
Memories came rushing back and smacked into my forehead. “He…he said he wasn’t my father—said he’d always hated me because I wasn’t his.”
“I’m so sorry, baby,” she said in a voice broken with sobs. “I so fucking wish he wasn’t your father…but he is. He never believed it—always accused me of sleeping around. I…I just never knew he’d take his hate for me out on you. I’m so, so sorry. You’re so much better than he is. So damn much better. I…I thought you were happy, Micah. I thought you wanted to model. I thought it was your dream. I’ve been so fucking stupid! I listened to him when I should have listened to you. Please forgive me. I thought you were living your dream.”
He was my father. That hurt. That hurt me fucking bad. I didn’t want to have his blood in my veins. I wanted nothing to do with him and hoped I was nothing like him. All that shit was bad, but nothing compared to the hurt I felt when I considered that I didn’t mean anything to Landon—that our short time together hadn’t meant anything to him. He’d very quickly turned into my entire world…did I mean anything to him?
“It isn’t your fault, Mother. He fooled all of us. Do they have him in custody?”
Samantha stepped forward. “No, I’m sorry, Micah. Landon allowed him to get away. He should have known to cuff the bastard and not to just leave him lying on the docks. His mistake won’t be overlooked,” she assured me. Her eyes blazed with fury. She’d always been fiery, hot on the temper but sweet on love, especially for me. I had no doubt she would forgive Landon once she settled down, but I didn’t want to wait—she needed to know. Nothing had been Landon’s fault; it was all mine.
“It wasn’t his fault, Sammie. I couldn’t have hung onto the side of the dock for another few seconds. If he’d taken the time to cuff him, I might have drowned. Don’t be mad at him. If I’d stayed where I was supposed to, with him, none of this ever would have happened. It’s my fault, not his.”
“Whatever,” she snipped. “Sorry, sport; can’t forgive him yet. His fuck-up nearly cost me one of the most precious things in my life. I’m not the forgiving sort.”
I laughed. “Yes, you are, silly. You’ve already forgiven him, but you’re stuck in the pout level of your anger. It happens; that’s okay. You still love him.” I took a deep breath, my heart breaking because I hadn’t been enough to hold onto him. It seemed like I was never enough. “You need to let it go, Sammie. He’s a good man and an excellent bodyguard. If you don’t forgive him, you’ll have to answer to me.”
I guessed this was the least I could do for him. It was my ignorance that had caused me to believe something existed where it didn’t. It wasn’t his fault that I’d given him my heart when all he’d wanted was my ass.
