AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jordyn’s face contorts into a what-the-hell-are-you talking-about expression and Lexie’s tone is equally incredulous.
“What do you mean Mick dumped you?” Lexie asks.
“I mean he ended things, kicked me to the curb, ripped out my heart…whatever euphemism you want to use. He walked out on me.”
“That bastard!” Jordyn fumes. “I’m going to kick his ass sideways.”
I don’t doubt her, which has me saying: “Please don’t say anything to Mick. Papa’s Kids is a great opportunity for your career.”
“You think a project is more important to me than our friendship?”
“Of course not. It’s just that I don’t want you going off on him and jeopardizing the work.”
“Hold on…” Lexie interjects, visibly struggling to comprehend. “This is Mick we’re talking about. I’ve never seen a man more in love. This doesn’t make sense, Dee.”
“No, it doesn’t.” I slump against the seat, exhausted from it all. “On Monday, we were planning a future and on Tuesday night he just walks out. Something happened that he won’t tell me about. He won’t tell Victor either.”
Jordyn’s hazel eyes spark and she raises one hand, her palm facing outward. “Wait…he walked out and wouldn’t tell you why?”
“Pretty much. He said it was his problem to deal with and that I don’t deserve any of it.”
“Aw, babe…” Jordyn consoles and scoots over to slide an arm around me. “Why didn’t you tell us this before?”
“I didn’t want to say the words out loud. I didn’t want to openly deal with the hurt or talk about it. I didn’t want to ruin our night.”
“You don’t have to do this alone.” Lexie draws closer too and puts her hand in mine. “We’re always here for you.”
“I know. He hasn’t picked up any of his stuff. So, I just keep waiting…hoping he’ll call or show up. That he’ll decide to let me in.”
“Why are you waiting?” Jordyn tilts her head up at me.
“He left, Jord.”
“Yeah, ’cause he’s being a protective jerk. He said you don’t deserve this. That’s not an I-don’t-want-you-anymore breakup. That’s some I’m-Tarzan-you-Jane crap.”
“I know that. But it doesn’t change the fact that he’s chosen to shut me out.”
“So…” She shrugs. “Don’t let him.”
Jordyn’s words, given simply, smack me like a two-by-four. I’ve been so caught up in feeling rejected, in being afraid to risk my heart further, that I’d crawled back into my shell.
Mick is a protector, a fixer. He tries to control everything, including what he thinks is best for me. And I’ve been letting him. We’re supposedto be in a relationship. We’re supposed to be in this together. How can he believe me when I say I can face anything with him when I haven’t shown any attempt to do that? I let him walk out the other night. I haven’t tried to contact him. I told him to fight for us, but I haven’t fought for him.
My resolve gathering steam, I sit up straighter, taller, surer.
“You’re right, Jord.” I need to do this for Mick as much as for myself. “I’m going to see him tonight and demand answers.”
ChapterFifteen
Micah
11:09 p.m. It’s fitting I supposethat he’s late. Malcolm had made me sweat it out often enough when I was a kid. Rarely had he lost his cool or got stinking drunk and started beating on me. His brand of punishment was calculated, controlled…the slow removal of his belt…the tap of leather on his palm. He got off on building up the anticipation, the fear. He got off on the power. That had to be why he’d chosen to become a cop. Unlike Victor, he wasn’t driven to serve and protect.
I long ago stopped wondering what was inside him that drove him to hate, to violence, to destroy anything good or decent. His thwarted dreams and the alcohol didn’t cause it. They were just poor excuses. I know because I’d used them to justify my own behavior. Drinking, worrying my family, screwing girls I didn’t know or care to know. Acting like a self-indulgent prick, blaming Dee, blaming it on not going to NYU—because I depended on a bottle of Jack to get me through each day.
At 11:23 my cell phone rings. Connected to the security system, I’m alerted that the call is coming from the lobby.
“Mr. Peters, it’s Simon from the front desk. Your father is here.”
