Chapter 7
Mikey
The second Julia bolts for the bathroom, my entire body goes tight.
Fuckkkk.. I knew it was too much for her. I felt her panic when Kai opened his stupid big mouth.
I take a step to follow her, then Kai’s hand clamps around my arm.
“Bro,” He mutters. “We need to talk.”
I jerk my arm out of his grip. “Not now.”
“Yes, now,” He snaps, stepping in front of me, blocking my way to Julia. “Because whatever the fuck is happening with her? It’s not just you anymore.”
My fist clenches at my side. “Back. The. Fuck. Up.”
He doesn’t… because of course he doesn't. Kai never backs up.
“You’ve been obsessed with her for weeks,” he says low. “Talking in your sleep, staring at your phone even though she didn’t have your number, fucking snapping at everyone. I wasn’t born yesterday. I know you’re in deep.”
“And?” I grit out through my clenched teeth.
“And now I get it,” he says, as his eyes flicker towards where she disappeared. “She’s… fuck, Mikey. She’s something else.”
My jaw ticks. I don’t like the way he says that, and I sure as fuck don’t like the hungry look in his eyes.
“She’s mine,” I say without hesitation.
Kai lifts a brow. “Yours? Like the way the breakup chick last year was yours?”
My teeth grind so hard it hurts my jaw. “Don’t compare Julia to anyone. Don’t even fucking say her name.”
And that's when I see a smirk ghost over his mouth. “So… it’s real?”
“It’s real,” I spit. “I don’t want your bullshit with her. I don't want you flirting with her. I don’t want…” My words cut off.
“Us sharing her?” he finishes my words, way too casually.
My rage spikes to an all-time high. “She’s not a fucking toy.”
“I didn't say she was,” he shoots back. “But you and I have shared everything our whole lives. Food, rooms, fights, women… everything.”
“She’s not one of those women,” I growl.
Something dark flickers in his gaze. “Maybe not. But she looked at me, Mikey. You saw it. And she looked at you like she’d die if you stopped touching her.”
My voice drops to a lethal tone. “If you’re trying to piss me off, you're doing a great fucking job.”
“Relax,” Kai mutters, rolling his eyes. “I’m not trying to steal her.”
“You better not.”
He steps closer, chest to chest, voice dropping to a razor-edge whisper.
“But I am telling you this… whatever Julia is? Whoever she is? She’s not normal. You saw it too.”
I freeze, because he’s right. There’s something underneath her fear. It's something sharp and dangerous.
Something that is calling to every feral instinct Kai and I have.
Kai’s expression goes serious. “You can pretend it doesn't matter, but something about her isn’t adding up.”
I shove past him. “I don't give a fuck. I’m going to find her.”
“You think she’s fine?” he calls after me. “She didn’t look fine.”
“She will be,” I snap without even turning around to face him. “Because she’s with me.”
The music in the bar is loud, and people keep calling my name and reaching out to me for high-fives. Drinks are being shoved towards me, but I ignore them all because my mind is on one person, and one person only.
I look over to the hallway, the neon restroom sign staring back at me, and my pulse pounds in my ears. Before I can think, my feet start to move towards her. I don’t remember the last time my nerves have been this bad… I also don’t remember the last time a girl made me actually feel something.
Julia…
The last time I lost her, it was because I was a dumb ass and didn’t ask for her number. If I lose her tonight, it will be because I was too stupid to read her panic.
I reach the bathroom door and lean against the wall next to it. I take a few deep, hard breaths to try to ground myself.
“Julia,” I call out softly, as I knock once on the door. “Princess, are you okay?”
There is no answer, and my chest tightens.
I knock again, louder this time. “Jules… please talk to me.”
More silence… Fuck it. I open the door an inch, making sure it's not enough to invade the privacy of the women inside, but enough so she can hear my voice.
“Julia?” My voice cracks this time.
And I hear a quiet sniff and a shaky breath.
“... Mikey?” My name is barely a whisper, and the sound fucking destroys me.
My mind is in overdrive now, and I don’t give a fuck about the rules, signs, or anything else. I slip inside the bathroom and make sure no one else is in there. When the coast is clear, I lock the door.
When I turn back around, I see her standing at the sink, gripping the counter with her head down, and her shoulders are shaking.
“Hey,” I whisper, stepping closer to her. “Princess…”
She tries to talk, but her breath catches, and she chokes out a sob instead.
“I’m sorry,” she says, eyes still down towards the counter. “I just… I needed a second.”
“You can have all the seconds you want,” I reach out slowly to her, making sure not to spook her. “Just don’t run from me.”
She finally lifts her eyes, and I can see they are full of fear. Not fear of me, but something bigger, and I have a strong gut feeling she isn’t going to tell me what it is either.
“I shouldn’t be here,” she whispers. “I shouldn’t be with you… or Kai. I shouldn’t…” Her voice trails off.
I cup her cheeks gently. “...Princess. Look at me.”
She does, and she looks so broken and terrified, but also beautiful.
“You’re safe,” I tell her. “With me, you’re always safe.”
Her lip trembles as she shakes her head. “You can’t say that. You don't know where I come from.”
“That’s the thing, princess. I don’t care. I don’t care if your dad is the pope or a cartel leader,” I keep my voice firm, trying to get her to understand each of my words. “You’re not going to scare me away.”
Her eyes widen with a mixture of horror and disbelief, and I smile at her. I lean in, putting my forehead on hers.
“You could be dangerous as hell, and I’d still choose you.”
Her breath hitches. “You shouldn’t.”
“Too late.”
Her fingers clutch onto my hoodie like a lifeline, “Everyone I get close to gets hurt.”
“Then stay close,” I say, brushing my thumb across her cheek. “I can take a hit.”
She lets out a broken laugh, “You really shouldn’t want me.”
“Too bad,” I say simply. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She leans in close and rests her head on my chest, and for the first time all night, her breath starts to steady.
I rub my hand over her head, and she melts into me like she’s been waiting a month for this… and I secretly hope she has been because I have.
I kiss her hair and let her floral, earthy smell invade my senses. “I lost you once, princess. I’m not losing you again.”
Her hands fist my shirt, as she looks up at me with tears still in her eyes.
“I don’t want to lose you either,” she whispers.
I smile into her hair. “You won’t.”
Because now that she’s back in my arms? Nothing on this fucking earth is taking her away from me again.