Twenty-Six
R eacher had listened to me for maybe ten minutes, before he growled under his breath and got up, storming from the room, so I had no idea what was happening, or if he’d even really heard anything I said.
When the door opened next, it was Stitch, the VP, and he was followed within a minute by Reacher again.
They both stared seriously at me, and I just knew they were going to tell me that they’d killed him, that their retribution mattered more than my sister’s life, or mine, and tears filled my eyes.
“No. Please no.”
They exchanged a wary look, and Stitch shook his head.
“They’re still enroute to her, love, we have no updates as of yet.”
“And Micro?”
The door opened then, and three more bikers stepped inside, no wait, two bikers and Micro! He was here!
I leapt out of bed, staggering when I reached the floor, and my balance went again, and then he was there. He caught me, and practically crushed me against his chest. He smelled so good, freshly showered, and his skin felt feverishly hot, even through his t-shirt.
“Jesus, babe, you gotta take care of that noggin.”
He pressed his face against my hair, and I sobbed into his shoulder, before I realised he was injured, and I’d be hurting him, but he fought my struggles to pull away.
“Please, babe, just let me hold you. Jesus fuck, I thought I’d never see you again.”
He sounded exhausted, and in pain, and when I lifted my head to meet his eyes, I saw it all right there in his eyes, the hell he’d been through. But he was right here! I was touching him, and he looked bruised, but not brutalised. Relief flowed over me, as I ran my palms over his cheeks, and he tutted, catching my injured arm and resting it gently against his shoulder.
“Told you, babe, you need to rest it or it won’t get better.” He was really here! I pressed my lips against his and he groaned, one hand cupping the back of my head, as he tried to deepen the kiss, but suddenly there were hands pulling him back.
“Hey! This isn’t a fucking conjugal, fucker. You’re out for one reason, and one reason only. You save her sister, and you come back here.”
“What? What are they talking about?” Micro stroked my cheek, still holding me despite their attempts to separate us.
“We’re gonna get your sis back, babe, that’s all that matters right now.” He was lying, and the fact that I could read that so easily gave me comfort, because maybe I’d have known if the other things he said were lies, because I could tell so easily now.
“And then you come back here? They’re still going to kill you?” I turned to glare at Reacher and Stitch, and both faced me without looking apologetic.
“You’d still kill him? He’s a good man, trying to do the right thing, and you’re going to kill him?”
“Club justice doesn’t just go away, because an asshole suddenly does something right,” Stitch said quietly, and Micro stroked my cheek again, getting my attention back on him.
“It’s okay, babe. This is my fate, but at least they’re letting me help you guys first. When am I leaving?”
He turned to look at his former President and VP, and Reacher jerked a thumb behind him at another biker who’d emerged. He was a young guy, looking too young to be caught up in this stuff.
“You patched Tommy in? Fuck yeah, well done, kid.” Micro released me at last, to turn and face the young guy. “For the record, I’m fucking sorry for what I did to you. You didn’t deserve it, and I was a cunt for dragging you into my shit.”
The guy named Tommy grinned, and shrugged.
“Water under the bridge, man-”
“Are you fucking shitting me?” Stitch yelled, turning to smack the back of his head. “Like hell it is!”
Reacher groaned. “This is getting us nowhere. Tommy’s gonna take you in a van, and you’ll retrieve the girl by any means necessary. The others will meet you there. Don’t fuck any of us and get out clean.”
Micro clenched his fists. “Fuck that, I’m taking the whole bunch down, and I’ll leave their fucking entrails in my wake.”
The room fell silent, and I stared at him in shock, seeing him blinking back at me.
“What? They’re monsters, they’re fucking rapists, even if we get your sister out without being touched. This is what clubs do. Trust me when I say Phoenix are the exception, and I wish I’d come to that conclusion sooner.” He turned to look at Reacher.
“Reacher, Pres… let me do this. Let me decimate that club, and remove any threats to-”
Reacher cut him off with a snarl, but he was talking to Stitch.
“Funny how it seems like he’s making fucking demands now.”
Stitch grinned at him, which seemed like an odd reaction to his words.
“I saw that, still, it meshes with our vision for once, right?”
Reacher jabbed a finger at Micro. “Break that club, put the bad seeds down, and see what’s left. They need a purge, just like your dad’s club did, and I see you get that now. Do us proud, break them, save the girl, and get back here, and we’ll see where we go from there.”
Micro opened his mouth, and Stitch slashed a hand through the air to silence him.
“The only words coming out of your mouth will be to agree with Reacher, fuckhead, and even if you succeed, it might not be enough to save you. Know this though, you run, and we’ll put every fucking resource that we and Rossi have into it this time. We’ll hunt you to the very ends of the earth, and we’ll leave bits of you in every fucking corner.”
Micro should have been freaked out or scared, but instead he chuckled.
“Startin’ to think you might like me again, VP.”
“Get the fuck out of here.”
“I’m going too,” I declared, staggering from the bed where Micro had already deposited me.
“Nope.”
I got right in Reacher’s face and waved a finger imperiously as I spoke.
“Yes, I’m fucking going. She’s my sister, and he’s my man, and you’re not fucking stopping me!”
Reacher snorted and backed out of my way, and we got the hell out of there.