Chapter 3 Mika
MIKA
Ijerk awake with a gasp, sitting up and frantically looking around.
The motion makes my temples throb, waking me up even more.
I clutch the sides of my head, trying to keep it from bursting apart.
It’s more than a headache; it feels like lightning bolts of pain shooting from behind my eyes, traveling down my spine, all the way to my toes.
What happened? Where am I?
Scenes from the last twenty-four hours come back to me in waves, from waking up in the backseat of my foster brother’s car to Medolie being ripped out of my hands. Oh, God, did someone bid on me? Did I…?
I try to take a deep breath, but it gets caught in my sore, scratchy throat. I can hardly swallow because of how dry my mouth and throat are. I wheeze out a cough, the violent motion feeling like shards of glass scraping against my brain.
“Ah… Ungh,” I whimper pathetically.
“You’re safe,” someone says. I recognize that voice from my dream. It was so real. A giant man in a blue shirt whisked me away from that terrible, wretched place…
I look toward the voice, surprised to see the same man standing next to the bed.
He’s in jeans and a t-shirt this time, but I still recognize his dark, shaggy hair, light blue eyes, and tattoos.
A few swirls of ink run down his left arm, but I remember from last night that his chest is covered in intricate tattoos.
The man towers over me, though he immediately kneels at the side of the bed, making himself smaller.
From this position, we’re eye to eye, and I study him while his gaze roams over every inch of my face.
Dark, thick eyebrows furrow in concern, and he reaches out, only to draw his hand back.
Is he afraid to touch me? After my harrowing experience last night, I should welcome the distance between myself and any man.
This man, however… Something tells me if he held me in his arms again, he might just fix everything wrong in my life. It’s a silly fantasy, I know. It’s unclear what I’m doing here with him, but I’m sure I’m about to be kicked out.
“Here,” he says, handing me a sealed bottle of water. “Are you thirsty?” I nod gratefully and take the water. “I also brought some Aspirin for the nasty headache I’m sure you have.”
How did he know about my headache?
“It’s a side-effect of the drugs wearing off,” he answers my unspoken question.
I’m not sure how he can read me so well already, but it’s kind of… nice. Everything is still fuzzy in my mind, so the less explaining I have to do, the better.
“You don’t have to take anything,” he continues.
“But the bottle is brand new. See? The safety seal is unbroken.” I give him a questioning look, not sure why he’s pointing that out to me.
“I just… I figured after everything you’ve been through, you’d be suspicious of anyone giving you anything, especially pills.
I understand if you don’t trust me yet, but I hope to win you over. ”
Tears prick the back of my dry, tired eyes, but I don’t let them fall. How is he the kindest, most thoughtful man I’ve ever met?
“Th-thank you,” I manage to say, my raspy voice sounding strange to my own ears.
I take a drink of water and try again. “Thank you,” I tell him, my voice a little stronger this time.
“I’m… I’m still trying to piece everything together from last night, but I remember you jumping on stage and saving me from…
from a nightmare.” I peer down at the water bottle in my hands and rub my lips together before speaking again.
“I remember you carrying me away from everything. Being in your arms is the safest I’ve ever felt in my whole life. ”
The man doesn’t say anything, and I pull my eyes from the water bottle to his face. He’s staring at me with an unreadable expression. I don’t think it’s pity, and it’s not exactly anger. At least, not anger directed toward me.
I didn’t mean to tell him all of that. The words just tumbled out without my permission, and now I’m wondering if I gave too much away.
“I’m Shadow,” he finally says, introducing himself.
“I’m Mika,” I reply.
“Mika…” Shadow repeats, almost like he’s savoring the sound.
Hearing him say my name in his deep, baritone voice has a new feeling tightening in my lower stomach. It’s not dread or suspicion, it’s something else entirely. Something… exciting.
“I’m sure you have questions,” Shadow continues after a moment of silence.
“You were drugged when I got to you on stage. I took you back here, to my house, but I didn’t touch you at all except to get you tucked into bed.
” His blue eyes plead with me to believe him.
Shadow is tripping all over himself to give me an explanation, which is kind of adorable.
“I would never disrespect you like that, Mika. I’d never hurt you. I–”
Before he can get himself even more worked up, I rest a hand on his shoulder. Shadow stares at it, then covers my small hand with his much larger one. “I trust you,” I whisper. “I’ve known evil men, and you’re not one of them.”
Shadow’s muscles relax slightly at my words. We share a moment with our eyes locked, our hands touching, and our vulnerabilities on display.
The silence is broken by Shadow clearing his throat. “Can I help you up? I have some clean clothes in the bathroom if you’d like to take a shower.”
I nod, the idea of washing up too tempting to ignore. I pull the covers back, revealing the same blue button-up shirt Shadow wrapped around my shoulders last night. He holds out his hand, and I take it, smiling to myself at how warm and familiar it feels already.
A few minutes later, I’m standing under a hot stream of water while steam billows around me. The water stings slightly from the temperature, but I welcome it. I hope the heat burns away the layer of filth coating my skin.
I lather up some shampoo in my hands, noting the pine scent. That must be why Shadow smells so good. There’s something else to his scent, though. Fresh rain, clean linen, crisp autumn air… I must be going crazy. I’ve never noticed a man’s scent before, let alone picked it apart.
When I’m done with my hair, I move on to the body wash. My vision blinks in and out for a moment. One second, I’m standing in Shadow’s shower, and the next, I’m being shoved into that padded room with Melodie. Where did they take her? Will I ever see her again?
More scenes from my ghoulish evening bombard me, one after another. Everything dims and grows blurry, then the world spins and tilts to one side. My feet slip out from under me, and I come crashing down with a thud on my right hip.
I cry out, and the bathroom door swings open, revealing Shadow in all of his muscled glory. “Mika,” he says breathlessly. I try pushing my wet, naked body up from the floor of the shower, but I can’t find purchase on the slick tile. “Here, let me help.”
He springs into action, grabbing a big fluffy towel and draping it over me while lifting me up and out of the shower. My giant teddy bear keeps a hand around my waist to steady me, his ice blue eyes searching mine for any signs of distress.
Shadow tries taking a step back when I’m a bit steadier, probably to give me my privacy, but I don’t want space right now. I lean into him, wanting to burrow into his chest and never leave. “I’ve got you,” he murmurs, tucking my head under his chin as he wraps his arms around me.
I surrender to his gentle touches and whispered words, letting myself relax in his embrace. I didn’t realize how starved I was for human touch. Or, at least, a human touch that doesn’t hurt or leave scars.
“Are you okay?” Shadow asks.
I nod, though tears stream freely down my cheeks and onto his shirt. Shadow simply holds me tighter and presses his lips to the top of my head. Why is he being so sweet? I don’t deserve this.
Suddenly, I snap back into my body, realizing I got water all over the bathroom floor, and of course, soaked Shadow as well.
“Sorry,” I stammer out. “I made a mess.”
“I don’t care. I’ll be here whenever you need me.”
“But… Why? Why are you so nice to me? Why are you doing any of this?”
Shadow leans back just enough for our eyes to meet. His normally rugged features soften, and he gives me a sad smile. “One day, you’ll see what I see,” he murmurs. “Someone worthy of safety and love.”
My eyebrows lift up to my hairline at his words. Surely, he can’t mean that, right?
Shadow’s phone dings with a text, causing us both to jump apart. “Ah, shit,” he curses. Shadow runs a hand through his messy hair and blows out a breath. “The president called church.”
I tilt my head in confusion. “The President opened a church?”
Shadow grins, and his blue eyes sparkle with mischief.
It’s the most playful look I’ve seen on him, and I get the sense he doesn’t show this side of himself to many people.
“It’s club business,” he clarifies. “I’m in a motorcycle club, Wicked Riders.
We’ve been tracking the auction business and trying to dismantle it, which is why I was at the mansion last night.
I don’t want you to think I’m like those other men.
” His nostrils flare, and he grits his teeth.
“You’re nothing like them,” I assure him.
He gives me a grateful look and a small smile. “I will explain more when I get home. Right now, I’m about to get my ass handed to me by the Prez.”
“Did I get you in trouble?”
Shadow pulls me into another hug and kisses the top of my head. He breathes me in, and I swear I see him smile when he smells his shampoo on me. “Nothing I can’t handle,” he replies easily. “Besides, I’m hoping we’ll get into all kinds of trouble later on.”
A blush creeps into my cheeks. Is he flirting with me? Do I want him to? Scratch that. Of course, I want him to. I just don’t know how to reciprocate.
Shadow gives me a wink and then takes a step back. “I better go change my clothes,” he says, looking down at his soaking wet shirt and jeans. “Lunch is set out for you on the kitchen table. Eat up, and I’ll be home soon, okay?”
I nod and watch him walk out the door. Is it weird that I like the idea of Shadow coming home to me every day? I shouldn’t trust him this much already, but there’s no denying I’d have woken up in a much worse situation this morning without Shadow’s intervention.
I dry off my hair and body, then slip into the sweatpants and shirt Shadow left for me. The clothes hang off my curves, making me feel dainty for the first time in a long time. As a plus-sized woman, I don’t often find myself drowning in clothes. I must admit, it’s a nice feeling.
The front door opens and closes, signaling Shadow’s departure.
I’ve only known him for a handful of hours, yet our connection is undeniable.
Loneliness curls around my stomach and lungs now that he’s not here.
I should be used to being on my own, but now that I know what it’s like to have the attention of someone like Shadow…
I don’t know if I can go back to life before I met him.