He blinks at me, and I look away in a hurry. Oh God. I didn’t just say I loved him.
I did.
“Can we call someone to come pick us up?” I pull out my cell.
“I can walk.” He’s struggling to get up, a hand propped on the wall, his face scrunched up, lips white with pain.
“Micah, please.”
He sighs. “Rafe. Call him.” He rattles off a number, and I call.
Five minutes later, a black Mustang stops where we are, and Rafe steps out. The rain plasters his blond mane to his head and face. He peers at us through soaked bangs.
“You kids need to stop getting into trouble,” he grumbles, and it’s kinda funny because he seems to be our age. He crouches at Micah’s other side.
“Hey, Rafe,” Micah mutters. “Thanks for coming, man.”
“What happened?” He peels back Micah’s soaked jacket and prods his side, making Micah hiss and curse. “Bruised ribs, maybe one of them cracked, but it looks like you’ll live. Who did this?”
“Don’t know him.” Micah grimaces.
“Did he say anything to you?”
“The usual. From Blake, for Evie.” He looks down at me, his lips white with pain. “Like Seth.”
“He didn’t get you as bad,” Rafe says as he wraps an arm around Micah’s back and helps him up.
“I beat the shit out of him. He thought I was easy prey. He was fucking mistaken.” Micah’s face goes white when he straightens. “Besides, he didn’t catch me entirely by surprise.”
“How’s that?” I reach for him, steadying him, then drape his arm over my shoulders, and we move toward the car.
“You told me about Blake’s threats. I knew he might come after me.”
I let that sink in as Rafe opens the car door, and we bundle Micah in. I didn’t fail him completely. I kept him alive.
I turn my face up and smile in the rain.
Chapter Thirteen
Micah
Lying on my bed, finally warm and dry, the blood washed off my face, I convince myself I’m alive. Safe. I hurt all over, though, and as I wait for the painkillers to kick in, I gaze at Ev who’s on the phone, pacing right outside my bedroom.
Damn, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found her kneeling by my side on the sidewalk. She keeps coming back for me, checking I’m all right.
Isn’t this what family does? What home is? This girl has a heart big as the world and for some reason she seems fond of me. She said…
She said she loves me. I poke the memory gently, afraid I’ll change it. She did say those words. My ears were ringing pretty badly at the time, but I’m sure she said it…
I think.
She’s talking to her brother, Joel. Her eyes flash with anger and then satisfaction, and she waves a hand in the air. Catching snatches of their conversation, I try to piece together what happened tonight and what else Blake The Asshole has done.
Fuck-ass bitch wronged my girl. He hurt her, staged an accident and broke her leg, landed her in hospital. Made her suffer.
Screw waiting for the painkillers to act. I sit up, and my ribs fucking burn. The pain blinds me for a moment, and I pant, waiting for my eyes to clear.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Rafe shoves me back unceremoniously, and I fall onto my pillow with a gasp. “What do you need?”