“Later,” Michaels whispered, and pulled Judge’s beard until his mouth made contact with his again. It was too quick a kiss to enjoy, so Judge snagged Michaels’ arm and yanked him back into his chest when he went to leave. The abrupt move made Michaels laugh, a rich, throaty chuckle. He licked Judge’s top lip first and whispered seductively. “So fuckin’ greedy.” Right before he graced Judge with one more kiss, this one a tiny bit longer than the previous one and hurried around the corner a second before Switch appeared at the bathroom door with a towel wrapped low around his waist.
Switch’s voice revealed his aggravation when he spoke. “When are we going? I’m done with this shit, for real, man. Just take me to jail already. I don’t even give a fuck anymore.”
“That’s the spirit,” Judge said dryly, shoving Switch back towards his room with his arms full of his clothes. “You just sit there until I tell you I’m ready to go.”
Judge slammed the door and was walking back through the living room when his phone buzzed on the table in front of the sofa. He’d never forgotten about his cell before. He could’ve missed important calls last night. But everything else seemed to take a backseat when it came to Austin Michaels. Judge was smiling when he bent and picked up his phone. His mood perked up even more when he saw it was Linda. He slid the green receiver over. “Hey, Linda,” he said, sounding happier than he had in years.
He listened as Linda cried into his ear. His smile sliding off his face like mud. He could hear what she was saying but he didn’t want to believe it. Please. Not right now. Judge dropped the phone at the second insistence that he get to the hospital right away. He only had a little time. How in the hell was he going to get there fast enough? It was almost five hours to Gainesville. Judge closed his eyes and tried to take a breath, but it was hard. He felt like his soul was being sucked out of him. His father was dying. Dying. And he was in this hotel, laid up with a man instead of handling his fucking business. Judge was getting angry. How could he be so stupid? If he’d done this job on his own and not taken Michaels with him, he’d have had Switch in Atlanta already. If Michaels’ rogue ass wouldn’t have stuck his face in the line of fire, they wouldn’t have had to make an emergency stop and they’d be just outside of Gainesville right now. This couldn’t be happening. Now he wasn’t going to be there to hold his father’s hand for his last breath. Judge choked at the thought. He’d fucked up big time. Never-a-fuckin’-gain. He ran his hands through his hair, looking left and right, completely disoriented as he rushed to throw his few items back into his duffle bag.
Michaels came out the room fully dressed. His smile was as wide as Judge’s had been just a few minutes before. “God called, he said we’re all clear to head back to Atlanta. So we can hit the road and be—” Michaels stopped when he saw Judge hefting his bag. “Did God or Day call you too?”
Judge didn’t answer. He whistled for Bookem, but forgot that he was closed inside Switch’s room. He went and burst through the door, urging Book to come with him, which of course, he did. Switch was looking confused but he didn’t move off the bed.
When Judge marched back into the room to throw Bookem’s dog bowl and food in his bag, Michaels finally grabbed him and got him turned around to face him. Judge glared and Michaels threw his hands up as if showing he wasn’t a threat. “Babe. What is going on?”
Judge bristled even more at the term babe. “I gotta go. Tell God he can send someone for you or you can rent a car and take the bounty back to Atlanta. I have to get to Gainesville right now. I don’t have time to sit here and fuckin’ play anymore.” Judge fumed.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Michaels was trying to keep up. He’d only left the room for a couple minutes and when he came back, Judge was frantic and furious. He looked in the room at Switch; nothing seemed out of the ordinary there.
“Whoa, whoa. Playing. Judge is it your father? I’m so sor—”
“Save it.” Judge cut him off.
Michaels had seen firsthand how much Judge’s father meant to him. Of course he was upset, but he wanted to show Judge that he could be there for him.
“Gainesville is on the way. Let me drive you.” Michaels turned to get his stuff but Judge’s next words pierced his heart like a hot blade cutting through butter.