Don't Judge (Nothing Special 4)

“I’m so sorry, Austin. I know it hurts,” Day whispered in his ear. “But trust me this once, if you never trust me for anything else. That man will be back.”

Michaels’ voice caught in his throat, and Day squeezed him harder. “I promise you, Austin. Judge will be back.”

After a few moments Michaels pulled back and took his heartache and problems with him. He felt so tired, that load was so damn heavy. He wondered how long he’d have to haul it around. He looked into Day’s beautiful hazel eyes with his own red ones. He wanted to believe what he was selling, but this wasn’t Cinderella’s story.

Day squeezed both of Michaels’ shoulders then placed his hand on the cheek that wasn’t a variety of colors. “How could he not come back? Look at you.”

Michaels dropped his head, ashamed and certainly not optimistic. “Yeah, look at me.”

“I’m sure he looks a lot worse.”

“He’s gone on with his life, glad that he left me behind when he did.”

Day shook his head. “If he’s not on his way back already, he will be very soon.”

Michaels bit his bottom lip to keep from rebutting. Day was wrong on this one, but he’d let him feel like he was right.

“Trust me. Day is smart. Day is wise.” His Lieutenant winked at him.

Michaels couldn’t muster a smile right now, so he just dropped his ass back in his truck. Day’s smile fell slowly. “Austin. Go rest. You’re on personal leave as of six this morning. Today never even happened.”

Michaels looked at him with an indefinable combination of shock and confusion.

“Now do you believe in my powers?” Day’s cocky smirk was back, and Michaels lifted the corner of his mouth, too. “Ahhhh. That’s better. The beautiful, strong, talented man that I’ve come to know and love over the past few years needs to make a reappearance soon. We miss him and we need him. He’s a part of a team that doesn’t function well without him.”

Michaels nodded.

“I know if I offer you my guestroom that you’ll decline. Hell sometimes I don’t even want to be under the same roof with God, so I know you don’t.” Day chuckled and stepped back to let Michaels close his door. He knew Day was joking. Michaels rolled down the window to let him finish. “But let me know where you go. Do not just disappear. It’s okay if you don’t want to tell anyone else, but I demand to know where you are. Don’t make me send an APB, I won’t be happy about it, but you know I’ll do it.”

“I’ll text you when I get to my family’s cabin, okay. I think I need some time alone,” Michaels said, hoarsely. Damn, his voice was rough.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Judge walked into Duke’s office and dropped down on the couch, exhausted and mentally drained. He’d scattered his father’s ashes on his land like he’d requested, and put the bar up for sale. He’d inherited it, but it wasn’t his calling. He’d end up assaulting and banishing all the customers. He wasn’t exactly a people person like his father. He’d closed his father’s bank account and sent all of it to Linda. Technically it was Judge’s, but Linda had been good to his father, and had helped him build up that account. His father had named her beneficiary of his life insurance policy too, so with Judge’s contribution, he hoped Linda would be able to live comfortably and enjoy her family.

“Judge, you coming up?” Duke’s gravelly voice called down. It was almost midnight and Judge had been driving all day, doing any and everything to take his mind off of one person. Even Bookem missed Michaels, he could tell. Judge dragged himself upstairs, hauling his duffle bag. Duke was shirtless; wearing a comfortable pair of sweats that were hanging so low Judge could see his pubic hair. “Man, you look like hell.”

Judge scowled, walking into Duke’s apartment. He didn’t bother to respond, just walked into the bathroom, and closed the door behind him. His thoughts immediately went back to Michaels. As if he needed any other reason to feel like shit, yesterday God had let him know that Switch had attacked Michaels as soon as he went back into the hotel room. Had almost killed him. God told him Michaels was out on medical leave until further notice.

Judge had sat in his truck on the side of the road for hours thinking about what ifs. What if Switch had succeeded? Suffocated his wild detective to death. What if Judge hadn’t left the way he did; had made sure Switch was secured first. It was his bounty and he’d let Michaels get hurt. If they were at war together, it would’ve been the equivalent to Judge leaving a wounded comrade behind. He was a disgrace. He didn’t want to see the look on anyone’s face when they found out the whole truth.