Page 8

8

B rooks

The myriad expressions crossing Michelle’s face from the time we left the dinner to the time we got into the car meant I had no idea where she was emotionally. The brief moment of vulnerability had cost her—I could tell. But she straightened her shoulders and gave Fiona and Gideon the largest smile as they said goodbye.

There was something undeniably sexy about happiness on a person. Michelle didn’t wear it often, but when it was there, I found myself starstruck. Not that I could tell her that. She was a house of cards waiting to be tipped over from the slightest breeze. I thought about taking her hand on the walk to my car but stopped myself. She liked boundaries, and I nearly stumbled when she looped her arm in mine.

“Oh, we’re fancy now.”

God, why did I have to speak?

“Fancy?” She stared up at me and chuckled.

“I always thought arm holding was for fancy people. Not for the likes of me.”

She pursed her lips and let go of my arm, and I was about to complain when she shifted her weight, her balance wobbling just slightly.

She winced, barely noticeable, but I caught it.

My brows furrowed. “You good?”

She exhaled through her nose, annoyed, and straightened. “Fine. These heels just suck.”

I glanced down at her ridiculous shoes, the thin straps digging into the smooth skin of her ankles, and before I could think better of it, I crouched slightly, lowering my back.

“Hop on.”

She blinked. “What?”

“Your feet hurt,” I said simply. “Piggyback time.”

She hesitated. “I can walk, Brooks.”

I turned, shooting her a look over my shoulder. “Mitch, we both know you’re stubborn as hell. But your face just did a thing when you took a step, and I don’t like seeing you in pain.”

She scoffed, but I could see the internal war happening behind her eyes. Then, with a dramatic sigh, she hiked up her dress and jumped onto my back.

And fuck me, I was not prepared.

Her arms locked around my shoulders, her thighs squeezing my waist as she adjusted her grip. Her breath fanned against my neck, and for a second, I had to rein in every instinct that wanted to lean into her, to hold her tighter than necessary.

Do not comment on her legs, Madsen.

Do not.

“The piggyback is an excellent means of travel, m’lady,” I murmured, my hands firm but respectful against the backs of her thighs.

Jesus , her skin was soft.

She hummed, her tone teasing but just a little breathless. “You sure I’m not too heavy?”

I let out a low laugh, adjusting my grip. “Michelle, you weigh nothing. You’re like a damn feather with an attitude problem.”

She chuckled, and I could feel the vibration of it against my back. I moved forward, keeping my strides slow and steady, but her hold on me tightened.

Then, very softly, she sighed.

Not irritated.

Not defensive.

Just… comfortable.

I smiled, knowing better than to say anything and ruin it.

“I don’t want to ruin the moment,” I said, keeping my voice easy, low, “but I gotta say—you feel damn good against me.”

Her fingers tightened slightly where they rested on my shoulders, and for a second, she didn’t let go.

It was the smallest hesitation, barely a flicker, but I felt it. Her warmth against my back, the way she had melted into me for a brief moment, how her breathing had evened out like she wasn’t used to being taken care of like this.

I didn’t rush her. I didn’t say a damn thing. I missed this feeling for years and I knew speaking would ruin this connection.

But then, she cleared her throat, adjusted her grip, and let out a soft, almost reluctant sigh.

“Alright, chauffeur,” she murmured, her tone back to teasing, but there was something else under it now. Something I wasn’t sure she realized.

Before I could say anything, she slid off my back, her hands lingering on my shoulders for a second too long before she stepped away.

The sudden loss of her warmth was stupidly noticeable.

She smoothed her dress down, shaking it off, acting like she hadn’t just been wrapped around me like she belonged there.

“You still in one piece?” I smirked, stretching my arms.

“Unfortunately, yes,” she deadpanned, brushing past me toward the car.

I grinned, following her, but the shift happened fast. Halfway there, her stride slowed, her fingers twitched slightly at her sides, and then—her entire body stiffened.

I barely caught it before she forced herself to keep moving, but I didn’t miss the way her shoulders tensed like a vice, or the way she lowered her chin just enough to look through her lashes.

I followed her line of sight and that’s when I saw him.

A policeman, parked three spots down.

I didn’t think much of it, nodding in greeting, but the second I did, Michelle jumped. Like full-body jolt, heartbeat-skipping, fight-or-flight kind of jump.

Then, just as quickly, she schooled her features, expression blank, blinking too much.

She turned away, running her hands down the sides of her dress again, as if the fabric had somehow changed in the last five seconds.

My gut tightened. Something was wrong.

She reached the car first and leaned against it, arms crossed, her eyes dark, unreadable.

“You alright?” I asked slowly. “Worried about mooning an officer of the law?”

She snorted, but it was off. Forced.

“No.” She sucked in her cheek, gaze flicking toward the cop again before snapping back to me. “Let’s go.”

I hesitated.

She was acting weird as hell, her energy completely different now, but I knew better than to push her when she was like this. So I just nodded, unlocked the door, and helped her in.

The cop was still watching us, and for some reason, that pissed me off.

I nodded toward him again as I rounded the front of the car, and his response was a curt nod in return.

Michelle had gone silent beside me, but as I slid into the driver’s seat, I could see her in my peripheral with her expression tight, jaw locked, fingers clenching against her thigh.

That’s when it hit me. This wasn’t annoyance. It wasn’t discomfort.

She was scanning, watching, calculating. Like she was waiting for something to happen.

With laughter already escaping my mouth, I elbowed her lightly, trying to pull her back to me. “You afraid of cops, Mitch? It’s okay to admit it.”

“I’m not. No.” She frowned, staring at the mirror again.

I tried again. “I don’t know. My brother acts all weird around them too. One time, a stern lady cop knocked on our door, and he answered in pajamas, sweating so much she had to ask if he needed medical assistance. I cry just thinking about it.”

I laughed, expecting at least a smile, but she didn’t even react.

Her fingers tightened on her knee, her shoulders rigid, and my stomach dropped.

“Mitch.”

No answer.

She just kept staring at the mirror, her breath coming out sharper now, her foot tapping slightly against the floor mat.

Then she shook her head, exhaling hard. “We should get going. It’s dark out, and I have two hours of studying to do.”

Shit . Window of playfulness? Gone.

The energy in the car was completely different now, thick and heavy, a weight I could feel between us. I flipped on the alternative punk playlist, letting it fill the silence, but she still wouldn’t sit still.

Leg crossed. Uncrossed. Fingers tapping against the window. Arms folding, unfolding, folding again. She cleared her throat, twice.

By the time we hit the first stoplight, she’d already chewed half her thumbnail down to nothing. I reached over, placing a firm hand on her thigh.

Her muscles tensed under my palm, but she didn’t move away.

“Babe, what’s wrong?” My voice softened, shifting out of teasing, into something gentler. “Is it Ivan? You could call and check in on him if you want.”

She inhaled deeply, her fingers flexing against her lap. Then, finally, she spoke.

“That cop is someone I know well.”

The air in the car shifted again.

I nodded, studying her carefully now, noting the way her jaw twitched slightly, the way her fists balled in her lap like she was preparing for a fight.

“I take it… not in a good way?”

She let out a slow, measured breath, her voice quieter now, like she was talking to herself as much as me. “Wrong place, wrong time type of situation. My lovely father and brother were involved.”

I felt it, then.

The anger curling in my gut, slow and simmering, the pieces starting to connect. I knew better than to push her, but that didn’t stop the immediate urge to stop the car, park, and get the whole damn story out of her.

But I waited.

Because I knew she wasn’t done yet.

She ran her hands over her thighs and curled her lip up in a sneer. “His name is Ed Chambers. He refused to believe me when I explained what happened. I was seventeen at the time and had no idea what I was getting into.”

“Shit, I’m sorry.” I paused, keeping my hand on her to offer any comfort I could. She placed one of her hands on top of mine and squeezed it, and I swore I felt the contact all the way to my toes. Michelle didn’t accept comfort, and this was huge. “I shouldn’t have made a joke about you being afraid. I’m an ass.”

“You didn’t know,” she said in a soft voice. “My dad used me to run drugs without my knowledge, and when we got busted, I had stuff on me. Luckily, a teacher I knew well had a lawyer for a husband, and they helped me plead the case. Since I was a minor, they dropped any charges, but Ed made it quite clear he thought I was in on it.”

“Jesus,” I said, hating how gross the story made me feel. “Your dad made you fucking run drugs?”

“There’s a reason I don’t tell people about my past, Brooks. It’s not pretty nor something I like talking about.” Her tone turned sharp, and the shadows in her eyes grew as her expression darkened. “I wanted money like any teenager did, and it was better than staying in the house with my mom, who was a hot mess. My dad offered me fifty bucks to drive cars he worked on to his friends and take the bus back. It took thirty minutes. Never thought to check the trunk.”

A deep, urgent anger formed in my gut and spread through my limbs like lightning. “That is so messed up. My god. I can’t…” Words escaped me. “I don’t know how to express how angry I am for you.”

“The fact you believe me means a lot.” She gave a fake laugh that made my skin crawl. “I’ve only shared this with four other people. You and Fiona are the only ones who didn’t roll their eyes.”

I reined in my instant rage and waited until we pulled up by her building before responding. “I cannot tell you how much it means to me that you shared that. But I’m sorry that you had to deal with that at all. No one should have that from a parent, and anyone who doesn’t believe you can fuck themselves.”

A ghost of a smile played on her lips, and she reached over and hugged me. I squeezed her against me and smiled into her hair. Every muscle in her back was tight, and I wished I could do something for her. “Should we continue our tradition, and I can give you a piggyback ride to your apartment?”

“At this point, we must,” she said, pulling back and looking up at me with an awed expression. “I would offer you to get on my back, but you’re kinda heavy.”

“Appreciate the offer, Mitch.”

We got out of the car, and I hurried to her side and waited for her to jump up on me. It might’ve been silly or stupid, but if it put a smile on her face, it was worth it. Her breasts pressed against my back, and I deserved an award for how polite my mind was acting. “Shit,” she said, sliding down my body and walking in front of me. She made a fist at her side and let out a grunt. “Goddamn it. Again. Why?”

“What’s going on?” I searched the area for anything that had alarmed her, but nothing jumped out. She’d started toward her door when I saw the reason for her outburst. The door hung open. Just an inch or two, but I knew damn well she’d locked it when we left. “Michelle, no .”

She stopped and gave me an unreadable look. It was a mask of the woman I’d gotten glimpses of all night. No warmth or joy or worry. Just…nothing. “It’s fine. Not your problem, Brooks.”

“If you think I’m just going to let you walk into your apartment that got broken into, you’re wrong. You are not doing this alone.”

She took a long breath and closed her eyes for a few seconds. Her long eyelashes fanned against her cheeks, and she looked so peaceful. But when she opened them, a fire was burning. “Fine.”

“What do you want to do? Call the police?” I asked, wincing at the hardened expression on her face. “Okay, maybe not?”

“No. I’ll handle it on my own.” She marched to her door in her beautiful dress that showed her curves in the best way, and I followed. Nerves danced along my spine, and a million thoughts flew through my head.

Was it drugs? A robbery? Random? Targeted? Should I have called the police anyway?

“Wait!” I yelled before she walked in. “Let me go first.”

She hid her smirk and shook her head. “Nope. This one is on me.” Then she reached into a bush in front of her door, pulled out a bat and charged into the apartment. It was a strange feeling to be turned on and worried at the same time.

“He won’t find anything. I’m not a fucking idiot,” she mumbled to herself, moving from room to room and holding the bat with a great stance. She gave me a wicked smile before kicking a door to a bedroom. I eyed the area around me, searching for god knew what. Drugs? Knives?

He as in…? The brother she mentioned?

She checked the last two areas before coming back to the entrance and tossing the bat on the couch. “My brother. He likes to break in and search for money when he gets desperate.”

“Michelle.” My voice cracked. “If I ever see your brother, I will punch him in the face. Your dad too, for that matter.”

She gave me a soft smile, one I wanted to keep and remember forever. She walked up to me, grabbed the lapels of my suit, and patted them down. “You sweet, beautiful fool.”

“Uh, that was some nice things and an insult.” I ran my hands down her sides and rested them just above her ass.

“My brother and father are not worth your time. You hit them, then they sue you and come after you as much as they can. They are lowlives.” She cupped my face, and her eyes took on a serious look. “I appreciate your defense of me, but you will not hurt a tiny bone in your hand over them. I forbid it.”

“Forbid it, huh?” I laughed. “Try to stop me, Mitch.”

She ran her teeth over her bottom lip before moving her hands to my pecs. She hummed as she continued feeling me up, and when I let out a quick breath, she jumped back like I’d caught fire. “Thanks for…everything,” she said, avoiding my gaze and backing up into the kitchen.

“You’ll be okay? I can sleep here.”

Her head snapped up, and her eyes were wide, so I corrected myself. “On the couch. I can sleep here on the couch just in case he returns.”

“No. No.” She frowned and started pushing me toward the door. “I got this, Brooks. My family, my problems. Now be a good date and get home safe. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I let her force me out of the door, but I caught her hand and pulled her to me. “I want you safe.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Yes, you can. But I like taking care of you, too.” I pressed a soft kiss on her forehead and set her down. “Lock the door. I want to hear it.”

“You’re bossy.”

“Wait until I get you in bed again,” I said, without thinking. “Shit. I meant?—”

She held up a hand and pushed on my chest, but there wasn’t any force behind it. She looked up at me, smiling, and shook her head with a small laugh. “I’ve learned a few things since then. I might be me bossing you around.”

I groaned and made an exaggerated gesture of biting my fist. “I’m leaving. Thanks for that, Mitch.” I backed up and waited for her to lock her door. Seeing her shitty apartment with a busted doorframe pissed me off, but I let her have her independence. For now.

After making sure Brigs didn’t make an ass of himself, I’d come back and double-check that she was okay.