Mia

Eighteen

Mia 

Buzzing woke me. Something was buzzing over and over. 

            My phone?

            I was wrapped up like a cocoon on Pierce’s couch, my phone buzzing on the glass coffee table next to me. Every part of me hurt, my head about to explode. He wasn’t there anymore. Somehow, that seemed to make everything hurt even more. 

            My phone was a nuisance I was certain I didn’t want to look at. The amount of time it took me to get into a sitting position was almost funny. But the reason why, the reason why everything hurt, had tears pricking at my eyes again. My face hurt the most, my left cheek so swollen my eye was almost swollen shut. 

            When I reached for my phone, I noticed the small piece of paper next to it. It was written in surprisingly elegant script, but the note itself made my heart wrench. 

            Mia—

            I got called in but didn’t want to wake you. You need rest. There’s more ice in the freezer. It will help with the swelling. I added Jersey Shore to my Hulu queue.

            They can track your phone if they have the equipment. I suggest you turn it off. I can bring a cheap one home after work. I’m hoping today makes you safer. Text me before you turn it off. 

            Please don’t disappear on me. 

            Pierce

            An unbelievable amount of emotion rolled through me. This guy cared so much… I had never had that before. The idea of them being able to find me made me sick to my stomach, so I grabbed my phone, but stopped short at the sight of Kenny’s name on it. I couldn’t restrain myself from reading it.

            Kenny: You will pay for this you f*****g b***h. Better yet… your sister will. Hope she enjoys her last prom. 

            He was just trying to goad me. He had to be. There was no way they would actually come out and hurt her… right? Not at prom. Not in such a public place, especially since she would be with Cade. She would be okay. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. 

            Still, letting Pierce know couldn’t hurt. 

            Me: We need to talk. 

            While I waited for him to answer, I tested my extremities, stretching my sore legs and arms while avoiding looking at my bandaged wrists. Peeing was essential, so it was a harder task to avoid looking at my bruised and swollen face in the mirror. Which made it impossible to shun thoughts of the previous night. 

            Trudging through the rain for miles until I finally got to his apartment. I could barely remember that part. But I clearly remembered everything else. Obviously Kenny survived and was pissed, but he had basically kidnapped me! And I could have easily called my very close cop friend on him. He should have been thanking me. 

            Speaking of, that cop friend meant so much to me. The care he had put into helping me the night before was heart-wrenchingly beautiful. He had no clue I was totally in love with him, especially since he didn’t expect anything from me. The way he touched and soothed me the night before had reached some crevice in my heart that I didn’t know existed. 

            While I wandered through his tiny, mostly bare apartment, I noticed a few pictures in his kitchen of him and a much older man who had to be his dad due to their resemblance. His hair was longer than Pierce’s and speckled with salt and pepper. He was a handsome guy, but the guy next to him was drop-dead gorgeous. One was of them by a fire in a green forest, and the other was of them fishing on a clear lake surrounded by willowy trees. He looked so peaceful and happy; I wanted to see him look that way in front of me some day. 

            I avoided his bedroom but did find the coffee and muffin he left for me on the counter. While I nibbled on the muffin, the door swung open, causing me a heart attack, before Pierce stepped inside. He was wearing jeans and a T-shirt and looking completely disheveled. Probably because of me. 

            He spotted me standing there with a piece of muffin held to my mouth. Without a word, he tossed the bag he carried on the counter and took the few strides to me before devouring me in a hug. My heart skipped a million beats, turning into a giant pile of emotional mush. My arms went around his waist. He smelt amazing—of rain, and woods, and spice. It was like breathing in life. I didn’t think I could let go. Ever.

            I didn’t realize I was crying until he pulled back and there were giant wet spots on his gray T-shirt. He swiped the tears away, studying me with those deep lines between his brows. “How are you feeling?”

            I just gaped at him like an i***t for the longest minute. I felt like I had been run over by a bulldozer, but there was an amazing feeling blooming in my chest. The want, the need for him to kiss me was overwhelming. When my lips parted, he raised his eyebrows and cleared his throat. I shook my head, sucking in a sharp breath. My arms were still around his waist, and his hands rested on my shoulders. A slow-burning fire bloomed over my skin.

            “Ummm… what?” I asked when he kept staring at me like something was seriously wrong. 

            His hands gripped my shoulders before he took a step back and dropped his arms to his sides. A sharp pain rocked through my chest. “You can’t look at me like that, not right now.” 

            I wanted to laugh, but a small part of me ached—a part I couldn’t allow him to see. Not after my millions of breakdowns I had already had. “I wasn’t looking at you like anything, Cop.” I rolled my eyes, but that actually hurt my face and my head, and I ended up cringing, making him glare at the bruised cheek. It was an awesome moment to follow up me wanting him to kiss me. “You asked how I am feeling, and the answer is not so great. Do you have some Tylenol or something?” 

            With a nod, he grabbed some out of the white cupboard right next to his fridge and then got me a glass of water from the kitchen sink. He was so simplistic it was endearing. To stave off my awkwardness and emotions, I downed the glass and the pills while he rubbed his neck. 

            “So… we found an abandoned black Honda Civic ten blocks from here. Forensics is doing some tests on the blood found on the driver’s seat.” 

            I cringed, my stomach flipping over, my chest tightening. There was a good chance I was going to lose the pills I just took. “I’m sorry.” He sighed. “I thought you should know, or that you’d want to know he wasn’t in the car and they checked his house. It appears he’s gone, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t in danger.”

            I could only nod, taking a couple deep breaths. “I knew he wouldn’t be there. He texted me this morning threatening Ava.” 

            “Are you f*****g kidding me?”

            I shook my head, holding my phone out to him as proof. 

            “Dammit. This f*****g punk has tested my ability to not murder someone. I’m guessing this is what you wanted to talk about?” I nodded while I chewed on my thumbnail. He tossed my phone on the counter then rubbed his hands over his head. “You need to turn that off. There’s another phone in the bag. I already added my number to it.” 

            With that, he stormed for his room. I just stood there not knowing what the hell to do with myself when he slammed the door. I was the cause for all his frustrations, all his problems. I was a nuisance that he didn’t need in his life. 

            After turning my phone off, I got the crappy little prepaid phone out of the bag. I stood there staring at it, until deciding what I really needed to do. I went to his closed door and tapped on it. It instantly swung open, revealing him in all his shirtless glory. His dark skin was everywhere, no tan lines to be seen. A dark black tribal tattoo covered his right shoulder and chest, seeming to disappear on his back. My jaw dropped to the floor, all serious thoughts going with it. Tattoos and muscles and milk chocolaty skin would be the thoughts of the day. 

            “Holy muscles,” I breathed, even though he was wearing the grumpiest scowl I had ever seen on him. He got another eye roll from me. “If you don’t appreciate me drooling over your eight pack, put a shirt on before you open the door.” 

            “My patience is very, very thin this morning, Mia,” he growled, gripping his door handle, making me glare. “Please understand. I had a girl I care very much about show up on my doorstep in shock last night after being beat up by the scum of the earth, who I can’t kill because he’s part of an extremely dangerous drug ring, which said girl is also trying to escape. I have a good lead on their location, and I just spent the whole morning arguing with my boss about busting the operation today, so I can avoid this girl’s family getting hurt any further once they realize she’s taken off.

            “Then you show me that text from that prick, who I want to shred to pieces. Then I look at you and you’re looking at me like… like you want me… and I can’t even do anything about how badly I want you right now because you’re still my buddy’s baby sister. So please, for the love of God, chill with the snarky attitude, Mia, and tell me what I can do for you.” 

            I wanted so badly to tell him that I wasn’t Kai’s baby sister. Ava was by two whole minutes. Nevertheless, the number of snarky comebacks on the tip of my tongue were held at bay. This amazing man cared way too much about me, so I was hoping to lighten his load some, reciprocate the unbelievable kindness. “Since I’m basically gone as far as everyone is concerned, I was thinking… maybe I could help you.” 

            After putting a shirt on—damn him—he sat on the couch while I described where Kenny had driven me those two times, which turned out to be the place he thought was the location. I told him the layout of the inside, at least the small amount I had seen. I explained what little I knew of Noah and confirmed the names of the students involved. Telling him the rest of it lifted an enormous weight from my chest, while another one settled in immediately after. Now I would need to disappear for good to keep Pierce safe, so no one would ever know how badly he broke the law for me. 

            He wrote everything down, then stared at the paper when I was done. “This really helps.” He met my gaze. “Thank you, Mia.” 

            “I should have done that a while ago.”

            “I’ll try to get this done quickly so we can be close to prom to make sure nothing happens to Ava.” He stood before leaning down to kiss me on the forehead, leaving a scalding burn in that spot. “Don’t go anywhere. Please. I’ll be back tonight, and we’ll figure out what’s next. You can eat all the frozen pizza you want while I’m gone.” 

            “Yum,” I grumbled, making him chuckle. 

            “Seriously, I’ll be back.” He grabbed his keys, heading for the door. 

            My heart felt like it might explode with the reality of what he was about to do. “Pierce,” I called, and he turned to look at me. “Please be careful. Please.” 

            “I will be.” A knock-me-dead smile burst across his face before he headed out the door. My heart stuttered in my chest.