Chapter 36: Fire Escapes and Stolen Glances
Micah’s POV
Kidnap me? What on earth am I saying?
Even though every fractured piece of my soul desperately wished for Damon to come and rip me away from this nightmare, I couldn’t believe those words had actually slipped out of my mouth.
I was absolutely certain my father wouldn’t shed a single tear or even care that I was gone, but Noah...
I squeezed my eyes shut, holding my breath as I waited for Damon’s response.
"If you wish for me to kidnap you, I’m up for it," Damon’s smooth, deep voice vibrated through the speaker, devoid of his usual teasing. "Get your things ready... or not. I can easily just replace everything once you get here."
A massive, overwhelming wave of relief crashed over me. My trembling lips finally stretched into a genuine smile as I clutched my free hand tightly over my racing heart.
"Thank you, Damon," I whispered, immediately disconnecting the call before my courage could fail me.
I sprang into action, yanking my worn school bag from the corner of the room. Moving with energy, I started stuffing my essentials inside. A few simple clothes, my laptop, a notebook, and a few other important things I couldn’t survive without.
Just as I zipped the bag shut, a soft knock hit my bedroom door.
I flinched violently, my knees buckling as I nearly stumbled over my own feet.
"Micah?" Noah’s voice called out from the hallway.
Fuck.
Panic seized my throat. I forcefully shoved the heavy bag into the back of my wardrobe, slamming the wooden doors shut just as I rushed to open my bedroom door.
"Hey, Noah," I forced a bright smile, blinking repeatedly to hide the terror swirling in my eyes.
Noah didn’t step inside. He just stood there, his icy blue eyes slowly tracking down my face. He looked at my eyes, dropped his gaze to my nose, lingered on my lips, and then slowly met my eyes again. The intensity of his stare made my stomach knot.
"I’m sorry for what father said to you earlier," Noah said softly, a genuine look of regret crossing his perfect features. "Maybe I should stop trying to defend you. It seems like it only makes things worse for you."
My heart gave a painful squeeze. So he knew. In this exact moment, Noah looked like such a protective, caring angel. But the horrific image of that death list flashed in my mind. Angel or monster, I still had to go.
"It’s fine," I murmured, lowering my head to break eye contact. "I’ve gotten used to it."
"I’ll try to talk to father—"
"No, Noah," I interrupted, my voice sharp with sudden panic. He could easily set father off and make my life a living hell without even realizing it.
Noah let out a heavy sigh, his large hand reaching out to gently ruffle my hair. "Alright. Just go inside and do your assignments or something. I’ll see you later."
I nodded obediently, holding my breath as I watched his broad back retreat down the hall. The absolute second he was out of sight, I locked my door and practically dove for my wardrobe, dragging the heavy bag back out.
"Where the hell is Damon?" I muttered nervously.
Right on cue, a soft thud echoed against my window glass.
I rushed over, pulling the curtain back. Damon was standing down in the yard, looking up at me. My jaw instantly dropped. Wait, what the hell was he wearing?
Is that a full-blown firefighter costume?
"Hey, Micah," Damon mouthed in a loud whisper, sending a completely shameless, theatrical wink up at me.
Despite the panic in my veins, a breathless laugh escaped my lips. This crazy fucker. I unlatched the window, sliding it open. I tossed my heavy bag down to him first. Damon caught it effortlessly, tossing it onto the grass beside him before stretching both of his large, muscular arms out, fully expecting to catch me, too.
I cast one final, lingering look back at my empty bedroom and the empty desk. I hadn’t left a single letter or note to inform them of my whereabouts. There was no need. Neither of them truly wanted me here anyway.
Taking a deep breath, I swung my legs over the sill and jumped into the dark yard.
Damon’s strong hands clamped securely around my waist, catching my momentum and absorbing my weight without even a stagger. His chest was rock hard against mine.
"You weigh absolutely nothing, sweetheart," he murmured, his hot breath fanning across my ear.
"Shut up," I winced, my face burning with a sudden, furious heat.
I pushed myself off his chest, my heart hammering as I reached down to grab my bag off the grass. But Damon was faster. He snatched the strap right out of my reach, slinging the bag easily over his own shoulder.
"Let’s go," he ordered quietly.
He placed a firm, protective hand on my small back, guiding me quickly out of my yard. We slipped silently through the neighbor’s property, sticking to the dark shadows until we finally reached where his sleek sports car was parked down the street.
He carefully placed my bag in the backseat as I hurriedly opened the passenger door and slid into the leather seat.
Damon climbed into the driver’s side and immediately started unzipping the heavy top of his ridiculous fireman costume. He shimmied his broad shoulders, letting the thick, suspender-lined fabric drop completely down to his waist as he stretched his arms out with a heavy sigh.
My breath caught completely in my throat. He wasn’t wearing a single thing underneath.
The dim streetlights illuminated his incredibly defined, heavily tattooed torso. My eyes greedily traced the sharp, perfect lines of his abs, the deep V tapering down past his waistline. A sudden, intense heat pooled in my stomach, and I swallowed hard as my mouth instantly started to water. He looked completely, sinfully yummy, and... Ugh.
Realizing I was openly staring like a starved animal, I violently snapped my eyes away, staring out the passenger window.
But Damon’s hand instantly shot out across the center console. His long fingers gripped my chin, forcefully but gently turning my flushed face right back toward his exposed chest.
"Don’t stop now, Micah," Damon whispered, a dark, wicked smirk playing on his lips as his eyes burned into mine. "Keep looking. You can munch on it if you want..."