My knuckles turn white as I grip the table. I manage a nod, but I’m not sure if it’s because I’m acknowledging the information he’s giving me or the decision I’m trying to maintain not to kill someone.
Robbie is going to live right next door. Whatever Lucy needs, he’ll be able to give her.
I could burn this fucking world down right now. She doesn’t fucking need him. She needs me. Fuck, I know I need her. Goddamn it. This is the worst fucking place to be in the world right now. I feel completely fucking impotent, and I’m the one that set this shit in motion.
“Shadow was also able to work out a transfer for Lucy. Galveston has a sister company of the one she works for here. The one there actually has promotional opportunities. I bet she’ll be a supervisor in no time. The school system seems good. I’m sure they’ll do well in Texas.”
Kincaid takes another sip of his coffee, his eyes never leaving mine.
I can’t get past the feeling that every word from his mouth is a fucking challenge, but at the end of the day, I respect the man too much to throat punch him. I stand from the table, walking slowly to the sink to wash my coffee cup.
“Anything else?” I ask.
“I think that’s about it.”
“Thanks, Prez,” I tell him before walking slowly out of the kitchen.
My body is a fucking live wire by the time I make it back to my room, but I manage to close myself inside and count to thirty. Slow breaths in, slow breaths out. Eyes closed, my future flashing nothing but black images of sadness behind the lids.
When I open my eyes, I’m nothing but a ball of rage. I destroy the room, ripping the bed apart. The television, the dresser, the curtains, nothing is a match for the pain and anger I feel.
Robbie Farrow makes every damn wrong decision, ends up in prison off and on for the better part of ten years and he still gets the damn girl. He gets the family that I want, the family I can take care of. I’ve always known life wasn’t fair, but fuck, a break every once in a while would be nice.
I’m sweaty and heaving by the time there isn’t a single thing in the room left untouched.
I’m not surprised by the knock on the bedroom door, only surprised it didn’t come sooner, but hell, whoever it is could’ve been knocking for the last five minutes and I wouldn’t have heard them.
“Yeah,” I huff, my breaths rushing past my lips.
The door opens, and I slowly turn to see Ace with his head through the open crack. He doesn’t seem surprised by the mess I’ve made. He must’ve been standing in the hall waiting for it to end before interrupting me.
“What’s up?” I ask, raking my hand over the top of my head.
“This probably isn’t the best time to tell you that Robbie Farrow is in the parking lot asking for you.”
My laughter is menacing, and I know he can see it in my eyes as well.
“I’ll tell him to leave.”
“No,” I say, stopping him before he can turn away. “Just give me a few minutes. I’ll be fine.”
He takes another long look at the room. “It’s going to take more than a couple of minutes.”
“Have him wait.”
He nods at me before backing away and closing the door.
Fifteen minutes later and several rounds of breathing exercises a military therapist taught me after my first combat kill later, I feel just sane enough to walk out of my room. I count my steps down the hall and through the living room, taking another deep breath before turning the doorknob on the front door. Skid and Ace are nearby. I can’t see them, but I can sense them, and I know that’s for Robbie’s protection, not mine.
I appreciate them for it because I’m still feeling a little unhinged right now. I’ve made more than my fair share of bad decisions in life, but nothing that would land me in prison. Today could be the day though.
The sight of Robbie Farrow doesn’t surprise me. I’ve seen pictures of him, but it’s clear he’s never seen me. I want to give him the same dangerous smile I gave Ace earlier as I approach him, but it’s not even needed I realize when his throat works on a swallow.
“Micah?” Robbie asks as I step closer. “Robert Farrow.”
I look down at his hand, but I don’t reach for it. The man isn’t exactly stealing my girl, but at the end of the day, she’s still leaving because of him. I’m not exactly feeling very welcoming right now. He’s lucky I don’t grab him by the back of his scrawny fucking neck and drag him into the street. I’m already going to catch shit for destroying Cerberus property, and him being here is going to get me in even more trouble because he’s a felon. The rules are clear.