24

Dolly

I opened my eyes and looked around my bedroom. It was then I heard the voices. Sitting up, I winced at the sting between my thighs, then looked down to see the bandage Micah had put there after he doctored it. He had made me swear to never do it again. That I was to call him if I ever had the urge to do it and he’d come running. After that, he laid me on the bed and curled up behind me. The emotional morning had exhausted me, and I’d fallen asleep.

“You promised you would leave her alone!” Pepper’s voice carried through the closed door.

“No, I didn’t. Think back on that conversation. I had no intentions of leaving her alone. When you called, I was sitting on the fucking bench across the street, waiting on you to leave,” Micah replied.

I stood up and moved closer to the door, not sure if I needed to go out there and stop this or not.

“What part of she’s fragile do you not get? Stop being so…so selfish!”

“Don’t.” Micah’s voice lowered. “You’re about to cross a line, sis. You need to step back. Dolly is dealing with shit. She’s been through a lot. I get it. I’m not here to fuck her. I’m here to take care of her. To help her. To make sure she doesn’t cut herself again.”

“Since when do you take care of women?” Pepper snapped.

“I’m not the bastard you seem to think I am.”

“Micah, I don’t think you’re a bastard. I just know you can’t be what she needs.”

“Yeah, the fuck I can.”

“Is that so?” she replied. “You realize that Dolly needs—”

I swung open the door to stop whatever was about to come out of Pepper’s mouth. Their heads turned at the same time, and both sets of eyes locked on me.

I forced a smile. “Y’all mind if I decide what it is I do and do not need?”

Pepper looked remorseful, but Micah continued to study me.

“I’m sorry, Dolly,” Pepper said.

Micah walked over to me. His eyes never leaving my face. “And what is it that you need, Tink?” he asked.

That list could be interesting. I saw the teasing gleam in his eye, and I smiled.

“Right now, I need a cheeseburger with extra pickles and fries. Maybe some caramel doughnuts.”

He chuckled. “I can manage that.”

“Great. You two just laugh and act like this isn’t a disaster waiting to happen. One I will have to clean up,” Pepper said, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at Micah, then looked at me with concern.

“I am failing to see how my being here to help her and be her friend is a potential for disaster,” Micah told her.

“Oh, let’s see. Two days ago, you took her virginity. That’s a friendship sure to blossom.” Sarcasm dripped from her words.

My face warmed, and I looked down at the floor. I hadn’t expected her to go there.

“Tink?” Micah slid a finger under my chin and lifted my face up to meet his. “Did you like sex? Did I make you feel good?”

Now, my face was on fire. My eyes widened, and he grinned at me.

“Come on. Tell her the truth.”

“Micah!” Pepper scolded.

“I enjoyed it,” I replied just above a whisper.

“And today, did I try to do anything more than comfort you?”

I shook my head.

He looked back at Pepper. “See? I’m here to be whatever she needs. I left her with you for two days, and the moment you left, she was slicing up that pretty skin of hers. Not happening again. I won’t let it. You failed at helping her. I won’t.”

“Shut up!” Pepper shouted, then pointed to the door. “Go. Just leave. I got this.”

Micah didn’t budge. He shook his head. “No.”

“Micah, so help me GOD!”

Stepping between them, I held up my hands. “Both of you, stop,” I pleaded. “Right now, I should send you both away, but I can’t promise I won’t get weak and pathetic. I might cut myself because I’m not okay. I hate it. I hate it so much. The truth is, I want someone here until I know I have this under control. Should it be Micah?” I paused and looked at him. “Probably not.” Then, I looked at Pepper. “But you can’t be here all the time either. I have two jobs. I will try to get more shifts. Or a third job. I don’t know. I do know I hate feeling like I’m a burden, but I’m willing to admit I need help. And”—I dropped my shoulders and sighed—“I really don’t wanna go back to my momma’s.”

Micah stepped toward me, and I held my hand up to stop him.

“I will be here when you are home. I will be wherever you need me to be. You just call me.”

God, I needed him to stop being so sweet. It was making this harder.

“I am her best friend. I will be here. You go handle that cocksucker that started all this.”

A knock at the door caused all our heads to turn in that direction. Walking past them both, I headed to open it.

“Wait, Tink. I’ll get it,” Micah said, stepping around me to grab the knob.

“I can open my own door,” I informed him.

He winked at me. “Easy, tiger.”

I was scowling at his back when he opened my door. The large bouquet of bright pink, blue, yellow, and orange flowers almost completely hid the delivery boy’s head.

“These are for Dolly Dixon,” he said, holding them out.

Micah was glaring at him as if the boy himself had sent me flowers.

I moved around Micah and reached for them. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied nervously before hurrying to get away from Micah.

“Who are they from?” Pepper demanded.

I walked over and set them on the table beside the door. Micah reached for the small envelope before I could and started opening it.

When he jerked the card out, he read it, and his jaw clenched tightly. “Motherfucker.”

“Canyon,” Pepper said matter-of-factly.

Micah barely nodded as he wadded the card up into his fist. “I’ll take them to the dumpster,” he said, reaching for them.

I liked flowers, and it felt like a waste. They’d been cut, and they should at least be enjoyed. But Canyon had hurt Pepper, and I agreed they had to go.

“Wait. Can I give them to Mrs. Mildred? She’d enjoy them.”

Micah stared at me as if he wanted to argue.

“If the flowers are gonna die, I just hate for their life to have been cut in vain. Let them brighten up someone’s life while they still can,” I explained.

He nodded and then smirked.

“I’ll take them to her,” Pepper offered. “Dolly is right.”

Relieved, I was glad that I didn’t have to fight about that.

“Back to the current situation,” Pepper said. “I need to get back to the bar. Micah, you need to go find Canyon and deal with him. Make him a nonissue.”

“I will. But not right now. I’m not leaving Tink alone.”

Pepper looked at me, then finally seemed to give in. “Fine. Stay with her. I’ll come back tonight.”

I was starting to feel like a child being tossed back and forth between bickering parents.

“You said you couldn’t stay tonight when we talked on the phone earlier,” Micah said pointedly.

She shot him a look I couldn’t see, and he smirked.

“That was when I thought you’d send someone other than yourself to stay with her.” Pepper walked over to me and hugged me. “Be careful,” she whispered and kissed my cheek.

I knew she meant, Don’t get emotionally attached to my brother.

I nodded.

She glared at Micah. “Be good.”

He saluted her, then went and opened the door for her. “Bye.”

Pepper paused and gave him one last warning look before taking the flowers and leaving.

When he closed the door, he turned back to me. “Go brush your hair so it doesn’t look like I just fucked you, and let’s go get some burgers.”

I reached up and felt my hair. It was messy from my nap. “Okay,” I agreed.

Getting out of this apartment was probably a good thing.