Free Saving Micah (Sequel to Conquering Jude) by Dakota Trace

water - but you know what…” He leaned into the other man’s face. “…you’re fucking worth every ass whippin’ I get.”
     
    Jude smiled when his words finally caused a reaction. Micah pushed him away. “What the fuck do you care? Both you and Mistress let me go.”
     
    Jude stood up chuckling, running a hand through his hair. “You are such an idiot, Micah. Of course we let you. Ever hear the expression ‘if you love something you let it go’?”
     
    Micah eyed him warily. “We love you. You were excited about this promotion. We weren’t going to stop you – but we always planned on having you return.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    Micah stared through the tinted window of the SUV as the passing scenery of homes and urban sprawl gave way to countryside. It was nearing dusk but he could still make out the vague outlines of the hardwood trees as they traveled northwest out of the city. He wasn’t sure where Olivia and Jude were sending him, but it sure as hell wasn’t his tiny one bedroom apartment in St. Bernard Parish. Like many people in his office, he commuted into the city once a week and spent the rest of his time telecommuting. He idly wondered about what his boss thought of his absence.
     
    “When we get wherever we’re going, I need to get a hold of my boss.”
     
    In the front of the SUV Ethan nodded. “Not a problem, man. I’ve already been by your apartment and gotten your laptop and some clothing. It’ll all be waiting for you at the safe house.”
     
    Surprise flowed through him. He’d lost his apartment keys during the attack along with his shoes and other outer garments. He’d figured he have to get a replacement set from his landlord, the incomparably nosy Mrs. Thibeaux. “How’d you get in?”
     
    Ethan chuckled as he merged onto a secondary road. “Boy, there isn’t a lock out there I can’t get around.”
     
    Micah closed his eyes and pressed his head against the cool glass as they came back up to speed. “Just what I need, another security guru like Jude in my life – a wise ass Injun no less.”
     
    “And don’t you forget it,” Ethan crowed before turning up the Zydico music. The blaring of the drums and washboards battered Micah’s ears. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he prayed wherever they were going they would get there quickly – even if it meant he was going to have to deal with the reality of being alone in a house with Olivia and Jude.
     
    Jude’s earlier revelations had sent him reeling. He’d had no idea his former Mistress and friend had anything more than a passing affection for him as a sometimes third member of a their sometimes ménage. The idea that their feelings for him might have been deeper was mind-boggling. He wasn’t sure how he was going to handle being around them since now his main objection was gone. Well, maybe not gone. Jude just claimed they let me go because they cared. He said nothing about wanting me to be a permanent part of their lives. It’ll still probably go as I expect – they’ll stick around until I’m back on my feet and then both of them will be gone.
     
    “Hey, you hungry, man?” Ethan’s question broke through his depressing thoughts as the man turned down the radio once more.
     
    He opened his eyes, figuring the man was thinking of passing through a fast food joint. It’d been several hours since he’d poked at the dry, overdone chicken breast and limp salad the hospital staff had called lunch. “I suppose I could eat – as long as it doesn’t piss off Olivia and Jude.” He still wasn’t sure why they had decided to drive separately. They had said it was so they could stop at a local Winn-Dixie to stock up, but he was sure a lot of it had to do with the way he’d acted first with Olivia and then Jude at the hospital. Not that I’d blame them. I can’t expect them to want to be around me, when I can’t even stand myself.
     
    Ethan shrugged his shoulders.