Free Misperception (Finnegan Brothers Book 3) by Morgan Black

1
     
    I sprinted through the night until I came upon a couple from the party.
    “What happened?” I gasped through rushed breaths. “Why is everyone standing around?”
    The girl looked at me, annoyed. “Because there’s a guy on the roof?”
    “What?” I looked past them and saw Zoe and Blake. I ran to them.
    “What the hell is going on? And why is some asshat on your roof?”
    Blake looked at me. “Where have you been?”
    I tried to smooth down my hair. “Doesn’t matter. What is going on?”
    Zoe began, “Well, see…”
    “Lena!” I heard my name and spun around to see who it was. My eyes flew to the roof. I shut them in frustration.
    “Tell me I don’t see Slade on the roof. Tell me I don’t.”
    Zoe set her lips into a thin line. “You do.”
    “What in the absolute hell is he doing up there?”
    Blake rolled his eyes. “We don’t know and he’s refusing to come down. He says he’ll only talk to you.”
    I heard him scream for me again.
    I sighed. “Slade, what the hell are you doing up there? Get down here!”
    “Not until everyone knows the truth.”
    I turned back to Zoe and Blake. “He’s drunk.”
    Zoe nodded. “He’s three drinks past drunk.”
    I tossed my head back. “Fuck.”
    Slade started yelling again. “Lena, Lena we need to tell them the truth.”
    I spun around. “Slade, shut up.” People stared at me wide eyed. They looked uncomfortable. I hated being embarrassed. I hated Slade for making me feel this way.
    He yelled again. “Lena, come on.”
    “Slade, shut the fuck up.” I couldn’t think, all those eyes looking at me. Judging me.
    Blake shook his head. “I’m out of here.”
    “What?”
    “You’re here, you can handle him on your own. You’re the only one he wants to talk to anyway.”
    He turned away. “Blake,” I pleaded but he ignored me.
    He stopped at a group of people and whispered in a blonde girl’s ear. She smiled flirtatiously and he put his hand on her lower back as he led her toward the front of the house. It was a gentle touch; he knew her well. Awesome—another Finnegan brother getting laid.
    “Lena.” I heard my name again but this time it came from another man’s lips.
    Micah.
    “What’s going on here? Who is that on the roof?”
    Shit. How was I going to explain my way out of this one?
    “Lena?”
    “Micah, hi,” I breathed. “I don’t know what’s going on really. Slade is an old friend. And he’s up there for God knows what reason. Mostly because he’s drunk. I’m so sorry.”
    I moved over to him and touched his chest. He looked more put together than I did. I’m sure I looked like a mess. As I put my hands on his chest I thought back to his naked body on mine only minutes before. Why had I come back to this disaster that was my life? Why hadn’t I stayed in Micah’s arms, where it was safe? Where I was safe?
    Slade started yelling again. “Lena! Lena, I need you.” It almost sounded like he was pleading with me. Like he needed the truth to come out because it was bursting out of his body. Traveling like poison through his veins. But I didn't have anything to say to him. If he wanted everyone to know that I slept with him, then this was certainly one way to do it.
    “Slade! You need to stop. You need to get the hell off the roof and knock this ‘I’m a victim’ shit off.” Micah stood behind me protectively. I could feel his presence and it gave me confidence. His protective instinct was rolling off him in waves, just another wonderful quality about a good man. I wasn't used to those, not since Blake. And Blake had just left me here to deal with his drunk brother. Some man he was.
    Zoe looked back and forth at us, seeming to assess the situation. I wanted to say her ability to size up and deescalate a situation was just a unique skill of hers, but I knew it was something that she learned from the Army. “Micah, why don't I show you to your car? The situation isn’t really something you need to be involved in.