Lie, Baby, Lie ✔️

chapter seventeen- wade

Chapter Seventeen

A week passes. The bruises on my face turn yellow and fade. Every physical wound heals. Eight days after getting beaten by Titus, I get back in the ring and make five hundred dollars. It takes everything in me to ignore the disappointment in Mia's face. The first time I've seen her all week is when I'm punching the shit out of some kid and even then I can't look too long.

Even when I can't touch her, I feel her. She's like a wildfire that licks at my insides and keeps me connected to her. When we're sharing the same space, breathing the same air, it's electric. I'm alive. For the first time in a long time, I'm completely alive.

One glimpse of her holds me over, but it's not enough.

Thomas has me working daily. Every errand he sends me on is far away from where Mia is, so there's no way I can meet her. Several days have gone by since I last kissed her and I can't stop thinking about doing it again.

Lucifer calls me down to Purgatory early Saturday morning. He's in his office at the desk, typing away at his laptop. Mia is in the corner working on homework, her pencil scratching against notebook paper. The door is left ajar, so I poke my head in and clear my throat.

Thomas glances up, lowering the lid of his computer. "Good to see you, Wade. Come sit down."

At the mention of my name, Mia stops writing for a second. I take the chair across from him, wishing I could say something to her. I haven't heard her voice in days, and I miss the sound of it.

"Am I making a run today?" I ask. I've made several errands lately, so it would make sense for him to request another.

"I actually have something different to ask," he says.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mia start twisting her pencil uncomfortably between her fingers.

That's not a good sign.

"My darling little sister tried to sneak out yesterday," he begins.

"I said I was sorry," Mia interjects.

"Did I ask you?" he snaps.

I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from yelling at him. I hate that he's talking to her like that.

"She was trying to go to the mall," he goes on. "I thought Mia was better than that. She knows how I feel about frivolous spending. She decided to take an impromptu shopping trip and I caught her."

I know Mia isn't materialistic, and I have a feeling she was never going to the mall in the first place.

Was she trying to come over?

"After her little stunt in Mexico, I thought maybe we'd come to an understanding, but I guess I was wrong. Clearly, I can't trust her to be by herself. Unfortunately, I have a business trip I'll be taking tonight. I have to meet a partner in Nevada, and I was originally going to leave her at home, but seeing as that isn't an option, I need you to watch her."

He wants me to "watch her" as if she's a small child who needs babysitting. It isn't like I'm not willing to jump at the chance to spend time with my girlfriend, but I don't want the reason to be that Thomas Critt needs my help to control her.

"Isn't that a bit much?" I question carefully.

"I protect what's mine," he answers. "So, can I drop her off at your apartment for a couple of days?"

Mia looks annoyed, and I can't tell if she's putting on an act. She shifts in her seat and it creaks against the floor. The tension between the Critts is so thick I could cut it with a knife. I don't want to piss him off more than he already is, and I don't want to make him suspicious. I have a very thin line to walk, and so does Mia.