Ticking Time Bomb

“I need to take care of some personal business, will you come watch Raiden?” I heard Chris saying into what I assumed was his phone.

He sighed with tired frustration, “yes, Jonas knows, I’ve already talked to him as of a few hours ago,” He replied to some unheard question.

“Thank you, I won’t be gone long hopefully,” Chris said.

I pretended to still be asleep when Chris approached my bed and held my hand. My heart monitor betrayed me when it sped up from his touch and I opened my eyes. I nearly gasped when I saw how broken and tired my best friend turned lover looked. He had obviously been crying judging by the red in his eyes and the tear stains on his cheeks. Something in the pit of my stomach told me that Andy had done something horrible, and when I didn’t see Micah I felt tears swell in my eyes.

I held back my tears, “what did he do Chris?” I asked, but I feared I already knew the answer.

Chris looked down at my bed. I could see the conflict going on in his head as to whether he should tell me the truth or lie to me. I wanted the truth no matter how much it hurt and I think I deserved that much.

“He, uhm, he killed Micah. He sent a video to me of his death and said he was coming for us next,” Chris said after running his hand through his hair.

“And you’re going after him, aren’t you?” I asked.

Chris nodded, “not just me though, Micah turned out to be our leader’s little brother. I have to go fill him in on what happened and show him the video of Micah dying. I’ve called Mike, one of my partners, to come stay with you so Andy can’t get anywhere close to you,” Chris said with pain in his voice.

I barely heard half of what he said after he informed me that Micah was dead. I knew Andy was crazy, I knew that he would kill me at the blink of an eye, but I never thought he would go on a killing spree to get to me. I looked down at my hands that lay in my lap and let the tears finally fall. I caused this, this was my fault, I should’ve died in our apartment instead of running like a coward. I should have faced Andy with the bit of strength I had left, but instead I drug Micah and Chris into this mess, and now Micah was dead. The first person to show me any kindness apart from Chris was dead because I couldn’t just lay down and take it.

“Raiden, this isn’t your fault,” Chris said as I looked at him.

“How is this not my fault Chris? I slept with Micah, I drug him into my problems when I met him at that park, this is all my fault. I love you Chris, but I should’ve never told you the truth about Andy,” I said softly and looked down.

Chris squeezed my hand again and I felt tears drip onto my hand, “this is as much my fault as it is anyone else Raiden. I expected you to be able to just get up and leave Andy when you had nowhere else to go and when you stood up for that bastard I blamed you. I assumed you hated me and never wanted to see my face again, and I left you, I left you vulnerable and alone with no one to save you from Andy. If I had just tried a little harder and didn’t ignore you for the Sinners then you wouldn’t be in this hospital bed and Andy wouldn’t have been able to kill Micah. I could’ve stopped all of this, but I was more concerned with how I felt and what I wanted that I never stopped to truly look at you,” Chris said as he took a small shallow breath.

I looked at Chris after his finished pouring his heart out and raised his hand to my mouth. I gently kissed his knuckles and he looked up at me through tear-stained eyes. I gave him a sad half-smile and rubbed his knuckles with my thumb.

“How about we quit trying to one-up the others guilt and just admit we both played a part in this?” I asked with a gentle, sullen tone.

Chris gave a half-hearted chuckle and nodded. I looked at the door when we heard a knock and saw, who I assumed to be Mike, standing there. Chris got up and walked over to Mike, he leaned down and whispered something into his ear that made Mike tense up and look a little less playful. I guess he didn’t know about my situation before coming to play bodyguard for me. Chris gave me a gentle peck on the lips before leaving me with Mike.

Mike took a seat next to me and looked like he wanted to ask some questions that were bothering him.

I chuckled through my pain and looked at him, “Mike, you can ask what is on your mind you know? I promise, I don’t bite, if I did I wouldn’t be here recovering from being stabbed,” I said which made him tense.

Mike nodded after looking at the ground then at me, “Did your boyfriend really do this to you? When I left the club everyone seemed to be rallying up for what we call a hunt,” Mike asked.

“Yeah he did, I wouldn’t call him my boyfriend though. I was more of a slave than a lover by the time he wanted to kill me,” I said honestly.

“And that same guy, is it true what he did? I overheard some of the conversation before I came in. It sounded intense so I didn’t want to interrupt it,” He said softly.

“Yeah, that’s also true. Micah was the reason the club was rallying, he was an important member of the Sinners MC,” I replied with a sad smile, “I think I’m going to get some more rest if you don’t mind,” I added.

“No, not at all, I’ll be out in the hall if you need me,” Mike said as he stood.

I curled up in my bed once he left the room and closed my eyes. My future wasn’t certain, but at least it was looking a little better than it did before.