Page 24 of The Originals
“She said if I saw you to let you know she left.”
What? Where the hell did she go? Colleen must have read the confusion on Mick’s face.
“She was at the bar for a while, but one of the girls may have said something she didn’t like.” Colleen bit her lip. “Something about being with you.”
Fuck.Mick, as a single man, had been with more than half the women in the room. He could just imagine something said about his time with the club whores. He drove his hand over his head.
“Where’d she go?”
Colleen shrugged. “Home, I guess. She left about five minutes ago. I tried to get her to stay, but she didn’t want to, so I didn’t push.”
Mick was trying to make sense of it all. If someone said something to him, he’d tell them to fuck off, not leave.
“She left ’cause someone said something to her?”
“I think you might be underestimating exactly how catty and cruel women can be.” Colleen flattened her lips, and glanced across the room at Bebe. “Especially around here.”
Goddammit!
He should’ve known. Mick could’ve let Meg walk away and never look back. This was his life, the path he chose and loved. He wasn’t willing to give it up for anyone. If she couldn’t hold her own around the club whores, then she’d never survive living in his world.
He turned, walking back to the bar, but stopped midway. No, he wasn’t going to let her just walk away. Not if there was a possibility for something with her in the future. He took off for the front door, weaving through the crowd. He stalked over to his bike and was just about to get on when he saw a shadow at the edge of the driveway. She was looking to either end of the darkened road.
“Meg!” he shouted and rushed toward her. He spread out his arms, scanning the empty road. “Where you going?”
She sighed. “Well, I was going home but remembered this isn’t Turnersville, and catching a ride is going to be a lot harder in Ghosttown.”
Mick expected to see her visibly upset, or even angry. She was none of the above. If anything, she appeared indifferent, a little tired, but not bothered at all. It was the worst response he could’ve gotten. Meg didn’t care.
“Weren’t going to tell me you were leaving?”
“The pretty bartender said she’d let you know.”
“Couldn’t wait another few minutes?” He wasn’t trying to be combative. Or maybe he was. He wanted to see a little spark of fire showing she cared enough, even if she was pissed off at him. Meg gave him nothing.
“I did wait a few minutes. Actually, quite a few, and after more than forty, I decided I was done waiting.” She drove her hand through her hair, then folded her arms and stared down at the ground. He was losing her. She was slipping away before his very eyes.
“What did she say to you?”
Meg peered up and scrunched her nose. “Who?”
“Whoever got you to hightail it out of the clubhouse and stand alone on a dark street.”
Meg snorted. “Your friend, the blonde.”
“Bebe ain’t my friend.”
“Really?” Her brows hiked, and her lips twisted. There was the fire he’d been waiting on.
“Well, she thinks you’re a good time. In fact,” Meg squinted “a lot offuckingfun is how she described you.”
Mick snorted, shaking his head.What a fucking bitch!Bebe would’ve never said anything in front of him, but she saw an opportunity when Meg was alone. It was childish bullshit and a waste of their time even entertaining anything she said.
“Let’s go get a drink, we’ll hang out.” He reached out to grab her arm, but she was one step quicker and shuffled away. Meg glanced up and smiled, though it seemed sad. The kind someone said when parting ways.
“Mick,” she cocked her head. “I like you, which probably sounds juvenile, but I do. I think you’re nice and very attractive. And,” Meg drew in a breath and whispered “I really like being around you.”
The corner of his mouth curled, and she blushed. “That sounds like you want to stay.”