Gypsy Kiss: Micah Part 12

I shrugged. "Well...you boys can't sit still, can you? You have to move on; it's in your blood. Only with you, instead of packing up your stuff, your...your proverbial caravan...you move from woman to woman, sowing your wild oats! And instead of breaking bones in bar brawls you break hearts. And instead of thieving sc.r.a.p metal from people's back gardens, you walk right into my life, steal my heart from under my f.u.c.king nose and make me care about you...and then stamp on the pieces and walk away when you're through! I know what you did Micah, and who with. I know...you kissed Amy."

He didn't seem as shocked by my revelation as I thought he would be, and that should have been my first clue that something wasn't right. But in my defence I had been waiting for this to happen right from the start. I just couldn't find it in me to believe that someone like me could ever be enough for someone like him. That sooner or later he would naturally move on, once the novelty wore off. It wasn't him I didn't have faith in though, not really. It was me.

There was a horrible silence and then rather than try to explain himself, or start apologising like I had expected, he scowled at me.

"You know, Jewls...for someone who hates stereotypes, you sure are doing a great job of shoving me in a box based on what I was born in to. Now I don't have a clue what you're talking about, but it seems you've already made your mind up about me, which is a shame. So if you don't mind, I'm gonna go get in my van, find some sc.r.a.p metal to pillage, and then go drink some beers with my brothers while we decide who's heart is getting broke this week. And you can go home, eat a whole tub of ice cream and kid yourself that we're done before we've even properly started because of something you think I've done, instead of your misplaced insecurities and ridiculous body hang ups."

And with that, he turned to walk away. And Christ, I really didn't want him to leave. Even though he was just breaking my heart with his games, the m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t in me didn't want him to walk away, no matter how much it hurt. I couldn't decide what hurt more him betraying me, or me losing him because of it.

"I know you kissed her, I saw it with my own eyes, Micah!" I said, tears spilling down my cheeks. "Unless you have an identical twin, you can't really deny it, can you?"

He screwed his face up, frustrated and squeezed his lips together, deep in thought. His eyes s.h.i.+fted behind me and widened, just fleetingly and he seemed to come to a decision.

"Come with me a minute."

I groaned, fed up now. Why couldn't he just leave it, it was done finished. "Micah..."

"Please, just f.u.c.king come with me, Jewls." He snapped. "You wanted an explanation, I have it. Come. Now."

I sighed but didn't protest when he grabbed my hand, practically dragging me across the car park to a large white van, opening the pa.s.senger door to whoever was inside, I couldn't see them properly yet.

"Jewls," he said, his tone irritated, "I would like you to meet three of my brothers. This is Kris, Luca...and this f.u.c.kwit here is Marco. Boys, this is my girlfriend, Jewls."

I looked up properly, wondering why he would chose now of all times to introduce me to his family, and as his girlfriend. Now, when as far as I was concerned we were done with.

"Well h.e.l.lo there..." Luca said with a grin.

Kris nudged him jokingly and winked holding out his hand. "Pleasure, Jewls..."

I shook it, mesmerised. The third brother, Marco, just smirked at me, and it was oh so familiar that smirk. His I'm gonna go drink some beers with my brothers comment finally registered. But hang on; did Micah say three of his brothers? Just how many brothers were there? Hadn't he mentioned another one, uh...Nic? Looking at Marco, everything slotted into place.

Micah had at least three brothers, all dark and handsome like him, but it was Marco who had me stunned into a rare silence.

Micah was a G.o.d to me, a beautiful man who broke the mould as far as I was concerned. And there were two of him. Two of him.

"Oh yeah..." Micah said, and I just knew he was loving this, loving the look of dumbfounded shock on my face, "and Marco is my twin. My identical twin. Probably the culprit in this whole f.u.c.king mess."

"f.u.c.k..." I muttered, and the boys all laughed. I couldn't help but smile too. Because I got it now, I understood.

"Marco, you're an utter d.i.c.khead." Micah said to his twin, who just grinned at him.

"What did I do? It was just a kiss. Anyway bro, you finished now? Want a lift home?"

Micah shook his head. "No, I gotta stay and fix this. I'll be home later, right? Tell Mari to save me some tea I'll eat when I get home."

Marco saluted him and started the engine up. "Righto, Micah. Later. Nice to meet you, Jewls."

And before I could respond, the van was gone.

I stood for a moment in shock, and then slowly turned to Micah, who was just watching me, the ghost of a smile on his lips. "Are you okay now, Jewls?"

I shrugged slowly. "I guess. I'm sorry, okay?"

He shook his head. "No need. I should have warned you about Marco. He looks like me but he behaves like an alley cat. Me on the other hand...I just see you, I have no desire to kiss anyone but you."

"You're mad." I said, as more of a statement than a question.

He shook his head. "No, not at all. Relieved. To be able to show you that you were wrong before I lost you for good."

"So you have brothers..." I said, with no idea what else to say.

He nodded, still with that little smile on his face. "Yes I do. I have five brothers. Marco, my twin. Nicoli but call him that at your peril, he prefers Nic. He's the eldest. Elijah is next, Eli. Then Luca and Kristov they're really close like me and Marco, but then there's only eleven months between them. Call him Kris. Oh and then there's my little sis, Marisol. For G.o.d's sake call her Mari; she says Marisol makes her sound like a detergent."

"Huh..." I said, as a sort of involuntary sound. I was blown away. Six boys and one girl. Seven kids! "What's with the names? I mean why don't they like being called by their full names?"

"Because of the stigma. You know, like I was saying? The stereotypical a.s.sumption that comes with the gypsy tag?"

I blushed crimson. "I said I was sorry."

He sighed. "I know. It's okay, it's just...do you think you'll ever trust me? I mean s.h.i.+t, Jewls...all I want is to take you out and you act like it's the million dollar question, like it's life and death! Go out with me, Jewls. On a date, like normal human beings. Stop acting like I'm some sort of huge risk, I'm just a normal lad! Not the bad guy you seem determined to prove I am! Stop trying to sabotage things!"

"I can't help but sabotage it!" I yelled. "Cause I don't think I can trust you, and it's not your fault. You've done all you can. It might be time we called this a day, cut our losses."

"No..." he said, his tone insistent.

"What?"

"I said...no. I'm not giving up. I'm sticking this out, seeing it through!"

"Who says that's even your decision to make?!" I yelled.

"Why are you even still f.u.c.king mad at me? I didn't do anything wrong remember? I didn't kiss Amy!"

"I'm mad cause you're still f.u.c.king smiling!"

"Course I am! Cause this is absurd! Cause I can see the funny side, see how ridiculous this is!"

"G.o.d, Micah! You're such a...a f.u.c.king...hammer!"

Urgh, me and my stupid mouth. He raised both eyebrows, still with that arrogant smile on his stupid, pretty face.

"A hammer?"

"Yes Micah, a hammer! A f.u.c.king hammer!"

"Jewls...you're calling me a hammer, are you serious?" he was doubled over, his arms wrapped around his stomach, laughing so hard. b.a.s.t.a.r.d. "Do you mean a tool?"

"What? Oh...well yeah...yes Micah, you're a f.u.c.king tool, you know what I mean! Stop b.l.o.o.d.y laughing at me!"

He stood up straight again, arms outstretched either side of him. "What did I do now!?"

"You know what! Quit bugging me, trying to make us into more than we are, telling me how it's gonna be, trying to control me. Its borderline hara.s.sment! I don't know what you want, but I won't be part of your silly game, or whatever it is! I'm not a mug, and I'm not falling for it! It's cruel and I don't deserve it!"

He ran his hands through his hair, messing it up. Blimey, he must have been frustrated to mess up his perfect hair like that.

"How many times? I'm not playing games! I like you, the bet was a dumb mistake, are you ever gonna let it go? It only happened because Alex could see how much I liked you! Christ, all I did was ask you out! I just wanna take you out, d.a.m.n it!"

"Oh yeah, sure! You just wanna ask me out! Cause lads like you, really go out with girls like me, don't they?"

"What do you mean, girls like you? You think you're too good for me? Is that it?"

I frowned. What? "No, Micah! If anything..." I shook my head, remembering my promise to be nicer to myself. "Never mind. Just stop! Stop playing games with me, not with me. I know this is all some sort of...I know you're poking fun at me and it's not funny, okay? I'm sure this is amusing, me going all nuclear, give you all something to have a right good laugh at, but it needs saying. You got to me, okay? You poked and you prodded and here, you have the reaction. Now leave me alone. Your sort...you're just...I know what you are..."

He narrowed his eyes and now he looked p.i.s.sed. What right did he have to be mad?

"And what exactly am I?"

"A player, Micah. You may not have kissed Amy, but you've slept your way around this park no doubt, slept with everyone except me. And I know why...because I'm not like them, am I? I'm...different...but you...you're...you're a tart!"

Back to the amused face. Could he not see the tears rolling down my cheeks? Was he really that shallow as to not care that he had broken me in such a public way, humiliated me? As soon as I could shake him off, I was out of here and I could never come back. No way could I work with him, not now.

"A tart?"

"Yes! And I'm done here, done with you! It's finished."

He crinkled his eyebrows in an amused frown and half smiled. "Let me get this straight. I just wanna make sure I have this right you're dumping me?"

I sighed impatiently. "Yes, Micah. The fat, frumpy girl you've been trying to get your leg over with, probably as some sort of bet, is dumping you. I realise it's probably a huge knock to your inflated ego. Tell people what you like; I'll go along with it. I deserve it for being such a f.u.c.king idiot and falling into the trap...I mean did I seriously think someone like you would pick me out of that bunch?" I stuck my thumb in the direction of all the girls outside, with their big hair, short skirts and perfect bodies. "No, believe me I learned my lesson. I can't dump you, because as far as I'm aware we aren't exactly together, but yes I'm ending this, whatever this is."

His frowned deepened but he still looked amused and that hurt me all the more.

"Jewls..."

"You can pick and choose and you seriously think I'll believe you picked me? No one would believe that! You don't want me, why would you?"

He considered that and let out a sigh, and then walked to me. He put his hands on my face and shook his head.

"You really can't see it?"

"See what?" I said, as my tears rolled down and over his fingers. G.o.d his hands were so warm, his touch so tender I wished he could have real, genuine feelings for me, like I had for him. I wanted that fairy tale and this hurt so much.

"My G.o.d. Has it occurred to you...I like that you're different? That I actually think you're uniquely beautiful? Mostly because you can't see that for yourself? That I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since the first day you fell into my life. That I have an actual, real attraction to you?"

I opened my mouth a few times before I was able to speak. I wanted it to be true, but I knew it couldn't be. "It's impossible..."

He groaned and took a step back. "Christ, Jewls. What have I got to say to make you believe me? Why is it so hard to believe, why can't you just...trust me?"

"Because...if you go through with this...whatever it is...you will finish me, Micah. And I'm trying so hard to build a new life; I don't want it broken down. You can break me, and I don't want you to. Cause I'm only just beginning to mend."

It was the most honest with anyone I had ever been and it had come out as naturally as breathing. There it was, my heart on my sleeve.

He looked around him for a minute, as though seeking inspiration and nodded to himself.

"Right...enough..." with that he reached down, grabbed me around my thighs and literally threw me over his shoulder as though I weighed nothing at all.

"Micah!" I squealed, "What the h.e.l.l are you doing?" To my utter horror, he was headed back to the park and straight for the big wheel.

Chapter Nine.

Jewls "We're sorting this. Somewhere you have no choice but to listen to me." With that, he dropped me in one of the seats and climbed in beside me, slamming the metal bar down in front of us. "Take us up to the top, Steve. And don't let us down until I say so, no matter what this one says." Steve grinned and nodded. "Righto, Mic." And with that he pressed the b.u.t.ton and we began the ascent.

My panic mode kicked in almost immediately. "Micah, seriously, I don't like heights! You gotta let me off this thing, I swear to G.o.d!"

"I will...when you've listened to me, properly."

"Micah, I'm not kidding! Let me down, please! You've had your fun, now enough!"

He was just smiling at me and I burst into full on sobs as we reached the top and jolted to a stop. I thought that would be enough for him, that he would finally decide he had gone too far and let me down. He didn't. Instead he pulled me to his side practically onto his lap and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, holding me close.

"What are you scared of, Jewls?"

"Heights..." I sniffed and he put a hand on my chin, forcing me to look at him. I didn't want to take my face out of his chest, didn't want to look at how high we were, how dangerous this was, in every sense. It felt like my life was in the balance literally and metaphorically.

"No," he said with a smile, "what are you scared of?"

I swallowed and looked into his brown eyes. "You..."

He shook his head, as though finding the thought distasteful. "You shouldn't be. You're perfectly safe. I will not hurt you, Jewls. Give me one chance, just one. And you'll see...I'm a good person. A hammer, and maybe I've been a tart in the past..." he smirked and I couldn't help but smile, in spite of the terrified state I was in, "...but since I laid eyes on you, I don't know...I just want to know you. I don't expect you to instantly trust me, or...I dunno...do you even like me? Cause you act sometimes like you hate me..."

"I like you..." I croaked, "too much..."

"Let me kiss you..." he said suddenly. Micah was, I guessed correctly, not a man who would ever have to ask a girl for a kiss. I'd seen with my own eyes how the girls fell over themselves to get near him, seen the effect he had, that he knew he had. And yet here we were, at the top of a death trap, with him asking if he could kiss me. Me. Jewls Isabelle Dempsey.

"Why would you wanna do that...?" I mumbled, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

"Because actions speak louder than words, and if I can't convince you of my intentions with words, I am pretty sure I can with a kiss."

"You can fake a good kiss..." I said, again my brain to mouth filter majorly malfunctioning.

He grinned and shook his head, already leaning in for the kiss, "I can't..."