▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
DUST
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Nearly two weeks had gone by since I'd been put 'on hold', as Shai liked to put it, and I was starting to become antsy, not having anything to do on a daily basis. Odds are I would have been able to relax more if Shai had also decided to put my debt on hold as well, but he made it very clear the other day that he was still adding on interest despite me not being able to work. The man was fucking unreasonable, which made it increasingly difficult to hold my tongue when it came to our phone calls.

Especially whenever he mentioned my Pops.

"I've got a source in the department that confirmed you're under surveillance," Shai said, sounding pissed. "Keep your head low."

"I will," I answered sharply, tired of his routine check-ins and tauntings. When he wasn't ordering me around, he was gloating about his damn profits or mentioning the latest people he had to off because they crossed him.

"Watch your tone, boy, before you find yourself at the same fucking place as your father. Six feet under," he warned coldly, and the mere mention of my Pops had the veins in my neck straining. I had to hold my breath to keep from saying something I'd regret. "Am I understood?"

"Yes."

"Yes, what?" he pushed, and my lip twitched.

"Yes, you're understood."

He hung up on me not long after that, and the past three days since that phone call, I'd been holed up in Micky's house, only going out to get the mail. Realizing I had no control over my own fucking life wasn't motivating me to do anything.

Right now I was in nothing but my boxers, still sprawled out on the defective couch I used as a bed, having just woken up twenty or so minutes ago. I could tell by the way the sky was darkening outside that the sun was setting soon, but I wasn't bothered by the fact I slept the day away. I had no inspiration, no reason or drive to get up; not even when the front door burst open and the blue-eyed bastard I called my best friend came through the door with Maizie in his arms and Amy waddling in after him.

Randomly tossing his child onto me, I let out a groan of pain because she landed right on my stomach. It felt like someone beamed a medicine ball at my gut, and I needed a second to catch my breath. Giving Micky the middle finger and mouthing a pissed 'fuck you' at him, I closed my eyes as if that would make the ache go away.

It didn't, but I liked to think it would.

Crawling further up my chest, two little hands gripped my face and tried to pry my eyes open, but I refused. I knew it wasn't her fault, considering her father literally threw her on me, but my discomfort was associated to her which, in turn, resulted in my being annoyed with her.

"Dustyyyyy," she called, still trying to get me to look at her with countless pokes and nudges. "Dusty, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Sighing, because of how worried she sounded, I opened my eyes and looked right into the face of my goddaughter. "Nothing's wrong."

"Oh. Are you sleepy?"

"No."

Tilting her head to the side, resulting in her bangs looking lopsided, she scrunched her face up in confusion. "Then why were your eyes closed? I don't think it's nap time, yet." Turning in the direction her parents went, Maizie stood up on my chest, which was sturdier than my stomach, leaned over the couch, and proceeded to yell, "Mommy, is it nap time?!"

Whatever conversation Micky and Amy were having subsequently came to a pause, and a few seconds later, Amy answered back with a simple, "No, baby."

With absolutely no warning whatsoever, the little girl plopped back down on me, and I groaned again. Maybe this was karma for being a lazy bum all day.

"See, it's not nap time," she smiled sweetly, showing off those little dimples that caused people to spoil her. Shit, she was causing me pain and I wanted to fucking spoil her. "You don't need to close your eyes, silly."

Looking at her innocent face, that thankfully looked less like her asshole of a father and more like her sweet mother, I sighed. She was too goddamn cute to be mad at.

"Oh, but I do for the game we're playing," I said, sitting up suddenly with a matching grin on my face.

"A game? What game?" she asked, bouncing with excitement.

"Hide and seek." I barely got the words out of my mouth before she squealed and hopped off of me, her pigtails swaying as she jumped and clapped her hands.

"Okay! I'm gonna go hide in the closet!"

I couldn't help the laughter that came out as she ran to do just that. This was the third time we played the game, and she still told me where she was going every time. It was adorable, and enough to make up for the pain she caused me earlier.

After getting dressed, I came back and pretended I didn't know where she was before finally 'finding' her and we ended up playing five more rounds before her parents came back over to us.

"Come on, Maizie. It's time to go," Amy said. "Say goodbye to Daddy."

Hugging Micky, she waved goodbye before doing the same to me and leaving with her mother. No sooner than they were out the door, he turned to me with a creepy grin. One that I knew all too well.

"No," I said firmly, holding his stare.

The grin only grew.

"No, Micky, you fucking creep. Fix your face," I asserted.

And grew. "We're goin' out tonight."

"Hell no, man!" I snapped, walking away from him. I could hear his footsteps behind me as he followed like a fucking shadow.

"Look, I swear, it ain't what you're thinkin'," he shared when I stopped in the kitchen and started making a bowl of cereal. It may have been nearly dinner time, but this was my first meal of the day, and I had no unction to actually put effort into it.

"Yeah, and what am I thinking?" I asked, crunching down on the slightly stale food.

"That I want us to go clubbin' or somethin', but I swear, that ain't it."

Turning to face him, I crossed my arms and raised a brow in disbelief. "So, you don't want to go to the club?"

Scratching the back of his neck, he chuckled nervously before answering, "I do-"

"No."

"Wait, it's-"

"Not gonna happen," I continued to cut him off. The last time I went clubbing with Micky, he got wasted, called Amy to come get him, and left me with the bill. A few weeks later he told me she was pregnant and I had a feeling it happened that very same night. My pockets were tight enough as it was, I could not foot another one of his bar tabs.

"Come on, Dustin."

"No. You're a lousy drunk and I don't feel like babysitting a grown ass man all night."

"I won't be drinkin'! And it's not for fun! We'd be going as security for the night!" he rushed to get out before I interrupted him once again.

Squinting my eyes at him, I repeated what he said. "Security? What, like, be those guys that guard the door and check IDs?"

"Yeah! Except we'll be inside. This place has had a bit too many fights lately. A buddy of mine works the door, and he got us the in, it's just...they'll only take me if you come with."

Pausing as I processed his words, I snickered. "And why is that?"

Pouting, he whined, "Come on, man. Don't make me say it."

"Say what?" It was an innocent question, but by the way he was acting, I was actually amused by the situation now. "Why do you need me?"

Glaring, he sighed, "I sent the manager a picture of me to see if he approved. He said I wasn't intimidatin' enough, but you were next to me in the picture, so he said if I bring you, it's all good."

Staring at his frustrated self, I couldn't help but laugh. I know the man's pride was hurt, but Micky wasn't the biggest of guys. I, on the other hand, stood at 6'3", 190 lbs, with tattoos covering the entirety of my arms. I certainly fit the bill of what a club manager would be looking for in a bouncer.

"I need the extra cash, Dust," Micky added, his expression serious now. "For my kids."

Well, fuck, he didn't have to say anything else after that. I'd do anything for that little girl and the kid on the way. Micky was family, and even if he was annoying as hell at times, he was a brother to me. Plus, with Shai keeping me off the streets, I could use the money as well.

"Alright. What time do we have to be there?"

Cheesing from ear to ear, Micky let out a whoop of excitement. "Whoo! Yes, bro. Thank you, man. We leave at eight. Wear all black."

With that said, he grabbed his coat and left, yelling out for me to be ready by the time he got back. I wasn't sure how well tonight would go, but at least I'd manage to help a friend out in the process.