“Can you blame me? I was scared! It was less than a week before you were taken that Damon found out you were a cop!” She shook her head, letting out a breath. “But it became obvious after we interrogated him that he had no idea you were even missing until we told him.” She shot Micah a mischievous look. “He didn’t have to come in for the interview, you know; it’s not like we could subpoena him with no evidence. Personally, I think he only agreed to come in because he thought you were going to be there, and he was going through Micah-withdrawals and wanted to catch a glimpse of you.”

Micah snorted, letting her know what he thought of that idea. (After all, Micah was pretty sure that the man had still been pissed at him at the time.)

“No, really, Micah,” Tessa said, voice taking on an uncharacteristically somber tone. “He freaked when he found out you were missing. He punched Jensen in the face. I thought he might trash the interview room. The captain – your dad – tried to have him arrested for assaulting an officer, but Damon convinced him he was more good to you on the outside than locked up – even if we probably would have only been able to hold him for a couple hours.” She shook her head. “I think Damon thought one of his enemies or maybe a rival snatched you. It was sweet, actually, how worried he was. Not that I’ve forgiven him for breaking your heart!” she quickly added when she took in Micah’s dumbfounded expression. “I’m still furious with him for how he reacted to finding out you were a cop. He may have saved your life, but rest assured, that doesn’t change the fact that if he hurts you again, I’ll kill him.”

If he hurt Micah again? But that implied Damon would allow Micah to get close enough to be hurt.

Sure, Micah had come to terms with the fact that he loved the man, and he missed Damon so much it was like a physical ache. But that didn’t mean Damon felt the same way, even if he did forgive Micah for lying to him for so long.

After all, if Damon cared about Micah half as much as Micah cared about him, wouldn’t he be there?

Micah loved his dad, and Tessa, and Jasper, and he appreciated their presence in the hospital more than he could say, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t noticed that someone else was conspicuously absent.

He’d been desperately trying to ignore the fact that Damon wasn’t there, but he couldn’t avoid it any longer.

Where is he?

Tessa frowned at the question. “Honey, where do you think he is?”

Micah shrugged, only expounding when Tessa pointedly raised her eyebrows.

I don’t know. Work? His penthouse?