by Emma Nichole
Falcon
“Where the fuck is he, Joe?” I push through the lobby toward the elevator.
Joe came to find me after my interview. I expected Faith to be with him, but she wasn’t. He gave me a brief run down of what happened between them, the parts he witnessed anyway, and I became a raging mad man.
“He’s gone, Falcon. I watched him leave.”
“Why the fuck would you let him leave? I’ll kill him. I swear to God, I’ll fucking kill him.” I curl my hands into fists, stepping onto the elevator. “Where is Faith? Is she upstairs? Is she okay?”
We wouldn’t normally stay in a hotel with the fight this close to home, but I wanted to be able to have some place for Faith, or even myself, to go tonight during the party if we got too overwhelmed and needed to get out.
“She is. I got some ice for her hand. I took a look at it and it doesn’t seem to be broken, but she’s going to be sore.”
“What the fuck was she thinking?”
“Falc, she was sticking up for you. She was defending you. Was it reckless? Absolutely, but motherfucker deserved it and I wish she had done it twice.”
“I don’t. She’s too pure for this shit.”
The elevator bounces to a stop and Joe goes to step out with me, but I hold up my hand.
“I am going to talk to her alone. Go back down; enjoy the party. See if you can find Courtney and determine if there is some kind of damage control that needs to be done.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
He nods once and steps back when I move into the hall and head down toward our room.
After pulling the key from my back pocket, I slide it through the card reader and push the door open.
The TV isn’t on, but there is music playing from Faith’s phone, which is sitting on the table just by the dresser.
It’s some sad country song I don’t recognize.
“Faith?”
“I’m in here.”
I hear her small voice call from behind the bathroom door.
“Can I come in?” I ask. I don’t want to barge in on her.
“Of course. It’s open.”
I push the door and a billow of steam rolls out. I am expecting to smell the sweet scent of her bodywash, but I don’t. All I smell is the warm steam and whatever they used to clean the bathroom before we checked in.
She’s completely naked in the tub with hot water lapping right at her breasts and her hair piled in a bun on top of her head. She has her legs bent so her feet are flat on the bottom of the tub and her knees and thighs are exposed on the surface. I can see the water droplets making a home on the orchid tattoo I’ve explored many times with my hands and mouth.
She has her arm resting on the ledge with an ice pack propped on her knuckles.
There are black mascara streaks down her face.
“You’ve been crying.”
She sniffs once then nods. “Yeah.”
I step closer and sink to my knees at the tub’s side, brushing the slightly damp tendrils of hair from her forehead. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I’m okay.”
“You don’t have to lie to me, you know?”
“I’m not lying. I’m okay. He deserved it.”
“Tell me what happened. Joe filled me in on what he knew, but I know that’s not everything.”
I remove the ice pack from her hand to peek at the damage. It’s really red and swollen, and she did break the skin, but Joe was right, it’s not broken.
She tells me everything from beginning to end.
From going to the bathroom, to seeing the drunk girl, to the things Braxton was saying to the girl, all the way to Joe showing up.
And with each word that leaves her lips, the harder it is for me to stay here and listen. All I want to do is rip this city apart until I find him for putting his hands on her.
“What did he say to finally make you hit him?”
She looks down at her knees. I can see her chest rising and falling with each breath.
“He said he was going to make sure he hurt you. That he wasn’t going to stop punching you until they pulled him off. He said he would make sure you never walked again.”
Tears begin to pool in her eyes.
“Then he said he would find me afterward and make me lick your blood off his knuckles while he fucks me.”
I yank away from the tub and push to my feet.
“I’ll kill him.”
“Wait!” She scrambles up out of the tub. “Marco, stop!” The ice pack drops to the floor and I feel her standing completely flush with my back, not caring that she’s completely naked nor that she’s dripping wet. “Don’t. Don’t give him what he wants.”
She grips my arm with her good hand and squeezes, trying to get me to turn around, to look at her, and I do.
I spin around with my back toward the door and look at her beautiful, flushed, tear-stained face.
“Faith...” I cup each of her cheeks in my hands. “I would do anything to protect you. You know that, right? I’d slay any demon for you. Any dragon. Any monster.”
She leans her cheek into my palm and nuzzles it softly. “Why?”
“Because I love you.” I say it so easily, because I mean it. I’ve never meant anything more in my life.
Her bottom lip begins to tremble and the tears that were once pooling in her eyes begin to roll down her cheeks.
She doesn’t speak, not at first. She rises up on her tiptoes, pressing her soaking wet chest against mine and places the softest kiss onto my lips.
When she pulls away, ever so slightly she whispers against me, “I love you too.”
Hearing those words sends an electric shock fluttering through my veins.
I search her face for just a moment before yanking her to me again, this time the kiss is anything but soft.
It’s messy and wet. Harsh and demanding.
She wraps both of her arms around my neck and holds on tight while I lift her from the floor, with both my hands gripping her perfect ass.
The water from her arms and body are soaking my clothes, but I don’t care, not right now, all I can think about is she loves me.
“Say it again,” I demand, placing her on the bathroom counter, yanking her by the waist until her ass on is on the edge.
“I love you.” The words leave her lips in a moan because my teeth sink into her pert left nipple. “Oh God, I love you.”
I can feel her sliding her hand through my hair and holding the back of my head. Her nails dig into my scalp as she holds me exactly where she wants me.
I lap up the drops of water that are dotting her chest and neck before taking her mouth once again.
My cock is straining behind the fabric of my slacks so harshly it’s almost painful, and as if she can read my mind, her hand drops from my head and comes between our bodies, hers nude, mine clothed, to cup me through my pants.
“Say it,” she demands this time.
“I love you so fucking much, Faith. So fucking much.”
The mutual devouring of our mouths continues as we, as a team, work my belt open, my fly down, and my cock pulled free.
I reach behind my head and pull my shirt off, tossing it aside.
“I need you, Marco. Please…please…” she mewls softly.
“I’m right here. I’m always going to be right here,” I tell her, as I lift her leg up just slightly, giving myself the angle I need, and sink into her pussy.
She groans loudly and looks down at where are bodies are connected, watching me slide in and out of her body.
“Do you see that?” I ask her. “Do you see what you do to me? How hard you make me? Look at you, Faith. You’re so fucking wet. Christ. You feel so good. I am so in love with you.”
At my words, she tilts her head back and moans out in relief and comes beautifully around me: contracting and fluttering with each wave, and I see goosebumps erupt over her skin.
She stays like that, arched
back and reveling in the sensation, as I continue to push and pull against her.
I don’t want this to end, and I’m about four seconds from exploding way sooner than I want.
“Fuck me,” I growl and pull out nearly completely until just my tip is barely inside of her.
“No.” She sits up completely and wraps me in a bear hug, pulling me flush against her. “Don’t stop.” She lays kisses across my chest.
“Don’t want to come yet, baby, and you feel so good that I’m damn close.”
She kisses my neck, my jaw, my ears.
“I don’t care. We have all night. Come for me, inside of me, please. I want to see you come apart.”
And, like a beast uncaged, I bring both of her legs over my shoulders and slam back into her with every ounce of strength I have.
She screams loudly, not in fear, but because she is coming again. I fuck her brutally through each wave before the telltale tingling spreads up from my thighs and bursts free, sending me sky-high.
I come violently inside of her, growling into the crook of her neck.
“Fuck. Fuuuuuuuuck.”
She strokes up my back then scratches the nape of my neck before sliding her hand down my spine, then starting the process all over again.
I’m settling into a state of euphoria when she finally speaks.
“Don’t fight him, Marco. Please. Walk away.”
I close my eyes and push back so I can see her face. “Don’t start this, Faith. You know I am going to go through with this.”
She shakes her head and pushes me back from her. I slip from her body and take a step back and she slides down from the counter.
“At the risk of your life? Is it really worth it to you?” She wraps a towel around her body and yanks the bathroom door open.
“Is defending myself, my sister, and now YOU worth risking my life? The answer is yes and will always be yes. That’s the man I am. I don’t back down. Ever.” I walk after her, tucking myself back into my pants.
“Nothing is worth your life, Marco, nothing.”
“My life isn’t at risk, not really.”
“Are you joking right now? You heard what the doctor said. I told you what that fucking asshole Braxton said to me about you. Do you think he will take it easy on you because of everything going on? NO! He wants to HURT you, Marco. Don’t let him.”
“He wants me to walk away like a coward, and that’s not going to happen.”
“Well, I’m not going to stick around and watch.” She pulls her clothes from the drawers and slips on a maxi dress, no bra or panties.
“What? What are you doing?”
She pulls out her suitcase from the closet and tosses it onto the bed.
“I love you too much to sit by and watch you kill yourself, Marco. I can’t do it. I won’t do it.”
“After what just happened, after everything we said to one another, not even ten minutes ago, you’re just going to leave me?” I step toward her and grab her arm, but she yanks it away.
“Don’t touch me. Not right now. I was already thinking about this before you came into the bathroom, and then you told me you loved me. I thought maybe, just maybe, you wouldn’t go through with it, but you’ll never choose anything over a fight.”
Those words sting more than I ever thought they could.
“Faith, don’t go.”
“Are you still going to fight day after tomorrow?” she asks me plainly.
I stare at her, beautiful with fresh tears on her cheeks. I think of my sister, of the things Braxton said to her. I think of the way he degraded her and the things he’s said about me. I think of the fact that just a short time ago, he put his hands on the woman I love more than I ever thought possible.
With all of that swirling in my brain, there is only one answer.
“I have to.”
She takes a deep breath and zips up her suitcase.
“Then I have to go.”
She grabs her purse after throwing her wallet and cell phone in.
“Faith, stop. Don’t. This is insane.” I try to stand between her and the door.
“No. What is insane is expecting me to just sit back and watch you willingly put yourself at risk. What is insane is making me fall in love with you when I could lose you by your own choices. I’d like to go, please.”
She stands stoically, staring straight ahead. I place my hand over my heart and for a moment, it’s almost like it isn’t even beating anymore. It’s now shattering and cutting my soul to shreds.
“I love you, Faith.”
“Then you’d choose me over your pride.”
She pushes around me and opens the door, striding through it without even looking back at me.
I don’t go after her. I don’t chase her.
I just sink to the floor and let the heartache consume me.
Chapter 29
Faith
I stood outside his room door for what felt like an eternity, nearly knocking and telling him I changed my mind, and I’d stay with him no matter what, but the thought of him finding more power in fighting Braxton than choosing to stay with me—to stay SAFE with me—made my feet start moving. I think part of me was even standing there because I had hoped he’d come after me, but…he didn’t.
I knew I couldn’t leave the city yet, but I just needed to get away as soon as I could because I needed to rip this Band-Aid off. I needed to go before I simply couldn’t. I’ll make my way home tomorrow when I’m thinking a bit more clearly.
I don’t know how I managed to make it all the way to the lobby, to the front desk to pay for my own room, and then up to said room before fully breaking down.
As soon as the door to the single queen hotel room closed behind me, sobs racked my body to the point of pain. It’s a deep ache that has made a home in my chest and it feels like the weight of the world is there, pressing down, trying to make me break.
I didn’t want to leave him. It was the last thing I wanted to do, actually, but he didn’t give me a choice. Not at all.
I couldn’t and wouldn’t just sit there while he fought himself into an early grave.
It was all I could think about while I was soaking in the tub, looking down at the scars that mar my hips and the tattoo on my thigh. Reminders of what I have been through and what I can overcome.
I used them for strength to say what I needed to say to him, and then he told me he loved me, and I turned into complete mush because I love him too.
I pull my cell phone out of my pocket and see that he’s already calling me. I wait for it to go to voicemail before setting his notifications to mute and toss it into my purse.
I fall onto the bed and curl into a small ball under the blankets and cry myself to sleep.
***
My head is pounding when my phone begins ringing from across the room in my purse.
I push to sit up and every joint in my body cracks. Sun is peeking in through the curtains and I glance at the time.
Eight fifteen. Whoa. I didn’t move for a solid ten hours.
I take a moment to survey how I’m feeling, and honestly, I’m just hoping it was all a bad dream.
When I walk across the room and see the dozens of missed calls and texts from Marco, I know it wasn’t. This is my reality now.
I don’t bother listening to the voicemails or opening the texts, I just toss the phone to my bed and go into the bathroom for a shower.
To wash away the grime. To wash away his scent that is still lingering on my skin.
I turn on the water as hot as it will go, which seems to be my cathartic process when I’m trying to cleanse my body and my mind.
I don’t know if I can leave this city without knowing he’s okay after the fight tomorrow. It’s easy to talk a big game and make choices when your emotions are high and you are nothing but a big festering ball of feelings. I know I still need to go because at the end of the day, I can’t just let him do this to himself, but my heart won’t let me leave until I see he ma
kes it through this fight unharmed.
When I emerge from the bathroom thirty minutes later, there is another missed call flashing on my screen, Nora.
I know he’s probably called her and told her what is going on, and I should ignore it, but a familiar voice from home is something I need right now.
I slide my finger across the screen to answer. “Hello?”
“Holy shit! Finally! I’ve called you like four times. Are you all right? I talked to my brother and he said you had a fight and you left. Where are you?”
“I’m still at the hotel. I got myself my own room.”
“Are you coming home?”
“I was going to try to catch a flight today, but…I don’t think I can leave until I know he’s okay after the fight tomorrow night. I haven’t changed my mind, and I can’t just watch him do this to himself, but…I can’t make myself get on a plane yet.”
I sit on the edge of the bed, clutching the phone to my ear.
“I’m glad someone else is showing him with actions just how serious this is, though I’m not happy that you’re both hurting in the process. My brother can be a stubborn ass sometimes.”
“Yeah, but…I really love him, Nora.” I finally admit to someone other than him.
“I know you do. That’s been obvious on both of your parts for weeks. You two just needed to catch up.”
“I didn’t mean to fall in love with him.”
“You sound like you’re trying to apologize for loving my brother.”
“Maybe I am. I don’t want you angry at me, Nora.”
“I’m not. Not at all. You did what you had to do to protect yourself. You are your number one priority. I would have done the same thing as you.”
“Is he okay?” I ask.
“Not at all. He’s a mess, to be honest. He keeps calling and telling us to let him know when you’re home safe.”
“Don’t tell him I’m still here. I don’t want to distract him. If he’s really going to fight tomorrow, he needs to be as focused as possible.”
“I won’t say a thing to him about it. I promise.”
“Thank you.”
“For what it’s worth, Arya really misses you around here and the peanut butter treats you give her. She’ll be glad to have you back.”