by Callie Rae
I finally walk through the door so she can see me. She doesn’t move.
"What happened, Fallon?" I ask her.
"Why do you care?" she grumbles.
"Why do I care? Are you fucking kidding me?” I throw my hands in the air. “Why does it take Cason calling me for me to know that you're doing stupid shit like facing off against James and getting drunk?"
She sits up with a sneer on her face. "Because you weren't there."
She doesn’t look drunk, but I have no doubt that Cason’s stuffed her full of bread and water.
I wasn’t there. I wasn’t there when he took her. I couldn’t protect her. I’m not here now. I’m supposed to be doing things differently. I’m supposed to be protecting her this time.
I swallow hard and ask the question I’ve been hiding from for weeks. “What happened that night?”
She stills. “What night?”
“The night he took you,” I grit out through clenched teeth. “You never told me what really happened, or what he did to you while you were gone.”
She tenses. “Jesse …”
I squeeze my eyes shut and clench my fists. “Please, Fallon. Don’t. Don’t try to block me out. Not from this. I need to know what happened to you. I need to understand.”
I need to know how badly I failed you.
She takes a deep breath and I open my eyes to see her watching me. I’m shaking. My body is shaking, but I need to hear it.
She nods, then closes her eyes. Her jaw tenses, but she slowly pries it apart.
“You were talking to that guy on your team …” Her eyes open and she looks down. “Um, I think his name is—”
“Jones,” I say, once again remembering the same scenario I’ve gone through thousands of times, trying to figure out how it all happened.
She nods again. “Yeah, Jones. Then Jordan came over. He said that Jade was throwing up on the side of the barn and wouldn’t let him help her.”
I take a deep breath.
That fucker.
I knew it. My hands ball into fists once again, but otherwise, I stand very still. If I move at all, I’m afraid I’ll lose it.
“Jesse? Are you sure you want me to continue?”
I nod, but I can’t speak.
“I looked over at you and you were still talking. I didn’t want to leave Jade alone out there for too long. Mira came over doing her typical Mira thing, and I left. I went outside the barn to look for Jade.”
I close my eyes and tip my head back, already knowing what happened next. “But Jade wasn’t there.”
“No, she wasn’t.” She takes a deep breath before continuing. “It was Marcus. He came up behind me and put a rag over my face. I was out before I could even begin to fight back.”
I nod a few times, unsure of what to say to her. “And then?”
“And then I woke up in a basement. Marcus was there, acting crazy. I tried to run, but he caught me before I could get out the door.”
“That was in the house where I found your phone,” I hiss.
“Wait. You found my phone?” she asks, her brows furrowing.
I nod. “We followed Jax to the house and we found your phone smashed to pieces on the floor.”
“But I was only at the motel for a few days. That means—”
“Yes. We just missed you.” I think my nails are cutting into my palms, but I can’t stop now. “Keep going.”
“He moved us to the motel, and I stayed chained to the wall for most of the time.” She reaches up and grasps onto her hair. I’m not even sure she knows she’s doing it. “Except when he wanted me to dye my hair. He let me go, but I didn’t listen and he—”
“He what?” I growl.
“He pushed my face into the water at the bottom of the shower and held me there. I thought…I thought he was going to kill me then. But right before I lost consciousness, he let me go.”
“Fuck!” I yell. “Fuck!”
She shrinks back into her bed and begins rocking.
"I just want all of this to stop,” she almost whimpers. “It's never going to stop, is it?"
I’m ignited by fury and pain as her words hit me in the gut.
I pivot and head to the door. "Yes, it's going to stop. It's going to fucking stop right now."
"Jesse! Wait, where are you going?" she cries, stumbling out of her bed and reaching for me.
"I'm going to end this," I grit out through clenched teeth.
"Wait! Please don’t do anything stupid, Jesse," she begs, grasping her head at the same time. “It won’t help. It’ll only make it all worse.”
I turn back to her. "What else am I supposed to do, Fallon? Look at us. Look at my family. You're right. This has to stop. I failed you that night. I failed you, but I won’t fucking do it again."
Before my brain can process what is happening, Fallon’s lips grab mine. I stand in shock for only a moment before her mouth becomes hungry and pleading.
I couldn’t walk away from this moment even if I wanted to. Every part of me misses her, every part of me craves her, and every part of me needs her.
Chapter 22
Fallon
He caved. He's here. He'll be okay.
Is this our life now? Are we all so fucked that this is the point we’ve reached? Keeping each other from doing the next stupid thing?
He backs me up until my legs hit the bed. He gently lifts me and splays me on top of the covers.
His eyes don't waver from mine as he lowers himself over me. "Fuck, I've missed you."
"I've missed you too," I say, trying to sound sincere.
Because I do miss him. But the truth is, I miss myself most of all.
Before I can finish my sentence, his lips are on mine again. His tongue is in my mouth and every part of my body that has fought against him while we've been apart is betraying me. It’s giving in to him without even a hint of a fight.
His hands find my hips, my side, underneath my shirt. His lips graze down my cheek to my neck. My body responds with goosebumps. It remembers what he feels like even if my mind, my heart, and my soul are all trying desperately not to feel anything.
In the end, it doesn't matter, because the moment his lips touch mine, I am his again. He didn't have to beg or barter; he just needed to touch me.
As his assault on my skin progresses and his hands find their way under my bra, I remember that my bedroom door is wide open for anyone to see.
"Jesse," I say, tapping him.
"Mm?" he mumbles as his lips make my body tingle.
"Moms. Door," I say, incomplete sentences now the only thing I am capable of.
He stills for a moment and then sighs as he sinks against me. His groan tells me he is every bit as frustrated as I am.
"Close the door."
"What?" he asks his head popping up. "But our moms …?"
"Close the door, Jesse."
He doesn't hesitate a moment longer, jumping off the bed to shut and lock the door.
I feel an ache between my legs, one I never thought I would feel again. One that I used to get before my accident every time I looked at Jesse.
"What about your leg?" he asks, still standing across the room, way too far away from me.
"We'll be careful. Get over here."
He slowly walks across the room to the bed, where he removes his shirt and tosses it on the floor, then climbs up and crawls up the bed until the heat of his body radiates into mine. He props himself up over me without putting any weight on me, leaving me desperate to feel his body on mine.
"Jesse, I'm fine. You won't hurt me. You would never," I whisper.
That must kick him into gear, because he settles his weight between my thighs, careful not to put too much weight on my leg.
His lips slam into mine and his hands begin to wander once more. This time he doesn't hold back as he ravages my body. He takes his time exploring, only pulling off my shirt when it gets in the way of his exploration.
His mouth touches every part of
my body, gliding every inch, reaching every corner of my soul. Teasing me, making me need him now more than ever.
He slides my pants and panties down carefully. Slowly. Taking his time, so as not hurt me. He's helped me so many times before now that it's second nature for him to take care when touching my injuries. But the tenderness he shows tonight makes my heart explode. I feel all the love, the pain, the heartache, and the happiness I’ve been missing since I woke up.
His lips touch my ankle, where a scar lies from one of my surgeries. Then he finds his way up my leg to my knee where a scar from a rod that was placed into my leg mars my skin. Then he drags his tongue up my thigh until it finds my core.
He blows on my clit first, teasing me, making me groan and writhe. I've never wanted him as much as want him now. The heat between my legs is burning for him. My body has been deprived of everything that makes me a woman. I hadn’t missed it until tonight, until this very moment.
His tongue slides up my slit, and I grab a pillow to cover my mouth. He then circles my clit, and I almost come undone from that small touch alone. It's overwhelming. It's somehow too much, but also not enough.
He sucks and licks me until I'm squirming from the intensity of his mouth’s assault. I feel the heat growing in my belly. My toes begin to curl as my hands begin to tingle, and right before I fall over the edge into total bliss, he stops.
"Wait, what? What are you doing? Why did you stop?"
"Because it's mine. I want to swallow your moans. I want to feel you unravel on my cock. And I need to see you let go for me."
He stands and unbuttons his pants, sliding them and his boxers down at the same time to free his cock. He gives it a few strokes before bending to retrieve a condom from the pocket of his discarded pants. He slides it on quickly, then climbs back over me, careful to clear my leg.
"Look at me as I slide inside you," he says as his hand gently grips my face, turning it toward his.
I lock eyes with him as he lines up with my entrance and slowly pushes in. My eyes roll back as he fills me perfectly, feeling every bit of his cock as he slides all the way in.
"Look at me," he growls again.
I open my eyes to look at him just as he starts moving. With each thrust, he stokes the dormant heat he had already built up in me. My body instinctively meets him thrust for thrust, stroke for stroke. We sync our movements like a dance, and we hold on for dear life as we stare into each other’s eyes. Locked together this way, we experience all the moments we’ve missed together, now, in this moment.
I start to burn like fire as he begins to swell inside of me. Our movements becomes harder and faster as I lift my good leg for leverage.
His lips crash into mine the moment I fall over the edge into bliss, capturing my moans. He growls into me as his release crashing through him, leaving us both pulsing together.
I slowly come back down from the high with shaky legs and a chest that swells. I didn't realize how much I’ve missed Jesse. I've been so tormented that I couldn’t see a piece of my puzzle had been right here in front of me this entire time. Before I can stop it, my eyes fill with tears that immediately overflow.
"Fallon, are you okay? Is it your leg?" Jesse is panicked as he begins to lift off of me.
I reach around the back of his neck and yank him back to me.
"I'm fine. I'm more than fine. I just…I’ve missed you. I guess I just didn't realize how much I missed this until now," I tell him.
He watches me a moment then gently drops his mouth to mine, his kiss the most tender and loving one he's ever given me. He rolls to my side then carefully pulls me to him.
He swipes his hands over my cheeks, wiping away all evidence of my feelings. "I'm glad for whatever part of you came back. I'm glad it's here."
I can only shake my head in response, so I let the tears fall until sleep takes me away.
Chapter 23
Jesse
She doesn’t realize that either way, we’re fucked. He’s not going to let this go. He’s not going to stop until he thinks I’m all in and there is nothing standing in his way.
And right now, she is in his way. Because she’s my way out. But for now, I'll give him what he wants. I’m all in, at least in his eyes.
And when all of this is over, Jordan is going to wish he’d never fucking crossed me.
Her soft snores continue as I slowly inch out of the bed, careful not to wake her. I have to end this. I have to, for her. I glance down at her sleeping figure and brush a lock of hair away from her face. She looks peaceful right now. And maybe she is at peace when she’s asleep, but the moment she opens her eyes, the haunting look will come back.
I creep out of the house, quietly so no one hears me. Getting past Cason on the couch is the trickiest because he's always been a light sleeper. After years of sneaking around that fucker, I've honed my ninja skills and am able to get out the door without waking a single soul.
I drive the family Denali across town to my dad's office. I’ve never understood why his office is so far away from the docks. I mean, most of his company is focused on shipments that come in and out from there. It’s true that he’s expanded into a few other side projects over the years, but he has enough warehouse space to have an office next to the actual port. Either way, my first stop is Daddy-O's office. I need to figure out what he's hiding.
I pull into the parking lot, but park in the shadows, away from the cameras monitoring the front door. I pull my hood up, slide on my gloves, and pull up the bandana to fit over my face. I can't turn the cameras off, but maybe I can hide from whoever reviews the security footage. I know the guard goes home at eleven, and everyone has their own alarm code. I happen to know my father’s code so I can bypass the alarm easily. That just leaves the damn cameras.
I enter through the side door, turn the alarm off, and go straight to James’s office. I reach his door and turn the knob, but it’s stuck.
Fuck. He locks the damn door. Why didn't I think about that?
Fallon's voice echoes in my head.
Don't do anything stupid, Jesse.
Well, Fallon, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this is about to get stupid.
I remove a card from my wallet and slide it between the door and frame. I jiggle it a bit and try to get it to slip under the tongue of the doorknob’s latch assembly. The first few times failed; it wasn't slipping through. So I put that card away and take out a thinner card. I slide it in, and after a few tries, the door slides open.
Yes! Fuck.
I enter the sleek office, leaving the lights off and pulling out the flashlight I’d stuffed into my back pocket. I go straight for the desk and start pulling the drawers open one by one, finding all standard stuff: pens, paper, crap like that. Nothing useful.
I pull open the file drawer at the bottom. Flipping through the files, I can see it's mostly financial documents for the company. Again, not the kind of thing I’m looking for. I head to the filing cabinets behind his desk to continue my search.
I sort through file by file. It’s mostly corporate documents. Each drawer holds something different, but it's all company-related.
I keep sorting until my fingers land on a file that says “CC.” All the files are labeled, but with more detailed descriptions of their contents. The fact that this one only has two letters makes me curious.
I pull the file out and drop it on his desk. Aiming the flashlight on it, I flip open the folder. It's a birth certificate. I read the first few lines.
It's Cason’s birth certificate.
Why would he have Cason's birth certificate in his office? It makes no sense when Mom has copies for each of us at home.
I keep reading and when I scan the box that lists the father's information, it all makes sense. Cason never knew who his father was. We all assumed his mother didn't know either, but his father's name is typed clear as fucking day on this birth certificate. My fucking father has been hiding the only parent Cason may have left in plain sight. But why?
I continue to sort through the files. In the very last drawer, I find a file labeled Vic & Ro.
I pull it out and find a map of the docks. Not the docks I've known my whole life, but a different set of docks further down outside of Cherry Creek limits.
I pull out my phone and open the camera, taking a picture of each section of the docks. I put that file back in the cabinet, but I keep Cason's file with me. The asshole doesn't get that one back. I don't give a fuck if he knows I took it. That's not something you keep from your family.
I put everything back in order the best I can remember, and then I turn to his computer. He has access to the cameras from his desktop. I turn it on and wait for the login screen to appear. I start with the obvious passwords: his wife's name, his children's names, his favorite sport. None of them work, and I'm getting nervous that I’ll get locked out after so many failed attempts. I think about everything he does during the day, trying to figure out what his code could be.
Then it occurs to me that I haven't tried all of his children yet. I type in Jax’s name and get the message that the password was incorrect.
What is Jax’s birthday? We always celebrated it a month before mine.
I type in my best guess and let it load. I figure with the way the loading icon is slowly circling that I’ve been officially locked out.
Shit.
But then the screen changes and his desktop screen appears. I jump into action, finding the camera software. It too requires a login, but the username and password populate on the sign-in screen so all I have to hit is the enter key.