Page 76 of Falcon

I had rambled so much I almost didn’t realize what he was saying. “What?”

He threaded his hands into my hair and gripped it hard. “I have to go but I’ll be back soon. And you’ll be safe here.”

I tried to pull his hands from my hair. “You have to go now?” The question came out more accusatory than I meant, but I needed to be close to him. I was still reeling from what happened and he was my safe place.

He tightened his grip. “Calm down and listen.”

Did he just say calm down? I tried to push him away, but it was like trying to move a brick wall and he still had my hair in his hands. He grunted but instead of letting me go, he only gripped tighter.

“Have you ever successfully told a woman to calm down? Let me go, Falcon. Just go. I guess I know my place.” After I had shot a man, got dragged from the truck, bound and gagged, nearly raped, and banged around in an attempt to take me back to that animal, he was leaving me for club business.

He pulled my face to his and slammed his lips to mine, forcing his tongue inside. My body was trying to betray me again, but I shook my head and closed my mouth, forcing him out. He was so close my eyes were crossing and I trembled with rage.

“I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t have to, Daisy. I never want to leave your side. But I have to finish this. For you.”

“I thought that’s what you were doing while I waited here. So what now?”

He loosened his grip, but I was so defeated that I didn’t rush to move. Instead, I just slinked my legs away from him and found my jeans at the end of the bed. He righted his own jeans and stood up.

I grabbed my bag and shuffled things around, pulling fresh clothes out, and started to walk to the bathroom.

“Daisy, please don’t shut down.”

I turned and shrugged. “I’m not. I’m just playing the role, Falcon. Am I not doing this right?”

His brows pinched. “Doing what? What do you think I’m doing, Daisy? What do you think you are?”

“A bunny. I’m here to look pretty, wet your cock, and shut the fuck up. So, I’m gonna clean myself up and go to sleep for a while.” I didn’t entirely believe that, but I was hurt and upset. I needed him now more than ever. He had told me before that club business had to come first. Now I understood. And I was getting too tired to fight.

I turned to go into the bathroom, but his quick and heavy footsteps were right behind me. He jerked my arm and whipped me around, leaning down to my height. “You’re not a fucking bunny. You’re mine,” he said as he grabbed my shoulders. “You know it, and they all fucking know it. I told you before there’s things you can’t know and it’s better for you that way. I thought you trusted me.”

My jaw clenched. “I did. I do. But I thought I was first. I was wrong.”

He let go of my shoulders and took a step back, running his hand down his face. “Woman, I normally appreciate your crazy shit, but it’s been a fucked up day and I have another ahead me. I don’t want to leave here fighting with you.”

“Well, I guess you can’t always get what you want, can you?”

I slammed the door to the bathroom and went to turn the shower on, but Falcon just followed me inside. He stopped me from turning the water on and demanded, “Look at me, dammit.”

Crossing my arms, I stood and waited for what he was going to try to say now to get to me to calm down. Before he could, I said, “Look, I know what you did for me. But I need you now and you have to leave. I know you can’t understand because I doubt you’ve even been dragged away by strangers, but I can’t even think of a word to describe how fucking bad it was. Wondering if I’d be raped, beaten, killed…I was scared out of my mind and all I could think about was you the whole time. But instead of getting to go home, or at the very least be with you, you have fucking shit to do that’s more important than me. So just let me get over it,” I said as I dropped my arms to my sides. “Go do your club business, Falcon.”

He closed the space between us. “Daisy, you’re my business. You’re the most important thing to me. This is for you. I need you to believe me.” He dropped his gaze to the floor then back up to me. “I didn’t want to tell you like this, but I need you to know. I love you, Daisy. I don’t want to leave you here, but I won’t rest until the ones who hurt you have paid. They made this club business when they fucked with you. Do you understand now?”

I couldn’t blink. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. My thoughts, however, were moving at warp speed. Did he just say he loved me? This giant, strong silent type, motorcycle man just said those words, right?

“Daisy, breathe.”

My breath released with a heavy sigh. “Did you say you love me?”

His hand raised slowly, coming toward my face. I didn’t move away, but instead leaned into it. His hazel eyes softened and he said, “I love you, Daisy. I didn’t know I was even capable of it, but now that I have it, I’m not letting it go. I won’t let you go. You’re my world, Daisy, and I will show you every day. And that’s why I have to go do this now,” he said through gritted teeth. “I can’t rest until everyone who hurt you meets their destiny.”

Blood rushed to my face and tears flooded my eyes. I flung myself into his arms and he wrapped them around me then dug his face into my hair. “I love you, Derek.”

Curse this man for always making me forget that I’m mad.

But he loves me.

“I’m still mad,” I whispered.

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