Page 125 of Falling Too Late

“Thank you.” I returned her affection. “I’m not quite sure where we are yet, but I’m sure we will have that conversation soon.” I said to everyone else, “Alright, guys, food’s ready.”

Dan and Frannie had been working the grill, with hot dogs and hamburgers. Troy and Gavin were playing with the pups by the water.

“Did you two hear her?” Riley marched her way over to the guys. I laughed, turning to find Alex, missing him. I headed back into the house and when I didn’t find him there, I looked out the front door.

There Alex was, standing with Mario and another woman.

I frowned. Mario hadn’t shown up with a woman, and I didn’t know her. Maybe he invited her here to introduce us? That didn’t seem right. Mario would have given me a heads up. I took a step away from the window, pacing down the hallway.

I centered myself and went back to the front door. Alex looked pissed. From where I stood, the woman was beautiful. She had long brown hair and was tall and slender in suit pants, a cream-colored blouse, and a blue blazer. Her hands were folded in front of her, and she wasn’t fazed by whatever Alex was saying. Then, the woman’s eyes flicked to me and she put a hand on Alex’s arm. He turned and looked at me, straightening. Guilt hit me. Like I was spying on them.

Why the hell was I watching them? This was my house, I had every right to look out my fucking window. I opened the door and took even strides out to them. My eyes only on Alex.

He met me halfway across the graveled front, Mario on his tail.

“Wren, what the hell were you thinking?”

“Excuse me?” I reared back at his demeanor. Alex never spoke to me like this.

“You saw Jon today. You went there alone,” he said accusingly. “Again, I ask, what the fuck were you thinking?”

“Oh boy,” Mario said behind him. “Here we go.” Mario was used to my temper by now.

“Alexander James, I don’t know who the fuck you think you are talking to like this, but it’s not me. Who’s she?” He could go fuck himself at this point. He didn’t get any explanation from me until I knew who she was.

Alex straightened, his own confusion on his face. He looked back at the gorgeous woman and then back to me. Something crossed his expression. . .something like amusement?

He tucked his hands into his pockets, then looked up at the sky, seemingly counting to ten.

“Wren,” he said, his voice back to normal. He placed a hand on my back and guided me to the woman. “This is Foster. She’s the PI I hired that I told you about.”

Understanding flooded through me. This was the woman who found the storage unit of Kevin’s trinkets. A sort of melancholy hit me.

The jealousy dissolved. The woman reached her hand out, her face open and welcoming. There was no pity there. “Dylan Foster, it's nice to meet you, Ms. Jacobson.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.”

“Wait a minute, you hired a private investigator to snoop around Wren?” Mario spoke. We all turned toward him.

“I did.”

“For what reason?”

Alex’s demeanor changed. “I spent six years in prison. Five of those years with no contact with her, because someone made it look like I had died. I didn’t know what to expect when I got out.”

“That doesn’t give you the right to invade her privacy.”

“What do you know about her privacy?” Alex hissed. “What do you know?”

Mario didn’t budge at Alex’s hostility. I could see Mario’s detective side start to come through his stance.

“I know she went to great lengths to keep her life private, and for a fucking murder?—”

“You’re fucking right. I am a murderer.” He took another step forward. “Did you read the reports?” He chuckled darkly. “Of course you did. Then you know I killed him slowly. Brutally. I took my time killing him. And you know what?” He dropped his voice. “I enjoyed killing him.”

Alex turned and reached his hand out to me. We hadn’t talked about that night. Not about the killing. I took his hand, lacing my fingers through his.

“I killed him, I served my time, and I don’t regret it. I would do it again, if it meant that bastard never laid a hand on her again.”

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