Page 1 of Fall

Prologue

Tilly

"Come on!" Emilia shouts at me, just as I spot Harley. Every part of me freezes when I see him; my mouth goes dry and fear fills me. He is in the cage, blood pouring down his face, two men are unconscious at his feet, and he is facing three other guys. Two of them are massive, and the other looks like he shouldn’t be in the fight at all. There are hundreds of people around the cage, most shouting ‘King,’ but some are shouting other words I don’t recognise. The noise is just that loud in here, but I can’t move as I stare at Harley. I don’t think I will ever forget seeing him this way, the way he looks so dangerous, but I know straight away that this is not who he is. Harley is the man who feeds my daughter when she wakes up at night, who brings me coffee in the morning. The man who cuts roses in his garden and puts them in my bedroom window. The man I find asleep in his study with a new book in his hands. That’s my Harley, and this is the man he has been forced to be for too long."I see Sebastian at the bar,” she shouts at me and tries to pull my arm, just as Harley rushes at two of the guys.

"Go, then," I say, unhooking my arm from hers and ignoring her when she tells me to come back.

I push through the people and duck under others who are jumping up and down. It doesn’t take me long to get to the front of the crowd, with my body pushed against the cage wall.

Harley is struggling to fight the guys as two of the massive ones hold him down and the other hits his side. I feel sick as I see the almost defeated look he is wearing; this fight isn’t fair. He can’t die like this, not after everything this hell-hole has taken from him.

"HARLEY, FIGHT FOR ME!" I scream just as his bright-green eyes find mine.

Chapter One

Tilly

Ican do this. I repeat to myself as the cab pulls up to the large, Victorian house I’ve seen in the photos my best friend sent me. The house is amazingly beautiful, with grey, stone walls and big, arched windows. It looks like something out of a damn fairy tale, not a house just outside a small, English village.

I forgot how cold England is compared to France, I think as I pull my coat closer around myself and wish the cab driver had put the heating on in the car.

"Here you go, love," the cab driver says as I snap out of my daze, and I hand him the money for the ride. The driver helps me get my one suitcase full of clothes out of the boot before driving off.

I hope Izzy is home. I think of my best friend who lives here sometimes, when she isn't with her boyfriend, and I can’t wait to see her. I remind myself it doesn't matter if she isn't in because undoubtedly one of her brothers can point me in her direction.

I straighten my back as I raise my hand to knock on the massive, wooden door, but it's suddenly pushed open by a handsome man. The man is wearing nearly all black-leather and has slightly long, messy black hair covering his stern looking face. He is struggling to hold two boxes under one arm, and my hand just misses his face as he dodges to the side, but, unfortunately, one of the boxes drop to the ground, with a sound like smashing glass.

"Shit," the man says in a deep voice.

"I'm so sorry," I mutter quickly, putting my hand down. Great first impression, almost hitting one of the King brothers in the face.

"Who are you?" the man asks bluntly, making me feel a little defensive. It's not like I meant to nearly hit him in the face and make him drop his box.

"I'm looking for Izzy," I say, matching his tone, and the man looks amused for a second. I'm confident he isn't going to tell me as he stares me down, holding onto his last box for dear life, when I hear Izzy shout behind him.

"Who's that?"

The man moves out of the way, and I see the welcome sight of Izzy running to me. She pushes the man out of the way, causing the last box to hit the floor with a bigger bang.

Izzy wraps herself around me in a big hug, which I return, barely holding in my tears at finally being able to see my best friend after so many years. Izzy is like the sister I never had, and damn, I’ve missed her.

"Tilly, what the hell are you doing here?" Izzy asks, pulling back to look at me. I look at her, too, noticing the changes. Not enough that I don’t recognise her, but enough that I have to pause a second. Her hair is just as long and blond as before, but she has it up in a high ponytail with highlights running through it. The jumper and jeans she has on look made for her; she looks fantastic and happy. I know she is happy from her messages and phone calls, but seeing it is something else.

"Long story," I mutter, not wanting to ruin this moment by thinking about the reason I’m here unannounced and with only one bag. Even thinking of France leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

"I knew you would drop one," a deep, sexy-sounding voice says with a laugh as a man comes into the now- crammed hallway. Luckily, the house is big.

Damn, I can't take my eyes off this guy. He is tall, way over six feet, with long brown hair pulled together loosely at the back of his head. His startling green eyes, much like Izzy’s, latch onto mine, and neither of us look away. He must be the oldest brother. Harley, if I remember right. I wish I had looked more at those photos Izzy sent me.

Harley looks a little confused as he asks, "Who is this?"

I don’t say anything as I stare, and I swear I’m actually speechless as I check out his tight suit and the fantastic body filling it. Izzy clears her throat, making me look back at her after a long silence between us all. When I see her small smile, I grin because I’m so happy to see her again. Izzy pulls me into the hallway and out of the cold.

"I kind of need a place to stay. It's just for a few weeks until I find somewhere to rent. My family isn't moving here for two months, and it’s a long story," I say to Izzy, who smiles as her green eyes widen. I’m happy she doesn’t ask why, but I know she will the moment we are alone. As much as I trust her, I have no idea if I can even talk about everything yet. Even to Izzy.

"You can stay with me," she says, practically jumping up and down as she pulls me into a hug.

"Sorry, beauty, she can't. Allie’s room is already rented out, and I signed the contract. I forgot to tell you," a tall, blond man, who I recognise from Izzy’s photos, says as he comes to stand next to Izzy while I look him up and down.

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