Page 104 of Fall I Want
“I could tell,” she admits.
Reaching forward, I grab her hand and flip it over.
“It’s this one?” I trace her love line, going from the top to the bottom as she watches me.
“Wait.” She places my palm next to hers. “They’re almost exactly the same. Long lines with a forking branch at the end.”
“Yeah,” I mutter, and she doesn’t let me go. I don’t pull away either. I fucking love her touch.
“I was told it meant I’d have significant heartbreak, but overall, I’d find true, everlasting love. I guess it’s the same for you.”
“Hate knowing your heart was broken.”
Her gaze meets mine. “You too.”
“I’d endure it a thousand times to be here with you.”
She chews on her bottom lip and it’s too damn adorable. Just one kiss, I could steal it right now, but I won’t.
Eventually, the vehicle slows in front of the hospital, the only one my father would go to in the city. I get out, and as soon as Autumn’s feet are on the pavement, I hear the clicking of a shutter. As I turn my head, I spot the glare of the zoom lens on the camera across the street.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I hiss, wrapping my arm around Autumn, keeping my head down and blocking her from view.
We rush inside, and when the doors close, she glances at me, confused.
“Photographers,” I whisper, leading us to the reception area. “Gross that they’d do this under these circumstances. I’m sorry. I thought we’d have privacy here, or I would’ve nev—”
She places her finger on top of my lips. “You can only control yourself, no one else, okay? You don’t owe me an apology. I said I wanted all of you, Zane. That means the good and the bad.”
I tilt her chin upward, my expression softening. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being you. For being here. For understanding. For not being upset.”
She hooks her finger with mine. “You’re more than welcome.”
Fuck. I’m incredibly lucky.It’s all I can think when I look at her.
When we reach the counter, I give my father’s name to the woman behind the glass window. She asks for my identification, then excuses herself and walks into an office in the middle of the room with its blinds drawn. She’s on the phone, speaking to someone. Autumn glances at me and I shrug, but I also know my father more than likely has security around his room to stop unwanted guests from entering.
Moments later, the woman returns. “You’re on the approved visitor list. You’ll go to the twelfth floor and check in there. A nurse will lead you to his room.”
“Thanks,” I say, knowing where the elevators are. It’s not the first time I’ve been here, but I hope it’s one of the last for a very long time.
As I push the button, Autumn reaches out and grabs my hand. I glance over at her and my heart flutters when she smiles. Together, we step inside, and when the doors close, she moves forward and captures my mouth. Holding back is impossible as I greedily kiss her back.
I run my fingers through her hair, tugging it. The elevator stops and we pull away from one another, guilty with swollen lips as we move to the desk. Several nurses type on computers. In the distance, beeps ring and machines hum.
“I’m here to see my father. Last name is Alexander.”
She nods. “Do you have the password?”
“One-zero-zero-two,” I say, and she checks her records. Moments later, we’re being escorted to the end of the hallway where my father’s bodyguards sit in chairs outside of the room. They stand and greet me with handshakes as the nurse knocks on the door and enters.
“Please wait here,” she says.
“Sure,” I tell her, focusing back on the men who swore to take a bullet for my father. They’ve worked for him for at least a decade and he doesn’t go anywhere without them.
