Page 26 of Real Shadows
“Harold and Kimberly Reese,” she said, the same wistful smile on her face. “I don’t remember much because I was so young when they died, but what I do remember is good.”
“And foster care?” I wasn’t sure if I should ask the question because foster care could be a tough subject for people who fell into the pitfalls that sometimes came with living in foster care, but I wanted to know what made Fallon tick. I had made the decision to pursue her, and that’s what I was doing.
“It could have been worse,” she said vaguely. “Being friends with Karla helped a lot.”
“How so?”
Between bits, Fallon went on to tell me all about living in foster care. Her story wasn’t as dark as it could have been, but it wasn’t all sunshine and roses either. She talked about meeting Karla and some of the other kids she had gotten along with. She also talked about how lonely she had been when Karla had gone to live with her family.
When she was done, she surprised me with another personal question. This one geared more towards my personal, personal life. “No ex-wives?”
I let out a soft laugh. “No. No ex-wives,” I replied. “Nor will I ever have one.”
Her brows shot up. “Never getting married?”
I made sure to hold her blue gaze as I clarified, “Not that. I just meant that when I do get married, it will be forever. No divorce.”
She leaned back in her seat as she regarded me and mulled over my statement. “Shit happens.”
“And that’s fine. However, it would take a lot to make me walk away from my marriage if I ever have one.”
Fallon leaned forward. “What ifshe’sthe one who wants to walk away?”
I leaned in. “She won’t,” I promised. “But in the event that she did want to, there’s no way I’d ever let her go without a hell of a fight.”
Fallon’s words were raspy. “Ever?”
I held her gaze as I told her the truest words I’ve ever spoken. “Over my dead body, will my wife ever leave me, Fallon.”
“Because?” Her voice hitched as she asked the word, and I could tell my possessiveness was turning her on. I imagined it was because, as a foster kid, she’s never been wanted or claimed. It was something she probably fantasized about being.
“Because I’ll only love once, Fallon,” I explained. “I’ll only love once, and I’ll never do anything that will make my wife want to leave me. Piss her off? Sure. Make her want to murder me? Definitely. But leave me? Never.”
I’m not sure if she meant to say it, but her words sounded genuinely concerning. “Do you think the person who’s after me thinks they’re in love with me like that?”
Suddenly, I heard my words through her ears, and I needed to clarify. “It’s different when you return the love, Fallon. What I’m banking on is that my wife will love me every bit as much as I love her, and she won’t want to ever leave me. Even through the hard times, I will be banking everything on her love for me. The guy or girl stalking you isn’t in this for love. Love is every bit as freeing as it is confining, and whoever is after you doesn’t make you feel free.”
“No. No, they don’t,” she quietly agreed.
She didn’t say anything as the waitress brought our check and I didn’t push, but she finally looked at me and said, “The possessiveness towards your future wife is rather…comforting.”
I snorted out a laugh. “Hope she thinks so,” I said wryly. “But it’s more likely she’ll feel it’ll be stifling.”
“I hope not,” she replied. “There’s a real security in knowing you’re wanted with such fierceness.”
I didn’t want to say it, but she was confusing me. I wouldn’t think someone who was being stalked would appreciate possessiveness. “But aren’t you being wanted with that kind of fierceness right now?”
Fallon gave me a small shake of her head. “No,” she replied. “If I was, he would have made his move by now, don’t you think?”
I smirked at how she threw my words back at me. “Touché, Ms. Reese.” She gave me a soft laugh and a sassy wink and everything south of my waistband sat up and noticed.
I had wanted to go slow. I had wanted to show her I wasn’t the dick I acted like when we first met. I wanted her comfortable and I wanted her to trust me. I wanted her to feel safe before I made my move. But the more time I spent with her, the more I realized being in my bed was the farthest thing from her mind. Hell, I wasn’t even sure if I was on her list of things to do at all.
But I knew if I wasn’t honest with her, I’d get nowhere with her. She needed blunt honesty because her life was confusing enough as it was. And Fallon might not like me, but she was attracted to me, and I’d use that if I had to in order to push us forward.
“Fallon, can I tell you something without you freaking out?” She blinked at me and then threw her head back in a genuine laugh. I smiled as she calmed down. Laughter was a good look on her.
After she calmed down, she asked, “Seriously?” My smile widened. “Does that ever work? Telling someone not to freak out only makes them freak out, Xander.”
