Page 58 of Follow Me Down

Chapter Fourteen

Titus

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“What the hell was that?” I wait until the headlights of the car disappear before turning my gaze to Fallon.

She turns toward me slowly, her face as white as a sheet.

“I... I...” she stutters, unable to form an actual sentence. Her eyes fill with unshed tears and her bottom lip trembles.

As confused as I am about what the fuck just transpired, I’m more concerned about the fact that Fallon looks seconds away from crumbling to pieces on the front porch.

“Are you okay?” I soften my approach, trying to push past the anger boiling in my chest.

To say her father showing up was a shock is an understatement after learning who her father is.

Governor Buckley. She’s Governor Buckley’s daughter... Not that I knew that’s who he was at first. But Link did. Apparently, he’s seen him on television a few times. Who knew his obsession with the news would actually prove helpful?

“I don’t know.” Her voice is barely audible when she finally answers me.

I knew Fallon was hiding things. I knew she was hiding a lot of things. In the near week and a half she’s been here, she’s barely mentioned anything about her family or her past. I knew she was running from something. I knew that the night she climbed on the back of my motorcycle. I just didn’t know from what.

It’s a hard pill to swallow, realizing the girl who has annihilated my walls is someone I don’t know a single thing about.

“Come here.” I grab her forearm and pull her into my chest, wrapping my arms around her slender shoulders.

She shakes against me as her emotions break free.

I’m not sure what to do, or say, so I do the only thing that makes sense. I hold her tightly and wait for the storm to pass.

I don’t know how long we stand like that. With the evening sun growing low in the sky, Fallon silent in my arms. But when she finally pulls away, her eyes are red and her cheeks are damp with tears.

“I’m so sorry.” She wipes at her face as she steps back. “I’m sorry about what he said... About you. About Link. He’s...”

“Hey.” I reach out to tip her chin, forcing her gaze to mine. “You don’t have to apologize for him. You don’t have to apologize for any of it.”

If anyone can respect someone’s need to keep their secrets it’s me. Even still, I won’t deny the sting in my chest over the knowledge that she didn’t feel like she could tell me the truth.

I had known her all of one day before I told her about my family. And yet here we are, days later, having spent several nights in the same bed, and she never mentioned a word about who her father is.

“I knew this would happen.” She hugs her arms around herself. “I knew it the moment I saw my cell phone powered on.”

“That’s how he found you?”

She nods slowly. “That’s why I kept it off, why I hadn’t charged it.”

“Fuck.” I let out a heavy puff of air. “I’m so sorry, Fallon. I didn’t think...”

“Don’t,” she cuts me off. “This isn’t on you. It was only a matter of time.” She shrugs weakly. “I can leave.” She goes to step past me, but I grab her bicep to halt her movements, swinging my head to the side to look down at her.

“You aren’t going anywhere.”

“You don’t want me to leave?” She looks surprised and... hopeful.

“Why would I want you to leave?”

“You heard what he said. He’s not going to stop. It’s not worth it. I’m not worth it.”

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