Page 70 of F*ckboys

"We went on a date yesterday," I admit. "A picnic by the lake. It was very spontaneous and unexpected. Everything was perfect, but then..." I trail off, frustration gnawing at my insides. "We ended the date with a kiss and it was amazing. But I couldn't help waiting for her to shut down on me or pull away like I burned her. I kept waiting for her to tell me what new thing I did wrong."

"You didn't do anything wrong." Raine reaches across the table, squeezing my hand. "You can't undo the past, Aksel. No matter how much you wish you could. Fallon's hurting and it's going to take time for her to trust you again. It sounds like a romantic picnic at the park is a pretty good sign she's interested in opening back up to you."

"But what if there isn't enough time?" The question bursts out of me, laced with fear. "What if she can never get over what happened? Never forgive me? I still don't even know everything that happened from her perspective. What if she decides it's all too hard and just when I'm too far gone, she announces we're done?"

"Woah, woah, slow down there, bud," Raine smirks and puts her hand up like a stop sign. "You need to be patient with her." Her gaze is gentle but firm. "Fallon's not the same girl you knew back then. She's been through hell and it's going to take work to break down those walls she's built. But if you really care about her—if you're willing to understand where she's coming from—she will open up to you again. Guaranteed. It's human nature."

Her words hit their mark. Of course Fallon's changed. We both have, shaped by the years we spent apart. Years that hardened me and left invisible scars on the woman I love.

Scars I'm desperate to heal, if only she'll let me in.

"People are complex," Raine says softly. "The things we do, no matter how confusing, are often a reflection of our pain. Begentle with Fallon. Listen to her. And don't give up. Not if she really matters to you."

She does. More than anything.

I meet Raine's gaze, resolve steeling my spine. "I won't give up on her. Not again."

Never again.

I return home after work, my mind spinning with Raine's advice. But as soon as I enter my study, my thoughts shift to the task at hand.

Kent and Isabella. Their connection gnaws at me, a loose thread I need to unravel.

Booting up my laptop, I dig into their backgrounds. It doesn't take long to find the connection my team somehow missed—five years ago, Kent and Isabella worked together at Storm Enterprises, a direct competitor to my family's company with strong ties to a rival local mafia organization. They left within months of each other to join King Industries.

How did we miss this? A knot forms in my gut as I consider the implications. Did they come to King Industries together with the intention to spy? Sabotage us from within?

My fingers curl into fists, rage simmering in my veins. If I find even a hint of betrayal, they'll both pay.

A chime interrupts my brooding. When I check my phone, my anger evaporates, replaced by a surge of warmth.

Fallon: Thinking of you. Hope your day's going well.

I stare at the message, reading it again and again, a smile teasing my lips. However brief, her words are a balm, easing my frayed nerves.

Before I can overthink it, I type a reply:

Me: You're always on my mind too, Fallon-y. My day is better now.

I test the waters by teasing her with the special nickname she used to hate, but that made her laugh by the time we eventually went out in high school. I want to say more, to tell her about Kent and Isabella's suspicious connection, my need to protect my family's company. But those worries can wait, and instead I keep things light and flirty. Right now, all I want is to lose myself in Fallon—in fantasies of her smile, the scent of her skin, the taste of her kiss.

A kiss I'm desperate to claim again, despite the demons lurking in our past. Demons I'll slay if it means a future with the woman who still holds my heart.

Chapter 38

Fallon

My phone beeps.

(Unknown number): Hey! Is this Fallon?

I typically ignore anonymous numbers, but something tells me I should pick this one up. After all, it could be a client referred to me by someone else.

Fallon: Yes. Who is this?

(Unknown number): Roxy! Roxy King! Remember me?

Do you remember me, she asks? Ha! As if I could forget Aksel's baby sister. We used to be fairly close back in high school, at least during the parts where Aksel and I were growing into a relationship. She's always been sweet, funny, a little rebellious. She's refreshing to my soul. But I wonder why she's reaching out to me now of all times. I haven't spoken with her in years.

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