17
“I can do it, Dakota,” Fallon growls, moving her walker an inch. She’s in pajama shorts and a hospital gown, her caramel-blonde hair wound in a messy bun.
Dakota and I hover around her, because if she falls, I’ll fucking lose it. She’s exhausted enough as it is from daily PT appointments. She’s in pain. Hasn’t been sleeping. The last three nights, she’s slept fitfully, tossing and turning. Talking in her sleep. Nightmares.
“Are you sure?” Dakota glances at Davis, who swears under his breath.
“Yes. Yes, I’m fucking sure.” White-knuckling her walker, she lifts its four rubber-tipped feet then steps forward with it like she’s practiced. “Fuck,” she swears, stopping to gasp. “Fuck.”
I take a step toward her.
“Wyatt,” Fallon says icily. “I will kill you if you come any closer.”
I ignore her, moving a chair out of her path. I don’t give a shit if she bites my head off. I’m fucking worried about her.
“I’m fine,” she gasps, inching forward with her walker. “This is all fucking fine.”
She doesn’t look fine. She looks terrible. She’s pale, dark bruises beneath her eyes. She’s lost weight, her long, muscled body swallowed by the hospital gown, and all I want to do is get her out of this goddamn hospital.
“I feel like a zoo animal,” she mutters. “All of you standing around watching me.” Face red, she lifts her head, lifts her walker to look at Dr. Joy, who stands with Davis in a corner of the room. “When can I be done with this bullshit?”
“The best that you can hope for after all of this is to have a limp.”
Fallon recoils. “That’s not going to be me.”
Davis and the doctor speak in low tones as Fallon finishes her exercises.
Face pale, she manages to fling herself back on the bed. She crosses her arms, putting a barrier between us. She tips her head back, her drug-hazed eyes trying to focus. “That fucking sucked,” she gasps.
There’s the crack of the door as Dr. Joy exits.
Dakota rubs Fallon’s arm with exaggerated enthusiasm. “You did so good.”
“Is Pappy still here?” Fallon asks.
“No, honey, he’s not,” Davis says. “He and Tripp both went back to Resurrection.”
I scowl. “What do you want with him?”
“None of your business.”
I see what she wants. Hope. That her entire world hasn’t been completely dismantled. It’s a real prick move that Pappy didn’t stick around to see Fallon. Although, it’s not likely I’d let him.
“How can I do this?” Anger creeps into her voice. She eyes her walker with disdain. “I can’t do a goddamn thing.”
Davis’s eyes move to Dakota’s. “Which is what we need to talk about.”
“You don’t have to do it alone,” Dakota says. “You’ll come home with us. Stay at the ranch.”
I suck in a breath, pissed I’ve been left out of a conversation that damn sure should have included me.
Fallon balks. “No. I don’t want to go there.” Her panicked eyes flash to mine. “I don’t want to go back to Resurrection. I don’t want to go home.”
Dakota flinches, and Davis rests a hand on her shoulder. In a low voice, he says to Fallon, “You can’t stay here by yourself, honey.”
Fallon’s lower lip pushes out.
Dakota drops her head and sighs. “You can’t be alone, Fallon. What if you fall? Or something happens?”
A tear slips down Fallon’s cheek. A fucking tear. Goddamn, she’s crying.
“She’ll come home with me,” I blurt, desperate to do anything to make her happy. “I’ll take care of Fallon.”
Davis sighs, staring between me and Fallon in skepticism. “That’s not a good idea.”
Concern tightening Dakota’s pretty features, she says, “You live in an Airstream, Wyatt, how can you possibly take care of her?”
Not backing down, I say, “Her cottage, then. I’ll stay with her there.”
Fallon swipes at her tears, trying to rally a frown. “Don’t I get a say?”
“No,” we all snap in unison.
Fallon scowls.
Dakota crosses her arms. “She’s my sister.”
I stand tall. Ready myself for my brother’s fist to be in my face. “And she’s my wife.” Pure instinct to say it. Pure truth.
Dakota narrows her eyes. Davis’s nostrils flare, tension dropping like a lead blanket. The line between self-destruction and love is a fine one, but goddamn do I walk it hard.
“Wyatt,” Davis growls.
I ball a fist. This is fucking ridiculous. Fallon’s mental and physical health take precedence. If she wants to go back to her cottage, then she’ll go back to her goddamn cottage.
Over and over again, I’ve failed Fallon. I won’t fail her now.
I square up with him.
“Listen, D. You have your babies, the ranch. You got a fucking ulcer, man. You don’t need the stress. I can handle this.”
Doubt furrows Davis’s brow. “Someone needs to be with Fallon 24/7. What about your job?”
Fuck my job, fuck Younger , I think, but don’t say it. Fallon is my priority. I’ll take care of her, I’ll keep her safe, even if she does want to rip my fucking head off.
“My hours are flexible. I train two hours a day. You and Dakota are gone, what, eight hours a day? We’ll make it work. Ruby and Reese can hang out with her while I coach.”
A muscle jerks in Davis’s jaw. “If you lose funding—”
“I won’t.” I run a hand through my hair, wishing my older brother would trust me for once in his life. “I swear to you, I got her.”
Davis looks at Dakota.
“Okay.” Dakota exhales. “Let’s try it.”
A soft choked sound comes from the bed. We all turn to Fallon. The glare she gives us could burn down the world.
“Go.” Her mouth begins to tremble. “Just leave me alone. All of you. Leave me alone.”
The neon in her eyes goes dark. No fight there, no life. Only a blank, faraway expression.
My chest constricts. Scared. I’m fucking scared.
I reach for her. “Fallon—”
“Go.”
Then she turns her on her pillow and buries her face in her hands. We leave the room.
In the hallway, Reese and Ford are leaning against the wall, talking in low tones. Charlie sits in a hard plastic chair, Ruby on his lap.
Ruby and Reese must read something on Dakota’s face, because they swoop in. They link arms with Dakota and lead her down the hall to the cafeteria.
My brothers watch their wives walk away. Ford turns to Davis. “Y’all nail down a plan?”
“I’m staying with Fallon.” I scowl at my gawking brothers. “She’s my wife. Why wouldn’t I take care of her?”
Ford arches a brow. “Tossing that word around a lot for someone who says it’s just business.”
“Been married longer than you,” I say coolly.
Ford’s jaw drops. At first, I think he’s going to hit me. Then he laughs. “Got me good, you little shit.”
We stand snickering in the hallway. It feels damn good to laugh for a second.
“D?” Ford inclines his head.
We all swing our heads to look at Davis, who’s been silent for the last few minutes.
“I told Dakota Fallon would be okay,” Davis says, emotion catching in his throat.He turns to the wall, hiding his grief behind a big hand. “And she isn’t.”
I understand my older brother’s duty. His promise to his wife. His promise to Stede. But it’s my turn now.
I turn to Davis, my heart clenching, and look him dead in the eyes. “Listen, D, I know you’re worried about her. But I’ll make sure she’s okay. I swear it.”
His mouth curves up at the corner. “I know you will.” Davis claps my shoulder, and the guilt from the last few days leaves me. “Although, I can’t say I’m thrilled about y’all goin’ off on some sort of choose-your-own-adventure game.”
“They’ll be okay,” Charlie says. “They’re in town. If they need anything, they’ll call.” He looks at me. “We’re all here.”
I shoot him a grateful look.
Me and Fallon. Playing house. Just what we fucking need.