CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Kye
ICOULDN’T LET HER GO. I COULDN’T FORCE MYSELF TO RELEASE my grip on Fallon for a single second, even though I knew that was exactly what I should do. Because all of this was happening because of me.
Still, I kept my grip on her as I fumbled for the phone in my pocket, and I kept right on holding her as I hit Trace’s contact. It rang three times before he answered.
“This an emergency? Because if not, gonna have to call you back.”
“Emergency. Blackheart Ink,” I clipped.
Trace cursed, a sound I still wasn’t used to coming from him. “Do I need backup?”
“Gabriel.”
Another curse slipped through the speaker. “On our way.”
I ended the call, slid my phone back into my pocket, and then both arms were around Fallon again. She was shaking like a goddamned leaf, and I wanted to burn the whole world down.
If the asshole who’d done this had been standing in front of me, I would’ve ripped him limb from limb. I would’ve ended his life and not given a damn. That’s how dark the demons inside me were.
I usually did everything I could to beat them back and hide the truth of who I was. But now? I welcomed them. If it meant keeping Fallon safe, I’d be the darkest monster from the deepest parts of hell.
A siren sounded in the distance, and I knew Trace was close.
“My car,” Fallon rasped. “I left the keys in the ignition.”
“Don’t give a damn about the SUV. If someone steals it, I’ll buy you another one.”
“My purse.”
“Doesn’t fucking matter,” I growled. “You’re staying right here. Not going anywhere.”
The sirens got closer, then cut out. A second later, Trace burst through the door. “What the hell is going on? Fal’s SUV is out there still running. Where—?”
“Enough,” I barked. “Lower your goddamned voice.”
Trace’s green eyes flared in surprise, but he did just that. “She hurt?”
“Sparrow?” I pulled back slightly, sliding my hand along her jaw. “Does anything hurt?”
She shook her head, wisps of pale-blond hair falling into her face. “No.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure. I just—oh, God. The man in the truck. The biker shot at him. Is he—?”
“Uninjured,” Gabriel said as he strode into the tattoo studio carrying Fal’s bag, keys, and phone. “Scared shitless but uninjured.”
Trace’s jaw had gone hard as granite. “You were involved in that?”
“I-I—”
“Breathe, Sparrow. Just breathe. Like you’re telling me. By the creek. Under the dogwood. Close your eyes and imagine yourself there.”
Fallon’s long, dark lashes fluttered as she closed her eyes and fisted her hands in my flannel. “I pulled out of the DHS parking lot, and a bike started following me.”
Everything in me turned to stone. These were my worst fears realized. My old life, the one that had tainted me and marked my soul forever, was now coming for her.
“I thought maybe it was a coincidence. But when I sped up, they did, too.”
Fal’s breaths started coming quicker. “I went even faster, and so did they. The truck pulled out, not realizing just how fast I was going. He almost hit me because of it. He honked, and the bike swerved. It went around the truck. And then it was like …”
Her breathing was irregular now, a panic attack setting in. I framed her face, shoving down all my rage so I could gentle my voice. “Breathe, Sparrow. It’s spring. The dogwoods are in full bloom. You can hear the creek. You can smell the pine trees.”
Fallon’s breathing slowed. “It happened so fast. Like snatches of an image. A gun. A shot. The truck’s windshield shattering.
I turned onto a side street and heard another shot.
I didn’t look back. I drove as fast as I could.
I ran stop signs. I’m sorry, Trace. I didn’t even know where I was going until …
” Her eyes fluttered open. “Until I got here. You’re always where I’m going. ”
Fuck. It was like a knife to the chest. A beautiful, blinding pain to be that for her, but know I was also the reason she was running.
My thumbs tracked over her cheeks, and with everything I had, I tried to keep my grip gentle. “You did exactly the right thing, Sparrow. Exactly the right thing.”
“He’s right,” Trace said, his voice tight.
Gabriel’s radio crackled, and he moved down the hall to speak into it.
“The girls,” Fallon said, her body jerking slightly. “I need to get them in a few minutes.”
“I’ll text Arden.” Trace pulled out his phone. “She and Linc can get them with a sheriff’s department escort.”
“Thanks,” I choked.
Fucking hell. Maybe I should be begging Nora to adopt them. Even Trace. See if they could give them the safety they deserved. Because I sure as hell couldn’t.
“Don’t you dare,” Fallon ground out, the fire returning to her eyes as if she’d read the exact thoughts running through my mind.
“What?” I hedged.
“Don’t you dare take this on, Kyler. This isn’t your fault.”
“It is,” I argued. “It’s exactly my fault. It was a fucking biker, Fal. That means it was a Reaper or one of their enemies.” A light dawned. “Fal’s SUV is registered to me. It was easier when I bought them to just do it that way. Whoever this was might’ve thought it was me.”
“Makes sense,” a new voice said. Anson walked through the door. “This unsub has a very specific MO. They want death by stabbing. It wouldn’t do to run you off the road or shoot you. My guess is they would’ve shot out your tires and then moved in for the kill.”
Fallon’s hands fisted tighter in my flannel. “Now, we know for sure. This person wants to kill you.”
And anyone close to me could be collateral damage.
We made it home before my sisters. Arden and Linc had bought us some time by stopping by The Pop to order takeout, but I was sure neither Fal nor I would touch the food. I’d tried telling the rest of my family to keep their distance, but none of them would have it.
They descended on my house without delay and en masse, like they always did for the people they loved.
“Tell Linc not to skimp on the types of potatoes,” Cope said, popping a piece of candy into his mouth.
Rhodes arched a brow at him from her spot on the other side of Fallon. “Shouldn’t you be watching what you’re eating now that you’re back in training?”
Cope scowled at her. “I can have curly fries.”
“But he also wants tater tots, truffle fries, and steak fries,” Sutton said with a knowing smile.
“Hey,” Cope said, affronted. “Don’t forget the shoestrings. Those are important.”
Luca giggled. “You’re gonna turn into a potato.”
“You know, I just read a book about a potato shifter,” Thea said.
Shep shook his head and then kissed her temple. “That one got … saucy.”
Rhodes choked on a laugh while Luca and Keely just looked confused.
“Can we go watch a movie while we wait for the food?” Keely asked hopefully.
“Come on,” Ellie said, waving them toward the basement stairs. “Can’t have you corrupted by potato shifters.”
“You know,” Lolli began, “I think I’d like to borrow that one.”
“I’m warning you,” Cope said, “if you ruin potatoes for me, we’re gonna have problems.”
“The only problem we’re gonna have is you being a prude,” Lolli shot back.
Cope shot up straight on the end of the sectional. “I’m not a prude.” His gaze cut to Sutton. “Tell them about that thing I did the other night.”
She gaped at him. “This is like when you wanted me to tell everyone you had a big dick. Not going to happen, Hotshot.”
He let out a huff. “Big, kinky dick. That’s all you gotta know.”
Anson’s face screwed up. “That makes it sound like your dick is knotted and warty.”
Cope opened his mouth, but Sutton held up a hand to stop him. “I am also not telling your family how beautiful your penis is.”
Cope grinned. “You heard it here. Big, beautiful dick.”
Rhodes shook her head. “She didn’t say anything about big.”
I knew what they were doing, and I appreciated it. They were trying to steer the conversation away from anything that might veer into trauma territory. They were trying to make Fallon laugh and get me to talk shit. But neither of us could get there.
Nora rounded the couch with a tray. “Ginger tea. It soothes the nerves.” Setting it down, she patted Fallon’s knee. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine. Really,” Fallon said. But it was a lie. Her face was pale, and her hands were cold.
I leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Want me to run you a bath?”
She shook her head and burrowed deeper into me. “I want to stay right here.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do,” I said.
The front door opened, and Clem and Gracie raced in.
“Linc bought out the whole Pop!” Gracie called. “I don’t think they gots any more food for anyone else.”
Clem giggled. “It took ’em forever to get it ready.”
“And our arms are very full,” Linc called, carrying a massive box of takeout bags.
“I could’ve helped you,” Arden said, rolling her eyes.
“I don’t want you lifting anything,” Linc argued.
“I’m pregnant; I don’t have two broken legs. But the vast array of milkshakes is still in the car.”
Anson stood and crossed to the door as Hayden moved inside. “I’ll get ’em.”
Hayden’s expression was shuttered as she moved into the living room. “What’s going on?”
I did my best to force a smile. “We just thought it might be fun to have a takeout party.”
Her expression went from shuttered to pissed right the hell off. “Don’t lie. You and Fallon were supposed to pick us up. You didn’t. And a deputy followed us home.”
Fuck.
Fallon straightened and sent a look my way. I read it instantly. As much as we wanted to protect my sisters, we couldn’t lie to them. They’d see right through it, and we’d lose all the tiny pieces of trust we’d gained.
“Something happened to me on my way home from work,” Fallon said as gently as possible.
Clem’s face paled. “Did someone hurt you?”
God, it killed me that someone hurting Fallon was the first place Clem’s mind went.
“No, they didn’t,” Fallon said quickly. “But someone chased me, and it scared me.”
Gracie had no hesitation. She flew at Fallon, launching herself onto the couch and into Fal’s arms, and started to cry.
“Oh, baby,” Fal said, rubbing her back. “I’m okay. I’m better than okay because I’m surrounded by everyone I love.”
“N-no one should scare you. I-it’s not nice.”
Fallon rocked Gracie as Clem made her way to the couch, squeezing in between us. “I know, Gracie girl. But you know what? I’m not scared anymore.”
“G-good,” Gracie stammered.
I looked up at Hayden, who hadn’t moved an inch. Her face had gone pale, too, and her hands trembled at her sides. “I thought you were giving us back,” she whispered.
“What?” I rasped.
“I thought you were giving us back.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “I thought this was one last dinner, and you were gonna tell us we were too much.”
I shoved to my feet, already closing the distance between us. “You are never too much for me. You’re my sister.”
“I was such a bitch to you.” The tears started coming in earnest now.
“No, you weren’t. You were scared.”
Hayden’s whole body shook with the force of her sobs. “I believed her. Renee. When she said you didn’t want us. I believed her.”
I couldn’t stop myself. I pulled Hayden into my arms and hugged her with everything I had. “It’s okay. You didn’t know.”
“I should’ve,” she wailed. “I should’ve known.”
I hugged Hayden harder. “You know now. And we’re starting over. A brand-new beginning to forever.”
“Forever?”
I rubbed a hand up and down her back. “Yeah. I’ve got my lawyer working on the paperwork so I can file for adoption once we get the okay. But only if that’s all right with you.”
Hayden pulled back, but she kept a hold of my flannel. “I-it’s okay with me.”
“You sure?”
She nodded jerkily. “I like it here. You make me feel like I could belong somewhere.”
Fucking hell.
“Hayden,” I rasped. “You do belong. With me. Now and always.”