Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
RICH
“J ust remember I don’t think anyone was trying to do harm,” Fallon whispers from beside me. Did they intend to cause harm? To us, no, but could there have been some? Absafuckinglutely. I give her hand a squeeze, trying to reassure her I’m not going to murder anyone.
“I’m not going to kill King.” That would break my sister’s heart. I have spent most of my life trying to protect her even when she had no clue that’s what I was doing. I couldn't shield her from everything, but I was able to take most of the brunt. I’m pissed that Fallon was put in the line of danger, though.
“Or hit him again.” I gave her a rundown of what happened between King and me. I don’t want her thinking I’m hiding anything from her. I’ll give her what I can, and what I hide will only ever be to protect her unless she pushes me to know everything.
Fallon peeks up at me. Her cheeks are still a rosy red from our shower and the orgasms I’d given her. I would still be in bed if not for her father and the shithead that thought he was tough. But with that hanging over us and needing to be dealt with, I knew I needed to get up.
If not for them, I could’ve stayed there all day, and I wasn’t one prone to be still. Fallon has become all-consuming, but in a way I didn’t know I needed. I’m always wanting more with her. I have never felt that way about another person in my life. Even the love I have for her is different.
I love my sister and Teddy; hell, even Teddy’s mom is like an aunt to me. But what I have with Fallon is a different kind of love. One that runs through every inch of me. It’s become a part of my soul and who I am.
You never know what you need sometimes until it’s right there in front of you, and it leaves you wondering how you ever lived without it before. That’s the thing. I’m not sure I was living.
“I make no promises.” I give her a smirk, trying to be playful so she’s not so worried.
“Rich.” Fallon lets out a small huff that I find adorable. I love that she’s expressing herself more and more. I don’t want her to hide in fear or doubt. I want my girl to find herself and speak up.
“It’s all right.” I tug her close, dropping another kiss on her head before we enter the kitchen. I know everyone is there. I gave them the heads-up that we were coming down. I’m sure they all quickly scrambled to get down here. My sister and Teddy at least, which would bring King and West with them.
“Morning!” Teddy chirps the second we enter the kitchen.
"Morning," Fallon responds. All eyes are on us.
"Can we not make the situation awkward for her?"
"Right!" Teddy flips a pancake.
"Orange juice?" my sister asks Fallon.
"That would be nice." I lead her over to the kitchen island, pulling out a chair for her. We have a very nice formal dining room, but we always end up here.
Willa sets the glass down in front of Fallon, and she thanks her. The kitchen falls quiet again except for the sounds of Teddy cooking. I'm about to speak up when Fallon beats me to it.
“I’m guessing after last night everyone knows that was my fiancé.” A deep growl rumbles uncontrollably from me. Fallon elbows me in the side.
“He's not your fiancé.”
“The man my father ordered me to marry.” Fallon places her hand on my chest.
"We know who your father is and all about the other man," King admits with a nod. "Your father has been betting on my fights for a few years now. He doesn't often attend them, but he bets on them and streams them."
That means he's been watching me. He's going to get an up-close and personal fight real fucking soon.
"I bet you know more about him than I do," Fallon says with a frown. King's eyes meet mine, letting me know she might not want to know more about the piece of shit she calls her father.
"That's not a bad thing, dollface." I rub my hand up and down her back.
"I know." She nods. "I also know that Rich will want to go after him, but I don't want him to get into trouble." Fallon rushes to say the last part, I'm sure thinking I'll cut in. As much as I want to, I'm not going to stifle her.
“We won’t let anything happen to Rich,” West says. “And so you know, I had no clue you didn’t know I brought the girls there. I wouldn't do that to you.”
West and I had a shit start, but we both agreed our minds were clouded because of my father. I thought he didn’t like me, and he thought the same about me. In the end, all we cared about was making sure my father's bullshit did not touch Willa or Teddy.
“Fucking hell,” King mutters.
“I didn’t know either.” Willa puts up a finger.
“You’re lucky that?—”
“Rich.” Fallon slides her hand up my chest. “It was for the best. I needed a nudge.”
“He’s not the one that should be nudging you.”
"But everything turned out okay. I mean, for now."
"Everything will be okay, period," I tell her. "Now that I know who your father is, he can be dealt with."
“You all have been so good to me, and I brought this to your door. And now it’s got some of you fighting.” I can see the sadness in my girl's eyes, which only makes me want to pound her dad’s face more.
“Ah!” Willa laughs.
“Sorry, Fallon, but they had been fighting well before you got here,” Teddy says with a smile. “Now they are actually kind of working together on something.”
“It’s true, but we’re family. We fight.” Willa shrugs.
“One you’re a part of now.” Teddy waves her finger between all the men. “They need to get it worked out and handled because I love this family, and so does Willa.”
“They’re all right.” Willa winks at Fallon, making a small giggle come from her. Damn, but do I love that sound. Teddy keeps going.
“These men are always worried about making us happy and being safe. Well, it would make us happy if everyone could get along. It would be safer if we were all on the same page and a team.”
“A family,” Fallon whispers, but everyone hears it.
“A family,” Teddy says in agreement. “Something all of us have had little of before now. Now we can have it.”
“Unless you don’t want us to have that. Or our kids to have it.” Willa lets out a small huff, folding her arms over her chest. King pulls her down into his lap.
“We’ll work it out,” King tells her. Fallon peeks over at me.
“I’ll work it out,” I tell her too. I’ll do anything to make her happy. I lean down and press my mouth to the top of her head.
"I need to speak with your brother," King tells my sister, standing before putting her down in his chair.
"You know we're married, so he's your brother too."
"Come on, bro," I deadpan. "Let's have this little chat." King shakes his head, but he smirks. "You want in on this?" I ask my uncle West.
"Yeah." He stands. I drop a kiss onto Fallon's lips before we all head into my father's old office. It's right off the kitchen.
"Need to gut this," I say, closing the doors behind us. "His wing too, now that I'm thinking about it." I want to wipe any memories of him from this place and start fresh.
"Are you going to make it yours?" West asks, turning one of the chairs in front of the massive desk around to sit in. I grab another, following suit. King sits down on the couch.
"Fallon enjoys it here." If she's happy, then I'm happy. Never in a million years did I think I could feel that way in this home. Fallon changed that for me.
“The girls are right; we are family now. That includes Fallon. We need to work together, not against each other. We all have the same goal: to keep our women happy and safe.” West gets into the reason we’re all in this room.
“I know you’re pissed.” King leans forward, putting his elbows on his knees. “I could give you the reasons I did what I did, but it doesn’t matter.” He shakes his head. “I’m sorry.” Those two words catch me off guard.
West smirks. When I met the guy, all he did was glare at everyone. Me more than most because he thought Teddy and I had a thing.
“Apology accepted. Don’t let it happen again. You wouldn’t stand for anyone putting Willa in that position.” I could continue to harbor these angry feelings for King, but what’s the point? Deep down, I know he wasn’t doing it to hurt Fallon. Plus, we have bigger fish to fry.
“Thanks. I’m new to this family shit, but it means a lot to my wife,” King says. I don’t know a ton about King’s upbringing, but I know it was a world apart from mine. His father bounced, or hell, his mom was a stripper and part-time call girl once upon a time. He might not know who his father is. King literally fought his way to the top. I have to respect that.
“I think we all are,” I admit, but if I put my own shit away, I know King killing my father had been for me. He hadn’t wanted me to live with that, and Fallon made me see that. I wouldn't want her living with that.
King had done that shit before he ever met my sister. I think on some level, King and I understand each other. We were both filled with a rage inside of us that we needed to get out.
“Well, as part of my apology, I got you a gift.” King stands. “After the girls go to bed tonight, I’ll give it to you.” I glance over to West, who doesn’t give anything away with his expression, but he knows whatever it is King is talking about. “We’ll have to go down to the warehouses.”
“It’s not only the fucker from last night.” I want to have another go at him. I am far from done, but taking care of Fallon last night had been a higher priority.
"It's not, but I know that by the end of the night it will all be put to bed." He holds his hand out to me. I stand and take it. To my surprise, King tugs, pulling me in for a one-armed hug.
When we all exit the office, the girls are laughing together. It’s a new start for all of us. Seeing Fallon this way only makes whatever I have to do tonight easier. She deserves to live a life without fear.
“All good?” Willa directs her question to me.
“Yeah,” I answer, giving her hair a little tug as I walk by her on my way to Fallon. She snags my arm before I get past her, wrapping her arms around me.
“Thanks.” I know she’s thanking me for a lot more than forgiving King. I swallow hard and hug her back.
“Brother or not, I can’t have you hugging my girl,” King states.
“You’re so over the top ridiculous.” Willa feigns annoyance at him, but it’s short-lived.
I take the opportunity to head to my girl. Fallon stands as I approach her, her hands coming to rest on my chest. I smile down at her.
“Is everything good?” I can see the hope and happiness in her eyes, and I will do everything to keep it there.
“More than good, dollface.” I claim her mouth in a deep kiss. When I pull back, her cheeks are flushed, her lips puffy. “Sit; I’ll make your plate.”
The girls fall into wedding plans for Teddy. I can’t wait to see my ring on my girl's finger. When Fallon is informed she’ll be a bridesmaid, the way her face lights up fills something deep inside of me.
We all spend the rest of the day together. The girls are making plans while King, West, and I discuss some remodeling that needs to take place here. It’s clear that all the girls want to stay close. This house is more than big enough for everyone.
When we finally make it back to our room for the night, I kiss every inch of Fallon’s body. I soak in her sweetness. How does she think she gives me nothing? I’ll never understand.
I wait until I’m sure she’s in a deep sleep before I slip from the bed and meet West and King downstairs.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” King asks me as we all load into the SUV. He is offering to handle this all on his own if I want.
“I want to do this.” I want to make this fucker feel real fear. It’s partly why I wasn’t in a rush today to get my hands on him.
It’s better to let him sit in isolation and let his mind terrorize him. He locked Fallon away. This was only a taste of that. I am going to give him so much more, and I do exactly that over the next five hours. I don’t have a lick of guilt about it either. Carl and Fallon’s dad were both pieces of shit. The world is safe without them in it, especially women, who they have no respect for.
“You okay?” West asks as he comes and stands next to me on the dock. The same place I found my girl.
“Yes.” I nod as the first ray of morning light is starting to rise. This is the first time in my life I can say that with all honesty.
I flip my hand over to reveal the ring. It’s gaudy as all fuck and not Fallon at all. It had been the one they’d thought they’d force on her hand. I wrap my hand back around it before I chuck it out into the ocean, then I turn and go home.
I use one of the spare bathrooms to wash up before I slip back into bed with Fallon. I pull her into my arms, burying my face in her hair.
“Rich.” She lets out a small sigh, cuddling closer. “Thank you,” I hear her whisper, letting me know that she is aware that I left and what I went to do. “I love you.” Fallon presses a kiss to my chest.
“I love you too.” I shift, moving her under me. My body settles in between her thighs as she spreads them wider to make room for me. All of her accepting me into her. “You are my every reason.” I want her to know that she gives me everything I’ll ever need.
“You are my every reason too.”