Chapter Forty-Four
Luke
Thank fuck my parents always have a driver on standby, because there is no way I could have driven us all the way back home right now.
The streets pass by in a blur of darkness.
Not many people are out and about at this time of night.
It’s calming, peaceful even, but also unsettling.
Fallon hasn’t spoken a word since stepping foot inside the car.
But then again, neither have I. How things could turn so quickly is beyond me.
I tried to take her hand after a few minutes, but she kept her hands locked on her knee.
I don’t think she even realised I did it.
I can't believe my father got involved the way he did. It just goes to show how much Fallon and I mean to him. Even after such a short amount of time knowing her, she has that effect on people. She is a very hard woman not to love.
There is still a while left until we get to the hospital, so I pull out my phone.
I have already given Will and Dom the heads up.
Both were on shift anyway, but they will make sure they're the ones caring for Dad when we get there, as I'm not allowed to, being family and all.
I feel so helpless, but there is someone who I know can help, and has always said he would be there if I needed him.
Luke – Are you awake?
Tommy – What do you need?
I knew this would be the response I'd get. Tommy is a man of few words, but you can rely on him without a moment's notice.
Luke – Long story. Too long for a text message, but I can’t call while Fallon is in the car. All you need to know for now is that we’re both okay. I need you and Maya to get to Worcester Hospital and see if you can bring Jenson along too.
Tommy – On it. We’ll be there in twenty.
I never thought I'd be the kind of man to betray the woman I love's trust. But tonight has changed everything. He needs to know what happened all those years ago; without knowing everything, he won't be able to help.
The time drags by, but the moment the car stops outside the double doors of the emergency department, we’re greeted by the whole gang. Tommy didn’t mess around. Her full friendship group is here. Maya rushes over to Fallon, wraps her arms around her neck so tightly, I'm surprised she can breathe.
“Oh babe, what happened? Are you hurt?” She rushes out, her voice getting higher pitched with each word.
“I’m fine, just a bump on the head,” she says in a daze. “John…” she chokes on her words, swallowing hard before continuing. “He tried to shoot me. He didn’t. But he tried to. He hurt Luke's dad.”
“Fuck,” Maya’s breath leaves her. “Let's go inside and see how he’s doing.”
She takes her by the arm, pulling her over to the receptionist, Gracie, Blair and Lucy following along behind them.
Fallon glances back, though, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
I give her a nod to go ahead. I have been kept up to date with everything from the boys, so I know he is doing okay.
Right now, it's Tommy I need to speak to.
When they're out of earshot, I turn to the boys beside me. Tommy, Jenson and Max are standing like bouncers, silently waiting for me to fill them in when the time is right.
“Thank you for coming,” I start, but look closer at the brothers.
“I don’t know where to start. It’s a long fucking story, and not my story to tell.
” I shake my head, hoping she will forgive me for this.
“Fallon was in an abusive relationship in her teens; he didn’t take the breakup well, and she has lived with it for years.
I’ll let her fill you in on the rest, as there is much more to unpack.
But, recently, she’s been supporting a woman who wanted to leave him.
He has found out and lost his shit. Now, the woman is missing, and he rocked up to my parents' house, pointing a gun at Fallon. I managed to get her out of the way, but my dad got caught in it all.”
I drag my hands down my face, not knowing what the hell I'm supposed to be doing. I know I'm rambling, but how the fuck am I meant to explain this whole fucked up story? A story that I'm not sure I even know the whole truth of.
Tommy and Max stay silent, a deathly glare etched on both of their faces. Unsurprisingly, it’s Jenson who speaks first, stepping closer and pulling out his phone.
“What's her name? Do you have her address?” He asks so matter-of-factly, yet not looking up at me as I answer.
The questions keep coming, and I tell him everything I know. Tommy and Max listen intently, and I don’t miss how strained Tommy's fists look, or the tick in Max’s jaw. Once Jenson has everything he needs, he walks off without another word in the direction of the car park.
“Listen, when Fallon finds out that I told you…” I begin to say, but Max interrupts.
“Fallon won’t find out.”
My brows crease as I look at him. What the hell? Of course she will.
“She won't find out because we’re not going to tell her. From the sound of things, she’s had enough taken without her consent. She can tell us this story in her own time.”
“Agreed,” Tommy says, his voice weaker than before. “Thank you for coming to us, and thank you for being there for her.”
“Honestly, I feel like I've let her down. It didn’t even cross my mind that he would do something like this,” I admit.
Max steps closer, gripping my shoulder in his hand. “Listen, you did everything you could by pushing our sister out of the way. She is lucky to have you.”
I give him a slight nod, not totally agreeing, but appreciating the words.
“Come on, let's go and check on your old man,” Tommy says.
My father loved having the whole group fussing over him, especially the girls.
You wouldn’t believe he hates to be the centre of attention.
Maybe it's down to the amount of alcohol he has had tonight before this whole evening went to shit.
Most of them have left now, and only Fallon, Maya, Tommy, and I are left.
Whilst they were all joking earlier, I couldn’t not notice my girl being the only one not to join in.
I’ve seen her behave like this in the past, but something feels a little off this time.
She hasn’t once met my gaze since we came into the room.
Is she upset with me? Does she know I told her brothers about her past?
“Tell you what, you haven’t half got off easy,” Dom says to my dad as he finishes cleaning up the bullet graze on his back. “If you hadn’t moved out of the way, this would have gone right through your chest.”
“What can I say? I have the reflexes of an eighteen-year-old,” he winks. God, he really is on one tonight.
“Stop it,” my mum cries from beside him. “It could have been so much worse, and all you're doing is making a joke out of it!”
I don’t miss the wince Fallon does from the other side of the room. Her full body jerked at my mother's voice.
“Yes, because if I don’t laugh, I will cry. Is that what you want me to do?” He argues back. “I bloody well know how scary tonight was. If I want to joke about it, I will.”
“I was just so scared that I’d lost you,” she chokes out, and my father's face softens.
He reaches his hand out to her, and she doesn’t hesitate to take it, holding it close to her chest. They're so in love, even after all of these years.
Fallon leaves the room without another word, and the rest of us follow in line. They need to have their moment alone. I have only been with Fallon for a fraction of the amount of time they have, so I can't begin to imagine the pain they must feel.
Once we’re outside the room, Tommy and Maya are frowning at each other, but it's only when I glance up the hall that I realise why. Fallon’s retreating form is almost at the other end, and she doesn’t stop to look back. What the hell? Turning to Dom, I raise my brows in question.
“Go,” he whispers, nodding after her.
I don’t take another moment before breaking into a run. It takes me a minute to catch up. How fast was she walking? I don’t know what I have done wrong here, but whatever it is, it’s definitely aimed at me.
“Fallon?”
She doesn’t stop, but I do notice her shoulders tense up.
“Fallon, baby, what did I do?” I ask.
She finally stops, turning around to look at me. Her eyes are bloodshot, her jaw set as though she is ready for a fight. Bloody hell, tonight has been one hell of a ride, but I never envisioned it going this way. I take a step closer to her, but she takes one further away.
“I can’t do this,” her voice is flat, absent of any emotion.
“Well, let me say goodbye to my parents and then we can go to my place and…”
“No, Luke. I can’t do this,” she motions between us. “Us. I wasn’t meant to fall in love, and I… I don’t like it, okay? I don’t want it.”
She takes a step further towards the exit, further away from me.
I am so fucking confused right now. How can we be so hot, then suddenly so cold? What the hell did I do?
“Fallon, baby…” but she holds up her hand.
“No, I’m leaving. I can’t do it,” she chokes out.
That’s when I see it, the break in her armour. Emotions flood through her face, yet as soon as they show, they're gone just as quickly. Why would she fight this? I can’t hold myself back from taking another step in her direction, but she spins on her heel and darts out of the doors.