Distinct sniffling.
I darted up onto my elbows and faced Viv. My heart slammed against my ribs at the sight before me. Viv, so strong and stoic, with tears streaking down her cheeks. “Viv?” My voice cracked. “What’s wrong? Did I,fuck, did I hurt you? Did I misread this?”
Her cry was raw, ragged, her face red as she shook her head. “This was… perfect. It was amazing. Every bit as incredible as I remembered.”
My stomach twisted but I was still confused as fuck. “Then what’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. This,” she motioned between us. “Whatever we could have been, it was stolen from me and that is so fucking unfair.”
“Stolen?” The word echoed on the walls. My frown darkened at her vague words.
Viv’s breath hitched and then it all came out. “I told you about my ex when we were together, James?”
My jaw clenched tight at that , but I nodded.
“Well he didn’t take our breakup well and things had started to escalate. He was becoming possessive, following me around the hospital, showing up at my house uninvited. It became really unhinged and then he found out I was seeing someone.” She shook her head. “It all got worse, but I could’ve handled that if not for the Russians. I knew I couldn’t stay and put my friends at risk. Put you at risk. So, I left.”
Every syllable was like a fucking punch to the gut. All these years I’d been feeling angry and rejected and she’d left for me? “Fuck, Viv. All this time… I thought you just left. That you didn’t want me. Or us.”
“I did,” she cried. The words ripped from her throat. “God, I wanted you more than I’ve ever wanted another person. I still do, but what choice did I have? James never stopped and the Russians won’t either. Look at what I’ve already brought to your door., You have to know I never would have come here if not for TJ.” She gripped my hand, eyes pleading with me to believe her.
My chest squeezed so fucking tight I couldn’t breathe. Every fucking thing I thought I knew crumbled before my eyes.She hadn’t betrayed me. Hadn’t chosen that rich prick who could give her a life I couldn’t. She hadn’t used me and discarded me. Hadn’t treated me like a dirty little secret. She’d been running. Surviving with our son. Protecting me from the nightmare that had never stopped breathing down her neck, and I spent years hating her for it. “Jesus, fuck, Viv.” I pulled her into my arms, holding her stiff body until she relaxed into my hold and accepted my comfort. “You should have told me. If you’d come to me, I would have helped you.”
“I know,” she cried into my chest. “I couldn’t let you, not when your club was in the middle of an impending war.”
This fucking woman. “Never again, Viv. You hear me?”
She said nothing but her tears and sobs slowed.
“Viv, you hear me?”
She nodded against my chest. “I’m sorry, Falcon. I knew what you would think when I left and I figured it would make it easier to move on if you felt even a little of what I felt. And then when I found out I was pregnant, it was too dangerous to come back.”
“You had my son, Viv.” I gripped her and pulled back so she could see my face. “No matter what happens between us, I will never let any fucking harm come to you. Got me?”
She nodded.
“This isn’t your fight, Falcon.”
“The fuck it’s not. You carried this on your own for long enough, it’s time you let me help.” She would never carry this shit alone again, not if I had anything to do with it.
And I did.
From this moment forward, I had everything to do with it.
With her.
Chapter Ten
Vivian
The first thing I noticed was the quiet. The room was dark and even outside was oddly quiet. The second thing I noticed was the warm, possessive arm that hung heavy and unyielding across my waist.
I had no clue what time it was, but it had to be the middle of the night based on the silence in the room and on the other side of the motel room door. I closed my eyes again, straining for the sounds of traffic and conversation, but there was nothing. When I opened my eyes, I saw the flickering golden light that lit up the parking lot through a small break in the curtains. There were no sounds of heavy boots, guns clicking or any other signs of danger.
At least notphysicaldanger.
But the memories of last night, and later last nightandearly this morning all came roaring back to me in bright, vivid colors. Falcon’s mouth, so filthy and magical. His body, strong and powerful, built for pleasure. The way he’d brought me to heights of pleasure that no one else ever had, leaving me shaking, sweaty and shuddering with pleasure. It had been good, really fucking good. But it had also been a little bit reckless, which wasn’t at all like me.Except with Falcon. When it came to him, I’d always thrown caution to the wind, and it had been worth it. Every single time.
