I leaned up and kissed him, a soft, lingering kiss, a silent acknowledgment, and the unspoken promises that hovered in the air. He groaned and rolled off me, but kept me close, pulling the duvet around us. I snuggled in close to him, still breathing hard, my body aching but I felt exhilarated. The scent of him and the musky scent of sex, hung in the air, a potent reminder of what had just transpired.
The world seemed different now, brighter, more vivid. But I couldn't shake the feeling that a dark cloud lingered. My thoughts drifted back to Julian, to Foley, Hitch, to the chilling realization that my life had become a tangled web of danger and desire. And in the midst of the chaos, there was War. I knew he was still out there, watching me, waiting. The white rose on my windowsill taunted me; it was a symbol, a warning.
I pushed those thoughts away for a moment. Right now, there was only Hitch. I reached over, my hand finding his, my fingers intertwining with his. He squeezed my hand gently, and for a fleeting moment, the world felt safe.
"What's got you so deep in thought, crazy girl?" He asked, interrupting my contemplation.
He ran his hand over my arm, sending shivers down my spine. I sighed, staring up at the ceiling, feeling the warmth of his body radiating against mine.
"Just thinking," I answered, unable to tell him the truth. Not yet.
He brought my hand up to his lips, kissing my palm. "About what?"
I knew I couldn't keep things from him forever, but the fear of what he might do, what he might say, kept me silent. I needed time to process everything, to find a way through the storm that was brewing.
"Christmas lights," I finally said, forcing a smile. It was a half-truth, and he didn't seem to notice. “My brother is taking Julian, and he wants us to come with them.”
"Can't wait." He gave me a knowing look, as though he understood more than he let on.
The weight on my chest did not go away, however. I knew he did not. But I was not sure what he was capable of, and it terrified me. Then, out of nowhere, the door flew open, with a loud bang.
"FALLON! Get down here NOW!" Brady shouted.
Hitch and I looked at each other, both startled. The party, and the aftermath of it, had left me completely forgetting about my brother.
"What's wrong?" I asked, looking at Hitch, and then to the door.
"I don't know, but he sounds angry," Hitch said, concern etched on his face.
I scrambled out of bed, grabbing my robe. "Stay here," I told Hitch, my voice already filled with dread. I knew this wasn't going to be good.
"No way. I'm going with you." Hitch swung his legs over the side of the bed.
I opened the door and ran down the stairs, Hitch hot on my heels. As I reached the bottom step, I saw Brady pacing in the living room, his face a mask of barely suppressed fury.
"What's going on, Brady?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"Where the fuck were you last night?" he demanded, his voice dangerously low. "With that...that guy?" He spat out the last word as if it were poison.
My heart sank. I knew exactly what he was talking about. War.
"It doesn't matter, Brady," I replied, trying to sound calm, though panic surged through me.
"It matters to me!" He advanced, his eyes blazing. "You were with War, weren't you? What were you fucking doing?"
I looked down. I couldn't lie, but I didn't want to admit the truth, either. "It's complicated," I mumbled.
Brady turned to Hitch, his eyes narrowed. "You knew, didn't you?"
"We were together," Hitch answered, his voice firm. "We came home together."
Brady scoffed. "And what does that mean?"
"It means, Fallon is safe," Hitch said back, his eyes narrowing.
"Safe? Safe from what? War?" Brady pointed toward me. "He's dangerous, Fallon. He's connected to Foley."
My blood ran cold. Brady knew. He knew about the danger, about Foley.
