"I hope that's okay, Fallon," War interjected, causing my heart to race and my hands to clam up.
"Su... sure. It's fine," I stammered, frantically searching my jacket pocket for my cigarettes.
I smiled, confused, stepping between them, my grip tightening on my lighter until my knuckles turned white. Slipping out the door, I held my breath, hoping no one would follow. Lighting the cigarette, I leaned against the porch railing, exhaling the smoke into the sky as snowflakes danced on my face.
It was gorgeous outside. It was hard to imagine the world's hate when all I could see was beauty. I’d only taken three drags of the cigarette when the front door opened. Without turning, I knew one of them was behind me, but I didn't know which one.
"Turn around, Fallon," Hitch ordered, and butterflies erupted in my stomach.
Slowly, I turned, and my jaw dropped. My throat instantly went dry. I was stunned to see both War and Hitch in front of me, both looking more than happy to be there. Was I missing something? Since when did the two of them get along?
"We're going to have some fun tonight, right, Fallon?" War asked, reaching out and gently tugging me toward him.
I nervously glanced at Hitch, saw his smirk, and then looked back at War, noticing a dangerous gleam in his eyes as he stared at me. He looked at me like I was the only person in the world, and though it was sweet, it caused my nerves to jump, and the pressure began to build.
"Yeah, sure, fun," I managed, my voice a hoarse whisper.
The familiar feeling of unease coiled in my gut, a serpent of suspicion tightening its hold. Was this a game? Were they testing me? Or, God forbid, were they working together?
War’s grip tightened, his thumb brushing against my wrist, sending a jolt through me. His eyes, usually cold and calculating, held a strange mix of excitement and… something else. Possessiveness? Fear? I couldn’t decipher it. But a chill ran down my spine as I looked deeper into his eyes, noticing a look of familiarity.
Hitch leaned against the porch, his arms crossed, a lazy smile playing on his lips. It didn't reach his eyes. His gaze flickered between me and War, a silent battle playing out in the space between us. I couldn’t read him either. He was like a closed book, but I had learned to ignore every page in the book.
“Let’s get this show on the road,” War said, his voice smooth, laced with a predatory undertone. He began to pull me towards the car, a sleek, black muscle car, which I had never seen before.
“Woah there, partner,” Hitch drawled, pushing himself off the porch. “Don’t forget the kid.”
War glanced back, his expression momentarily darkening. “Right. Julian.” He looked at me again, his eyes lingering on my face. “We wouldn’t want to leave him out of the fun.”
I swallowed the smoke from my cigarette catching in my throat.Fun. The word felt like a cruel joke. Fun hadn't been a part of my life for a very long time. I knew what War wanted. I knew what he was capable of. The thought of Julian being exposed to it… My heart squeezed, and I knew I had to make sure he was safe, even if I wasn't.
“I… I’ll go get him,” I stammered, twisting free of War’s grasp.
My feet felt heavy as I turned and headed back inside, the image of their faces burnt into my mind. I had to come up with a plan. Something. Anything. I found Brady in the kitchen, already bundled up in his own coat and preparing a sippy cup for Julian.
He looked up, his expression softening when he saw me. "Everything alright, Fall?"
“Yeah,” I said, forcing a smile. “Just… making sure Julian is ready.”
"He's all set," Brady replied. "He's so excited about Santa."
I smiled, grabbing Julian's backpack off the island, but it didn't go anywhere near reaching my eyes.
Brady's brow furrowed. "What's going on, Fallon? You're acting… strange.”
"It's nothing, really," I said, trying to sound casual, though my pulse was hammering. "Just… a feeling."
He studied my face, his gaze searching. He knew me too well. "Fallon, tell me what's going on."
I opened my mouth to explain, to tell him everything, to beg him to take Julian and keep him safe, but the words wouldn't come. I looked into his eyes and knew he wouldn't understand. I had kept the truth from him for so long, and I didn't have the time to explain it. I couldn't risk everything. I took a deep breath, and I forced myself to smile.
"Nothing, Brady. Really. I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed. Having a night to myself with War and Hitch sounds like a lot of fun, but are you sure it's the best idea? I mean War works for Foley, and so does Hitch."
"Get close to him, Fallon," Brady confidently whispered, his bright eyes turning dark with deceit. "Use him to get to what we want—to who we want."
I wanted to kill Foley for everything he had done, but would I be able to pull the trigger if it came down to it? It worried me a lot, but I tried to have faith in myself. Brady had faith in me to fix this mess but I was having trouble finding the faith within myself. My gut twisted.
"But what if he hurts me again?" The question tasted like ash on my tongue. "What if he… takes Julian?"
