Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 79462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
But I’m happy to play catch up if it means tasting my wife.
Chapter 40
Fallon
I stand in Adler’s office as the Don leans back in his chair. Jayson’s by my side, holding my hand, giving me strength.
It’s strange—Casey is so sweet and gentle, but Adler radiates danger. He’s darkness incarnate, just like Jayson, except Adler looks at me like I’m a landmine about to blow up his entire world.
“Alright, Adler, you called us in here. What’s going on?” Jayson starts the meeting, his tone light and carefree. We spent the better part of three days in and out of bed, never leaving the condo once, barely wearing clothes.
I’m sore in the best possible way imaginable.
Adler holds up a finger as he makes a call on speaker. It rings until my brother’s voice appears, sounding strained. “Evening, Adler.”
“Afternoon, Rian.”
They greet each other like old pals. How cute.
“Is my sister there?”
“She’s right here.” Adler gestures for me to speak.
“Hello, Chim.”
“Alright, Fallie? You good?”
“I’m good,” I confirm, glancing at Jayson.
“Hello, Rian,” he says. “I’m here too.”
“The whole happy family.” Rian sounds exhausted. “Go on then, Adler, tell them what we discussed.”
“Here’s the deal we made.” Adler stares at Jayson, ignoring me. “He admitted to everything. Didn’t try to hide the conversation he had about the documents. Which I appreciated.”
“Talked her out of doing something drastic,” Rian adds.
“That’s right, which is why we’re still having a discussion instead of shooting each other.” Adler’s smile is the smirk of a viper. “This is where we landed. There are three Grady men left in town. They’re from the war faction, just like we assumed. Jayson, if you can finish them off, I’d consider this matter settled.”
My eyebrows raise. Jayson leans forward, looking interested. “You’re good with that, Rian?” he asks.
“You’d be doing me a fucking favor,” my brother says. “They’ve been nothing but a pain in my ass, the goddamn war faction, and three less of them would be three less idiots I have to deal with.”
“Everything okay, Chim? You’re safe?” A sudden yearning to go home hits me. I don’t know what I’ve left behind, but it sounds like Rian’s been struggling to hold it all together.
“Yes, actually. Hasn’t been easy the last week or so but things came to a head and I think they’ll resolve nicely.” He takes a slow, deep breath, before blowing it out. “Fuckers needed more convincing than I expected.”
Relief seems thin and unsatisfying. “I’m glad.”
“Then all I have to do is finish what I started.” Jayson leans back in his seat, considering. I hate the thought of him going out there and fighting more. He was killing when he felt like there was nothing left, but now, we have everything we ever wanted.
We have each other.
“That’s right,” Adler says. “You can assign your men to take care of it—”
“No,” Jayson says, his voice hard. “It’s my job.”
“I don’t care who does it,” Rian adds. “Doesn’t matter on my end.”
“Finish the three remaining soldiers off, and we agreed that Fallon will stay.” Adler’s eyes turn to regard me. The room is cold and the walls shuffle closer. “Rian assured me that you have no designs on our family.”
“I don’t.” My voice comes out small. I clear my throat and sit up straight. “I don’t,” I repeat, and say it one more time, for good measure. “I don’t, at all. I love your brother. I didn’t think I would, which is why I made that stupid mistake, but things changed. I want to be with him. I really do.”
Silence sits heavy. Jayson squeezes my hand and nods once, looking at me like an adoring acolyte. That gaze puts steel in my spine and makes me feel like I can smash a mountain with my bare fist.
“Then it’s a deal,” Rian says. “Kill those three, and all’s forgiven. God, what a fucking mess, right, Fallie? But we’ll deal with it. Glad you two decided you like each other.”
“Glad we did too,” I admit, still blushing.
“Goodbye, Rian.” Adler hangs up the phone, cutting my brother off. The dial tone disappears as the Don sits back in his big leather executive’s chair. “I understand this is strange. Killing those men doesn’t prove anything. But the fact that you didn’t try to argue for their lives says something.”
“You’re still testing her?” Jayson snarls.
“I’ll be testing her until I’m satisfied. Don’t forget who runs this family.”
“She’s my fucking wife.” I have to hold his hand tight to keep him from getting up.
“Easy,” I whisper, touching his arm. “Jayson, it’s okay.”
“It’s not okay. I’m the one she stole from. I’m the one she was going to hurt. If I believe her, that should be enough for you.”
Adler regards his brother and only shakes his head. “Kill the last Grady soldiers. Then your wife is all yours.”
“Fine.” Jayson gets to his feet. I follow suit. “Anything else, brother?”