by Soraya Naomi
Slipping back down under the covers gently to avoid disturbing her sleep, I rest Fallon’s head on my chest and hold her close to me.
Ashton will be even more difficult to locate now; that worries me. He could’ve killed her tonight. A thought that causes my chest to tighten. Even though I hate the circumstances, I’m pleased that she’s clinging to me and not some other man because she’s still mine. Seeing how her pain affects my emotions is a sign that we’re still inexplicably tied together. I remember telling Fallon when she was at our headquarters that our love would go on whether she is with me or not. How true those words have turned out to be.
CHAPTER 24
Fallon
I’m a shell of the person I used to be. There’s nothing left in me but emptiness. No, it’s emptiness and pain, continually fighting for attention as I lie awake at seven a.m. in Luca’s comforting arms. He was the first person I called when I found my parents dead in the study. The one constant in my life has been taken away.
Everything else seems insignificant when confronted with this kind of grief. This kind of all-consuming grief. I thought losing the love of my life and the assault hurt, but nothing compares to the sorrow of losing your parents. I lie here in denial, reliving yesterday repeatedly because I don’t understand any of it, and then Ashton pops into my head. Was it Ashton? It must have been. He’s after me, and what he did at the police station must not have been enough revenge. It’s too coincidental that my parents were murdered while I was visiting them. Did he want to kill me? Or did he plan to kill my parents because he believes that will make me suffer more?
Luca stirs and wakes up. In a sleepy voice, he says, “You should’ve woken me up.”
“It’s okay.” My eyes feel heavy from crying and lack of sleep.
Although I desperately wanted to fall back into a deep sleep, I didn’t, so I’ve been awake for hours. I shed his robe during the night because it was too hot, and now I’m painfully aware that our legs are entangled, my knee almost touching his morning hard-on. He’s in his sweatpants, and I’m completely naked, half of my body draped over him, but I can’t be bothered about that one bit.
As his fingers draw circles on my lower back, he asks hesitantly, “How did you sleep?”
“Good, for a couple of hours.” Automatically, my toes trace down his leg.
“I was surprised that you called me yesterday. I’m...I’m sorry I didn’t return your calls sooner.”
“You couldn’t have known how desperate I was for you. Luca, I can’t believe it happened.” Palming my forehead, I try to roll back, but his strong hold doesn’t budge.
“Let’s shower. Then we can talk and discuss what you want to do.”
Nodding, I get out of bed, but when I reach the doorway, I crane my neck because he’s not following me.
His eyes move up my naked body and settle on mine.
“Aren’t you coming?” I thought he meant shower together, and I want that. I want to be comforted constantly, taken care of, and I don’t care about anything else at the moment.
Getting out of bed, he steps inside the bathroom and adjusts the hot water for us.
His shower is enormous with two shower heads, but we huddle together under one – my back to his front – without any awkwardness between us.
And I now notice things I didn’t see last night. My peach-scented shampoo and cotton washcloth are still on the chrome shampoo holder. Tilting my head, I raise my eyebrows at him, and he pecks a quick kiss on my nose.
My thoughts keep wandering back to yesterday, and I want to stop it. Without thinking, I rub my ass against his groin, and that’s all it takes. Luca pins me flush against the shower wall, my palms and breasts pressed against the cold tiles, and his entire body covers mine while he peppers my neck with kisses. Then he bites the soft spot where my neck meets my shoulder as he grips and massages the curve of my hips and ass, sliding to my stomach and down to cup me between my legs. I arch into him, and he groans against my skin as I tilt my head to give him better access and throw my arm back to grip the hair at his nape. His growing arousal thrusts between my ass cheeks, flesh on flesh, teasing me like only he can. Pleasing me like only he knows how.
But when I close my eyes, Ashton and my mother and father flash across my mind, obliterating the moment. Pushing Luca off, I turn around and slump against the tiles.
We stare at one another through the falling water with lust-filled, yet apologetic, eyes as both our chests rise and fall rapidly. And, without speaking, we each finish our own morning routine.
Luca places a toothbrush, black sweatpants, and one of his t-shirts on the counter as I’m drying off, and then he disappears. I’m swimming in his pants, but they’re comfortably warm.
After I get dressed, I find him in the kitchen, which smells like fresh pastries, causing a lump to build in my throat when it reminds me of the croissants Mom always makes. Made, because she isn’t here anymore, and with that thought, I break down. Literally, I can’t hold myself up and collapse to the floor right in front of the kitchen island.
“Shit!” Luca mutters under his breath and picks me up within seconds. He carries me to the couch and comforts me in his lap without saying a word.
It’s so calming how even after months apart, he knows exactly what I need. I need to let it out. With everything that’s happened since this summer, I just need to cry because my life has changed in ways I could’ve never foreseen.
After we sit for a while, it starts to anger me that I feel so useless, and that’s when I jump into action.
Angrily dashing away my tears, I throw my words at him. “I need to talk to the police then to Wade and Teagan.” I start to pace. “I need to find their insurance policies and documents and then meet with an accountant to figure out how to handle everything financially.”
“Fallon.”
“I have to plan a funeral. I have to know where their bodies are.”
“Fallon!” Luca places his hands on my shoulders.
“What?” I snap while catching the concern written all over his face.
“Calm down. You don’t need to do everything now and certainly not alone.”
“I do need to do something because I...I...” Blowing out a puff of air, I stop my rambling.
“Take a deep breath.” He tries appeasing me.
But calmness doesn’t come. “Do you know who did this?” I shrug out of his hold and leap back.
He tilts his head to the side. “Yes.”
Silence ensues as we evaluate one another with a watchful expression.
“Tell me!” I yell.
His eyes thin, and he clenches his jaw, so I can tell he’s caging his controlling personality because of my grief.
“I’m positive it’s Ashton Banks, Alex’s brother,” Luca explains. “I discovered he’s been following you and has a vendetta against you because he thinks you’re responsible for Alex’s death.”
I knew Ashton thinks I’m responsible for his brother’s death, but I need confirmation that he indeed murdered my parents. “Are you sure?”
“Pretty sure.”
“What happens now?” My rage shrinks when I realize I’m just taking everything out on him, and that’s unfair, but he seems stunned that I’ve softened so quickly. “Why are you so surprised? And please be honest with me. I can’t handle any more lies or deceit or not knowing for my own damn protection. Please be honest; at least give me that,” I cry while fisting my hair with both hands.
He stays calm during my entire rant. “Anger always follows despair. It’s part of your grieving process, but – honestly – I was expecting the moment to come when you would blame me for this.”
“Why would I blame you?”
“Because when you’re confused and hurt, your mind works in very judgmental ways.”
He thought I would blame his Syndicate, but I’m still rational enough – even through my sorrow – to realize that neither the Syndicate nor Luca raped me or killed my parents.
<
br /> “I don’t. I don’t blame you,” I confess in a small voice while attempting to calm down and graze my nails over the hairs on his jawline, noticing that he started trimming his beard again.
He inches closer, and we both expel a breath as I clasp my arms around his middle and rest my cheek against his chest.
“First, call the people you want to speak with. I have Wade’s phone number, and Adriano’s bringing your phone over. Then you can call Teagan too. After that, we need to call the police department because Adriano told them that you would contact them today.” Luca pauses and rests his hand against the back of my head. “Your parents’ bodies...”
I stiffen in his hold, but his palm starts to caress my head.
“...are now part of the investigation. After the police are finished, they’ll be released.” He pulls back and looks me in the eye. “I haven’t done anything, but I need you to know that if you want my help, I can make things happen faster. If that’s what you want.”
I’m not really sure what he’s proposing, but I just want Ashton captured. “Let the police handle it. Can I call Wade from your phone?”
Luca hands me the phone after entering Wade’s number while I’ve slipped onto the couch, and he leaves the room to grant me privacy.
“Yes,” Wade answers brusquely.
“Wade, it’s me.”
“Where are you? You call me three times in a row, then I can’t reach you for an entire night—”
I pull up my knees. “My parents are dead.”
He’s quiet at first, and then he asks, “How?”
“I’d just found them when I called you yesterday. They were shot – killed.”
“Fallon, I’m so sorry. How are you—no, where are you? Why weren’t you picking up your phone? Did you contact the police?” He fires all these questions at me as Luca comes back into the living room, as if he senses that I need him, and huddles up beside me.
Tucking me against his side, he whispers, “Do I need to talk to him?”
I shake my head and update Wade. “I called Luca too. I’m with him. I did contact the police yesterday and have to talk to them later.”
“Are you okay?” Wade asks.
“No, but I have to go now.” I rest my head on Luca’s shoulder.
“Call me later,” he orders and Luca’s body tenses slightly, betraying his displeasure at how Wade and I interact, yet he doesn’t voice it and simply holds me.
A few minutes later, Adriano steps out of the elevator and hands me my purse and phone. “I took these with me last night, thought you might need them.” His sympathetic smile is so genuine. “How are you feeling?”
I make a quick mental note about Cam, who I’m meeting Monday at the therapist’s office. For her safety, I need to make sure Luca doesn’t come with me.
“Thank you.” I take my belongings as Luca hugs me tighter to him. “It all feels surreal. I don’t think everything’s sunk in yet.”
Adriano squeezes my shoulder gently. I’m thankful that these two don’t give me empty statements like I’m sorry for your loss. Instead, they’re just quiet and sense what I need.
“I’m calling Teagan,” I announce with the phone already pressed against my ear as Adriano heads over to the kitchen.
“Hey, babe. I was just thinking about you.”
“Teagan...” Instantly, the waterworks begin.
“What’s wrong?”
“They-They’re gone. Mom and Dad are dead.”
“What?!” she screams then adds in a softer tone, “How? What?”
“I found them yesterday, murdered in our own house.”
She gasps. “Oh my god.” And I can tell her tears have also started to fall. “Uhm...shit. Fall, I’m sorry, but I’m in shock.”
“No, I get it, and I hate that I have to tell you over the phone.”
A door is being closed loudly on her end. “How are you? Are you home alone?”
“I’m with Luca, at his place. I haven’t been alone.”
“Okay, can you stay there? Can he stay with you? I don’t want you to be alone at our apartment until I’m back.”
Looking up through my eyelashes, I silently ask Luca if I can stay here, and he nods while cupping my face. “Yes, he’ll stay with me.”
“I have to make some arrangements at work, and then I’m going to catch a flight out of here. There are plenty of flights to Chicago daily, so I’m sure I can be on one within hours. I’ll call you later when I’m at Heathrow. I’m going to quickly take care of everything right now because I need to be with you.”
“Thank you. Love you.”
“Love you. Stay with Luca, okay? Don’t go home alone. I know how you are.”
“No, I don’t want to be alone. I promise. I’m texting you his address, so you can come here when you’re back.”
Luca interrupts, “Tell her someone will pick her up at the airport.”
“Luca will send someone to pick you up.”
“Okay, I’ll text you my flight information.”
And we hang up.
Adriano joins us again and sits on the table in front of us, taking a huge bite of a vanilla muffin. There’s something comical yet dark about this guy, and he’s quite handsome. I can see why Cam’s infatuated with him.
“Do you want to call the police together now? It’s almost nine a.m. Then we can scratch that off your list too?” Luca persuades.
I give my phone to Adriano, who’s taken a business card out of his pocket. I assume it’s the card of the Lake Forest detective we need to contact. He enters the number and returns it.
“What do I say?” I ask both of them.
Luca provides me instructions. “Just ask all your questions. If they start to throw questions at you, and you don’t know how to answer, I’ll take over the call.”
Nodding, I put the phone on speaker so they can easily listen with me.
“Lake Forest Police Department, Detective Johnson speaking.”
“Hi, this is Fallon Michaels. I was supposed to contact you.”
“Ah yes, Miss Michaels, I’m very sorry for your loss,” he states coldly. “My team is investigating the house as we speak, but we already discovered a lot of things last night that could help us establish a timeline of the events that took place.”
Luca and I lock eyes, both with a frown.
“Most likely scenario is a burglary that went wrong. Money and jewelry were stolen from the house.”
“This kind of seems like you’re already done with the investigation,” I retort. “When is the autopsy?”
He sighs. “Autopsy hasn’t been scheduled yet.”
Adriano waves his finger to me and whispers, “Autopsy is mandatory in all suspicious deaths or homicides.”
“Why not?” I ask Johnson. “Autopsy is mandatory in all suspicious deaths or homicides.”
“It’ll be scheduled.”
His dismissal is angering me. “When? I want specific answers. When is the autopsy, and when can I bury my parents?”
In turn, he speaks with a clear accusatory tone, “You also messed with the crime scene. Maybe you should come in?”
Luca takes over the conversation immediately as I feel his entire body stiffening. “This is Luca DeMiliano speaking on behalf of Miss Michaels. Her lawyer will visit you today. You and I both know it’s not necessary for her to come in, so drop the attitude and do your job.”
“A lawyer isn’t—”
Luca ignores him and continues harshly, “I expect to receive an update from her lawyer before the end of this workday with an autopsy date that will take place this week. The lawyer will be your new contact person.” And with that, he hangs up.
“He was a condescending asshole last night too,” Adriano comments.
“What a fucker.” Luca flings the phone on the coffee table.
While I zone out and practically climb onto Luca’s lap, hiding my face in his neck as his arms come around me in a tight embrace, he instructs Adriano, “Have Sal
vatore visit the Lake Forest police. I don’t want them bothering her.”
***
The rest of the week passes me by in a blur. There’s so much to deal with, but everything is being handled by Luca and Teagan, who returned home the day after I called her.
Teagan and Luca are too sweet to me and even manage to make me forget my anguish sometimes. But the sorrow and grief cripple me continuously, even through the few random moments they make me forget.
Weird thing is that my parents’ death has pushed away the hurt over my rape. That dirty feeling I had is gone, replaced by pure rage at Ashton. He abused me, and he killed my parents.
Luca’s lawyer, Salvatore, keeps me updated on the investigation, but the police persistently keep us at bay, and it seems as if they don’t care a bit about this case.
Teagan and I are back together in our apartment, but I miss Luca’s touch comforting me.
Today is the funeral. Their bodies were released yesterday, and Luca arranged the funeral within one day. I want my parents buried near me, so we found a burial plot that’s walking distance from my apartment.
It’s a cold and dreary December Saturday as Luca, Teagan, and I head over to the Parish of the Blessed where the funeral will take place.
I don’t have a huge family and opted not to speak. The few people that do speak annoy me, pretending they knew my parents so well, but most are my dad’s clients and family members we only saw on birthdays and Christmas.
Luca, Teagan, Jason, Wade, and I are sitting in the front row as Father Eli speaks. I just gaze at the black organ pipes behind the sanctuary that are running up to the dome ceiling, which is beautifully painted with angels in dreamy colors.
I’m not Catholic, but my father was, so here I am in the church where I caught Luca so many months ago and where I witnessed a shooting the day Luca took me back home after being held at the Syndicate’s headquarters.
