by F. G. Adams
I pause and wait for a reply that doesn’t come; instead, he just looks at me with pity and sadness rolling off him in spades.
“You know what? Forget I asked. Just get the hell out of the way. You aren’t welcome here, Mr. Bishop.”
I try again to shut the door, but he still won’t move. Fear and fury are powerful emotions, and right now, I’m overcome with both. I’m shaking all over from the meaning of his words…Roman’s coming, and we need to leave immediately.
“Fallyn, you need to calm down, take a deep breath, and think about it. I can help you escape from Roman once and for all. No more runnin’. No more hidin’. Please, just stop and let me help you and Harper,” Oliver pleads.
“You are certifiable if you believe for one moment that I would listen to a word you’re spouting from those lying lips. No siree bob, that plane departed, oh, I’d say about five minutes ago. Don’t even say her name. Harper isn’t going anywhere with you, and neither am I. You need to leave and not look back.”
His gaze bores deeply into mine; an ongoing battle rages between us. No words are exchanged, an imaginary line in the sand drawn. Time passes slowly as we continue our standoff, neither of us giving an inch in the tug-of-war of the wills.
Then his nostrils flare and a resolved sigh escapes his lips.
“I had a feelin’ you would say that. I knew better than to think you would come the easy way. Nope, you’re a fighter, even when you don’t need to be, but I don’t have time to convince you otherwise.”
Shaking his head, he takes his cell phone out of his back pocket and punches a sequence. A dial tone is followed with ringing, and then the line connects.
“Hello? Ollie?”
What the fuck?
“Grandma?” I ask, stunned by her voice on the line.
“Fallyn, dear, is that you?”
“Yes, ma’am, I’m here.”
“Good girl. I told Ollie to give me a call if you gave him a hard time, so I’m guessing you did.”
“You know Ollie? What’s going on?”
“I do. He’s a fine young man who’s going to help you and Harper get outta there and home. I know it’s time, and so do you, honey bear.”
I hesitate, overwhelmed at what she’s implying. Home. The foreign place I’ve kept under lock and key in my heart for so long.
“Are… are you sure?”
“Yes, sweetheart. We need you back in Lakeview. You’ve gotta trust Ollie and his team. They have a plan to stop this madness once and for all. No more running, Fallyn.”
Tears spring forward and roll down my cheeks. Can this be real, or am I dreaming?
“Okay,” is the only word capable of escaping my sobbing lips at the moment.
“That’s my honey bear. Everything is gonna be fine. You know I wouldn’t tell you if I didn’t believe it. Understand?”
“Uh huh,” I manage through the onslaught of emotions choking me.
“Alrighty, then. I’ll be talking to you soon. Love you, Fallyn. Give my Harper Bell a hug.”
And the line goes dead.
I turn to Ollie with questions, and his finger lands on my lips. I’m in his arms and his soothing caress is a comfort. I rest my aching head on his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat.
“We will finish this conversation soon, Fallyn, I promise, but right now, we need to get on the road. No more fightin’ me, okay? Let’s get your stuff and leave. We’ve got a long drive ahead of us.”
I nod, because words escape me at the moment. I have so many questions. Did he lie to me? Who is he? Why didn’t he tell me he knew my grandma? Dang it. I really hate the fact he wasn’t honest with me, especially knowing the way I feel about him.
One day at a time, Fallyn. You can do this.
14
Oliver
Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same.
Feelings of hurt, anger, and frustration can make your mouth work faster than your mind.
And when backed into a corner or caged like an animal, a person will fight back.
“What? Are you kidding me? No, no, no, no, no!” Fallyn yells again.
The shrillness of her voice pierces my ears, causing my head to throb. The vein on the side of my temple is rigid and bumpy. Blood pumping fast and furious.
“You’ve got to be fucking crazy if you ever think I will separate from Harper. Nope, nada. Not gonna happen, Oliver Bishop. Over. My. Dead. Body.”
Fallyn is in the middle of pitching a major fit. Rightfully so. She’s on edge, rip-snorting mad. Who can blame her?
Harper’s shadowed eyes connect with mine in that exact moment through the rearview mirror. Her anxiety-riddled expression penetrates my stare, and I wince from the shear shock of hurt I’m causing them.
We’ve pulled over to a rest stop near Richmond to meet up with Lukas and MacGyver. Their estimated time of arrival is twenty minutes. Just enough time, I hope, to convince Fallyn that this is the only way.
There’s a method to the madness we’re all caught up in. I just need her to see it. But so far, not good.
“Gotta make a call. There’s someone you need to talk to, Fallyn. Hear him out, okay?” I plead with her to calm her down.
I grab her hand, attempting to stroke my thumb across her knuckles to soothe her, but she yanks it away. For the hundredth time, it seems, she doesn’t want our connection.
“Mom.”
A mere whisper comes from the back seat, and my eyes shoot back up to the mirror.
Raising her voice to a more audible level, Harper tries again, “Mom. Stop.”
Fallyn stills in the seat beside me. Her eyes close as she huffs a deep breath and places her chin to her chest. Waves of strain and helplessness fill the small space. Attempting to keep the demons at bay, Fallyn reluctantly listens.
“It’s all gonna be alright, Momma Bear. Just listen to what they have to say, okay? Please, for me.”
Wise words from a young child. My heart thumps loudly, aching for the formidable, tender bond that ties the two together. Always counting on the other.
“Okay,” Fallyn puffs out in a dejected tone. “But you stay in this vehicle, little cub. No arguing.”
“Yes, Momma Bear.”
I exit the vehicle and walk around to the passenger side, opening the door for Fallyn to get out, then close it back up, locking it to make sure Harper is secure.
“What now, Mister Fancy Pants Bishop?” Fallyn’s smart mouth calls to me. She’s a spitfire with a hell of a lot of blaze left in her.
“Now, we call Keagan,” I say as I pull out my phone and dial.
“Who’s Keagan? I’ve only known one in my life. He came to Lakeview right before my life went to pieces.” Her voice tapers off. Instantly shutting down.
“Yeah?” I ask, but she buttons up tight.
Her sharing time is over as she crosses her arms tightly around herself and presses her lips firmly together. So cute, my stubborn little vixen.
“Hey, Ollie. Whatcha got? Are you on the road?” Keagan asks as his face comes into view on the screen.
Fallyn’s head twitches slightly in my peripheral view, and I figure she’s paying attention. Curious who this Keagan guy is, I’m sure.
“Hey, man. Yeah, we are. Just north at the pickup point. But we’ve got a serious problem, K. Fallyn does not want to leave Harper. It’s a no-go.”
“Affirmative. Is she there? Let me speak to her, Ols,” Keagan commands.
I push the phone in front of Fallyn and watch as a spark of recognition flits across her brow.
“Fallyn Blackwood. It’s sure good to see you again,” Keagan begins.
“Do I…do I know you? I mean, you look familiar.” Her words are full of confusion.
Keagan laughs a deep-down-in-the-belly chuckle, and I’m stunned by what’s happening. Keagan never laughs hard or rarely jokes, except with Jocelyn. A side of him he barely shows to anyone.
“Yeah, you know me, woman. Does Ms. Campbell’s Art class
ring a bell? How about your sister Jo? Need I say more, boo?”
“Wait. Keagan Fontneau? Jo’s Keagan? What the hell happened to all your hair?”
Fallyn giggles, and the tension is gone for a spell.
The two catch up. They even share a moment when Keagan confesses the news of his marriage to Jocelyn. Tears stream down Fallyn’s beautiful, reddened cheeks at the mention of her sister. A reunion is long overdue. I want to pull her close and comfort her, but I back off slightly to give them some privacy. Letting Keagan work his magic.
Plastering my face against the back tinted window of the truck, I cup my hands over my head to block out the setting sun still blazing in the sky. I gaze through the glass and see Harper. She’s watching everything that’s going on around her and her mom. When she turns to face me, a smile begins to appear around the corners of her mouth, little by little. I plaster a full on goofball smile right back at her.
I’m unsure if she’s starting to like me or if it’s the fact my nose and cheeks are squished up against the window. Displaying a pug face for her full view. Either way, I’ll take it. This little girl has stolen a piece of my heart, and I don’t care if I ever get it back.
I’m pulled back to the conversation by Fallyn’s voice, exhausted and shaky. Not a good combination. She needs to eat something and get some rest. My first priority when we leave here.
“I get it, Keagan. I really do, but how can I do that? You’re asking me to leave a piece of me with total strangers.”
Tears stream down her soaked and hopeless gaze.
Unfortunately, our plan hinges on this component. Separating mother and daughter is part of the plan in catching the Cabriccis. Roman Cabricci, to be precise. He knows Fallyn would never part with Harper, and that’s how we’ll get him.
“Swear it, Keagan,” Fallyn sobs, choked and broken. “On your life…and my sister’s that nothing will happen to her.”
“I swear it, Fallyn. But it’s the only way, cher.” Keagan’s confidence bleeds through his statement.
Fallyn’s little body begins to tremble. She’s visibly breaking down. I have to be there to catch her before she falls.
“Hey, there, Vixen.”
My sizable arms tightly wrap around her small shoulders, and I grab the phone from her shaking hands.
“Shhh, now. Don’t cry, my sweet, beautiful, woman. I promise you nothin’ is gonna happen to Harper.”
“Sure…coming…from aaa man…whooo has lied to me.”
She coughs and sputters, tears freely falling.
What can I say to that? She’s right. I continue to hold her instead as she allows me the moment. I pray she’ll forgive me someday.
“This is the only way, Fallyn,” Keagan interjects. “Please. Trust us.”
“Okay,” she whispers.
Defeated.
Beaten down.
I can’t believe she accepted this so easily. It’s a testament to just how tired Fallyn feels. How much she wants to believe this hellish torture can all be over.
A car pulls up next to us. I disconnect the call with Keagan and greet my buddies. Lukas and MacGyver introduce themselves to Fallyn, who is suddenly remarkably stoic, composed. Her mask back on, emotions locked up tight.
After unlocking the truck, I help Harper out to meet my team.
“This is Harper,” I say to the guys as I introduce her to her new companions.
“Hi,” is her only response.
A slender, long-legged Harper has her hands connected behind her back. She’s bouncing from toe to toe. Eyes darting to the ground then up to Paul. MacGyver’s dopey face leaves nothing to the imagination. Mirroring Harper, he looks smitten. What the hell?
A slight blush colors Harper’s cheeks, and I’m boiling with fury inside. My protective instincts kick up.
“Paul. Minute of your time?” I bark out.
Paul’s astonished expression as he drops his gaze from Harper and looks at me causes a chuckle to release from Lukas. Jolly Green knows what’s coming.
“Sure, yeah. What’s up?” Paul asks as he walks over to the truck.
I’m caught off-guard for a moment by the childlike characteristics coming from him. Paul is twenty, and sometimes it’s as if he’s a kid trapped in a man’s body.
Doesn’t matter, though. I need to remind him I know where he sleeps.
I wrap my hand around his arm, applying a little pressure, and proceed to lead him around the side of the truck. What I need to say requires a little privacy.
“Hey, man. What’s the dealy-o?” Paul questions and tries to separate from my strong grip.
Grabbing a handful of his jacket, I yank him toward me and get in his face.
“That. Will. Not. Happen. Understand, Mac?” I growl, nodding my head in Harper’s direction.
“Whoa, slow down, Ollie, I mean Oliver. You’ve got it all wrong, dude,” Paul replies, his eyes bugging out.
“Oh, really? Tell me then, what the fuck was goin’ on back there?”
Paul’s cheeks turn red, but he answers, “She’s a…she’s a beautiful girl, just my instant reaction, Oliver. But you’ve got to know I would never do anything, I mean anything, to jeopardize the good thing I’ve got going here with you guys. I’m in it for the long haul.”
Honesty shines brightly in his eyes, and I nod my head, releasing my firm grip on his jacket. MacGyver will live to see another day, for now. I’m fairly certain he won’t overstep the boundaries.
Right now, we’re on the road to Arkansas. After an emotional good-bye between mother and daughter that will haunt my dreams.
For the past five hours, we have driven in silence. Fallyn won’t look at me. She’s scrunched her teeny self in the corner opposite of me inside the cab of the truck, closest to the door. Her gaze following the countryside as it whizzes by. She’s lost. I can’t help her. She doesn’t want me to. This is the first time mother and daughter have been apart.
Quiet is not always peaceful. It brings about a whole lot of confusion, guilt, and torment. Emotions emerge which can make or break a person into thousands of little tiny bits.
I try again. “Hey, Vixen. Wanna talk to me?”
“Don’t call me that. And, no. Not to you. Not ever. Leave me alone, ya big oaf.”
Spoken and received. I let it go for now. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here when she’s ready.
As darkness surrounds the truck, Fallyn finally falls asleep. Her steady breathing in and out soothes my troubled psyche. I’m thankful for the reprieve. The tension rolling off her was suffocating. Maybe some rest will make Fallyn a more pleasant person. Shit, I’d take even the slightest crack in that solid wall of hers.
The second part of our plan is set into motion. I’m still working out the details in my head. I’m pretty sure the team has a few ideas, too. With Fallyn sleeping, it gives me time to brainstorm what’s going down in the next few days.
One thing’s for sure, Fallyn’s safety is paramount. Now that Harper is secure, I can focus solely on her. Keeping her alive, reuniting her with the family, and taking down a known criminal family take precedence. The nightmare will be over soon and the healing can begin.
I’m not even sure what will happen in the end. I know our team is one of the best in the world. Hell, we go on missions no man dares to take. Our skills are top notch. We have the best equipment money can buy. And the most important thing, we have what most don’t: kinship.
Trident Securities is made up of a conglomeration of brothers-in-arms. Some of us cracked and splintered, but at the end of the day, we are brothers. Each and every one of us would protect the other. Like a marriage vow, till death do us part.
Our team should be at the homestead, getting set up and in place. It’s already like Fort Knox there, but a little more security never hurts.
In addition, there’ll be a few snipers placed in strategic points around the property. And, of course, our main man, Grady. The man is a genius with explosives.
According t
o the intel Rocky and Shannon passed on to us, after the interrogation of the thugs at Fallyn’s place, the clock’s ticking. The call was made to the man himself, and he took the bait. Just as intended.
I’m still not sure what I was thinking when I agreed to allow Fallyn to be the carrot that draws him out. With all the excitement of Matilda being helpful, I never thought about the consequences of the blueprint we drew up. Not until it was too late and the cogs were already moving. Tick tock, tick tock.
I will not let anything happen to her.
I will deliver her safely back to Harper. Just as I promised Fallyn’s little cub.
I grin, immediately thinking about the young girl I’m over the moon for. Harper’s as brilliant as her mother, witty and beautiful.
The thing which captivated me most is how her sweetness reaches out and touches even the most tarnished. Harper’s not sour. Nope, she’s a teen trying to survive in a brutal world. A lighthouse shining brightly to help lost ships find their way. The impact she’s had on me in the little time I’ve known her has changed me because I’ve met little Harper.
Is it normal to attach yourself to someone that quickly? Not real sure, but if feels right.
At the back of my mind, there’s a niggling strand of doubt about taking Fallyn to homestead. I never expected to bring anyone back there, let alone someone I am falling hard for.
In the beginning, it was mine and Taylor’s place. Or at least it started out that way. I trust Taylor will forgive me, wherever she is. I hope she’s happy for me and at peace. I now understand; it’s time for me to move on.
I also need Fallyn to love the homestead, feel welcome and safe. I don’t want her to know it all belongs to me yet. She’ll find out soon enough. Her reaction to my place is important.
If someone had told me a few months ago that I’d fall in love again, I would’ve laughed in their face. Hard.
The simple truth is, I want it all. I want Fallyn to be mine and mine alone, in the worst way. I yearn to give her everything, emotionally and materially. Make her smile a whole lot and often. Fill her up with the happiness she deserves.
Not just Fallyn, though. I want the same thing for Harper. That little girl has been through so much and hasn’t had a full family to support her all her life. My heart rips open more, reflecting on the life they’ve had to lead. No more.
