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“That fucker better not have touched you.”
The hairs on the back of my neck rose, and I turned to find Orin standing a few feet away, hidden from view of the street. His black eyes were fixed on my face, the expression of longing in them unmistakable.
My heart began to race, my body reacting to his nearness. “Orin, what are you doing here?”
TWENTY-SIX
ORIN
“Orin, what are you doing here?” Her eyes had flashed with fear when she first realized I was here, but now her gaze had settled into cool contempt.
“I followed Keir. What were you doing with him?” My voice was low and threatening, but the monster inside me howled with relief at seeing her once more.
She chewed her bottom lip—a nervous gesture. “He came to give me some more money.”
I felt the sharp point of a dagger stabbing into my chest at the reminder that I’d left her high and dry. “You don’t need his money anymore. I’m here now.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because you’re mine, Fallon.” I took a step closer, and she inched back one. Fuck, the last thing I wanted was for her to be afraid of me.
She stared into my eyes with unflinching strength. “If I’m yours, why did you tell Finnan to get rid of me?”
I stiffened. Whatever she’d heard, she was treating it as gospel. “What do you think you heard?”
“I don’tthinkI heard anything,” she shot back, disdain dripping from every syllable. “You told Finnan you wanted me gone. To get rid of me, so I saved you all the fucking trouble and left on my own. Now, that’s exactly what I want to be right now.Alone.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
She arched a brow at me. “You won’t leave? Fine. I will.” Fallon turned on her heel and left the apartment lobby.
And what did I do? I ran after her like the pussy-whipped asshole I was. To her back, I said, “Did you also hear me tell Finnan that I wanted you somewhere safe, and to have a security detail around you.”
Her next step faltered, but she didn’t slow. “It doesn’t matter, Orin.”
I ran a clawed hand through my hair, yanking at the strands. “Itdoesfucking matter, Fallon.” I’d caught up with her and grabbed her elbow, forcing her to stop. There were some curious looks from passersby, but none of them intervened.
Turning her around, I tipped her chin up so she had to look at me. “The reason I wanted you gone was because …” I looked into her face with its fierce expression and tight jaw, but it was her eyes that were the giveaway.
There was fear in them.
The fear of rejection.
The fear that she wasn’t good enough.
The fear that I might not want her.
I shouldn’t have ever wanted something as pure as her in my life, but I was a selfish bastard.
“Fallon, talk to me.”
“No.”
She pulled out of my grasp, and I let her go, but that didn’t mean I was giving up. “Filly, please.”
That brought her to a stop on the sidewalk. She turned, her eyes narrowed with fury. “Stop calling me that.”
“No.”
