Page 7 of Falcon

“I’m not a dumbass, Falcon.” Rocket gave me an annoyed look.

“Wait.” Dom looked from me and Rattler to Rocket and back. “Why would Cain make that kind of an offer? Seems risky puttin’ an unknown element with a team right before going on a mission.”

“It is.” Rocket’s gaze never left mine. “Which is why I want to know why he included you, Falcon. Rattler I get. Joilyn is his sister.”

“Yeah.” I scrubbed a hand over my face. I inhaled a shaky breath. “Joilyn was going to be my wife.”

Chapter Four

Gina

I woke when the bed dipped and someone brushed hair off my forehead. Gentle fingers traced my cheek and chin almost reverently.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

I opened my eyes and smiled up at Falcon. “Hey, yourself.”

“How you feelin’?”

“Little strung out. You know. Like I didn’t get much sleep.” He smiled tenderly at me, but there was something in his expression I couldn’t figure out. “Is everything all right?”

Falcon glanced away before shaking his head slightly. “I have to leave in a couple days, Gina. I hope I won’t be gone long.”

Everything inside me rebelled. I shook my head before I could stop myself. Then I closed my eyes and swallowed, trying to rid myself of the lump forming in my throat.

I sat up, pushing myself back against the headboard and tucked my knees to my chest. “Of course. Just be careful.”

Falcon hesitated a moment before reaching out to carefully take my hand and I let him. “It’s early. How about I fix us some breakfast and we can talk.”

Something about the way he spoke set off alarm bells inside my head. “What’s wrong?”

He gave me a small smile. “We can talk after we eat, baby. Everything will be fine.”

“The only time people say that is when everything isn’t fine.” I should have known this thing with Falcon was too good to be true. I’d deluded myself into thinking we could have some kind of relationship where I wasn’t a whore or someone to share with his brothers whenever he wanted a thrill.

Lord knew I’d overheard several of the club girls comment how they knew none of the patched members would ever take an old lady from the pool of club whores. Made sense, I guess. I doubted it would be comfortable if you had a woman every other man in the place had been with. Which is why I should have known better than to get my hopes up that Falcon saw me as something different.

“That’s why we need to talk. So you know the whole story. Or at least as much as I know.” He very slowly brought my hand to his mouth and kissed my fingers tenderly. “Don’t give up on me, Gina. Please.” His voice was tender and full of emotion. That was the only reason I was able to nod.

I was still dressed in the leggings and oversized T-shirt I’d had on the night before. “I probably smell gross. I should change clothes.”

“You smell incredible, baby. Nothin’ trumps the smell of warm woman after she’s woken from a contented sleep.” He smiled warmly at me. “But you do what makes you comfortable.” He stood but kept my hand which meant I either had to tug away from him or get out of bed. I didn’t have the strength for the latter so I followed where he led.

“I make a mean omelet.” Falcon grinned at me. “Any requests?”

I gave him a small smile. “You know what I like.”

“Yeah.” He gave me an arrogant lift of his chin. “I do.”

A few minutes later, we each had a plate full of fluffy omelet covered in cheese. Just the way I liked it. Basically, egg and cheese. What’s not to like? It also meant this conversation was going to be as bad as I’d feared because Falcon didn’t try to get me to have anything other than the eggs. He usually put all kinds of other shit in it. Veggies or meats. Today, though. Just an incredibly fluffy egg and cheese.

We ate in silence. Well, we pushed food around on the plate. I’m not sure either of us actually ate anything.

Finally, Falcon moved his plate away. I did the same. It was a lost cause anyway.

“Just say it,” I whispered, not looking at Falcon. I knew in my heart whatever he was going to say would change our relationship. He was probably tired of having to tiptoe around me. The mere fact he’d been watching me this whole time and hadn’t approached me before now told me he was probably trying to decide if he wanted to get to know me better. Or if he could approach me for sex again. Maybe that was it.

“If you want sex, all you have to do is ask. I know you’d never hurt me.” I spoke softly, unable to look at Falcon. I couldn’t look at him told me I wasn’t ready for intimacy with him. Or maybe I was ashamed because Falcon thought he couldn’t treat me like a normal woman.