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Chapter Thirteen

The crisp airrushed through the open windows of Fallon’s car as she drove toward Tula, the hard beats of Warrant’s “Cherry Pie” blasting on the radio. A sweet, fresh smell mingled with the musty scent of wet dirt that permeated the air. In the distance, a lightning bolt split the sky as a low rumble of thunder threatened another downpour. Fallon loved the rain, especially the smell of it before and after a good storm. When she was a child, she’d run outside and twirl around as the large drops fell on her face and hair. She loved the way the parched ground soaked up the water, the trees grew brighter, and the hot silver rays from the sun pierced the gray skies. To her, rain created life; it was life’s blood.

As she drove down the old highway, she felt weightless, giddy, and happy all at once. She was bursting, and the most wonderful kiss she’d ever had still scorched her lips.He’s amazing.The way he kissed her not only took her breath away, it was beyond awesome. No man had ever kissed her that way—not that she had a lot of men kissing her. James had been more interested in touching her, and when they did kiss, it was wet and uncontrolled. But Diablo made her toes curl, her heart pound, and her insides explode. His kisses seared her skin, and their intensity hit her right between her legs.And he wants to see me again even though I didn’t put out.She giggled and turned the volume even higher.I really like him, and I think he really likes me. He wants to be withme.

After James Thornhill had humiliated her, she’d stayed away from men. She didn’t trust them and, to be honest, she’d never known a nice man in her twenty-one years. The men her dad had asked her to fuck rarely kissed her. One of them, a man in his mid-forties, had kissed her, but she didn’t feel anything. But she felteverythingwith Diablo, and she craved more.

It seemed like such a long time until Sunday. She stretched her arm out the window and let the cool wind caress it as tiny drops of water covered it. The time she’d spent with Diablo had been the best in her life since her mother had left.

When she entered Tula, her muscles began to stiffen. Turning the radio off, she willed the creeping anxiety in her to stop as she made her way to her home. When Fallon entered the house, it was quiet even though both Shanna’s and her dad’s cars were parked in the garage. Since it was early afternoon, she’d thought they both would’ve been gone. The carpeted stairs muted her footsteps, and she hoped she could make it to her room before either of them saw her.

As she walked to her room, Shanna’s voice rang out.

“It’s a lot of money. The little bitch’s been a pain in the ass for a long time, so it’s time we cashed in on her.”

Her dad answered, but she couldn’t hear what he was saying. He was always soft-spoken unless he was pissed; then the whole neighborhood could hear him. She figured Shanna must be right by the master bedroom door because Fallon could hear her clearly. Their master bedroom was larger than a lot of people’s homes.Dad must be on the other side of the room. I wonder who they’re talking about.

“I keep telling you she has no fucking clue about the money. I took the letter the minute I saw the law firm’s return address. I figured it was important since it came from lawyers. They just assumed she knew her grandmother died.”

More garbled responses from her dad.I wish I could hear what Dad’s saying. Maybe I can get a little closer.But fear of detection rooted her to the spot. She tried to make sense of what Shanna was saying, and a suspicion niggled at the back of her mind thatshemay be the topic of the conversation.

“We have to make it look like an accident. You’re good at creating accidents.” Shanna’s high-pitched laughter grated her nerves. “I’ll pretend to actually like the freak. She’s so desperate to have a friend, that won’t be a problem. We have to make it look good, because I have no intention of spending the rest of my life locked up.”

The color drained from Fallon’s face as her pulse pounded in her ears.They’re talking about me. What’re they saying about an accident? Are they planning to hurt me? I can’t believe Dad would do that.Then a memory long buried deep down inside began to take shape, reaching out to drag her back to a late afternoon in autumn when she was in high school.No! I don’t want to remember!Shallow breaths in rapid succession indicated she was on the verge of a major panic attack. She cried out, then quickly placed her hand over her mouth to stop any more sound from coming out.

“Wait a sec. I heard something.”

I can’t let her see me. I can’t let her know I heard them.She knew she couldn’t make it to her bedroom fast enough because of her gait, so she slipped inside one of the guest bedrooms and hobbled over to the closet, closing the door just in time. Through the narrow wooden strips on the closet door, she saw Shanna pop her head through the doorway and look around the room. After a few seconds, she went away.

Fallon stayed in the closet until she heard the tires squeal as Shanna pulled out of the driveway. She waited to hear her father’s car drive away but the sound never came.He must still be in the bedroom.Then she remembered her dad was having car trouble and the mechanic couldn’t work on it until the end of the week.

Slowly she opened the closet door. The house was as quiet as a tomb. Relief flooded over her as she reached her bedroom, locked the door, and sank down on a chair.Maybe I just imagined what I heard. I don’t even know what they were talking about. A letter from a law firm? Why would they write to me? It must be someone else.It just couldn’t be her. Her paternal grandparents had died long before she was born, and her mother’s parents disowned her mother when she’d married Fallon’s dad.Could they have been talking about Mom’s mom? My grandmother? Why would a lawyer want to find me?Just saying “grandmother” seemed awkward, but a shiver of anticipation ran through her.Maybe they have some information on Mom. Maybe my grandmother found out where she is and doesn’t want to contact me directly.Excitement fluttered in her belly, and she made a mental note to do a search and see if she could locate her grandmother.

She went to her room and stared out the window, scanning the view that’d brought her comfort and heartache for so many years. She’d longed to be someone other than herself, so she’d pick out a house in the distance and pretend to live there with the life she always had inside her but no one would let her come out until Diablo. Looking at the houses dotting the landscape, she realized that she didn’t want to be anywhere other than right where she was. Diablo was a part of her ordinary life, and she wouldn’t trade that for the world. In that moment, as the crisp breeze blew through her hair, she decided she’d get a job and move away from the only life she’d ever known, away from her dad and step-bitch. And if fear threatened to hold her back, she’d just have to face it straight on and do it anyway.

Excitement coursing through her body, she took out her phone and tapped in Diablo’s number.

Fallon:I had a really good time. Just wanted you to know.

She caught her breath when she heard the ping. It always thrilled her to hear it, knowing he was close to her.

Diablo:Me 2. Everything good @ home?

Fallon:Not sure. They didn’t hear me come home, but my car’s parked on the street. Anyway, they’re gone now. I’m looking forward to Sunday.

Diablo:Oh yea!

Fallon:I know you’re at work. I’m thinking of you.

Diablo:Good 2 know. I think of u 2, & fantasizing bout doing some nasty stuff to u. ;)

She swallowed and touched her warm cheeks. As she reread the text, desire unfurled deep in the pit of her stomach and she clenched her legs. Remembering how wonderfully he kissed, she brought her fingers to her lips and closed her eyes, replaying the way he held her while he crushed his mouth on hers. A ping brought her out of the moment.

Diablo:U still there?

She sucked in her breath.

Fallon:Yeah. Just remembering how you kissed me. It was nice.