Magic or Madness (The Wreck Me Duet #1)

FALLON

Surprisingly, Mick and Rae seem to have put their claws away for the night. They decide it's best to put in the effort to get to know Ozzy, rather than judging him immediately, and it’s refreshing, considering how nervous I was all day.

How I met Ozzy was unconventional, and honestly, strange. My friends have a right to be concerned about him, my recent behavior, and our situation, but I, on the other hand, am not worried. This is the first time in my life that I’ve felt like what I’m doing is right.

It’s like everything has clicked into place for me now that I’ve found him, and all I want is for my two best friends to see the happiness I’m experiencing. If they can look through the lens that I do, they’ll love Ozzy, too.

Now, we’re sitting at the kitchen island, and Mick is pouring everyone another cocktail creation she came up with.

“What is it?” I ask, smelling the drink before tasting it.

Mick is a bartender and loves to make new drinks that wow the crowd , as she puts it, which has left Rae and me to be her taste testers.

“It’s a pomegranate and strawberry margarita, nothing too fancy,” she explains, and I take a sip, overwhelmed with the fruitiness.

“It’s lovely, thank you, Mick,” Ozzy says, casually tasting his drink.

His hand is resting on my leg under the counter, and he’s been slowly making his way further up my thigh, leaving me on the edge of anticipation. I’m trying not to react, or let it show on my face that he’s turning me on right here in the kitchen, but the girls don’t seem to notice.

“So, Ozzy, where are you from?” Rae asks, keeping up with the line of questioning.

“All over, I’ve moved a lot since I was old enough to be on my own,” he says, the shortest answer he’s given so far, and I’m curious as to why.

“That’s interesting, are you an only child?” She follows up, almost as if she’s interrogating him.

I raise my eyebrow at her, but she hasn’t taken her eyes off him.

“Yes. But my friends are like brothers, we’re very close.” He smiles, turning up the charm ever so slightly.

“Oh, really? Who are your friends, maybe we know them?” Mick chimes in, and I narrow my eyes at them both.

“They’re new in town, you don’t know them,” I say defensively, catching onto the tricks they’re playing.

Ozzy pats my thigh, signaling me to relax, but I’m wound up. I know how they are, and they’re trying to gather all the info on Ozzy that they can, probably to internet-stalk him later on.

I’m not having it. They can be friendly without grilling him.

“Easy, Fal. We’re just getting to know him,” Mick says softly, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes.

“Enough about me, what do you have on Fallon?” Ozzy asks, changing the subject and both girls laugh.

They’re combing through their memories to find the most embarrassing story they can, and I know there are quite a few of them.

“Fallon’s the best. She holds us together like glue. You’ve found a diamond, Ozzy, and I suggest you treat her as such,” Rae says sternly, but her warm smile lightens the subtle dig.

“On that note, goodnight ladies,” I say, standing quickly and taking Ozzy’s hand into mine.

“Keep it down will ya? I have an early morning.” Mick laughs, waving at us as we disappear into my room.

Ozzy clicks the door shut, locking it behind us, and I let out a sigh of relief.

“That wasn’t so bad,” he offers, but I wince, he doesn’t know them like I do.

“They were interrogating you,” I say, rolling my eyes but he doesn’t seem phased.

He takes my hand, wrapping his muscular arms around me, and he looks down at me with a sweet smile on his face, using a finger to brush the hair away from my eyes.

“ Sei Bellissima ,” he whispers, just loud enough for me to understand.

“ Sei perfetto ,” I counter, biting my lip, and watching as his eyes light up in the darkness.

“You speak Italian?”

“A little. I spent a lot of time studying in high school,” I confess, and he laughs softly, a faint sparkle in his eye when he looks at me that I’d have missed if I weren’t paying attention.

“My little nerd,” he says proudly, leaning around me to turn on the lamp.

I slap his chest, and he lifts me off the ground, spinning me around until we reach the bed, his body collapsing onto mine, our faces inches apart. I can’t help but laugh, and his eyes are locked onto mine, looking at me with pure adoration plastered on his face.

“I could listen to your laugh for the rest of my life, Bambi.” He kisses my forehead, a gentle touch of affection that I’ve grown accustomed to from him.

“I need to change out of these gross clothes,” I say against his chest, and he slowly lifts off me, helping me off the bed.

I feel his eyes on me as I carefully choose clothes from my dresser drawer, deciding on a cute set of pajamas.

“Do you want me to look away?” He steps closer, and I laugh, thinking he’s joking, but his face tells a different story.

“Uh, no, it’s okay. You saw everything already.” I giggle, but he abruptly takes my face in his hands, a more serious expression crossing his face.

“I’ll always make sure you’re comfortable with me, Fallon. If you want privacy when you’re changing, say the word. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen you naked,” he says, a fire lit behind those dark brown eyes.

His concern with my privacy is endearing, and it clearly means a lot to him that I feel safe, so I lean into it. There’s something seriously sexy about a man who prioritizes consent and welcomes open communication.

“I know, Ozzy. Thank you, but I’m okay if you sneak peeks. You make me feel … beautiful when you look at me.” I slowly lift my work shirt off, lazily dropping it on the floor, and Ozzy’s eyes never leave mine.

He watches intently while I drag my finger across the waistband of my leggings, pulling them down my thighs. I carefully slip them over my ankles, leaving them in a pile with my discarded shirt.

I run my hands through my hair, standing in front of Ozzy in my bra, underwear, and the marks he left on my collarbone in plain sight. For the first time, his eyes break away from mine, gazing at his work, the red-purple love bites standing out in stark contrast to my pale skin.

“May I?” He asks, gesturing at my bra, and I allow him to reach around, giving him permission to make quick work of the clasp.

As he tosses it with the rest of my outfit, more marks reveal themselves on my breasts, and he trails his fingers along the places his mouth left tattoo kisses. He takes the pajamas from my hand, unfolding the light pink shirt, and pulling it over my head. The silky bottoms match, and Ozzy helps those over my thighs, his fingertips leaving a trail of fire and goosebumps on my skin.

I watch in awe as Ozzy rips off his shirt and jeans, standing in front of me in only his boxers. His thighs are just as toned as his chest, and his hair flows around his shoulders, encompassing the look of a God that I’m so smitten with.

“Lay with me, Bambi,” he whispers in my ear, leading us toward my bed.

I rest my head on his chest, feeling the warmth of his arms cradling me into a cocoon. Our legs tangle at the end of the bed, and I feel him placing soft kisses on the top of my head.

“When you hold me, it holds me together,” I whisper, unable to keep my thoughts from spilling out of my mouth.

“This is where you’re the safest, my beautiful girl ,” he says sweetly, and my heart melts.

“Tell me about your day. Besides bringing me those gorgeous purple flowers.” I trail my fingers around his chest, drawing little circles and tracing his scars as I listen to his breathing.

“I almost cut Journey’s throat out of his body this morning,” he says calmly, and I twist upward to face him.

“What, why?” I ask, alarmed at the fact they’re supposed to be brothers.

“He commented on you. He thought it was funny to call you Cinderella. I had to make it clear that I’m the only one who calls you out of your name, but he kept pushing the line further and further,” he recalls, the tension in his body thick around me.

“You defended my honor to one of your brothers?” I repeat, making sure I understand correctly.

“Of course, Bambi. You’re mine, and they all know it now. Journey’s on borrowed time with me, though, for his disrespectful attitude,” he says sternly, his voice dripping with anger.

I don’t ask any more questions, hoping he’ll share more if he’s comfortable enough with me. I’m shocked that he took it so far while defending me, though, and it’s sweet in a way that radiates possessiveness. I’ve never been with a guy who’s willing to risk it all just for me, and makes it his mission to mark me in every way as his .

“There was a girl,” he starts, sighing deeply in a way that makes me nervous about what he’ll say next.

I stay still, watching while he collects his thoughts, not moving an inch so as to not disrupt this moment.

“Her name was Masha, and she was a part of our crew. She fit right in with us, and we all treated her like our little sister,” he pauses, reaching for my hand and lacing our fingers together.

I’m tense, my breaths hitching on his next words because it’s clear that this is hard for him to talk about. It’s surprising because, so far, he’s been an open book, and hasn’t hesitated with anything I’ve asked him. There’s pain behind this, and I’m not sure if I can see him hurting without it destroying me, too.

“We had a job that went sideways, a fucking … security guard who picked up an extra shift, and we had to run for it. We jumped over fences, and ran through alleys, and a car came out of nowhere. It crushed Masha into limp, broken pieces, and we had to carry her nearly lifeless body back to the van. She died in my arms.” He swipes at the tears falling down his cheeks, and I squeeze his hand harder, letting him know that I’ve got him.

The sobs wracking through his body are enough to crumble me, but I bite my lip to keep myself from breaking, internally promising that I can be strong for him. I want to show him that I can carry the load sometimes, and when he needs to let go of the things he holds onto so deeply, I’ll be able to hold us both above water.

“It was my fault. I made her run in front of me to protect her, but in the end, she died anyway. Maybe if I had just let her jog behind me at her own pace …”

“Oh, Ozzy. I am so sorry. Will you tell me about her sometime?” I ask with sincerity, hoping it cheers him up, even if only slightly.

My heart is shattering for him, and I can feel the pain he holds onto, the guilt wracking through his body. He’s shaking in my arms, attempting to hide his emotions, but I embrace his vulnerability, holding onto his chest even tighter.

“I already have, kind of,” he whispers, and a flurry of memories come back to me, the things he’s shared with me clicking into place.

“The TV show and the Italian?”

“Yes, that was all Masha. She was our little sister, and she would’ve loved you, Fallon. Especially because of how smart you are. We always swore she was a genius, and that she didn’t belong with us.” He sighs, and in a split second reaches down, tilting my chin so I’m looking into his eyes.

I want to look away, to avoid seeing the pain in his tortured irises, but I hold onto his gaze, feeling the connection that radiates between us. It’s only growing and getting stronger the more time we spend together.

“You’re the best thing that’s happened to me since she died,” he says softly, and the floodgates open, thick tears rolling slowly down my cheeks.

We’re both a mess, crying for different reasons, but this is the best I’ve ever felt. Being with Ozzy is natural, like we are fulfilling our purpose in life by finally meeting, and being together.

“Let’s lighten the mood a little?” I change the subject, hoping to cheer us both up after the heaviness that we’ve been enveloped in.

“Tell me your idea of a perfect date,” he prompts as if I’m filling out a questionnaire, but I roll with it, letting my imagination wander as far as it’ll take me.

Ozzy pulls me up so we’re face to face, and I’m at eye level with the tear stains left on his cheeks. His eyes are bloodshot, and I reach up, swiping the tender spots with the pad of my thumb.

I place a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose, my way of showing him affection, and he presses his lips to mine, softly and slowly. It’s not a kiss of desire or hunger, instead, it’s passionate, warm, and feels like home.

We stay this way, with our lips tangled and our hearts open until he pulls away and presses his forehead to mine.

“My Bambi,” he mutters, almost too quiet for me to hear, but loud enough to send heat flushing straight to my cheeks.

He shifts us around, tugging the blankets around us, and holding me against his chest while my head rests on his shoulder.

“About that date.” He reminds me, and I smile, letting my inner thoughts run wild.

“Easy. It would be a beach day. Playing in the sand, swimming in the ocean, and tanning, of course. Then, dinner at a seafood restaurant right on the ocean. There would be white wine and shrimp scampi, maybe clams for an appetizer. Yeah, definitely clams. Afterward, a long walk on the shore, collecting seashells for a craft project that I'd probably never get around to. There would be a kiss that made me smile every time I thought about it. It would feel like the beginning of a love story,” I ramble, picturing it all in my head, and letting the creative power in me take control.

“That’s perfect, Fallon. When do you want to do it?” He asks, and I sit up in shock, raising my eyebrow at him.

“You want to make that dream date a reality, don’t you?”

“Of course I do. Tomorrow?”

I shake my head, unsure of how I got so lucky to find such a sweetheart of a man. He may look scary on the outside, and his line of work is dangerous – and illegal – but deep down, he’s a softie.

He’s my Prince Charming.

“I’d love to go on a beach date, Ozzy.” I can’t contain my smile, and he lights up, pulling me back onto his shoulder.

We stay like this for hours, a never-ending stream of conversation flowing between us until I start dozing off. He slides me onto my side, snaking behind me until we're in a perfect spooning position. When he thinks I’m asleep, he presses a kiss to my forehead and whispers sweet nothings in my ear, but spoken in Italian.

“Sei tutto per me.” You’re my everything.

Instead of saying something back, I pretend to be asleep, keeping this sacred moment to myself to replay until the end of time.

I wake up alone, tucked under the blankets without Ozzy’s arms around me. Last night, we fell asleep tangled in one another, but now, I’m left to search for him.

I scan the room looking for his clothes, but they’re gone too. Maybe the vulnerability was too much for him?

I try to stuff the disappointment down, believing in the magic of our dynamic, and all the moments we’ve shared in the last few days. When I turn over, the feeling of how big and empty my bed is without him here hits like a freight train.

I hear muffled voices in the kitchen and pull a pillow over my head, assuming it’s Rae and Mick bickering as usual, but when I hear a deeper voice echo through the apartment, my heart rate speeds up.

He’s still here.

I dig around for the hoodie he let me wear home yesterday and tug it over my head, covering myself in his comfort. I stride out of my room, searching around the apartment until I see him bent over the stove with his back facing me, and my smile is impossible to hide.

Mick and Rae are maneuvering around him, making coffee and laughing at something he’d said.

“Fal loves her coffee sweet as hell. She’s got a mean sweet tooth,” Mick answers, handing him my favorite creamer.

“That's good to know, thank you, Mick.” Ozzy takes it from her, pouring it into a mug.

I’m watching them from afar, and they’re unaware that I’ve been listening while they talk freely about me. If there’s one thing they have in common, it’s caring about me, and I couldn’t ask for anything more.

“Does she like ketchup?” Ozzy asks, assembling something on a plate.

“Yes. Half of that bottle is her just from this week.” Mick laughs, and Rae joins in at the dig at my expense.

It’s harmless banter between the three people who mean the most to me, and I couldn’t be happier, even if all they know how to do is make fun of me.

“Honestly, Fal is a simple girl, Ozzy, and you doing this will mean the world to her. She’s all about the little things,” Rae offers as advice, and Ozzy nods along as if he’s taking mental notes.

“I know. She’s very important to me, and everything I do is for her happiness. Just to see that smile where her eyes light up and you can see the dimples on her cheeks. That smile is the best thing I’ve ever seen, and I intend to keep it there, permanently. I hope you two understand that, being her only family,” he confesses, and they both stop in their tracks, looking straight at me.

Ozzy follows their eyes and sees me standing in the doorway, his face lighting up at the sight of me. I’m cemented in place as he strides toward me with his messy hair, and the T-shirt nearly hugging his muscles. It’s a sight this early in the morning, and when he reaches where I’m standing, I melt instantly.

“Good morning, Bambi,” he says quietly, handing me coffee and breakfast on a plate.

“Good morning, Ozzy.” I kiss his cheek, waving to the girls and closing the door behind us.

“I may have done some reverse interrogating on your friends, finding out what your favorite breakfast is.” He smiles, his entire face beaming with pride at the effort he went to.

“You cooked for me?”

“Of course, my beautiful girl . There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you,” he purrs, towering over me as he tosses his hair in a small bun with one of my scrunchies.

It’s unexpected, and arguably even hotter than when he wears his hair down. Suddenly, my thoughts are overwhelming, but in a way that should be terrifying – I could wake up with this man every day for the rest of my life.

Instead of voicing those intruding thoughts aloud, I turn my focus back to the food, noticing how delicious it smells as the steam from the plate engulfs the tiny space between us.

“Well, what is it?”

“Bacon, egg, and cheese on a bagel, with extra ketchup,” he recites proudly, watching intently as I take the first bite.

“This is incredible. The eggs are so good,” I say, handing it off for him to taste.

“I may, or may not be, great in the kitchen,” he brags, and between bites I take a moment to press a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

“You look sexy in the morning.” I pull away, looking into his chocolate eyes, and allowing myself to be a bit forward.

“You look fucking perfect in my clothes,” he counters in that huskier voice, instantly making my cheeks flush various shades of pink.

The way he compliments me flutters my belly with butterflies, almost always making me feel as beautiful as he describes.

Yeah, I’ve been complimented before. Sure, I’ve had my body sold for the pleasures of men.

But never have I ever, ever , felt like the only woman in the world to just one man.

Ozzy does that for me.

“It’s too cold for the beach, but I thought we could still go on an adventure?” He asks, interrupting my thoughts, and I can’t hide my excitement.

“Anywhere with you is an adventure, Ozzy.” I brush my finger along his jawline, still absolutely in awe of how fucking gorgeous he is.

“Get dressed, Bambi. We’re leaving as soon as you’re ready.” He jumps up, clears my breakfast plate and runs off toward the kitchen.

I can only imagine what we could possibly get into with a whole day ahead of us, but I do as he asked, pulling on a pair of jeans, a pink V-neck tee, and a light jacket. I toss my hair into a lazy ponytail and apply the lightest amount of makeup.

Ozzy knocks on my door, slowly entering, but still respecting my space.

“You almost ready?” He purrs in my ear, and I smile at him from the mirror as I apply mascara.

He wraps one arm around my waist, and the other gently grips my throat, sending goosebumps throughout my body as he slowly tilts my head back against his chest. He kisses my forehead, but never breaks eye contact as his dark irises pierce a hole into me with a strong desire, even from the reflection of the mirror.

At this rate, we’ll never get out of here.

“Ozzy,” I breathe desperately, but his hands move quickly, spinning me around until our bodies face each other.

“Not yet, Fallon. I’ve got plans for you, me, and my bed later,” he whispers, his low voice making me weak in the knees, and inadvertently, I let out a slight whimper.

“Finish the makeup that you don’t need and meet me in the kitchen,” he says against my skin, almost like a command, and my breath hitches.

“I’m almost done.” I hold onto his hand as we separate, watching his reflection before he slips out of the room.

I ignite a fire in him the same way he does for me, that much is obvious from the way one small touch leaves goosebumps prickled on his skin.

I take a few more minutes to finish my mascara, and with one last glance in the mirror I’m ready to go. Once I emerge from my bedroom, I scan the room and find Ozzy in the kitchen, cleaning his breakfast mess.

Rae watches him from the couch, sipping from her coffee mug with a look of something that resembles approval on her face.

“He did the dishes, too,” she whispers once she sees me, and raises her eyebrows.

I can’t help but laugh, joining her as we marvel at how wonderful he is. He didn’t have to make me breakfast, let alone clean his mess, but there he is, doing it all and then some.

“A fresh pot of coffee is waiting for you two in the morning,” he says cheerfully to Rae, and her eyes widen.

“You can stay here anytime!”

I choose to take pleasure in the rare, blissful moment and join Ozzy behind the counter. Instead of allowing me to help, he instantly slips his hand into mine, waggling his fingers in Rae’s direction as we make our way out the door. As we walk away, I catch a slight glimpse of the kitchen, and I realize that the entire place is spotless, almost as if he was never there.

I can’t contain the smile that’s forcing itself on my face as I blindly follow his lead down to the truck. He snaps me back into reality by opening the passenger door, holding me up as I climb inside.

“Where are we going?” I ask, watching his smile grow.

“First, back to my place so I can make it in time for Max’s morning power trip. Then, anywhere the road takes us,” he says, resting his hand on my thigh, and painfully tearing it right back off.

Once he’s in the driver’s seat I slide over to the middle, snuggling against his chest like I did yesterday. It feels natural, like I’m exactly where I belong, and he doesn’t hesitate to hold me tighter, his thick hand cradling my shoulder.

It’s a short ride, but when we get to the dealership, everyone is gathered on the couch with their attention on Max, and a whiteboard in the front of the room. The dynamic with his friends is so interesting to me, how they love like brothers, and I’m happy to spend more time around them.

All heads turn to us when we walk in, and Ozzy takes a protective stance, leading me with his hand on my lower back.

“Ozzy, nice of you to join us,” Max says, and Ozzy rolls his eyes while we take our seats on the extended lounge.

“What’s goin’ on boss? Anything new?” He skips the pleasantries, jumping straight to the point, but Max’s eyes are solely on me.

There’s an uncomfortable silence as everyone trades looks, and suddenly, I feel like there’s a conversation going on around me that I'm not privy to.

“Fallon, would you excuse us for a few minutes?” Max asks with a sternness in his voice that makes me jump, and I immediately stand to respect their privacy, but Ozzy pulls me back to him, holding onto my midsection tightly.

“She’s fine. I’ll tell her everything anyway, we don’t have anything to worry about,” he says, but nobody seems to agree, considering nobody else speaks up, or looks in our direction.

“Ozzy, we have to create a plan, and then you’re free to do whatever you want, but we need you here now.”

There’s a thick slice of tension hanging over the room because of me, and I feel my cheeks flushing with heat, the embarrassment beginning to materialize like a pit in my stomach.

“I can go, it’s okay,” I whisper, hating the feeling that I’m causing a problem, but he shakes his head.

“She knows what we do, and I told her what happened to Masha. Fallon isn’t a threat to us. Just show us the plan and stop dicking around, Max.” Ozzy stands firm, and Max sighs deeply, directing his attention to me.

“Nothing leaves this room, do you understand?” His voice is dripping with seriousness.

I nod sheepishly, settling back into Ozzy’s arms and taking a chance to look around the room – anywhere but at the giant whiteboard perched like a target, daring me to just sneak a little peek.

‘The lack of decor in here is the same as it is in Ozzy’s room, just leftover car memorabilia and bland white walls. Unfortunately, nothing is interesting to stare at, but still, I sit quietly, listening as the plan for their next job is broken down.

They start with the payout, which makes everyone excited, and move on to the details.

Slowly, I start to recognize the building they’re describing, and my blood turns cold.

It’s Keith’s body shop – the place where I work.

I listen as Max details the security of the building, the timing of deliveries, and runs through a list of employees, but he pauses, looking from his paper until his eyes meet mine.

“And Fallon Mariano, secretary,” he deadpans, as everyone’s head swivels to face me.

Ozzy’s body tenses under mine, and I feel heat flushing my cheeks.

“That’s me,” I say quietly, masking my emotions with a forced giggle, and Max throws his paper on the floor.

“How is this happening?” He says to no one in particular, dragging a hand down his face as everyone is basically frozen in place.

“Can I say something?” I ask, taking a big risk, but hoping it’ll allow for me to gain some trust with everyone, and Ozzy takes my hand, leading me to the front of the room.

“You’re wrong about the security. When there’s a delivery this big, for a specific client, Keith and his brother, Kevin, stay at the shop until it’s complete. After that, all the codes are changed, and the access list is reduced,” I explain, taking the thick, red dry-erase marker and jotting down my own notes.

“So what are you suggesting?” Max raises an eyebrow at me, and I take a step closer to him.

“I wasn’t suggesting anything. Just letting you know where your information was lacking.”

“That’s enough, Max. She gave us some help, now back off,” Ozzy says defensively, and all eyes are on me as I stand at the front of the room.

I’m essentially crashing their morning meeting and inserting myself into their job, a place I know Ozzy doesn’t want me to be. His body language says it all, he’s protecting me by keeping his hand on my body at all times, and standing tall as if he’s on alert.

Max declares the meeting over, claiming he needs to reach out to a source, and Ozzy and I are free to enjoy the rest of our day.

Unfortunately, this conflict of interest weighs over us both, and I feel terrible for sending their plans into a scramble, but my information is valuable. If I didn’t share, and Ozzy got caught, I’d never forgive myself, but he doesn’t say anything as we’re driving, and I can see the frustration on his face.

“Ozzy, are you upset with me?” I break our silence, reaching for his hand, but he doesn’t meet me halfway like usual.

“I can’t do this again, Fallon,” he says softly, never taking his eyes off the road.

“Do what? All I did was point out a flaw in Max’s plans.”

He shakes his head, not answering me, and I’ve never seen this side of him. For the first time, he’s disconnected from me, and I can feel it in my bones.

I let him work through his thoughts, not wanting to push the issue any further, but my mind is scrambling, hoping to fix whatever I did wrong. I thought I was helping, doing what I could to keep him safe on the job, but he obviously doesn’t see it how I do.

“I’m not mad at you, Bambi,” he whispers, looking over at me while we wait at a red light.

“Then what is it? I don’t like the feeling of you shutting me out.” I search his eyes and see the same pain I did last night.

Then, it hits me.

I’m reminding him of Masha.

Joining on the job and becoming someone he feels he needs to protect. If something were to happen to me, he’d feel responsible, and he’s already living through that pain daily.

I unbuckle, and move into the middle seat, letting him know that I understand his pain through the connection we’ve created.

“Masha was supposed to stay behind the scenes, run surveillance in the van, or back at our warehouse. I can’t lose you, Fallon, it’d kill me. You don’t need to get involved with my shit, or corrupt yourself to be with me,” he says slowly, parking next to the Riverwalk, and resting his hand on my cheek, sighing deeply as he looks into my eyes.

“I won’t end up like Masha because I’m not a part of your world,” I whisper, and he breaks down in my arms, that toughness he exudes melting off him.

I hold him as he cries, the emotion completely catching us both off guard and the reminders of his fallen sister consuming his thoughts.

“I’m sorry, Fallon. I shouldn’t have gotten upset with you,” he says, wiping the tears off his cheeks, finally looking at me like he has the last few days.

He sees me again, and it’s like his clarity has come back through the haze.

“I’m sorry for inserting myself into your business,” I counter, raking my hand through his curls, and his eyes close slowly while I scratch my nails into his scalp.

“You saved our asses,” he purrs, a lazy smile crossing his lips, the pride beaming across his face.

“Let’s reset our date?” I offer, putting the tension and sadness behind us as we try to enjoy the day ahead of us.

His face lights up, all the pain from before seemingly erased as he hops out of the truck, racing around to open my door.

“Not quite the beach, but close enough in this weather,” he says, wrapping his arm around my shoulder once my feet hit the ground.

His constant need to have our bodies touching is one of my favorite things about him. I feel the connection between us when we’re this close, like we’re two halves of a magnet that are reuniting each time our skin touches.

We walk along the river, sharing stories from our past and learning new things about each other. I tell him how this Riverwalk used to have a basketball court, until the town tore it up, and replaced it with fresh grass.

“You really pride yourself on knowing the most random things, don’t you Bambi?” He teases, and I shove him off me, playfully.

“I’m a walking trivia champion, Ozzy. Respect the game.” I take off running down the sand shore of the river, and he catches up with me, spinning me around in the air until my legs latch around his waist.

“You’re too smart to be with someone like me,” he confesses, but I put a finger to his lips, shaking my head at such a ridiculous statement.

“I’m damaged, just like everyone else. I just have useless facts to go with that.”

“About that –” he starts but I cut him off as he places me on the ground.

“I know what you’re going to ask me,” I say, reaching into his pocket for his phone. “I don’t want to say it out loud, so can I show you?”

He nods, and unlocks the passcode, watching as I type into the browser.

I take a deep breath, terrified of what comes after I finally reveal my shameful past to another person. I’ve thought about this moment since the first night we shared, knowing he wouldn’t let it go, and that it would come to this. But after last night, when Ozzy broke down his walls for me, I decided that the next time he asked, I’d be honest this time, and tear down a wall for him.

I watch as the page loads, and every category with pictures of me shows up on the screen. All the disgusting details of what I endured as a teenager are in the palm of my hands, and I pass the phone to the one person strong enough to carry some of the load with me.

His eyes break away from mine, looking down at the evidence of the lengths I was willing to go to to save my mother, and his expression is one I can’t quite read.

“What is this, Fallon?” He asks, scrolling through the website with his eyebrows knitted together in what looks like confusion.

A lot of the pictures are from when I was younger, maybe around sixteen or seventeen, but I blocked most of those memories out. I changed my appearance when I came here, opting for purple hair and a fresh start, but the rest is still me, still very recognizable.

“My stepdad used to um … take pictures of me, whenever I needed money for my mom. He created this website and sold them for profit,” I say, my voice shaking with every word.

Ozzy looks down at the phone, and back up at me, a fierceness in his eyes that I only see when he’s angry.

This is going to send him over the edge.

“Come here, Bambi,” he whispers, throwing his phone on the ground and stomping on it.

It shatters beneath his boot, crunching against the sand and rocks until he kicks it into the river.

I rest my head on his chest, and feel the warmth of his arms around my body, enveloping me in a safe space.

“That’s not you. You’re not in that place anymore. You are safe with me. Do you understand me, Fallon?” He says sternly, a low, almost growl coming from his throat as he articulates his words.

“Yes, I know, Ozzy. You’re the only person who’s ever made me feel comfortable,” I confess, and feel his body tense with my words.

“When you’re ready to tell me more, I’ll listen. You don’t have to explain anything else right now, okay, my beautiful girl ?”

“It’s okay, I want you to know the truth. Let’s walk,” I say, breaking out of his embrace, and he follows my lead, his hand hovering over my lower back.

We walk along the trail as the trees whip in the wind, and the river slowly ebbs and flows next to us. We follow the winding path, and I explain my history, choking back the tears at some of the more explicit details, but Ozzy doesn’t flinch, judge, or make me feel less than.

When I finally finish recalling the harrowing story, hashing out my worst memories, and pouring out my soul for him to see, I don’t feel the shame I thought I would.

Ozzy stops walking, bringing me into his arms, and my whole world stops spinning.

“Fallon, you were a child. You shouldn’t have ever been in that situation where you had to choose between your body and your mother’s addiction. I’d kill the man if I ever had the chance.”

I sigh with deep relief, the freedom flowing through me now that I’ve finally confessed, and it feels like a weight’s been lifted off my shoulders that I’ve carried for too many years.

“Thank you, Ozzy, for not running away or thinking less of me,” I say quietly, and he tilts my chin, giving me nowhere else to look but into his dark eyes.

“You are the strongest woman I’ve ever met, carrying all of this on your own for so long. There are going to be a million moments in our lives where I tell you that I love you, but when I look back on it all at the end, this moment will stand out to me. Not because of what you went through, or how I was the first person you felt safe enough to tell your truth to, but because this very second makes me realize how powerful you are. How absolutely fucking strong you are, and when you love someone, you’d do anything to protect them. You’re a fucking warrior, Fallon Mariano, and that is something I could never, ever think less of you for.” He kisses my forehead tenderly, and I can’t help the tears that cascade down my cheeks.

I didn’t expect anyone to understand what I’ve been through, but the fact that I’ve found my other half, and he accepts my past, is almost too much to handle at once.

I’m overwhelmed, on the verge of a panic attack, and Ozzy senses something is wrong, guiding me to a nearby picnic table.

“Hey, Fallon. You’re okay, remember? It’s you and me, you’re not in that place anymore,” he repeats, and my breathing slowly starts to regulate.

“I wasn’t ever going to tell another living soul,” I whisper, and he nods, seemingly understanding my pain.

“I’m glad you told me, my beautiful girl . I will always protect you.” He smiles, reaching for my hands across the table, and rubbing small circles on my skin with the pad of his thumb.

We sit for a long time, pointing out small things within nature that we notice or find interesting, and slowly, the anxiety flows out of my body, and I’m feeling better about my confession.

“I have a useless fun fact for you, Bambi.” Ozzy smiles from ear to ear, and I wait with bated breath.

“Hit me.” He doesn’t skip a beat, playing on the moment's suspense as long as he can before I’m practically begging for him to spill.

“Okay. A large Oak tree can drop over ten thousand acorns a year,” he grins, raking his hands through his hair, almost like he’s nervous to hear my response.

“I’ll one up you – acorns are considered a fruit,” I smirk, and he shakes his head in disbelief.

“There’s no way that’s true,” he quips, but I always come with backup.

“Well, they’re the fruit of an oak tree. They can be eaten by squirrels or birds, but there are also seeds inside that can be planted to grow a new tree.” I smile, watching as he mulls over my facts and explanation.

“God, Fallon. You make being smart so fucking sexy.” He bites his lip, the words coming out breathy, sending my body into a full tremble.

“Well, you’re kind of dumb, Oz, you smashed your phone and threw it in the river.” I laugh nervously, twirling a stray hair around my finger, but he just shrugs.

“Lex has a cabinet full, I’ll hook up a new one.”

“Of course you will,” I tease, and he stands up, reaching for me.

“You feeling better, my beautiful girl ?”

“Take me home? I’m freezing,” I say, a full body chill working its way through me, and without hesitation, he rips his hoodie off.

He slips it over me, not leaving me any choice, and takes my hand wearing only a thin, black t-shirt.

“You didn’t have to do that.” He shushes me with a finger to my lips, and I obey, knowing that he does the little things for me because he cares.

It’s not a ruse to get me into bed or an act he’ll drop once he’s got me wrapped around his pinky. He truly cares for me, and I have a feeling he’d do just about anything to keep this dumb, girlish grin plastered on my face. We walk hand in hand back to the truck, and when I steal a glance at him, he’s smiling, but not at me. He’s lost, looking out at the river, leading me by half a step, and smiling as if the sun is shining, just for us.

In a way, I feel like it is.

Every day we’ve spent together has been perfect, and this is only the beginning of the story of Fallon and Ozzy.

If I had any doubts about the validity of our connection, how fast we’ve been moving, or the fact that I was jumping into bed with a stranger, those are gone now.

He’s the most important person I’ve ever had in my life and I say that with that utmost certainty. I’m fully convinced that I’ve met my perfect match, the soul to my mate, and I’d do just about anything to keep him beside me, for all time.