Magic or Madness (The Wreck Me Duet #1)

OZZY

The bartender is trying to make small talk, almost attempting to flirt in her tiny lingerie set, but my mind is far away, thinking about my girl.

That outfit, the fact that it’s her day, and everything in between those beautiful, show-stopping legs of hers.

All I want is to get back to her, but now that I think of it, she was supposed to meet me here. The panic begins to rise in my throat, but I see Oliver rounding the corner, a shit-eating grin on his face.

“You need to see this fucking shit, Oz. Jesus Christ herself is blessing us,” he says, and my mind races, wondering what he could be going on about.

I follow him down the same hallway I took to get here, and my mouth nearly drops when I see what he’s so worked up about.

Through the glass, I see Cami and Fallon making out, their hands roaming each other’s bodies carefully, yet sensually.

Finally, my Bambi has acted on what she’s tried to make sense of for a while now, and I couldn’t be more proud of her for exploring her sexuality on her own terms.

I’ll admit, it’s pretty fucking sexy watching her with another girl, and she looks absolutely radiant as she attempts to take control.

“Dude, I’m trying not to watch Fallon because she’s like my sister, so I’m pretending she’s someone else,” Oliver laughs, and I can’t help the smile that grows on my face.

“If it were anyone else, I’d fucking kill them. This stays between the four of us, understand?” I assert, and he nods, turning his attention back to the girls.

Cami points at us, finally realizing that we’ve been watching, and it only seems to add to their curiosity.

My eyes widen as Cami strips Fallon’s shirt off, followed by her bra, revealing her bare chest.

Oliver gasps beside me, and I forgot he was watching too, distracted by the sudden loss of Fallon’s clothes.

“Absolutely not,” I say, covering Oliver’s eyes with my hand.

“Oh, come on, Oz. This is getting good!” He groans, but I don’t budge.

“Not a fucking chance, Oliver,” I tell him, keeping my hand in place until her chest is covered again.

Once Cami climbs back on top of Fallon, I let Oliver go, and we watch until they break apart, signaling that they’re done.

“Fuck. I love this place,” Oliver breathes, slithering into the room once Cami opens the door.

Fallon is visibly on edge, worried about what I’m going to think, or how I’ll react, but I need her to understand that nothing she could ever do would affect me, or my love for her.

“Bambi, come here,” I say, my voice low and commanding.

She leans into me, and I feel like I could burst into flames. I haven’t felt this heightened sense of need for her since the moment my eyes landed on her in the diner, and I’m complete now that I’m holding her in my arms.

“Don’t hate me, baby,” she whispers, pulling me closer, her body shaking beneath mine.

As if that could ever happen.

I intend to show her just how much she means to me in the room I booked us next door. I dip my hand into her panties, feeling just how much she enjoyed her time with Cami, and I can barely resist her.

“She got you warmed up for me,” I groan in her ear, and I can practically feel her body go weak, representing just how connected we are.

I know exactly what she’s thinking, my ability to read her mind and body like an open book coming in handy, and I give her my most devilish grin, daring her to make a move.

She does, offering her hand out for me to take, and I don’t hesitate, interlocking my fingers with hers, leading us out of the room without another word to Oliver and Cami.

“Come on, Bambi. This is one is all ours,” I say, directing her toward the room across the hall.

Our door is marked for privacy, and I glance at the window, unable to see into the room.

“Ozzy, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking, I just reacted to the things Cami said to me. I know you told me that I was free to explore, but we never discussed how you’d feel if I did. I don’t want you to think I was doing it behind your back, either, she invited me into the room and things escalated …” I cut her off, placing one finger over her lips, she’s a rambling mess, and I can’t stand to watch her conflict any longer.

“Fallon Morell Mariano, look at me.” I tilt her chin, and for the first time, she looks into my eyes.

“I don’t care about what happened in there. You didn’t do it behind my back, thankfully, you did it in front of a window, and I had a front-row seat. Even if you kissed Cami in an underground bunker, I wouldn’t be upset. Don’t you get it, Fallon? You can never do anything that would make me love you any less. You could sleep with Cami, fuck each other every single night for all I care, and I’d still tell you that I love you more than life itself. You’re mine, and nothing will change that, no matter how many girls you hook up with. I love you, Fallon, more than all those stars in the sky you were going on about. You’re my world, and it’ll always be that way, my beautiful girl, my Bambi .”

I tuck the stray hairs behind her ear, and wipe the tears that pooled on her cheeks, giving her tiny pieces of intimacy that she loves.

“You mean that?”

I nod, not interested in using our words anymore. I take her face in my hands, gently kissing her lips until she lets me all the way in, our kiss turning rough instantly.

Her hands tangle in my hair, pulling me closer, and I lift her off the ground, her legs wrapping around my waist. I carry her to the bed, easing her down gently, and climbing on top of her.

I break our kiss, sitting up on her legs, and marveling at her beauty.

Her lips are slightly puffy from our kiss, and her hair is messy, framing her face and falling out of the ponytail.

My eyes roam her body, and a sudden fierceness takes over, the realization hitting me that I wasn’t the last person to touch her.

An internal force takes over, the desire to claim my woman back so strong it feels almost primal . I’m reduced to nothing but an animal, ready to re-mark my territory, and remind Fallon exactly who she belongs to.

“Ozzy, I need you,” she whispers, and I groan, raking my hands through my hair.

“I need you, too, Bambi,” I say softly, her eyes lighting up at my words.

She sits up slowly, lifting the shirt over my head, trailing soft kisses across my chest.

She pauses at the B carved into my skin, and bites her lip while she traces the letter, her mind clearly flashing back to the night we did the blood oath.

She continues kissing my body, making her way lower until her hands begin fumbling with my belt buckle.

“Fallon, it’s your birthday.” I slow her down, but she shakes her head, the stubbornness she holds onto taking complete control.

“You’ve done enough for me today, Ozzy. It’s my turn,” she purrs, and I close my eyes, letting her take what she wants.

I lean back on my hands, giving her full access to do what she pleases, and I watch as she lowers my jeans and boxers, revealing my already hard cock.

She runs her hand down my length slowly, almost as if she’s teasing me, and I tilt her chin, placing a quick kiss on her lips.

“Don’t go easy on me, Bambi,” I warn, and her cheeks flush a shade of pink as she wraps her mouth around my tip.

I let out a breath, already overwhelmed by the sensation, but she takes it dreadfully slow, teasing me with her tongue, and purposefully driving me wild.

Finally, she takes more of me into her mouth, her saliva coating my cock and she opens her throat, diving down as far as she can.

I grab her ponytail, encouraging her pace, and push her a little further than her usual limit, feeling her moan around my cock.

“Jesus Christ, Bambi. Your throat feels so fucking good,” I groan, watching as she spreads her legs, attempting to touch herself.

She chokes a little, and I release her hair, letting her come up if she needs to.

My girl is fucking electric tonight, and I can feel the lust radiating off her body. I don’t know if it’s because of the club, her hook-up with Cami, or a mixture of both, but she’s an animal, taking more of me than she usually does and bringing me right to the edge.

“Bambi, please, I need to be inside you,” I beg, but she doesn’t listen, plunging down further and making eye contact just before she makes every single fucking millimeter disappear.

God fucking dammit.

That does it, her beautiful brown eyes locked into mine, her mouth wrapped around my shaft, and I can’t hold back, shooting my load straight into her throat.

My body tenses and she never breaks our gaze as my release pumps down her throat, and she swallows it all, completely unfazed.

“Sorry, Fallon, I just … fuck, you’re so damn beautiful,” I say, pulling her on top of me and placing gentle kisses on her cheeks.

“I love doing that for you, watching you lose control because of me, and my mouth. It’s fucking sexy,” she purrs, and I swear I feel my heart swell three times in size inside my chest.

When I met Fallon, she was reserved and barely able to admit that she had an orgasm. Now, she sucks me dry and takes pleasure in doing it. I dragged her to a sex club, and she hooked up with a woman. She’s blossoming, finding her true self with me, and I couldn’t be more honored to bring her out of the shell she’s been hiding inside of.

She rests her head on my shoulder, letting out a deep sigh, and I feel her body relax in my arms.

“You think I’m done with you, Bambi? You’re still my birthday girl.” I stroke her hair, and she sits up, an evil smile on her face.

“ Wreck me, Ozzy ,” she whispers, her signature saying that always releases the beast inside me.

I toss her on the bed, a complete change in the tender demeanor I was giving her, and for once, I’m fully naked in front of her, and her eyes don’t miss a beat.

I watch as she takes me in, feeling the power she holds over me, like if she asked me to fold and worship the ground she walked on from my knees, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

“Tell me what you want, Bambi,” I whisper, giving up complete control and letting her choose how this will go.

Usually, I have a million ideas that I want to share with her, or try just once, but tonight, I’m all hers. She can act out any fantasy she wants and I’ll be her willing test drive.

“Take my clothes off, baby,” she orders, and I bite my lip, following the direction I’ve been given.

I don’t rush, enjoying every second I can as I strip her like I’m unwrapping a present, kissing every inch of her body, thankful that she allows me to touch her, and I’ve got her nearly begging for something more, any kind of friction to ease her growing desires.

Finally, I toss her panties on the floor, and she’s soaked, no need for foreplay, and I make it a point to offer her the reins once again.

“What do you want, Bambi?”

“I want you, everything you’ve got – except this time, you scream my name. I want this entire place to know who you belong to, who makes you feel so good,” she says, her voice dropping lower with each word, and I notice when she bites her lip in anticipation.

“Yes ma’am, anything else?” I submit, slowly rubbing her clit and lining myself to her entrance.

I scoop her legs over my elbows, plunging deep into her core as her head tips to the side and she chokes out one last request.

“Don’t you dare stop talking,” she says, gripping the sheets as I pick up the pace.

“Brace yourself, Bambi. I’m going to let you know who this pussy belongs to, understand?”

“Yes, please, baby,” she whines, and I close my eyes, attempting not to finish just from the sound of her voice.

“Did Camila touch you here?” I swipe the pad of my thumb over her clit, which makes her body tense in response.

“No. No, she didn’t,” she groans, and I pick up my pace, wrapping a hand around her throat.

“You’re fucking perfect, Fallon. Taking all of me like this, right after kissing a girl. You’re a Goddess,” I tell her, watching as she claws her nails into my forearms.

“It was hot, but nothing like this. More, please, Ozzy,” she whines, and I do just as she asks.

I pound into her, holding her legs for leverage, and bending down to take those perfectly pink nipples in my mouth. Cami had these earlier, but they – and everything else about this girl – belong to me .

I bite down, causing her to scream, and I can’t help the smile that cascades over my face, knowing that I’m lucky enough to treat this woman how she deserves.

“I’m going to go harder, and I know you can take it. Be my good girl, and scream for me, my beautiful girl.” I grit my teeth, ready to lose it all right now, trying to hang on until I hear those incredible sounds she makes.

Instead, I drop her legs, pulling out of her before I finish too soon, spinning her around until her face is in the sheets and her ass is up in the air.

I take my time, spanking each cheek with force, causing her to yelp, the noises that echo through the room only adding to my desperation.

She doesn’t spread her legs, instead, leaving them pressed together, and when I push into her, the grip her pussy has on my cock is almost enough to stop me dead in my tracks.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Fallon. You’re so tight like this, I can’t …” I’m cut off as she begins to rock her hips, fucking me with her palms flat on the bed.

“Tell me who makes you feel this good,” she groans, and I grab her hips, steadying her thrusts.

“You, Fallon. You. It’s all for you. Fuck ,” I cry out, watching her body rock against the bed.

“Louder, baby.”

She thrusts onto me faster, harder, the sound of her ass slapping against my stomach the only noise that can be heard in this room besides our heavy breathing.

“Fallon, please!” I beg, and she chuckles, obviously satisfied with how she has me screaming for her.

“What a good boy, I’m so proud of you.” She spreads her legs, reaching down to touch herself, and the moans that leave her mouth are some of the prettiest I’ve ever heard.

“That’s it, Bambi. Rub your clit while I fuck you. I’m not stopping,” I warn, and she exhales, ready for me to take back control.

I position her perfectly, admiring the beauty in her body before taking what I need, and increasing the level of roughness that she dictated. I take her ponytail in my fist, wrapping the lilac hair around my knuckles until I have the perfect grip, tilting her head back just enough for me to place a sloppy kiss on her lips, and bite the bottom one.

“Your turn to scream, Bambi,” I growl, and she closes her eyes, giving herself to me fully.

I grip her ass hard, undoubtedly leaving marks on her body, but pounding into her relentlessly until her moans turn into screams, and the screams turn into whines, begging me to award her mercy.

“Ozzy, please!” She rasps, clawing at the bed so hard her nails are embedded into the mattress.

“I’m right there, Bambi. Cum with me,” I whisper, pressing my body against her back, and reaching my hand under her legs until I reach her clit.

“One more, for the birthday girl.” I bite down on her shoulder, causing her body to shudder under mine, the pain instantly mixing with her pleasure like a perfect cocktail.

Her body collapses on the bed with her moans filling the room, and my name rolls off her tongue flawlessly, sending me into my own release, spilling it all into her core with reckless abandon.

“Come here, Fallon,” I whisper against her back, slowly pulling out and rolling beside her.

She curls into me, her head resting on my chest, and our breathing slowly regulates until it matches, the silence ending when she’s the first one to speak.

“Take me home, please. It’s been a very, very long day,” she pleads, her eyes closed and her body perfectly relaxed under mine.

I know my Bambi, and there’s about a ten-minute window from where she is right now, until she’s out for the night. As much as I hate to disturb her peace, we have to get going, as the clock is about to strike midnight.

“Fallon, come on, let me take care of you, and get you back to the van,” I whisper, and she nods, relinquishing all control to me.

Slowly, we get dressed, and I carry her in my arms to where the entire crew is waiting for us. Everyone looks just as wiped out as we are, and ready to go home. There’s a scuffle outside the van, and when I look out the window, Lex and Journey are going at it, arguing over something when Max yells at them both to get in, or he’s leaving them behind.

“Alexander, come on. It’s not worth it,” Pepper begs, dragging him inside the van by the arm.

Lex isn’t the violent type whatsoever, and this behavior from him is extremely out of character. Whatever happened, I’m sure Journey deserved a few good punches, and I’m waiting with bated breath to hear every detail.

“What happened, Pep?” Fallon asks, with her head in my lap and her voice getting sleepier by the second.

“Nothing. Nothing, Fal. Just a misunderstanding,” she says, but Fallon can sense when something is wrong.

“What happened, Pepper?” She sits up with more of a stern look on her face, ready to pounce at anyone who fucked with her friend.

“Journey got in my face a little bit, but like I said, it was a misunderstanding. Alexander put him in his place,” Pepper explains, but Fallon isn’t buying it.

“Let it go, Bambi,” I whisper, urging her to put the claws away.

Journey hasn’t bothered us in a while, and I don’t need anyone poking the bear. It’s been relatively peaceful, almost cordial, between us and I’ve missed having him in my corner. It’s selfish maybe, but he’s a part of this family whether I’ve had problems with him or not.

We ride back to the dealership in silence, everyone sleeping or chatting amongst themselves, and this night turned out to be everything I hoped it’d be, and more.

“You okay?” I whisper, stroking Fallon’s hair, but she’s sound asleep.

This delicate, yet strong woman laying on me is the center of my universe. The only mission I had for today was to make this her best birthday ever, and I hope I did her justice. I peek down at her, the only thought in my mind is on repeat, the fact that I would die for her, in an instant .

If I could, I’d take every ounce of pain she carries and inject it into my veins, just so she’d never feel it again.

Everything I do is for her, to bring a smile to that beautiful face. Tonight, I feel like I accomplished the goal I set, and she truly had the best birthday ever.

The tension is thick as we sit around the whiteboard, with Lex and Journey still locked into some battle that they haven’t shared with the rest of the class. It’s been two weeks since Fallon’s birthday, and I’ve seen them having arguments in secret, hushed voices multiple times.

All I know is that it had something to do with the club, and Pepper, but I made Fallon promise to keep her nose out of it, so I’m trying to do the same.

“This job sounds dangerous. I’m not sure if it’s something we’re into anymore,” Max says, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“We need it, though,” Oliver chimes in, and I nod in agreement.

It’s been slim pickings lately, and we can’t afford to be choosy right now, especially with how much counterfeit cash we’re sitting on.

It’s time to start washing it with the real stuff, but that’s been hard to come by.

“Did you read the proposal? High risk is written all over it,” Max argues, but we all call for a vote and instantly outnumber him.

“We won’t go in blind, Max. Let’s do our due diligence, stake out the warehouse, and check out security. It may be high risk, but we’re not fucking idiots, either,” I offer, and his demeanor changes slightly.

“I’ll start combing through records and cameras,” Lex adds, pulling his laptop out to take down notes.

“Alright, I’ll get back to the client, tell him we’ll take it. Two weeks boys, let’s get started,” Max concludes, walking off to the office where we keep everything about the jobs and cash.

“Wanna take the girls out for lunch?” Oliver asks, handing me a flier for a new restaurant in town.

“I’ll check with Fallon, aren’t you two trying a new recipe tonight?”

“Yes! We’re going to knock it out of the park, so don’t eat too much.” He slaps my back, heading toward his room.

Since the club, Oliver and Cami have been latched onto Fallon and me, always trying to convince us to go out to eat or do something just the four of us.

It’s sweet, and I love the bond between Oliver and Fallon, but they’re starting to get on my nerves. Double dating is cute once and awhile, not every damn day.

The dealership is quiet with the girls at some yoga class Camila convinced them to try as a way to escape the morning meetings. Pepper has no interest in this side of Lex’s life, and Cami is still adjusting to things in the middle of nowhere North Carolina. I tell Fallon everything about the jobs, so her having a hobby outside of here is good for both of us. However, I miss her every second that she’s gone, and I’m a little bored without her.

Instead of waiting around like her puppy, I hatch an idea to take a ride a few towns over, scoping out the warehouse that has become the target of our next job.

“Olly, wanna take a ride?”

“Fuck it, you drive,” he says, grabbing his leather jacket and trailing behind me.

“Let’s go see what’s so scary about this warehouse. I refuse to go in blind, even if the client maps out where the drugs are held,” I say, and he agrees, riding shotgun through the backroads.

“It’s weird, planning a job now that Cami’s back, and we’re doing so well. I’m … nervous. I’m never nervous,” he confesses, lighting a cigarette and rolling down the window.

“I was fucking terrified on the motorcycle job, it was my first with Fallon. For some reason, having someone to come home to makes our line of work much more difficult,” I tell him, and he shakes his head in agreement, like my words are sinking into his thick skull.

“I don’t know how to do this while balancing her. Cami isn’t phased by anything, but I can’t bear the thought of her worrying about me. Fuck, am I falling in love with her?” He rambles, and I smile, unable to stop myself from laughing at his naivety.

“Yeah, you are, you fucking dumbass. You brought her here, completely uprooting her life in Jacksonville after not seeing you for years. I’m no expert, but I think she might love you too.”

He runs his hands through his hair, looking like he might throw up, and I shamelessly revel in his coming-to-reality moment.

Olly has always been a little brother to me, but watching him blossom into a man in front of my eyes is a true treat, like I’m witnessing a flower growing from the dirt.

“How the fuck did this happen? I was supposed to be a bachelor for life,” he says, looking out the window in despair.

“You fucking research and cook recipes with my girlfriend every single day. You were never going to be a bachelor, you idiot.” I throw an empty bottle at him, laughing when it hits him square in the head.

“You may be onto something, I do love to cook with Fallon. Not Cami though, she’s fucking terrible in the kitchen,” he says with a laugh, keeping the mood light with jokes and pushing the conversation off his own feelings.

“I have a feeling even if you destroy, burn, and wreck things with Cami, she won’t be going anywhere,” I reiterate to him, and he smirks, a face that I rarely see from him unless he’s thinking about causing chaos.

Oliver might be behaving with his grown-up pants on lately, but deep down, he thrives off of burning shit down and never checking consequences after. This time, though, there’s more than one heart at stake, and for Fallon’s sake, I have to keep his head where it belongs, which is centered on Camila.

“Aren’t we just the luckiest fucks on the planet? Our girlfriends love to have slumber parties and kiss each other. Fucking legendary .”

I roll my eyes, punching him in the arm, reminding him who he’s talking about.

Besides the club night, Fallon and Cami have had one other make out session, and I was completely surprised by how easily they’ve navigated whatever has been happening between them. You wouldn’t guess that they’ve hooked up just by looking at them unless you were nitpicking at every move they make. It’s private, not a large spectacle just like Fallon wanted, and they love having a little secret between the two of them.

“It’s for them, not us, Oliver,” I remind him, bringing his thoughts out of the gutter they’ve fallen into.

“Oh, I know, but Cami loves it when I watch her. It’s one of our things. She’s fucking hooked on Fallon, though, she’s been respectful – working at her pace – but she’s all about it,” he tells me, and I interrupt, signaling that we’re at the warehouse.

He shuts up, transitioning into work mode, and we take a few pictures of the building, watching the workers as they go in and out, counting how many there are.

We note security cameras, barbed wiring on the fences, and a gate with an access code for entry.

After a while, we wrap it up, not wanting to draw too much attention to ourselves.

Oliver texts Lex, requesting any security cameras to be wiped, and we make our way back to the dealership with the music cranked.

One thing about Oliver is that when he's done with a conversation, you’ll know. The talk we had on the way here is done in his mind, and he’s not interested in picking it back up – hence the music.

I don’t mind. It makes me uncomfortable when he talks about Cami and Fallon, just because I allow him to watch Fallon with Cami doesn’t mean he can candidly discuss it like a casual trip to the grocery store. This dynamic is strange, though, with how possessive I can be. I don’t want his eyes on her body, watching her be sexual with someone else. That feels like it should be reserved for me, but unfortunately, his girlfriend is the other half of this equation, and I can’t exactly kick him out when Camila wanders into our room at night.

I don’t watch her, or find any interest in her, my eyes only belong to Fallon, and I’m so happy that she’s been able to explore her sexuality.

She confided in me that she’s not interested in women, just Cami, and she’s not sure how to label it – or herself – but she doesn’t want to stop the connection they have. I gave her a green light to act on how she feels, because I trust her judgment, and know what’s inside her heart. My Bambi is filled with pure intentions, never anything less, so if she’s got feelings for Camila, and only wants to act on those once in a while, who am I to deny her of that?

Our relationship hasn’t suffered or faltered in the face of this revelation, it’s only grown because of how open our communication is.

She knows she can tell me anything, and I know that I’m confident in our bond, never feeling threatened by her inner desires for someone who isn’t me. I’m so grounded, almost pushing her to work through this side of herself, and I’ve never been so proud of someone in my entire life.

Finally, we’re back at the dealership, and I’m yanked from my inner monologue, launched back into reality where I can’t wait to get my hands on my girl.

We quickly brief Max, Journey, and Lex with what we found, and I break away, finding Fallon vacuuming our bedroom.

“Come here, Bambi,” I say, and she jumps, ripping the headphones out of her ears.

“Fucks sake, Ozzy! You gave me a heart attack!” She yells, turning off the vacuum and walking toward me, her hair up in a messy bun, still rocking the yoga outfit.

It consists of very tight leggings, a light-colored tank top and a black sports bra. I pull her close to me, missing her touch, and the comfort I feel when she’s in my arms.

I place a kiss on her forehead, watching as she resumes her daily routine of keeping our bedroom spotless. I gave up on offering help or encouraging her to take a break long ago, letting her feel like she’s doing something important.

“Where’d you go?” She asks, barely looking up as she tidies up our nightstands.

“Me and Oliver went to check out a warehouse. We got a job today,” I tell her, and she spins around, a big smile on her face.

“Finally! Max has been pacing holes in these floors faster than I can polish them. What’s the job?” She wonders, and I wince, scared to tell her how dangerous it is.

The last thing I want is to make her worry, especially considering how far out the timeline is, but I could never hide anything, or lie right to her face.

“The client wants us to steal about two million dollars worth of heroin from this crew, but they’re very thorough. Security, cameras, codes, armed guards … the works,” I confess, and her expression changes from excited, to flat out concerned.

“That sounds risky,” she says softly, dropping what she’s doing and flopping onto the edge of the bed.

“It’s high risk, high pay, Bambi. We couldn’t say no,” I explain, and she nods along with my words.

“I understand, baby. I just … don’t want you to go,” she speaks slowly, her words coming out nervous, rather than confident.

Easily, I can see her demeanor changing, even if she’s blinking back the tears, and refraining from saying what she’s really thinking. She forgets that I know everything about her, including what’s on her mind, and right now, the pauses in her sentences tell me that she doesn’t want us to do this. She’s always supportive, though, and I could never fault her for being my biggest cheerleader.

“It’s in two weeks. We have plenty of time to prepare and research everything we’ll need to know.” I comfort her, pulling her into my arms, and squeezing her as tightly as I can, almost as if I let go, she may slip away for good.

“You better come back to me in one piece, understand? I’ll fucking kill you if you don’t,” she warns, and I concede, promising her something that I know I can’t guarantee.

“Like an oath,” I say, changing the mood and holding my ring finger out to her.

“Sacred prayer.” Our tattoos align, and she kisses my hand softly, the belief she carries for me vibrating through my bones.

“How was yoga, Bambi?” I delve into her mind a bit, taking the heat off my news, and graciously wondering about her day.

“Incredible. I love centered breathing exercises, it really helps to clear my mind. Plus, I’m getting more flexible,” she teases, climbing into my lap and I wrap my arms around her, feeling her heartbeat against my chest.

The familiar vanilla perfume she always wears enamors me, keeping my body cemented in place alongside hers. So much is uncertain in this world, but I know one thing for sure, Fallon is my home.

Her body, her mind, and how I feel when her arms wrap around me, are all a culmination of how no matter what happens, she is everything I need, and more.

This job may be the most dangerous that we’ve done in years, but as long as she’s waiting for me on the other side, I’ll be alright.

Something about this feels different though, and an ominous feeling of doom is constantly washing over me, stealing my ability to think clearly.

No matter how much we research and prepare, there are always variables that can’t be planned for, and I have a dark sense that something is off about this job, almost like I’m being warned against doing it. I shake it off, knowing that we have the element of surprise on our side – something that always comes in handy when planning a job this big.

I have confidence in myself, my crew, and our training.

If anyone could pull off a job with this much risk, it’s us.

This is our return to the dark side , but something tells me we’ve never left.