~Fallon~I should’ve seen this coming.The second my mom handed out the room keys with that too-bright smile, I knew something was up. And when she passed me one key — just one — I felt the bottom drop out of my stomach.“Wait,” I said slowly, holding the single key between my fingers. “One?”“Oh, don’t be silly, Fallon.” My mom waved a hand like this was the most obvious thing in the world. “You’re married. You don’t need separate rooms.”I blinked. My brain short-circuited. I looked down at the key like it had personally betrayed me.When I finally managed to find my voice, it was strained. “Mom —”But before I could get another word out, Reid swooped in like the traitor he was.“Of course,” he said smoothly, sliding the key out of my hand with that practiced charm that fooled everyone but me. “Thank you, Vivian.”My mother beamed.I plotted his murder.The room was beautiful.Of course it was. My mom didn’t do modest. The suite was huge — high ceilings, a private balcony overlookin
~Fallon~I should’ve known breakfast would be a battlefield.The dining room was already buzzing when we walked in — my mom’s voice pitched too high, the clink of silverware against porcelain, the quiet hum of tension just beneath the surface.Oliver and Elise sat at one end of the table, their heads bent together in low conversation. Bianca scrolled on her phone, perfectly manicured fingers tapping the screen like she was already over this entire gathering.And my dad? He sat at the head of the table, silent and watchful, his presence a gravity that pulled everyone’s moods down with it.Reid’s hand brushed the small of my back as we found our seats — a light, familiar touch that shouldn’t have made my pulse jump the way it did. But I was still trying to shake off the memory of waking up wrapped in him — his warmth, his scent, the slow, steady weight of his arm around my waist.The space between us felt smaller than it had in a long time. And I didn’t know what to do with that.“Well,
~Fallon~The study smelled like leather and scotch.It was a room built for power — dark wood, sleek lines, shelves lined with books that no one had touched in years. My father’s domain. His throne.The door clicked shut behind me, and just like that, the air grew heavier.He moved to his desk, slow and deliberate, every step calculated. The glass of scotch he lifted met the light with a quiet clink, and the sound of his silence was louder than any raised voice could’ve been.“Sit,” he said finally.I stayed standing.“I hope you’re taking this seriously, Fallon.”My pulse kicked up, but I kept my face carefully neutral. I knew better than to show weakness in this room.“This?” I asked, arms crossed tight. “What exactly are we talking about?”His eyes lifted to mine — cool and unreadable, but sharp enough to cut. “Your marriage.”Of course.I forced a steady breath. “I think I’ve done a pretty convincing job so far.”“Convincing,” he repeated slowly. “Isn’t good enough.”He set his gl
~Fallon~I didn’t go back inside right away.The sun was warm on my skin, but I still felt cold — the kind of cold that starts in your chest and spreads, making every breath feel heavy.My father’s words echoed in my head, relentless and sharp.Keep him happy. Or this entire family pays the price.The sheer unfairness of it made my stomach churn. I’d given them everything. I’d married a man I barely knew for this family’s sake, played the role they needed me to play. And still — still — it wasn’t enough.I wanted to scream.But Prescott women didn’t scream.We smiled through the bitterness. We kept our voices soft and steady. We held our heads high, no matter how heavy the crown got.So I stood there until my breathing slowed and my face didn’t betray a thing.And when I finally walked back into the house, I wore my mask so well even I almost believed it.⸻But Reid saw through it anyway. He noticed.Of course he did.Reid Callahan was far too sharp not to pick up on the shift — the
~Fallon~The room went silent.Bianca’s eyes went wide, her mouth opening and closing like she couldn’t quite believe what she’d just heard.And honestly? Neither could I.Reid stood in the doorway, his face calm and unreadable — but there was a sharpness in his voice I’d never heard before. A quiet, controlled anger that sent a shiver down my spine.“Is there a problem?” he asked, his eyes never leaving Bianca.She recovered fast. “We were just talking.”“Funny,” Reid said, his tone ice. “It didn’t sound like that from where I was standing.”I wanted the ground to swallow me whole.I hated this — the attention, the confrontation, the fact that my husband had to step in because I couldn’t seem to fight my own battles.But at the same time, I couldn’t look away from him.Reid wasn’t just defending me. He was staking a claim.And it left me breathless.Bianca’s smile turned brittle. “You’re awfully protective, Reid. But I’m sure Fallon doesn’t need you fighting her battles.”“You’re rig
~Fallon~The fire crackled, sending sparks dancing into the night sky. The air smelled like woodsmoke and toasted marshmallows, and for a brief moment, the warmth of the flames almost made me believe this was a normal family gathering.But nothing with my family ever stayed peaceful for long.The seating arrangement alone was enough to set me on edge. Oliver and Elise sat off to one side, speaking in hushed tones that made it clear they had no interest in anyone else’s conversation. Bianca lounged in one of the Adirondack chairs like she owned the place, sipping her wine with a smirk that set my teeth on edge.My parents were doing their best to keep things civil — my mom fluttering around with drinks and snacks, my dad maintaining his usual stoic silence.And then there was Reid.Sitting next to me. Close enough that his warmth wrapped around me, close enough that every time his arm brushed mine, my skin tingled.Too close. And not close enough.The fire wasn’t the only thing making
~Fallon~I woke up with one thought in my head: Get me out of here.The sun wasn’t even fully up yet, but I was already wide awake — my body stiff from the too-fancy guest bed, my head pounding from too many forced smiles and carefully swallowed words.This trip had been a disaster from the moment we arrived. And while part of me wanted to stick it out and prove that Bianca and Oliver and everyone else’s judgment didn’t affect me, the other part was ready to throw my bags into the car and never look back.Beside me, Reid was still asleep.The unfamiliar sight made me pause — the sharp, controlled man he always was softened in sleep. His breathing was slow and even, his brow relaxed in a way I rarely saw when he was awake.The tension between us hadn’t eased, not really. But for a moment, watching him like this, I felt something I hadn’t let myself feel in a long time.Safe.I tore my eyes away.Safe was dangerous. And it wasn’t real.If I thought I was the only one eager to leave, the
~Fallon~Mia was already waiting when I walked into the café — impossible to miss, even in her half-baked attempt at anonymity. A wide-brimmed hat sat at a dramatic angle on her head, and her sunglasses were so oversized they covered half her face. She looked like a celebrity trying — and failing — to go incognito.I stopped at the edge of the table, arms crossed. “Really subtle.”Mia grinned, sliding her sunglasses down just enough to reveal her eyes. “You know me. I live for the drama.”The waiter appeared almost immediately, and Mia waved him off with a casual, “We’ll need mimosas. Keep them coming.”I laughed despite myself, slipping into the seat across from her. The tension from the weekend — from my family and the endless pressure — began to ease, bit by bit. Mia had that effect on me. She always had.“Okay,” she said, leaning forward with the kind of excitement that should probably scare me. “Spill. How was the trip? How terrible was Bianca? Did Reid finally throw her in the l
~Reid~The house was dark when we stepped inside. Quiet. Like it hadn’t even noticed we were gone.I set our bags down by the staircase, rolling my shoulders to ease the stiffness from the flight. Fallon stood a few feet away, one hand on her hip, scanning the space like she had to reacquaint herself with it.Home.It should’ve felt like a relief to be back, to slip into familiar routines and put the past few days behind us. Instead, there was something restless in the air. Something unspoken.Something I wasn’t ready to face.Fallon exhaled, tilting her head back and stretching, her sweater riding up slightly with the motion. My gaze flickered, completely without permission, to the bare sliver of skin between the soft fabric and the waistband of her jeans.I looked away just as fast, flexing my hands at my sides.This wasn’t the time.Not when my mind was already tangled with everything that had happened on this trip. The banter, the closeness, the easy way she fit into my life when
~Reid~The jet touched down smoothly on the private runway, but the tightness in my chest didn’t ease.Los Angeles. Home. Familiar ground.I should’ve felt like I was back in control.Instead, I was stuck replaying every moment Fallon had thrown me off balance over the last few days.And there were a lot of them.The way she inspected my suitcase like she had every right to dictate what I wore.The way she looked at me in the candlelight at that ridiculous dinner, like she was daring me to lose my composure.The way she melted against me on that dance floor, fitting against me like she belonged there.And then, yesterday.That perfect, infuriating, reckless day together.Laughing on the beach. Challenging me over who could make the better cocktail. Stealing my sunglasses and running away like we were something real.The sound of her laugh—light, unrestrained—still echoed in my head, cutting through the quiet hum of the cabin.I dragged a hand through my hair as the jet rolled to a sto
~Fallon~The morning light spilled softly through the windows as I woke to a rare, unforced smile. Today wasn’t about boardrooms, legal documents, or endless family obligations—it was just about us. Reid had insisted that we take a day to ourselves before heading back home, and though I’d fought it at first, a small spark of anticipation had slowly crept in.I got ready with a care that felt almost like celebration. My outfit was fun—a breezy, floral dress paired with ankle boots, a playful contrast to the usual sleek glamour. As I glanced in the mirror, I couldn’t help but feel that today, I might just let down some of the walls that had kept me at a distance.I found Reid waiting in the foyer, not in his typical business attire, but in a smart, casual ensemble: dark jeans, a soft sweater, and that same confident, unreadable expression he wore so well. When our eyes met, there was a brief moment—an unspoken acknowledgment of all the days spent apart—that made my heart flutter unexpec
~Reid~The gala’s atmosphere was a carefully orchestrated dream: the lights dimmed to a sultry glow, the soft murmur of elegant conversations mixing with the gentle strains of a live band. I had spent the last few minutes in the reception area, scanning the room with the practiced detachment of a man who rarely lets anything get past him. Fallon had gone to the bathroom and I was waiting for her. Then I saw her—Fallon, gliding through the crowd like she owned the floor. Her gown shimmered in deep red, and every step she took seemed to echo a silent challenge. My breath caught, and for a moment I wondered if I should have just remained distant, safe behind spreadsheets and board meetings. But tonight, the night was already too charged to be ignored.I found my way toward the dance floor. When she finally spotted me, our eyes locked. The silent invitation was there—an unspoken plea for connection that neither of us had dared to name in recent days.I stepped forward. “May I have this d
~Reid~I should have been focused.I should have been thinking about the investors. The men in that ballroom who had the power to shift billions with a single conversation. About strategy, image, control.But the second Fallon stepped out of the bedroom, every rational thought left my head.And for the first time in a long time, I forgot how to breathe.The dress was red.Not just any red—dangerous red. The kind that warned you something lethal was coming and dared you to get closer anyway.And God help me, I wanted to.The silk clung to her in all the right places, draping over her curves like it had been tailored by the devil himself. The slit ran obscenely high, revealing just enough of her leg to be sinful. And the neckline?Designed for destruction.Her hair was swept to one side, leaving the long, delicate line of her neck on display. The diamonds at her ears glittered, but nothing—not the jewelry, not the dress, not even the city lights behind her—shone quite like her.And then
~Fallon~“You’re giving me your black card?”I blinked at Reid as he slid the sleek, matte-black credit card across the breakfast table like it was nothing more than a business memo.“I have meetings all day,” he said, barely looking up from his phone. “Go wild.”I picked up the card between my fingers, studying it like it might bite me. It was heavier than any of my other cards—an unsubtle reminder that this particular piece of plastic had no spending limit. The kind of power that made people reckless.“You do realize what you just said to me, right?” I asked, arching a brow.Reid finally lifted his gaze, his sharp blue eyes flicking to mine. “You’re my wife, Fallon. It’d be weird if you didn’t spend my money.”I searched his face for any trace of sarcasm. There was none.“Hmm.” I twirled the card between my fingers, letting the weight of it sink in. “If you insist.”Reid just shook his head, standing with that effortless grace that irritated me to no end. He slid his suit jacket ove
~Fallon~I woke up to the sound of water running.For a second, I forgot where I was. The sheets were softer, the air cooler, the bed way too spacious—until I turned and saw Reid’s side still perfectly made.Right. The hotel. The shared suite.I sighed, stretching beneath the covers before rolling over and grabbing my phone. The time read 7:23 AM, and I briefly debated pulling the blankets over my head and pretending the morning didn’t exist.But then the bathroom door opened, and Reid stepped out.Dripping wet.Towel slung low on his hips.Completely, unfairly, ridiculously Reid.My brain short-circuited.“You’re awake,” he noted, rubbing another towel through his damp hair, seemingly unaware—or worse, unaffected—by my obvious staring.I blinked, then cleared my throat. “Unfortunately.”He smirked. “That explains the grumpy expression.”I sat up, dragging a hand through my own mess of curls. “It’s called having personality. Not all of us wake up with the emotional range of a robot.”
~Fallon~The hotel was breathtaking.Glittering chandeliers. Marble floors that gleamed under the golden lights. Staff that moved with the kind of quiet efficiency that screamed money.Everything about it was ridiculous.And yet, none of it was what had my stomach in knots.It was the suite.The single suite.The moment the elevator doors opened to the top floor, I knew. Before the concierge even unlocked the double doors, before I stepped inside to see the massive one-bedroom layout, I knew.And I should’ve said something.But Reid was already inside, already draping his suit jacket over a chair, already loosening his tie like this was just another hotel stay.Like we hadn’t spent the past week avoiding each other. Like we hadn’t built a solid wall of tension so thick I could barely breathe around it.And now, we were expected to sleep under the same roof.Again.I stood frozen at the entrance, my overnight bag still clutched in my hand, staring at the very singular, very large bed t
~Fallon~If I was going to be dragged on this sudden trip, I was going to make damn sure I looked good doing it.Better than good. Unforgettable.So I packed accordingly.Every outfit was meticulously chosen. Every accessory, every pair of heels, every carefully coordinated look—flawless. No one was going to doubt for a second that I belonged at Reid Callahan’s side.He wanted me to play the part? Fine. I’d play it better than he ever expected.And I wasn’t stopping with just myself.Reid Callahan was not walking into that resort in some boring, last-minute suit. No way.If we were making an appearance together, we were going to match.⸻By the time Reid finally emerged from his office, suitcase in hand, I was ready.I gave him one look—from the effortlessly expensive sweater and tailored pants to the watch that probably cost more than some people’s houses—and crossed my arms.“What?” he asked, arching a brow.I gestured toward the suitcase. “Let me see what you packed.”His eyes narr