Conceited (Crimson Elite 3)

Falcon bypasses Creed and the gun in his hand and manages to hit Darby in the jaw making him stumble backward. Creed pushes him back and presses the gun to his chest, to back him up while my heartrate picks up. I don’t know if he would really shoot him, I would hope not, but I don’t know for sure.

El’s nails dig in harder to my skin almost making me bleed.

“Watch how you talk about her.” All eyes now go to him.

Creed looks at him with surprise, then something clicks in him. Creed looks to me then lowers his guns. “He loves her,” Creed says. He looks past me to El who manages to let go of my arm.

I look to Falcon waiting for an explanation, and for him to tell him he’s wrong. He doesn’t.

“You love her?” Darby asks.

When Falcon doesn’t answer, he continues, “Why didn’t you say something, you fucking idiot.”

Creed walks past me and takes El with him. Darby turns to me while Falcon stays where he is not moving.

“You have to understand, this isn’t just a business, Ariel. It’s so much more than that. It’s our life. It’s our legacy. We built it from the ground up, and we made a pact that no one would destroy it. No one.”

I nod my head. “I didn’t…” I don’t even know what to say. I didn’t know? I didn’t. But I’m sure nothing I say will make a difference anyway.

Darby waves me off. “I apologize for my part in what happened. And I do hope you will forgive me.” I nod my head. I don’t even know what he did, but I don’t really care to hash it out right now.

Darby looks back to Falcon. “We cool?”

He nods his head then Darby leaves, walking straight past me.

We stand facing each other, not saying a word.

Words were just flown around, and it’s taking me a moment to process everything. Falcon rubs his face and stands taller as he stares at me. Just as I think he’s going to say something, he walks straight past me, leaving me standing in the office. I follow him down the stairs, grab hold of his shoulders and turn him around. “Why?” I ask him.

“Why what?” he bites out.

“Why do you love me?”

He shakes his head. “I’ll take you back to your car,” is all he responds.

I don’t push for more, I’m not even sure I can handle anymore today. So I let him take me to my car, where we don’t speak and I don’t ask any more questions.He’s usually a man of many words, so when he didn’t answer me, it stays with me all night. My mind goes over everything, every detail that we’ve had together, even the way he would touch me and look at me. There’s no denying he’s made me feel things that no other man has ever made me feel in my life. But the question is, is the good, good enough to take with the bad? Is the bad too much that it overtakes the good? Does it out-rule everything? I can accept what he does for a living, I actually feel quite proud of what they have done. I’m sure it’s almost every man’s dream to own an establishment like the one they own. But it just proves what kind of men they are. My hand rubs down over my face, remembering those steel eyes that will be the death of me, I’m sure.

“He likes to play games, doesn’t he?” Chad says walking into my room holding a bottle of champagne.

My head hits my pillow as I look up at my ceiling. “He does.”

“Play a game on his level, show him you want him. You obviously want him more than whatever has happened between you. So, let it go and go get your man back, and please go get some.”

I laugh at his words and drink the whole glass. “I do forgive him.”

“Good,” he says. I stand and Chad slaps my ass. “Go and get your man.”29FalconHow do you tell someone you love them and mean it? I don’t know how to, so I decide not speaking is my best option. I think a part of me has always loved her, probably always will. But the way she looks at me now isn’t how she used to before, she sees me as a monster, and now someone who’s wounded.

The following night I shave my face, dress in my suit and tell myself to get things back to the way they were because it will be easier if I do. Echo already sent me potential customer information, and now it’s my job to make sure they’re up to what we offer. Scrolling through the information as I walk into the club I stop, bodies are everywhere, but it’s not those bodies I see straight away. No, it’s not the half-naked women dancing as if they’re ready to strip completely, or the men standing close by watching them.