Page 99 of Ride the Sky

“I hated you for that.”

It shudders out of her. I see it on her face. How damn pissed she’s been. And why wouldn’t she be? She was sixteen, and I shit all over everything she loved.

“I hated you for so long. But I vowed to get better because of you. So I could beat you.” A smile curls her lips. “And then I fucked you.”

I absorb her words like a gut punch. Goddamn if they don’t sting.

“Fallon,” I rasp. Her eyes shimmer with tears, so hurt that I almost fucking lose it right there. “Trouble.”

Her breath shakes out of her. “I thought my father liked you more than me. Which meant I spent my entire life trying to be better than a man.” Her smile is flat, an accusation. “Pathetic, isn’t it?”

“You are better than me.”

Fallon gives me a vicious glare that has my cock pulsing. “I don’t need your fucking pity because you feel bad.” She braces a hand on the lip of the hot tub.

I rest my palms on her thighs, stilling her. “Don’t walk away.”

“Tough shit.”

With that, she shoots out of the water, resting her ass on the edge of the hot tub and swinging her legs over in one quick motion.

“You’ll fall.” I scramble up after her, cursing her stubbornness. The whiskey bottle splashes into the water as I vault over the edge. “Wait a damn minute.”

I catch her wrist before she reaches the porch. I have no intention of letting her walk away. Tonight, we fix this. Fix us.

“It’s not fair,” she huffs, resting a hand on the railing to steady herself. “Using your fast legs against me.” She scowls at me in the moonlight. Her skin is dewy, her hazel eyes bright. Water slices down her shoulders, over her breasts.

“You’re not walkin’ away, not this time.” I grip her arm and stare hard into her eyes. She has to know I fucked up. Has to know I’ll grovel every second of my life to make it up to her. “Look at me. Tell me what you want me to do. Anything.”

She evaluates me, almost in amusement. Then a taunting smile stretches her lips. She takes one, two, three wobbly steps back. “Get on your knees and crawl. Apologize.”

Stunned, I gape at her.

Fuck if her request doesn’t turn me on.

Fallon arches that brow of hers, waiting.

I grin.

And then I drop to my knees.

Her eyes widen slightly in surprise. She didn’t think I’d do it. Well, Fallon’s about to learn exactly what I’ll do for her.

Anything she fucking asks.

I place one hand on the warm cement. “This is where you want me, on my knees, pleading for forgiveness?”

She nods, looking down, her expression hesitant, pleased.

Slowly, I begin to crawl. Every inch brings me closer to Fallon. When I reach her red-painted toes, the apex of her gorgeous thighs, I look up. “Enjoying this?”

Her eyes glitter. Her breaths are loud, fitful. “Very much.”

I reach out, gripping the calves of her toned, tattooed legs and feathering my fingers across her soft, smooth skin. She bites her lip as I give her the full force of my gaze. “I’m sorry for what I said.”

She trembles.

My hands grip her ass as I pull myself up. I look up, infusing every bit of contrition into my voice that I can. “I’m sorry for being an asshole.”

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