Chapter 34

THIRTY-FOUR

K age has given me back some confidence I didn't even know I lost. I feel untouchable with him.

I leave him on a phone call with his label, and instead of calling my driver, I grab the keys to one of my favorite cars—a sky blue McLaren Elva—and head toward the studio. The top is down, and I grin as I sing along to the radio. I had an idea for a song this morning after talking with Kage, and I want to get it down before I forget. The midmorning sun heats my exposed shoulders, my Prada tank tucked into some flare jeans. It's a casual outfit for me, but the way Kage's eyes ate me up as I blew him a kiss goodbye made me think I need to wear something like this more often.

My phone starts to ring, interrupting my song, and I hit the accept button.

"Sweetheart, you can't come in looking like that when I can't touch you and then leave." I can hear the pout in his voice. "When are you coming home? Ice misses you."

"Uh-huh, just Ice?" I tease as I switch lanes and accelerate.

"Mainly me," he admits with a chuckle that makes me grin. "Come home and we can play. "

"I'm heading to the studio first. We can play later. Get your work done," I order.

"If I'm good, will you let me stay with you tonight?" he asks sweetly.

"I'll consider it." I glance over my shoulder, flipping off a black Mercedes as it cuts me off. I accelerate around it and slide into the lane to get my own back, ignoring the honk. I speed through the next two intersections before stopping at a red light, tapping my fingers impatiently on the wheel. "I want steak later. Take me out," I tell him.

"Are you asking me on a date, Fallon?" He gasps teasingly. "I'm honored."

"I can take someone else," I warn.

"You've got it, sweetheart. It's a date."

I can't help but smile as the light turns green. "And no stealing my panties." I know he probably already has.

His laughter fills my car. "Too late?—"

My head turns as something catches my attention. I'm just creeping through the green light, but a huge black truck is coming right at me. It doesn't slow. Instead, it speeds up, and everything around me slows down.

"Sweetheart?" comes Kage's voice as I stare at the truck, knowing I won't be able to avoid it.

It's barreling right toward me.

It's on purpose, I realize.

"Kage!" I exclaim as I press down on the gas pedal, but it's no good. The truck hits the back end of my car. I scream, my hands gripping the wheel as I spin, and then a car in another lane hits my front end. I jerk, pain flashing through me, and then the truck hits me again, ramming me. I try to peer through the darkened windshield, but I can't see anything as the truck forces me off the road and down the embankment.

I start to flip, and everything happens so fast, I can't react.

Suddenly, it's silent.

My heart hammers in my chest, and my body is so cold, I can't even feel it .

Everything is buzzing, but sound slowly comes back to me, my ears still ringing.

"Fallon, answer me right now!" Kage roars.

"Kage," I whisper. "I think . . . I think I'm okay." I look down, and my body appears intact. "A car hit me . . . . I'm okay . . . . I think I'm okay—" My vision spins, and I reach up with a shaking hand, touching my head and pulling it away to see blood covering my fingertips as two hands appear before me.

"Kage, I don't think I'm okay," I croak. "Kage . . . Kage . . ." Everything starts to go dark. "Help me."

"Where are you? Fallon!" His shouts follow me into the darkness, but I can't answer, even though I hear the pure terror in his voice.

I wake up to the sound of sirens and voices, but I must pass out again because the next thing I know, I'm looking at the inside of an ambulance before I'm under again. The next time I wake up, I see an off-white ceiling, the godawful color all hospitals have. Groaning, I turn my head and pain spasms through me, making my eyes slam shut as my vision starts to swim.

A hand grips mine, and when I open my eyes again, I blink to find Kage's worried face above me. "Sweetheart," he murmurs with a shaky smile. "There you are. I was worried."

"What happened?" I ask, my memories hazy.

"You were in an accident. You're in the hospital. I got you the best private room and doctor?—"

"More like ordered it. You have every single doctor and the hospital administrator at your beck and call," a laughing voice comments. I turn to see Elijah sitting in a chair on my other side, typing away. He winks at me when he catches me looking. "He wouldn't have anything less."

"Sounds like him," I murmur as I look back at Kage. "The other driver—" Everything comes back, and I gulp. "It was on purpose. "

"Shh, just rest," he murmurs, propping me up and sitting on the side of my bed as he runs his eyes over my face.

"I must look like shit, huh?" I joke with a cough. He grabs a cup and lets me sip from it. "Kage, you're worrying me."

"You're lucky to be alive," he murmurs, his voice tight. "Your hand and leg are injured—nothing permanent, which is a goddamn miracle—your nose is broken, your eyes are black, and you have a hairline fracture in your cheekbone and a cracked skull. Those are the most serious. It's a miracle," he says, shaking his head, his hands clenched on his thighs as he looks away. "I'm sorry, Fallon. I'm sorry I wasn't there?—"

"Shh, why would you be? It wasn't your fault." I take his hand with a smile. "Besides, I got lucky. Like you said, it could be a lot worse. I guess me getting out of the way even a little saved my life."

"Don't joke right now," he snaps before taking my hand. "I almost lost you, Fallon. Do you know how scared I was? I could hear it happening and couldn't do—" He shuts up, breathing deeply. "You're okay, and I'm here. That's all that matters. Rest now, the doctor will be in soon now that you're awake."

I frown as he glances away. He's pale, too pale, and shaking. I guess it really shook him up. If I'm going to be honest, it scared me too, but I'm trying not to focus on it because I might sink into that fear and never come out.

There's a knock on the door and a head peeks around it. "Mr. Kage, the police wish to speak to Fallon." It's one of my guards, and his eyes are lowered, not even glancing at anyone in the room.

"Let me talk to them." Kage kisses me and heads out, shutting the door.

Elijah scoots closer. "He lost it. I've never seen him like that. He was terrified, Fallon, when he heard the accident. Within a few minutes, the entire police force and hospital suffered his wrath. They are scared shitless. He was like an animal. My usually calm singer was a maniac. He only calmed down when you were settled in this bed. I thought he was going to kill someone. There are forty guards out there, and I suspect whoever hit you will end up in a watery grave. "

The door opens, and I glance at Kage as he slips inside. So that's what's wrong. He was worried and probably blames himself.

"I told the police they can fucking wait."

I blink at his statement, but it shouldn't surprise me. I hold my hand out, and he rushes my way, taking it and sinking to his knees next to me as I smile. "Elijah, can you give me a second?"

"Of course." He leaves, and when I hear the door shut, I move over in the bed, making room for him.

"Come on."

"Baby, you need to rest."

I arch my brow, and he crawls onto the bed, holding me. I sink into his arms, ignoring the pain it sends through my wrist and head. This is more important. Besides, I've felt pain before, and I can handle it.

"I was so scared," he whispers.

"I know. I'm sorry," I murmur. "Did they catch the driver?"

"No, they got away, but it will only be a matter of time," he murmurs. "From now on, you won't go anywhere alone."

"I know." I might want to be independent, but I'm not an idiot. Someone tried to kill me today, so I won't fight him on this. "It means we are hitting where we need to."

"Enough," he murmurs. "Not now."

"Now is the perfect time to strike." I look up at his face. "Let them see what's happening and the lengths someone is willing to go to. They want to silence me, but they are going to do the opposite."

"Fallon," he begins, but I lean up to kiss his lips.

"When the doctors let me go of course, but until then, just hold me."

"Forever," he promises, kissing my head, but I know that it's going to take him a while to get over what happened.

I almost died today.

It's my turn to shake in his arms, and he holds me silently the entire time.