Broken Butterfly: Fallen Brook Series: Book 3 Read online

  “What?”

  “We’re leaving. Get up.”

  “Leaving for where?”

  “Consider it an extended vacation. Trust me,” I tell her.

  “Fallon, I have no clothes or shoes.”

  I rise from the chair and hold out my hand to her. Elizabeth looks up at me with a scowl.

  “I have classes, Fallon. I meet with a therapist twice a week. I can’t just up and leave.”

  “Trust me.” My eyes never waver from hers as I keep my hand outstretched in front of me.

  It takes a few minutes, but she finally takes my hand without another word.

  “Oh, kitten. We’re going to have so much fun, you and I.” The devil inside of me grins.

  Chapter 3

  Day 1: Finding Myself

  It Begins…

  I truly have lost my ever-loving mind, I think as I follow Fallon down a short, narrow flight of stairs on a yacht we just boarded. I know I’ve already said it today, but what the hell am I thinking?

  Fallon opens a door and leads me into an expansive, stately room that resembles a luxury hotel suite. A queen-sized bed filled with pillows of various sizes sits at one end of the room with a full entertainment center directly across from it. The TV is mounted on the wall. An elegant wood desk, a dresser, and a small love seat and coffee table finish the room’s furnishings. The room is decorated in muted shades of dusty blue and gray.

  “There’s a selection of clothes and shoes in that closet that should fit you,” he tells me. “We’ll pick up whatever else you need along the way.”

  I open the small closet and find a myriad of colorful blouses and skirts. There are also tailored slacks and dresses. I finger the fabric of one of the blouses. It feels like satin. I turn to Fallon. “Whose clothes are these?” If he says they belong to his mother, I’ll refuse to wear them. That’s just fucking creepy.

  “They’re my sister’s. She’s shorter than you, but I think most of her stuff should fit.”

  “Wait a minute. You have a sister too?” It wasn’t that long ago I found out that Trevor was his half-brother. How many secret siblings does this guy have?

  “Another result of my father’s numerous affairs. It wouldn’t surprise me if I had dozens of half-siblings scattered around the globe I don’t know about.”

  “Wow,” is all I can say.

  Fallon leans a shoulder against the doorframe and crosses his arms. “You’d like her. She lives in Madrid. I go see her about once a year and we sail the Mediterranean together for a month during the summer.”

  “What’s her name?”

  “Tatiána.”

  I catalog that bit of information for later. Fallon straightens and walks away from the door. After he leaves, I lock the door and remove a few garments from the closet and lay them on the bed. Next, I investigate the contents inside the dresser drawers. I find a selection of sleepwear, underwear, bras, garters, and socks. I grab the items I need and throw them on the bed next to the clothes. Slowly turning around in a circle, I take everything in, while continuing to question how I got here.

  After we left Fallon’s frat, he drove us to a marina. Just like this morning, people stopped what they were doing and stared. Fallon was dressed in dark charcoal trousers and a nice sweater. I, however, was still wearing the sleep clothes he had given me and a pair of men’s slippers. We must have looked like the oddest couple. He walked me down a long dock then stopped in front of an enormous yacht.

  “Holy shit, Fallon,” I said in disbelief. “Is this your parents’?”

  “No, kitten. It’s mine. Come on.” Despite my newfound curiosity, Fallon practically had to drag my ass onto the boat.

  “What am I doing here?” I had asked him while watching several crew members walk around doing whatever people do to get a yacht ready to set sail. One of the crewmen approached me carrying a tray with prepared drinks. He greeted me by name and asked if I needed anything. I declined. This was insane. I tugged on Fallon’s arm.

  “Fallon.”

  “Give me your phone, kitten.”

  “What?”

  He reached out, palm up, waiting. “Give me your fucking phone.”

  “Not a chance in hell,” I told him.

  “You want to find out which Elizabeth you’re going to be? I’m giving you that chance. Give me your phone.”

  “Why do you need my phone, Fallon? I need to call Ryder, Jayson, and Julien and let them know I’m okay.”

  “Already took care of that.”

  “What? When?” He must have done it earlier when he left his room and I fell asleep.

  “Kitten, you came to me for help. I’m helping. You might not understand how right now, but you will. The first thing you need is time and space away from Ry, Jay, and Jules. You can’t do that if you’re texting and calling them at all hours every day. Now, put your goddamn phone in my hand or I will take it from you.”

  “Jesus! Fine! Here.” I slapped my phone into his hand.

  “Good girl.”

  Another worry popped into my head. “Fallon, I have classes I can’t miss. I’m already a year behind.”

  “Also taken care of. Will you just shut up and fucking trust me?”

  That’s when he takes me down the stairs and into his sister’s stateroom, which is where I’m currently standing.

  Once I finish circling the room, I decide to take another shower—a proper one this time. The various shampoos and soaps smell like flowers. After I’m done, I take my time getting ready. Finding a hair dryer, I blow dry my hair before piling my thick blond mass on top of my head in a loose bun. Next, I try on several items of clothing until I find a blouse that I like. The trousers are all too short for me, so I choose one of the longer skirts. Fallon was correct about Tatiána’s stuff being my size. Other than our apparent height difference, most of her clothes fit me. There’s a light knock on my suite door.

  “Miss Fairchild? Mr. Montgomery would like for you to join him up on deck.”

  I open the door to find an impeccably dressed man standing in front of me. “Hi,” I say, unsure of what to do.

  “Good day, Miss Fairchild. My name is Robert, and I will be your personal concierge while you are on board. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ring me at any time by pressing the number seven on any phone you find on board.” I catch a faint British accent and want to ask him where he’s from but decide not to. I give him a polite smile in greeting.

  Realizing he what he said about the phone, I eye the phone in my room and Robert follows my gaze. “Mr. Montgomery also wanted me to inform you that the phones on board are pin-locked and you will not be able to call out unless you have the code, which he has informed the staff you are not to have. Also, the laptops and computers on board are password-protected.”

  I make a silent, internal growl aimed at Fallon. Asshole.

  “Please follow me.” Robert offers me the back of his hand like we’re about to walk out onto a ballroom floor to waltz. As we walk, he points out various rooms to me. Fallon’s suite is right next to mine, which makes sense if I’m staying in the one his sister uses.

  Robert escorts me to the upper deck. I look around, taking everything in. We’re already sailing in open water, the marina now a tiny speck in the distance. The late afternoon sun is sinking toward the horizon. It’s absolutely breathtaking. I wish I could take some pictures, but Fallon has my phone. The breeze is strong and whips some of my hair out from my bun. The wind feels crisp and cool against my skin. I breathe in and smell the salt of the ocean. Grasping the top railing, I lean over to watch the small white caps form along the side of the yacht as it trails through the rippling Atlantic waters.

  “I’ve got it from here, Robert,” Fallon says from behind me. Robert quietly slips away. Fallon comes to stand beside me, his hands shoved into the pockets of his trousers.

  “You look beautiful,” he tells me.

  Not knowing what else to say, I tell him thank you. I breathe in the open oc
ean air once again. Instead of the heavy saline smell of the ocean I detected before, the air now smells like freedom.

  “Ready to find yourself, kitten?”

  The setting sun makes his sandy-blond hair look almost burnt umber. “I’m trusting you, Fallon. Don’t make me regret it.”

  He gives me one of his classic Fallon smirks and slings an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his side. He places a kiss to my temple like a protective older brother would a little sister he adores. Fallon is a complete conundrum to me. He can be a foul-mouthed loud jerk, but like now, he can also be tender, sweet, and caring. For some strange reason, I like all his sides, even the asshole-ish ones. With his arm around me, we stand together near the railing and watch the sun sink until the stars come out.

  “So, are you going to finally tell me what your plan is?” I ask Fallon.

  We just finished dinner, which was excellent. I told the chef about my dairy allergy and preference for gluten-free, and he whipped up a gorgeous allergen-free chocolate cake with raspberry drizzle just for me. That was after we enjoyed a selection of grilled fish, chicken, roasted vegetables, and salad. I hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday, with the exception of the banana Fallon brought me this morning, so I was ravenous. Now we’re back out on the top deck enjoying an IPA and looking up at the stars.

  “In about two days, we’ll dock near New York so I can take you shopping for some new clothes.”

  I think my mouth drops open. “Fallon, you’re not buying me clothes and I’m not taking your money.”

  “Kitten, who the hell do you think you’re talking to? You should know by now that money is not an obstacle for me. I have millions. A few clothes and shoes are nothing. Besides, you have to do what I say. It’s in the contract you agreed to.”

  I mouth the word “asshole” at him, and he gives me a cocky salute with his beer bottle. It would be nice to have some new clothes and not have to wear his sister’s.

  Knowing I’m zero for like a thousand at winning arguments with him, I relent. “Alright, new clothes. Then what?”

  “We’ll stay in New York City for a couple of days, take in the sights, see a show, do the normal touristy things.”

  I have to admit, a part of me gets excited about the thought of touring New York City. I’ve never been there before.

  “And then?”

  “And then it’s up to you where we end up.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Operation ‘Finding Elizabeth’ has begun. Where you go, I follow…but I’m still in charge. So, where do you want to go?”

  “Fallon, this is too much. I’m just a girl from a small town in the middle of nowhere. You don’t even know me that well. Why are you doing this for me?”

  He narrows those pale blue eyes at me. “Where do you want to go?” he asks again.

  He’s not going to answer me. “You are so frustrating!”

  For the third time, he asks, “Where do you want to go, Elizabeth?” He drinks his beer while watching me. Waiting.

  I bite my lip and look at him, so many thoughts and possibilities run through my head.

  “Elizabeth, I’m serious about doing this for you.” His phone rings and a strange expression crosses his face when he looks down at the screen. “Sorry, I’ve got to take this,” he clips and gets up.

  I lean my head back on the deck chair and scan the night sky. I can see so many stars. You never realize how much of the night sky you miss out on when you live in a town. The night sky is usually obscured by light pollution from streetlamps and buildings. Gazing upon the star-filled expanse above me makes me think of the night Ryder took me out to his quiet place where we danced under the moonlight. I remember the night of my first date with Jayson when he lit up our tree and we perched on top of one of the branches as we cuddled among the fairy lights. God, I already miss the boys so much. But there’s my problem in a nutshell; the reason I ran to Fallon for help. The old and new parts of me are battling for control inside my mind, leaving me yearning for both Ryder and Jayson. This insane idea of Fallon’s is my chance to decide who I want to be and who I want to be with once and for all. Will Old Elizabeth win out, or will I choose the new life I’ve been creating with Ryder these past several months?

  I stand up to stretch my legs and walk around. Fallon’s yacht is gorgeous. He let me explore it a little before dinner. I think tomorrow morning I’ll try out the fitness room. I’m so used to running with Julien in the mornings that I’ll probably be up before five anyway, so I might as well. I stroll around the deck and see Fallon walking back, his head down.

  “I said I’m handling it.” He looks up and sees me. “Look, I’ve got to go,” he tells the person on the other end and hangs up.

  “What if I want to go to Europe?” I call to him as he slowly approaches.

  “Done.”

  This guy. I could probably tell him to buy me a tropical island and he would give me the same response.

  “Which city?” he asks.

  “London. Paris. Venice.”

  “Okay.”

  I scoff at his easy acceptance. I continue, “Reykjavik. Amsterdam. Barcelona. Sydney.”

  “Fine, even though Sydney’s not in Europe.” He smirks. “We can take the family jet. I’ll call and get it ready. We’ll fly out of JFK.”

  “I will never be able to pay you back.”

  “I would never ask you to, nor would I let you.”

  “There’s something I’ve been wondering, Fallon.”

  Fallon stops in front of me, the wind ruffling his hair in every direction. “And what would that be, kitten?”

  “Why me?”

  Even though I had tried to ask him something similar to that earlier, I don’t think he was expecting me to ask again, point blank. Why me? Two words. So simple yet packed with so much meaning.

  He takes a lock of my hair and rubs it between his fingers. “I could say that it’s because you’re Ryder’s girl and I owe him one, which means that I’m being a good friend to him by helping you. Or I could say that I’m a nice guy who sees someone in trouble and wants to help out of the kindness of my heart. Instead, I’ll give you a partial truth because you wouldn’t be able to handle the whole truth.”

  I snort at his last words. “You did not just semi-quote A Few Good Men to me.”

  Fallon chuckles for a second when he realizes that I’m right, but then plows on. “Why you, you ask?” he casually questions while twining the lock of my hair around his finger and giving it a slight tug to bring my face closer to his. “Because Elizabeth, Ry and Jay aren’t the only ones who want you.”

  I literally gasp in surprise. “Fallon, you can’t say things like that to me.”

  “Too late. I just did.”

  Holy shit. Either Fallon is just messing with my head, playing those cat and mouse games he loves so much, or Julien may have been right about Fallon’s interest in me. I flip back through my memories of Fallon and I decide it’s best to assume he’s just toying with me. Besides, I have too many other things to concern myself with other than Fallon’s maybe, not-really-sure desire for me. The guy is a total man-slut who has had sex with who knows how many girls from both my school and his, and who knows how many more at CU. The fact that I was never interested in him would be like dangling chocolate cake in front of a starving person, making him want me because he could never have me. So, I do the only thing I can at this moment. I ignore his remark.

  “I have one condition, Fallon.”

  “Name it.”

  “You have to either call or text Ryder, Julien, or Jayson every day, so they all know that I’m okay. Otherwise, turn the boat around and take me back.”

  Fallon narrows his eyes at me, but I stand firm on what I want. “Deal.”

  “How can I trust that you’ll keep your word?”

  “Because New Elizabeth would kick my ass if I didn’t.”

  A grin splits my face. “Damn straight. Now challenge me to a game of pool so I can hus
tle you.” I noticed a gyroscopically-controlled pool table in the game room earlier. Fallon barks out a laugh.

  “You know what, kitten? I have a feeling that we’re going to have a fucktastic adventure together. Tomorrow is Halloween. I hate that I don’t get to see you in a sexy kitten costume, but I’ve made plans.”

  I spin around, arms wide. “Fallon, if you’ve forgotten, we’re on a boat in the Atlantic. I doubt we’ll be getting any trick-or-treaters.”

  “Still doesn’t mean we can’t have fun.”

  Me: Kitten made me promise to text one of you assholes every fucking day. You’re the winner only bc I like u best.

  Ry:

  Ry: How is she?

  Me: Scared and confused. She loves you. She hates herself. I think she may have a split personality.

  Ry: Don’t tell me that. I hope you’re joking.

  Me: Her words, not mine. She says Old Elizabeth and New Elizabeth are battling it out. I’m half expecting her head to start swiveling around in a 360.

  Ry: That’s not funny. Is she ok?

  Me: As good as can be expected. I made sure to have a doctor on board just in case.

  I told Robert to act like one of the crewmen so Elizabeth wouldn’t be freaked out.

  Ry: I hate hearing that. Anything at all comes up, you head for port or get her helicoptered out and take her to a proper hospital immediately. Even if you think it’s minor.

  Me: I got it covered. She’s safe with me.

  Ryder goes silent for a minute, but I see the little dots dancing that tell me he’s typing a reply.

  Ry: She promised me that nothing would change between us if she ever got her memory back. She promised all of us she would never leave again. Why couldn’t she come to me? Why did she run?

  Me: You, Jay, and Jules are the problems right now. She needs distance and time to settle and make a decision. Being around u three would just fuck her up more. U guys would be fighting over her like rabid dogs and making things worse.

  Ry: I would never hurt her.