Just like he knew he would in the end.
But it was too late for him to back out now. Merlin’s words about being very sure rang in his head like a fire alarm.
“It won’t happen again, I swear.”
“That still didn’t answer my question. Where were you?” she asked quietly. “You promised.”
“Tally, I admit I was wrong to leave you. It’s my day, so I shouldn’t have left you alone for a second. But why did you go with Ethelred? You can tell him no. You can tell me no.” For the first time he wondered if she actually knew that.
“No, I couldn’t. He gave me cramps and made them worse if I didn’t comply. So no, I couldn’t refuse him.”
“He what?” Falcon demanded, rage boiling again.
“Look, you already bashed his face in, which I think he actually enjoyed. Let it go. You’ll be there next time, right?” She dried her hands off on her jeans. “This is what he wants. To make you angry. To make us question everything.”
“He had no right to do that to you, Tally. It was an abuse of power.”
“And he wants you to do the same. He wants you to be angry. He probably thinks he can corrupt us because we have history. He’ll play us against each other if he can.”
“Aren’t I the one supposed to be giving this speech?”
Tally laughed. “I guess it was my turn today. That would be pretty cool if we could save each other, don’t you think? I mean, I kind of owe you.”
“You mean like in those books Middy likes to read?” He smirked. “I’m not romance novel material, baby.” But wouldn’t it just be something if he was?
“Why not? We live in a world with magick. Lots of people think that’s a fairy tale. So why can’t I save you, too? It’s not like I asked for shining armor or anything. Dred’s already got that buttoned up.”
Something sharp and hot flared at the comment. He didn’t like it. “I can’t believe Middy got him to wear shining armor for their wedding.”
“Well, he was willing to die and damn himself for her, so I’d think wearing armor would be a little thing in comparison. I think he already wore the thing to a Samhain mixer at Academy, anyway. As much as he denies it, he likes it.”
“As well he should. He’s lucky my sister even looked twice at him.”
“I know. He wasn’t even put off by the Trifecta.”
“That never stopped you,” Falcon replied.
“You never struck the fear of Merlin into warlocks on my behalf.”
“Oh, I beg to differ,” he began and the garden gnome handed them each a towel.
“Really? Who?”
“Grigori Hampsteath.”
“He stood me up for—You ass. I cried on your shoulder about that for half the night.” She handed the towel back.
“I knew you’d be angry, but he was running his mouth about getting you to put out, so I encouraged him to steer clear of you if he wanted to keep his teeth and his balls.”
“Falcon, people have always been talking about me. Ever since my father was convicted and sentenced to the Hall. Then my mother went crazy and killed herself. I was always fodder for the gossip mill. Since birth, apparently. You know I don’t care what people say.”
“I know. But you deserved better than that.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist and tucked her head against his chest. “And here you said you didn’t wear shining armor.”
He found himself wishing for just a moment that he could be that warlock—the one that the shining armor would fit.
CHAPTER NINE
Cupid, Drop Your Bow
T he first part of her parole with Falcon was almost over, thank Merlin.
Tally was torn between wanting to see Falcon all the time and never wanting see him again. He hadn’t brought up the Crimson Tide Incident, or the Werewolf Incident. In fact, he acted like none of it had happened. She supposed that was just as well. It was a Shall Not, after all.
He’d stuck to her like a burr, as he’d promised. They spent a lot of time on the beach, walking and talking, shelling. She had a whole basket of shells
But it was too late for him to back out now. Merlin’s words about being very sure rang in his head like a fire alarm.
“It won’t happen again, I swear.”
“That still didn’t answer my question. Where were you?” she asked quietly. “You promised.”
“Tally, I admit I was wrong to leave you. It’s my day, so I shouldn’t have left you alone for a second. But why did you go with Ethelred? You can tell him no. You can tell me no.” For the first time he wondered if she actually knew that.
“No, I couldn’t. He gave me cramps and made them worse if I didn’t comply. So no, I couldn’t refuse him.”
“He what?” Falcon demanded, rage boiling again.
“Look, you already bashed his face in, which I think he actually enjoyed. Let it go. You’ll be there next time, right?” She dried her hands off on her jeans. “This is what he wants. To make you angry. To make us question everything.”
“He had no right to do that to you, Tally. It was an abuse of power.”
“And he wants you to do the same. He wants you to be angry. He probably thinks he can corrupt us because we have history. He’ll play us against each other if he can.”
“Aren’t I the one supposed to be giving this speech?”
Tally laughed. “I guess it was my turn today. That would be pretty cool if we could save each other, don’t you think? I mean, I kind of owe you.”
“You mean like in those books Middy likes to read?” He smirked. “I’m not romance novel material, baby.” But wouldn’t it just be something if he was?
“Why not? We live in a world with magick. Lots of people think that’s a fairy tale. So why can’t I save you, too? It’s not like I asked for shining armor or anything. Dred’s already got that buttoned up.”
Something sharp and hot flared at the comment. He didn’t like it. “I can’t believe Middy got him to wear shining armor for their wedding.”
“Well, he was willing to die and damn himself for her, so I’d think wearing armor would be a little thing in comparison. I think he already wore the thing to a Samhain mixer at Academy, anyway. As much as he denies it, he likes it.”
“As well he should. He’s lucky my sister even looked twice at him.”
“I know. He wasn’t even put off by the Trifecta.”
“That never stopped you,” Falcon replied.
“You never struck the fear of Merlin into warlocks on my behalf.”
“Oh, I beg to differ,” he began and the garden gnome handed them each a towel.
“Really? Who?”
“Grigori Hampsteath.”
“He stood me up for—You ass. I cried on your shoulder about that for half the night.” She handed the towel back.
“I knew you’d be angry, but he was running his mouth about getting you to put out, so I encouraged him to steer clear of you if he wanted to keep his teeth and his balls.”
“Falcon, people have always been talking about me. Ever since my father was convicted and sentenced to the Hall. Then my mother went crazy and killed herself. I was always fodder for the gossip mill. Since birth, apparently. You know I don’t care what people say.”
“I know. But you deserved better than that.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist and tucked her head against his chest. “And here you said you didn’t wear shining armor.”
He found himself wishing for just a moment that he could be that warlock—the one that the shining armor would fit.
CHAPTER NINE
Cupid, Drop Your Bow
T he first part of her parole with Falcon was almost over, thank Merlin.
Tally was torn between wanting to see Falcon all the time and never wanting see him again. He hadn’t brought up the Crimson Tide Incident, or the Werewolf Incident. In fact, he acted like none of it had happened. She supposed that was just as well. It was a Shall Not, after all.
He’d stuck to her like a burr, as he’d promised. They spent a lot of time on the beach, walking and talking, shelling. She had a whole basket of shells
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