Real Shadows - M.E. Clayton Page 0,23

face-to-chest, and she glared up at me. “Fine,” she spewed. “Is this better? Fuck off, Xander.”

I groaned. I knew she was going to be pissed and, therefore, difficult, but I would think someone this desperate would hear me out, at least. “Fallon-”

Then she surprised me when she asked, “Why don’t you believe me?”

I looked into those pissed off blue eyes of hers and couldn’t find it in me to lie to her. I probably should since I was trying to get into her good graces, but I just couldn’t. “Because I can’t understand why someone who is obsessed with you wouldn’t have already made a move,” I told her honestly. “You’ve got to be one of the hottest women I have ever seen. There’s no way I’d be able to stay away if it were me. And that’s why I’m struggling to believe you.”

Chapter 11

Fallon~

Holy.

Shit.

Out of all the things I expected Xander Raynes to say, that sure as hell wasn’t one of them.

Suddenly, the motel room felt stifling. It felt smaller and…inappropriate. I felt smaller and inappropriate. I was being tormented by a madman, and I was, literally, on the run for my life, but all I could seem to think about in this moment was how a man as good-looking, albeit an asshole, as Xander Raynes was standing in my motel room telling me I was one of the hottest women he’s ever seen. And that, if he was my stalker, he wouldn’t have the self-control to stay away from me.

I could admit that my dry spell was more like a two-year drought, but was I so desperate for human contact that a jerk like Xander Raynes was looking good right now?

I shook my head and snapped myself out of those dangerous and useless thoughts. Even if I wanted a one-night stand with a man, I didn’t want it to be with one who thought I was crazy, or worse, an attention seeking whore.

Jesus. Get a grip, Fallon.

“That’s your reasoning?” I replied, trying to aloofness.

He lifted his chin and it was a shame he was such a good-looking sonofabitch. In another life, I might have liked this man. “I can’t imagine any man who could stay away for that many years without just taking you, Fallon,” he repeated, but this time his voice carried a heat it hadn’t before, and I knew Xander Raynes was a bad fucking idea.

Ignoring all my firing lady bits, I forced my mind to get back to the subject at hand. While the beers and tequila shots hadn’t solved all my problems, they did help me come to terms with a decision that was long overdue.

“Well, I no longer need your help, Mr. Ra-Xander,” I replied. This was truly none of his business, but the sooner I told him about my come-to-Jesus moment, the quicker he could leave. He was here out of guilt and as soon as he found out he had nothing to be guilty about, he could move on with his life. “I’ve decided to stay. However, I decided to…do it in the open and face whatever awaits me.” His back straightened and his nostrils flared like I just pissed him off, but my life wasn’t his business or his responsibility.

He was quiet for a few seconds before finally saying, “Maybe a decision like this shouldn’t be made after beers and shots.” He sounded so condescending, I was back to wanting to punch him in the face.

“Quite frankly, my decision, however it was made, is none of your business,” I told him, stressing that, yet again, my life was none of his business. “If he comes for me, then he comes for me. But at least, this way, I have Karla in my corner.”

He looked like he wanted to argue the point, but instead he just gave me tight nod. “I’m really sorry I judged you the way I did,” he said, and I wasn’t sure what to do with that.

I had bigger issues to deal with besides what Xander Raynes thought of me. Sure, it’d be nice if we could get along for Karla and Trevor’s sake, but I hadn’t really planned on spending that much time with Karla and Trevor to begin with. As much as Karla was in my corner, I wanted to spare her from my drama as much as possible. I figured with getting a job and getting settled in, a once a week lunch or something like that would be good enough to still be