Page 88 of Secrets We Fight

“I don’t need them to take care of me.”

“Fallon,” my father groaned. “Don’t argue with me.”

“Look, Dad. I understand you’re worried about me, but I’ll be fine. I have Rhett and my team here if anything happens. What I need is to get back to my everyday life again. I’m tired of attending school through a computer screen, and I have to apply for internships and set one up for the summer. I can’t do any of that in D.C. Plus,” I continued, “I don’t care how big the White House is, I refuse to be under the same roof as Finn.”

Dad was silent on the other end. Then he finally said, “If I can’t convince your mother, it’s out of my hands.”

“You should understand how important law school is,” I argued. “Tell her I need to stay.”

“I’ll see what I can do, but you know she worries.”

“I know.” Rhett walked back into the room, followed by a nurse with a wheelchair for me. “I need to blow this popsicle stand now.”

“All right. I love you, son.”

“Love you too, and tell Mom I’ll be fine.” We hung up, and I asked the nurse. “Can I leave now?”

“Yep. I have your discharge papers right here.”

“Great.” She handed them to me, and I asked Rhett, “Meet you at my place?”

“I’ll be right behind you.”

28

RHETT

Fallon sat on his couch,scrolling for something to watch on TV. Agent Day, who had been moved to my post while I was on administrative leave, had walked to the kitchen and sat at the island with his back to us when we arrived at the condo, trying to give us some semblance of privacy. We’d heard some murmurings that Day and Bernard would be transferred because of the shooting, but Fallon had also gone to bat for them and convinced the higher-ups to keep both agents on his detail.

“I can’t believe I have to do online classes for another week,” Fallon huffed.

“It’s not like you had your appendix removed. It’s going to take some time to heal from a gunshot wound,” I said, dropping onto the seat next to him.

He sighed. “At least the press might have something else to report on by the time I go back to campus.”

Even though it had been ten days since the shooting, it was all the news seemed to want to discuss, and it was hard to miss the media vans outside his building when I pulled into the parking garage.

I laced my fingers through his. “I know it’s not easy, but I’ll be here with you every day to keep you entertained when you aren’t studying.”

“And how exactly do you plan on entertaining me?” He turned his head to look at me with a mischievous gleam in his eye.

I shook my head. “Not like whatever you’re thinking.”

“Why not? I’ll even let you do all the work,” he whispered so Day couldn’t hear us over the TV.

“You’re ridiculous. You need to rest, not get riled up.”

“Will you kiss me at least?” he pouted.

“I’ll always do that without question.”

I leaned in and did as he wanted. He palmed the back of my head as my tongue delved into his mouth. It was so easy to lose myself in him. I began trailing my hand up his thigh before I remembered we couldn’t take things any further since he needed to focus on his recovery and we had company. As soon as I pulled back, the alarm on my phone went off.

“It’s time for your pain meds. The pharmacist said they’ll likely make you sleepy. Do you want to stay out here or lie down in bed?”

“I think I’ll go to bed.” He gritted his teeth and groaned in pain as I helped him up from the couch.

“Take your time.”