Page 4 of Seduced By My Brother’s Best Friend (SEALs of Aster Falls #2)

(Fallon)

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I would never have thought there would come a day that I would come to depend on Alexander King.

But life has a habit of throwing unexpected situations at people.

I could very easily resent this baby growing inside of me for my situation right now, but the truth is, I don’t hate who or what I’ve become.

I’m happy. Happier than I ever was in my parents’ house, in college, and even in New Jersey, thanks to Alex.

He makes me feel free, and he’s really good at soothing my worries. Everything is perfect right now except for the damn morning sickness.

“Feel better?” Alex questions, rubbing my back after I just puked my guts out on a Saturday morning.

I groan and collapse onto the bathroom floor. If he wasn’t my baby’s daddy and fifty percent responsible for the predicament I’ve found myself in, I might have reconsidered acting like this in front of him. But over the past month that I’ve lived with him, he’s seen me at my worst.

We’re nothing more than co-parents or roommates right now.

Alex takes care of me. He feeds me, provides for me, and does everything in his power to make sure I’m comfortable, but nothing more than that.

Although, there have been a few moments when I’ve caught him staring at me, and I’ve begun to wonder if there could be more.

The night we slept together keeps playing over and over in my mind.

He seemed sad that I was leaving, and I knew he was holding back.

We’re both not the best at communicating, which is why we’re at such a standstill.

But deep in my heart, I know I want him.

I’ve wanted him since I was thirteen, and the only thing keeping me away from him is the fear that he might not feel the same way.

“Come on, I made us some pancakes for breakfast,” he says, helping me to my feet.

I clean up before I turn to face him.

“I don’t really want pancakes,” I tell him, biting down on my bottom lip.

He raises a dark eyebrow. “Oh yeah? So, what does my lady want this morning?”

He’s so patient and kind. A sharp contrast to what I thought he would be like.

He has pretty much turned his whole life upside down for me.

No more late nights at bars or clubs. No more women.

No more alcohol in his house. According to him, if I can’t drink, he’ll join me in sobriety. It was really sweet of him.

“Some soup would be nice,” I tell him with a smile.

“Soup? Okay, I’ll get it done, but I might need to get some groceries. You’ll be fine on your own?”

I roll my eyes. “Alex, I’m pregnant, not handicapped. We don’t have to be glued at the hip.”

“Yeah, but I worry about you and my little Neymar,” he states, moving closer and placing his hand carefully on my stomach.

I’m barely showing at four months, but the doctor has assured us it’s normal. We don’t know the sex of the kid, but Alex is sure it will be a boy. According to him, a girl would be too hard to raise because he would never be able to tell her no.

“You can’t speak the sex of a baby into existence,” I say with a grin.

“I can damn well try,” he retorts before placing a quick kiss on my forehead.

“Go back to bed. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

I nod, trying hard to ignore the erratic beating of my heart.

I head back into my bedroom, and then he leaves.

I check my phone to see if I’ve received any calls from my family, specifically my parents, but nothing yet.

Damien has been trying to talk them around but it seems they’re insistent on cutting ties with me.

Alex kept telling me not to give a fuck about them, but he wouldn’t understand.

They’re my parents. I can’t just turn my back on them.

Alex returns soon after, and I stay with him in the kitchen as he prepares my soup.

My cravings have been getting more and more spontaneous as time goes on.

After breakfast, we head into the living room to watch a movie.

I keep tossing and turning on the couch, and Alex notices.

He smiles before setting down his pillow and turning to me.

“Bored?” he asks.

Of course, I’m bored. We never go anywhere and are always at home. Except once in a while when he takes me out to dinner, or we go for a drive. It’s like we don’t know what to do with ourselves in this new situation.

“Painfully bored,” I reply.

The most exciting thing that has happened to me in the past few days was finding a pretty flower petal at the back of the house.

I had planned to show it to Alex, but it skipped my mind.

When I went to look for it again, the petal was gone.

I wonder how it got there, considering Alex doesn’t have a proper garden or any flowers planted.

Alex chuckles lightly, making my heart melt.

I never hear him laugh so freely. It’s nice.

I stare at him for a second, his beautiful hazel green eyes, his warm smile.

In the past month, I’ve seen layers of Alex that he tries hard to keep from everyone else.

It makes me wonder why he does so in the first place.

“We can talk, anything you want,” he tells me.

I ponder that for a moment before nodding. This might be the opening I’ve needed.

“Truth or dare,” I suggest. Excitement ruffles in my stomach as I think up something genius. “If you can’t answer a question or do a dare, you have to take off an article of clothing.”

Alex stares at me in shock. “You did not just suggest that. You, Fallon Wright?”

I roll my eyes. “Your idea of me is incredibly annoying. Alex. I’m not innocent, and I’m certainly not a saint. I lost my virginity at 18. I’m not this sweet angel that can do no wrong.”

He smiles. “Save it for the game.”

“Okay then, I’ll go first.” I take a deep breath before speaking. “Why did you take me in? Why are you taking care of me? Is this all because you feel responsible, or there’s something else you’re not telling me?”

He gives me a small smile. “Starting with the deep questions, I see.”

The next moment, he takes off his shirt. My eyes widen at the sudden amount of exposed skin. I stare at his very ripped body, suddenly grateful that he went into the Navy. He really is too sexy for his own good.

“My turn,” he states, distracting me from his chest. I look up at him, suddenly realizing that I’m wearing a baggy shirt, a tank top underneath, and shorts. This game just became more dangerous than I thought.

“Why are you fighting so hard to reconcile with your family? If they could throw you away so easily, then it probably means they don’t deserve you.”

I sigh softly as his question sinks in. “Because they’re my family, Alex. My parents. They might not be the best people, but they’re the reason I’m here today. They raised me. How would you feel if our son or daughter grew up and decided to cut off all ties with us?”

“I would never let that happen,” he says assuredly. “And Mellissa and Jason cut ties with you. They’re the assholes in this scenario.”

I stare at him, unsure of what to say. I wish I could help him understand how I feel.

“Did I answer your question?” I ask instead.

He smirks. “Barely.”

“All right, my turn. When did you first have sex?”

He rolls his eyes. “That’s a pretty juvenile question, but I’ll answer regardless. I was 16, she was 18, and we did it in the back of my mom’s car,” he says with a smirk.

I shake my head. “As expected,’ I say dryly.

“I’m not going to ask you because I already know the full story. Gary Pimm, captain of the football team, senior prom. The both of you had been dating for all your senior year before you finally agreed to sex. You did it in your bedroom. There was music and scented candles.”

My jaw falls open. “H-how do you know that?”

“I’m best friends with your brother,” he replies, crossing his arms over his chest.

I don’t know who I want to murder more: my brother or Alex.

“Chill out. I thought it was cute,” Alex states.

I yell and move to wring his neck, but he intercepts me and catches my hands in his arm.

“Careful, you’re carrying precious cargo,” he says through laughs.

“I am going to kill you,” I tell him through gritted teeth.

He’s still laughing as he lifts me up and pulls me closer to his side until my head is resting on his chest, and he’s stroking my hair softly. The anger leaves my body almost immediately. Amazingly, he has the power to soothe me with just one touch.

“In my defense, it was information I would have rather not have heard or retained in my head.”

“Why not?” I ask quietly.

He’s silent for a beat. “No reason.”

“But- ”

“My turn to ask a question,” he says, cutting me off. “How many guys have you dated since Gary?”

“One. I had a boyfriend throughout college. Mason Conard. We broke up immediately after graduation. He was heading to England, and I was coming back home temporarily. It was never going to work.”

“I think you didn’t want it to work. A part of you probably always knew you were never meant to be with them. Either of them,” he says solemnly.

I want to ask him what he means, but I have a feeling he won’t reply.

“What happened to your parents,” I dare to ask. “How did they die?”

Alex is silent for a really long time after, and I’m scared he’s not going to reply. I’ve always been curious about what brought him here to Aster Falls. An eighteen-year-old with no family and seemingly no joy.

“It was a car accident,” Alex starts, surprising me.

“They went out to a Mexican restaurant with my little sister. They left me at home because I had failed a test, and my dad thought it was the best punishment. I got the call a few hours later. Their car had been derailed by a deer standing in the middle of the road. The roads were icy, and so they skid into a tree.”

His voice cracks, and he takes a deep breath to calm himself. I take his hand in mine and link our fingers together, trying to comfort him.

“My dad’s neck snapped on impact. He died immediately.

My mom died in the ICU, and my sister- “he pauses. “She was in a coma for a month before she finally passed away. She was only 15. I lost my entire family in the blink of an eye. I was devastated, and I suddenly had no one. My other family members were more interested in my dad’s money and properties than they were in me. No one took me in; after all, I had already turned 18. A high school graduate. To them, I could take care of myself.”

“I know it doesn’t help, but I’m so sorry that happened to you, Alex,” I say sadly. I begin to rub his back slowly in calming, circular motions.

“I didn’t say a word for two months after they all died.

Then I got a lawyer and made sure that none of my dad’s family would get a cent of his wealth.

I hired someone to manage my father’s company.

He sends me monthly progress reports, but I’m not really involved in the process.

” He looks at me. “So, there’s that, my gut-wrenching family history.

I’ve never told anyone the full story before. Not even Damien.”

“I’m honored,” I say sincerely.

“Thanks for being here, Fallon. And for listening,” he tells me softly.

I nod, and for a second, his gaze flits to my lips, and I think he’s going to kiss me. I want so badly for him to kiss me—more than anything. But then Alex clears his throat and looks away. I feel the disappointment deep in my gut. He moves to get up, but I stop him in place.

“Alex,” I call. He turns to look at me. “Why did you sleep with me?”

My heart beats fast as I await his reply. His hazel green eyes are fixed on mine, but they give nothing away. It’s frustrating how hard it is to read him.

“Because the past few years, I’ve thought about you way more than I should, and it has been driving me crazy,” he says softly.

My breath hitches.

“What? What does that mean?”

“It means Fallon, I’m sorry I’ve been such a fucking coward.

I wanted more than anything to be with you for so long, but I was scared.

Scared that I would lose you like I lost my parents.

I can’t go through that kind of pain ever again,” he says sincerely.

I’m completely still as he reaches for a strand of my hair and tucks it behind my ear.

“When I found out you were pregnant, a part of me was happy. I was mostly terrified, but I took it as fate’s way of bringing us back together. You were always meant to be mine, Fallon Wright.”

I am still utterly and completely still. Alex waits patiently for me to speak.

“Alex.” My voice is a mere whisper. “I think I want you to kiss me.”

He smiles a full grin that transforms his entire face.

“I thought you would never ask.”