All Falls Down (2 page)

He's right. This is heaven.

He reaches for the glass in my hand. His fingers brush mine, squeeze gently, and then pry the crystal from my trembling grasp. That soft touch is enough to undo me completely.

I'm no longer frozen.

I'm drowning again. In want, need, and forbidden desire. It's too much and not enough. Every part of me begs to look up at him, to see him and make him see me. I force them closed instead, fighting for control.

My body begins to shake from my useless efforts.

"Jared would love it if you saved a dance for him tonight," Lexi says then.

My eyes spring open instantly and meet his.

Blazing green jade.

"I love you," he mouths when Lexi glances away, "forever."

The sob that's been building in my throat all night chokes me.

I just want to die.

Oh God… I said that out loud.

"I'm sorry," I whimper when his eyes widen in alarm and hers dart back to me. "I shouldn't have come here."

"Savan–" he starts to say and the look on his face… dear Lord, that look. It's love, pain, regret, and need.

It's him. It's me.

No, it's them. Her and him, together.

Oh, God.

I turn and stumble away, tears pouring down my face.

"Let her go," I hear her hiss behind me.

Jared's voice breaks on my name, chasing me from the room.

Let me go….

"You have to choose, Jared." Her blue eyes flash with hurt and anger. She points a finger at him, practically poking him in the chest. "You can't have both."

"Lex, please –" he tries to break in when a sob escapes my throat.

She's right. I know she is. He can't have both anymore. But hearing it from her hurts like hell. I cover my mouth with my hand as he stares at me, torment in his gaze, as if he knows this too. Every part of me screams for him to put his arms around me again, to lend me some of his strength and ease us both. I want to beg him to choose me… but I can't and I know that.

I have no place here. I never did.

"Don't 'Lex, please' me!" she snaps at him, actually poking him in the chest with one long, manicured finger this time. "You made a promise to me, Jared. To my sisters. Does that mean nothing to you?"

"Of course it means something to me, dammit!" he snaps right back at her, though his eyes never leave me. He's begging me silently to understand.

I want to tell him I do, but I say nothing. I'm not sure what will come out of my mouth if I open it.

"Then this has to stop now! You have to let her go, Jared."

Another sob rips from my chest when his shoulders slump, defeat and misery washing through cool green jade.

"I'm sorry," he whispers and my heart breaks. "I'm so sorry."

Memory chases me and I run until I can't run anymore.

I love you.

My legs collapse just beyond the back terrace, dragging me down to the cool, wet grass.

It's only ever been you.

I gasp for breath that won't come, sobbing and trembling.

You have to let her go, Jared.

Freezing rain pelts me.

I curl into a ball, tears and mascara running down my face, but I'm too far gone to care.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

I love you. Forever.

My heart shatters in my chest a final time, and I know that this is what dying really feels like.

It hurts.

Everywhere.

Chapter One: Home

Home.

I glance around, sighing at the crush of people jogging down the concourse. Airports are always the same, and yet, I find this one more stressful than most. San Francisco. It's loud and crowded, and I'm not sure I want to be here.

I have no choice.

Securing the strap of my bag over my shoulder, I start pushing through the throng rushing off to make connecting flights. An elbow jabs me in the ribs, catching the edge of fading bruises and barely healed surgical wounds. I hiss, intense shards of pain ricocheting through me.

"Sorry," a lady says, trying to squeeze past me. Her elbow jabs me again.

"It's fine," I mumble, fighting not to fall to my knees and cry.

The woman and her rolling suitcase trod on my foot before finally breaking clear. She rushes off without another backward glance.

"Welcome home, Savannah," I mutter when the pain subsides, making my way toward the entrance of the airport, praying Katrina Talbot hasn't forgotten me in the chaos and tragedy currently consuming her life. Guilt worms through me at the thought, but I can't help being selfish.

I desperately want a bath, a bed, and a few hours of silence. None of which are available on international flights. I feel dirty in a way only breathing recycled air for hours on end can accomplish.

You are dirty, inside and out
, a little voice whispers in the back of my mind, taunting me.

Fighting down the tears threatening to spill over at the reminder, I focus on Katrina instead.

Poor Kit.

She's my age – only twenty-one – and her father is dead.

I don't even know how it happened, but my heart aches. Matthew Talbot was always so good to me. It's hard to imagine that he's really gone, dead at the age of forty-nine. I want to cry for Kit and her sisters, Lexi and Madeline.

Lexi is only three years older than me and Kit. How's she supposed to run a global nonprofit like Talbot International? Or raise an eleven-year-old child?

I'm horrible enough to envy her a little.

Lexi has a place in the world. A purpose. I'm just… here.

I shake my head, refusing to dwell on that fact, and weave my way through the airport. When I make it to baggage claim, I'm once again jabbed in the ribs by a wayward elbow. The weight of my carry-on unbalances me this time, and I pitch forward with a muttered expletive, grabbing for the first thing I can to keep myself upright.

"Oof!"

"I'm sorry," I mutter, slamming into a hard chest. The attached body stumbles backward a step. "So sorry," I say again when he reaches out to steady me.

His fingers brush roughly across my bruises. A painful cry bursts from my lips, intense pain shooting through me again. I jerk away from the fiery burn as much as from his hands.

The stranger snatches his hands back like I've scalded him.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

I glance up and blink through the fog of pain, my answer dying on my lips when I catch sight of him.

The man is absolutely beautiful, dressed in a suit and tie that are doing things for him that should be illegal. He towers over me, lean and muscular. Dark blond hair falls across his forehead, ending right before the most beautiful jade colored eyes I've ever seen. His lips are full, kissable. And his jaw is chiseled perfection beneath a day's worth of stubble… My fingers actually twitch to reach out and stroke it.

My stomach flips when his eyes meet mine. They're cool. Not unfriendly, but surprised, and I can't look away.

One dark brow arches when I continue to stand there, gaping at him.

"I'm… sorry," I manage to choke out, mortified to be caught staring so openly. I start to spin away when he reaches out and grasps my arm. His fingers are long, his nails perfectly manicured.

"Savannah Martin?" His voice is warm honey – rich, smooth, low.

My stomach flips again.

"Ah, yes?" I squeak, amazed that this beautiful man knows my name.

"You're Savannah Martin?"

"Yes?" I'm not sure why I'm asking instead of telling, but I can't seem to stop. He's completely thrown me, and he's still staring at me with those eyes…. I clear my throat and try again. "Yes, that's me." The words sound throaty, breathless, but at least they're not a squeak this time.

His questioning expression morphs into… I'm not sure, honestly. But it's beautiful. And intimidating.

My stomach flutters.

"I'm Jared Corbit."

"O–kay?" I wrack my brain, trying to place the name. I've never heard it before that I can remember. It's a nice name though. It fits him.

"Katrina Talbot sent me?" he says, aggravation sweeping through his expression.

"Oh!" I blink up at him. "Okay. I didn't realize–"

He brushes me off, irritated. "Do you have any additional luggage?"

"One?"

Again he arches a brow and I silently curse myself for sounding so uncertain.

God, what is wrong with me?

Oh right. He's stunning and very much
here
and I'm… me.

"I have one bag," I say, my heart slamming uncomfortably against my ribcage. "Carousel Four."

He nods coolly and turns on his heel. I follow behind, enthralled both by the way he walks and the fact that people move out of his way without even looking up. They just seem to instinctively know he's there and don't want to get in his way. And his rear–

I choke and jerk my eyes upward when he glances back at me. Something close to amusement flickers through his expression, his lips turning up at the corners. The flash of emotion is gone before I can even be sure it
is
amusement though.

"Which is yours?" he asks, gesturing toward the carousel.

"Oh, um…" I whip my head in that direction just in time to see my bag disappearing around the back of the conveyor belt. I wait until it appears again to point it out to him. "That one."

He steps forward to claim it. "Ready?" he asks.

"Yes." I want to thank him for tackling the bag for me, but he's already walking away.

I follow him out of the airport, completely silent.

"You're the chauffer?" I gape between Jared and the sleek grey sports car parked in front of me. It's tiny, two doors, and looks fast. I know nothing about cars, but this one screams luxury.

"No," he answers, popping the trunk open and depositing my bag. It fits. Barely. "Your carry-on?" He motions for it, the move full of impatience.

I clench the strap tightly in my hands for just a moment, wanting to protest though I'm not sure why. There's nothing in it that I can't live without on the drive to the Talbot estate, but the bag is something at least. It's mine.

I relinquish it reluctantly into his impatient hands.

His fingers brush mine when he takes it from me.

I jump as if he's shocked me. I think maybe he has.

He jerks as if he felt it too and shoves the carry-on into the trunk before slamming it closed. He's around to the passenger side of the car before I manage to snap my mouth closed again.

"Coming, Miss Martin?"

I think he's teasing me. I think.

I flush bright red again, trying to hide the way my lips twitch, and climb carefully into the car. Recently stitched together skin pulls tight, pulling a quiet groan from my lips. I sway, nearly collapsing into my seat. I secure the seatbelt over my lap while he closes the door for me without another word.

I want to sink through the floorboards and disappear. I'm completely out of my element here, and I know it's only going to get worse. I'm not like the Talbots. They're rich and gorgeous. I'm simply included in this sad affair by necessity. My mother worked for Matthew for years before she ran off. He and his deceased wife, Caitlyn, took me in, allowing me to live in their guesthouse until I finished high school….

I think Kit asked me to come simply because she needs something else to focus on.

So do I. Desperately.

Jared slides into the car.

The engine purrs to life. And I do mean it purrs to life. It sounds sexy as hell.

I may whimper a little.

Green eyes dart in my direction, but he says nothing, instead snapping his seatbelt into place.

Jared turns away, his jaw clenched, watching for a break in the flow of traffic.

We ride in silence for a long time. I stare out the window at the grey clouds rolling in over the city, at the Bay Bridge, at the hills and curves that make up San Francisco, trying hard not to think. It's a futile attempt, of course. My brain rushes in a thousand different directions and none of them are very pleasant.