Fallon's Fall Read Free

pockets. But the effort had been worth it the moment Dora smiled at him. She’d nursed every single one of them back to health. She had been so proud the day she’d released the tibbars back into the wild. Fallon had held Dora as the creatures scrambled away. She’d cried and he’d never felt so helpless.
    It took years to become a healer and even more to move through the ranks. To do so in ten was an impressive feat and spoke volumes about her skill. Skill that would be highly prized by any ship.
    She ran a trembling hand through her hair, brushing the dark tendrils away from her face, giving him a glimpse of the girl he once knew. It only made Fallon hurt more.
    “What brings you to Terraless Firma?” she asked.
    He opened his mouth to tell her the truth, but the words wouldn’t come out. Fallon’s face heated. Dora was living her dream. He’d given up on his long ago. “I’m on leave from...” He glanced to his crew, who were now openly gaping at them. “I’m on leave,” he said softly.
    Confusion swept over her face. “I thought you’d have taken over your father’s Morean trading empire by now.”
    He would have… That’s what everyone had expected, since Fallon was the only son in a wealthy merchant family, but his plans had changed after he’d backed out of running away with her. His father had used the moment to prey on his insecurities. He’d accused Dora of making him soft.
    It had taken Fallon two years of toiling on Morea under his father’s watchful eye to dispel that notion. By the time he’d gotten up the nerve to go back to Petron for Dora, she was gone. She’d been the only woman he’d ever wanted. Without her, his position in his family’s business was meaningless.
    You had told her that you’d run away with her. You didn’t go back. What did you expect?
    Fallon had been so angry with himself, angry with his father for interfering in his love life, and angry with Dora for not waiting, that he’d hopped on the first ship out of the solar system. He’d barely been twenty.
    The universe could be cruel to a pampered youth. The first lesson that Fallon had learned was that softness was a weakness and emotion could get you killed. After that, he’d done whatever was necessary to survive. He wasn’t proud of every choice, but had no room for regrets.
    Now here she was—his greatest dream and biggest failure.
    “Working with my father didn’t pan out,” he muttered.
    “Do you still design holographic gardens?” she asked.
    Fallon shifted from foot to foot, his discomfort growing. “I haven’t done that in years.”
    Dora’s frown returned. “That’s a shame. You were talented.”
    He didn’t need the reminder.
    “Over here, Dora,” one of the men shouted.
    “I have to go. It was…nice to see you again,” she said, effectively dismissing him.
    Fallon watched Dora leave. She didn’t waver or look back. It was as if he truly meant nothing to her, as if his essence had no effect on her whatsoever.
    That was it? After all these years, that’s all she had to say to him? She couldn’t even muster any anger.
    Fallon wasn’t sure what made him madder: The fact that he didn’t warrant another look or the fact that he couldn’t stop thinking about the feel of Dora’s hand upon his horns. He should’ve never taught her how to rope.
    His gaze followed her shapely bottom as Dora made her way across the room to join her crewmen. A wall of smoke appeared in front of Fallon’s eyes, obscuring her. When it faded, his wraith-like crewmate, Reaper, stood before him.
    “Stop doing that,” Fallon said. “You know I don’t like it when you pop in and out unexpectedly.” He’d appreciated Reaper’s abilities on several occasions, but Fallon never lost sight of the fact that one miscalculation on Reaper’s part would leave him dead. No one survived the wraith-like Being passing through them.
    Reaper shook out his long brown coat to smooth the wrinkles and snickered.