"They say you do not notice the moment your life changes forever, that you never know you've walked through a door you can never go back through until you've taken that first step."

― Joel Golby.

My first step into the dark side came in the form of a phone call. A little after midnight, Alexa and her friends were too drunk and too busy having fun to notice I had slipped from the room.

I assumed it was Colleen, not recognizing the New York number displayed on the screen. I had two choices: answer it and hope she believed Alexa was just entertaining guests, or not answer it and risk my mother punishing me for being a heavy sleeper.

I answered. Walking to the back of the outside smoke section to distance from the noise.

"Hello Mother." I tried to hide my nervousness.

"You call your mother, mother?" he asked, a giant smile crossing my face.

It had been over a week since we met, I wasn't expecting him to call. A rush of excitement when I instantly recognized the musical cadence in his voice.

"Hi Kellen." I beamed, moving away from the man suffocating me with his cigarettes. "God, do you smoke?" I thought it was a deal-breaker until I met Fallon.

"Smoke what?" Kellen replied.

"Cigarettes, what else is there?" I giggled.

"That's cute, Red, but no. I don't why?" he asked.

"Just making sure. I didn't think you would call me," I admitted.

"Only simps call the same day," Kellen sighed, "It sounds like you're at a party. Where is it, I'd love to see you."

I told Kellen I was at a club and he said he wouldn't get his fake ID for another week. Asking if I would like to go for a ride.

I didn't think about it. A cute boy I liked wanted to see me and my brain turned off.

"Yes!"

Present: August 7, 2027 10 PM

We laugh while Anastasia complains about Bar Boy's shortcomings. I place my hat in the empty seat beside me before reaching for another beer, struggling to breath.

"I thought that was you," a man says from over my shoulder, the smooth baritone of his voice reverberating in my bones.

Fallon.

My heart flutters, and the temperature rises in the room. An excited smile frozen on my face. I imagine a boyish smile and glowing hazel-green eyes. I don't know why I'm so electrified. I haven't seen that boy in years. Maybe it's the liquor. Maybe it's my experiment down memory lane, but I know my ears have to be playing tricks on me. Or, that's what I think until I see the astonished look on my friend's faces.

Yeah, it's definitely Fallon.

My first love is a little under three years older than me with one of those faces you stopped in your tracks for; I remember Fallon Lynch was annoyingly beautiful for a man with great bone structure and a perfectly symmetrical face. When I last saw him, Fallon had loosely curled dark brown hair, year-round golden sun-kissed skin, and delectable full lips.

I rake my bottom lip teeth. I don't know why, but my heart is pounding.

"I think I drank too much." I say to my friends. "is there a hot guy standing behind me? about six feet, painfully handsome?"

The girls gawk at him. Speechless as they slowly nod their confirmation. Fallon leans in close, sending a tingle down my spine saying, "I've been six one since I was sixteen," before pulling away.

I snap around to see my memory has done this man an injustice. It's been years since I've seen Fallon and it's the first time I've ever seen him in a suit.

It's a blue French-cut suit that makes his chest and shoulders look a lot broader than my memory serves. He's classically handsome with high cheekbones, a chiseled jawline, and full bow-shaped lips that have always perfectly matched my own.

Fallon is clean-shaven with his soft dark brown hair in waves finger-brushed away from his face. His eyes are a lot sharper than I remember. More calculated, almost like Gage. They're deep-set hazel green pools with flecks of gold that dance in the room's mood light.

That boyish smile is exactly the same though.

"Well, six one and a half but, only assholes count that half an inch," He smiles, at our stupid inside joke.

My identification says I am five foot six inches tall with sneakers on. Without, I'm five foot five and a half, my napoleon complex making me round up.

"Are you calling me an asshole?" I smile up at the man tower over me.

"I'd never." His perfect grin is infectious. "Hi," Fallon's voice is breathy, as if almost relieved.

"Hi," I sigh, trying to ignore the fact that this is a bad omen.

Fallon Lynch has this innate ability to come into my life just as shit is about to hit the fan. It's like something within me is calling to him. No matter where we are in life, no matter how much we know we should stay away, he always comes back to me just before my life falls apart.

"You know him?" Ana hisses but doesn't whisper.

"I think so," I say, eying the familiar stranger standing in front of me.

There's something different about him. I can't put my finger on it, but something in his aura is different. New. Before I can think any longer, Fallon pulls me up into his arms, a riot of emotions I had forgotten crashing into me.

God, I've missed this man.

I take a deep breath, engulfed by the scent of the custom bath oils I used to love. Lemon, bergamot, orange blossom, oris, patchouli, and mint. Not a whiff of nicotine in sight as I melt into him.

I wrap my arms around Fallon's waist, enjoying the comfort it brings me as the room fades away around us. "You don't smell like cigarettes," I hum, my body feeling right at home while I rest my head on this man's firm chest.

"Well, I would hope not. I haven't touched one in years," his laugh is warm.

Fallon was always this ball of light in a dark tunnel. When we would lay together and his fingers ran through my red hair as his body moved against mine, it almost felt like I could take some with me.

He pulls away slightly, gazing at me like I am the most stunning person in the world. Fallon uses his thumb to pull my lip free. We gaze into each other's eyes while his hand lingers for a moment, a dark look in his eyes as his hand caresses my side.

Maybe it's the drinks, maybe it's going from sex twice a day to not being touched in weeks, but something about the way he's touching me, holding me, looking at me, pulls at my core.

"You got rid of your teeth," he brings his face to a tempting distance.

I wonder if his lips feel as good as I remember...

Cadence clears her throat, bringing me back to my senses. What the fuck was that? I internally panic, ripping from Fallon's arms.

"I wanted to look pretty in my wedding photos," I nervously smile, Displaying my ring to tell him and remind myself I am fucking married.

"You're beautiful either way," Fallon assures me, setting my face ablaze

His tongue pushes at the side of his smirking mouth, sensually making its way up to his canine and I feel it between my legs. I know he's trying to fight the urge to mention that I'm blushing, but I'm like a dog in heat. I can't help but remember how good that mouth felt on mine.

And other places.

I choke on air, leaning down to take a sip of my beer before realizing maybe I've had enough. Meeting eyes with my intrigued friends, I can see Cadence is judging me. Giving her the I-didn't-do-anything-look as a large grin spreads on Anastasia's face.

"Fallon!" I declare, swinging around to the guy I'm sure was just checking out my ass. "Were you just...?" I squint with a playful smile.

"Can you prove it?" Fallon counters.

I can't so I move on, introducing my former best friend to my new partners-in-crime. "These are my friends Cady and Ana," I tell him, my voice a few decibels higher than it should be.

"Best friends," Cadence corrects me. "and you are?" she asks, looking at our visitor skeptically.

"I guess I'm an ex." Fallon looks to me for confirmation.

"Really?" the girls say in scandalized unison.

I don't know why they're so shocked. I never claimed Gage to be the only man I had been with. My friends just assumed my life began and ended with that man, but they don't know about the universe standing in front of me.

"I wouldn't call you that," I respond, unsure why my heart is aching.

Ex feels dirty. Kellen is an ex. So are Yaran and Daegon Carpenter if I'm being generous. Exes are just a list of regrets, but Fallon is Fallon. The one place in the world where I never felt afraid.

"What would you call him?" Ana gleefully inquires.

"My friend." I smile watching his eyes soften.

"Friend." Fallon smirks, testing the word. "You haven't called me that in years."

"We haven't spoken in years." My smile is bittersweet.

"It's weird, but I'll take it. I've missed you, Kid. I heard that loud laugh from across the bar and just knew it had to be you. Brown's a nice look," he says, pushing my long hair behind my ear.

"I've missed you too," I admit, unable to remember why we stopped speaking.

"Aw, how sweet," Anastasia teases.

I open my mouth to tell her to can it when a small blonde pokes her head out of one of the private rooms calling for Mr. Lynch.

"Isn't she formal," I mock.

If my memory serves, Fallon didn't have any kinks. He was a talker. Most of my lovers were and I think that's probably part of the reason I'm so into it.

When I knew him, he didn't have a domineering side but a lot can change in six years and I can't help but see her and be reminded of his inclination for hot blondes.

"She's my assistant." He gives me a knowing look; Fallon still able to read my mind.

"I didn't say she wasn't." I turn up my nose.

"You didn't have to." He laughs before telling me he was having a meeting. "God, you look amazing," Fallon distractedly sighs in disbelief.

God, he's doing this on purpose.

I can't stop giggling and blushing like a little girl while Cadence gives me judgy eyes. "Thank you," I reply, pressing my lips together trying to regain my composure.

"Fallon," the blonde impatiently calls.

We look back to the woman in the slinky black dress. She seems pushier than any assistant I've ever met. Even Sienna waited until Yaran was done speaking to open her mouth.

"I... have to get back." Fallon hesitates. "Should be wrapped up in a few hours. Would you like to meet up after, maybe have one of our nightcaps like old times?" he suggests, and I wonder if he means the ones where we stood up talking all night or the ones that ended with my legs on his shoulders.

I've probably had too much to drink. Thoughts of soft, slow kisses warm me from head to toe and cloud my mind. "Um..." I hesitate, Fallon taking my hand in his.

"Three hours, it will be fun," he assures me with that swoon-worthy smile.

"Sorry, she can't. We're leaving in an hour." Cadence saves my fucking life.

"Yeah, Um... Yeah — I — can't. I actually live a few hours out the city now," I pull away. I don't know why I hesitated. Fallon is my past, no comparison to the man I married, but I can't help but think...

"Too bad." He licks his teeth, watching me as the wheels turn. Fallon reaches into his pocket, pulling out a vertical black card with his information engraved in gold. "Here - Office, email, direct line," he watches me curiously.

There's a weird watermark; a circular leafy branch with ES in black under the gold. I oddly feel drawn to it, something about it so familiar.

"Chief Acquisition Officer. Look at you Mr. Lynch," I tease, rubbing my fingers over the embossed lettering.

A grin breaks across Fallon's face as though I had said something lascivious, replying to my confused expression that I should call him the next time I'm in town.

"You should give me a call the next time you're in town. I've missed you, Rue." He smiles.

"Maybe." I smile back as his assistant looks at me like I'm interrupting.

Fuck you, bitch.

"She would have to check with the ball and chain!" Cadence says holding up the large rock on my finger.

"The hell she does!" Anastasia hisses, slapping Cadence away.

Anastasia Moy, the devil on my shoulder.

Thinking of Gage makes me feel guilty and insecure. I wonder if he's at a bar somewhere. I wonder if he's alone. The thought of him even flirting with another woman kills me inside.

"The Rue Bianchi I know would never let men tell her who she can and can't talk to," Fallon declares, backing away.

"Rue Medina is a little more domesticated." I sit with a grin.

"No she's not." He smirks, turning to walk away.