Our Forbidden Love

XVII - My Kind Of Woman

Fallon's POV

The road stretched before me, long and quiet, the only sound the low hum of the car's engine as Fierro focused on the drive. I could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on me — the goodbye, the move, everything that was now behind me. It was surreal, like stepping into a new chapter without fully closing the old one. I was leaving behind a life, not just a house.

I glanced out the window, watching the scenery shift. Everything I knew was now changing. I didn't know if I was ready for this, but there was no turning back.

My phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts. Harriet's name lit up on the screen, and I quickly tapped on the message. She'd been checking in on me, making sure I was okay throughout all of this. I guess I hadn't expected her to care as much as she did, but somehow, it felt comforting.

"How's everything going? You're almost there?" her message read.

I quickly typed back.

"Yeah, just got in the car. It's happening, Har. I guess it's finally time."

I hit send before placing the phone down. I wasn't sure if it was the best idea to keep talking about it too much, especially when the silence between me and Fierro was thick with unspoken words.

He glanced over at me, catching my eye for a second. "Everything okay?" he asked, his tone softer than usual.

I nodded, offering him a small, tight-lipped smile. "Yeah. Just... still processing, you know?"

"I get it," he said, nodding in understanding. There was no need for more words between us. He wasn't perfect, and neither was I, but we had this—whatever it was.

As we neared the airport, the reality of the situation hit me again. This was it. I had no idea what was ahead, no clue how I'd feel or what would come next, but I was heading toward a fresh start. Maybe this was what I needed. Maybe Marissa had been right all along. I could only hope.

The car slowed, and the airport's lights blinked ahead. The mix of excitement and anxiety gnawed at me, but I took a deep breath, ready for whatever would come next.

To : Harriet Empire

Hey, we're still 3 hours away but I miss you so bad </3

The warmth of Cat's arms around me was enough to make my heart swell, and in that moment, it felt like everything else— the chaos, the uncertainty, the self-doubt— simply melted away. Her presence was a balm for my soul, soothing the anxiety that had been gnawing at me for days.

I felt the tension leave my body as she pulled me closer, her lips meeting mine, soft and tender, like she had been waiting for me just as much as I had for her. The kiss felt like an answer, like a reassurance that no matter what happened, we were together in this moment.

Her words hung in the air, "Oh my lover, I brought you an ice cream and some spicy wings. Wanna eat?"

I couldn't help but smile, a genuine smile, not tainted by the heaviness of my past or the weight of my worries. It was like she had this way of drawing me into her world, making everything feel simple and right. The hunger in her eyes, the way she looked at me— it spoke volumes, more than words ever could. I knew she missed me, just as I missed her.

I nodded, still fighting the lump in my throat. "Of course," I whispered, my voice cracked but full of affection. "Anything with you."

The ice cream, the spicy wings— they didn't matter. What mattered was that I was here with her, and for once, the world felt like it made sense. The past, with all its brokenness, could stay where it belonged. Right now, we were all that mattered.

As we shared the food, the rain continued to tap against the window, a soft rhythm to match the beats of our hearts. Time slowed, and for once, the world outside wasn't so loud. It was just us, in this space, healing in our own quiet way.

I didn't know what the future held— how long we would stay together, what obstacles we would face, or how far we could go. But in this moment, I knew that I wanted to be here. With her. For as long as we could. And for the first time in what felt like ages, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

The hunger in her eyes was clear, but so was the love. And maybe that was enough for now.