The sky rumbled above me when I remembered my umbrella was in the car, followed by the familiar putter patter of raindrops. Unfortunately, my car was in a ditch.

It's not like I meant for all this to happen but here I am, exchanging insurance information with the jerk in the red Corvette who 'conveniently' pushed my car off the road because couldn't use his indicator properly.

I glare at him as I rub my arms for warmth.

I wasn't hurt. My car though—oh my poor baby! Tequila doesn't deserve that. I've had her for six years. I bought my orange and grey Toyota Carolla when I was a freshman in college from a weird short guy I met at a bar who needed cash.

Thankfully he didn't seem to notice he was paying chump change but I'm pretty sure he was too pissed out of his mind to notice. I did feel bad a full day later. Fallon made me go back to give the car but no matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find the guy.

It was like he just straight-up vanished.

Oh well, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Right?

The officer in front of me hands the guy in the Corvette a ticket. From the stern scowl on his face and the way he practically shoved the ticked into his hand, he wasn't happy. He looked like he wanted to say something but with the officer there, he didn't. Good. For his sake, I hoped he kept his mouth shut because he just raised the premium on my car insurance.

The guy glared at me. I turned away and scratched my nose with the tip of my middle finger.

Hopefully, the police officer didn't see that.

I could hear the crunching of the gravel behind me. The full flash of headlights made the raindrops sparkle briefly.

Fallon emerged out of her much nicer grey Benz, an umbrella already in her hand.

I silently thanked the gods above for letting someone as lovely as her for existing.

"Fallon!" I called out, taking a step forward. I raised my hands in front of me, like a matador trying to calm a crazed bull. "Don't worry! I'm alright!"

Her long blonde hair was damp as if she had just come out of the shower, it whipped around in the wind. Her sharp angular face was morphed into an expression of rage as her jacket flared out behind her. I was certain she would bowl me over without even flinching.

"Don't move!" She pointed her finger a well-manicured finger at me as a warning. Her bright blue eyes were blazing. "I'm coming over there to give that idiot a piece of my mind!"

Nope. Not happening.

As she brushed past me I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back. Fallon was a force of nature, my boots started to slide on the slick road as she thundered ahead. The umbrella was held precariously over us, tilting over.

"Absolutely not!" I yelled, tightening my grip. "I'm not going to bail you out of jail for murder!"

"I'm not going to kill him!" She replied. My relief was short-lived. "I'm going to spread his guts out on the highway!"

"Better to let her go, Maria." Someone else said, unlocking my hands from my waist and pulling me back as if I weighed nothing. The umbrella righted itself and Fallon stormed ahead, out of my grasp. "You know how she gets."

I glared up. "She's going to tear that college boy to shreds."

The man next to me tilted his head down, his face impassive as ever. He shifted the umbrella till it fully hung over me, letting the heavy droplets pelt against his shoulder.

He gazed at Fallon and the college boy who had no idea what was coming his way. Darien shrugged and said, "I would've done the same."

Darien was a whole head taller than me. Even his red coloured hair was damp, causing a few stray curls to stick to his forehead. His brown eyes regarded me with amusement as I wiped the water out of my eyes to glare at him. Drops of water travelled from his hair, down his cheekbones, and dripping from his chin.

I grabbed him but the lapel of his jacket and pulled him back in under the umbrella so he wouldn't get wet. I wasn't going to let Darien get sick because of me. He'd never stop complaining to Fallon about it.

The corner of his mouth curled up in an infuriating way. "Don't like being the damsel, Maria?"

I had half a mind to shove him into a puddle. But I didn't because I have something called manners.

I narrowed my eyes, opening my mouth to say something when I heard a cacophony of voices suddenly rise. Both of us turned our heads at the same time.

"Oh boy," Darien whistled. "She's going to take a chunk out of that boy."

"She's vegetarian, "I remind him.

"Not at the moment."

Fallon yelled at the college guy who was plastered against the scratched side of the red Corvette, his eyes wide with fear. The police officer was trying to diffuse the situation but it looked like he was about to tackle Fallon if she didn't stop trying to scare the kid into crapping his pants.

Darien left my side, leaving the scent of pine lingering behind. He strode over in long strides.

Fallon had sensed his presence, whipping her head around.

For a moment I thought her eyes were glowing a bit blue by within the next blink it was gone. The headlights of an oncoming car came and went.

I needed to sleep. Preferably for a week. Maybe more.

Fallon and Darien were conversing with each other. He had his hands on his hips, dipping his head down to talk in hushed tones, most likely scolding her. She looked unamused, her strawberry gloss lips turned down into a scowl. I couldn't hear what they were saying but I'm certain he was reminding her that she was supposed to stay out of trouble.

The officer looked between them, impatiently waiting for them. The lights of his cop car flashed red and blue, casting momentary shadows onto the road. Fallon sighed loudly and turned around, smiling at the officer who blinked sheepishly and said something, dipping his hand before getting back in his car.

I didn't blame him. Fallon, as lovely as she could be, was terrifying.

Both of them made their way back to me, drenched from head to toe but Fallon looked so happy. She grinned as she ducked underneath the umbrella and took the handle away from me.

Her hand curled around my elbow, pulling me gently towards her car.

"You nearly made that kid crap himself," I said.

She opened the passenger side door for me. "And I don't regret it one bit." She tossed Darien the keys. "I'll take the back."

Darien caught the keys without missing a beat, opening the car door and slipping inside fluidly. "Good idea, I'm a better driver. Wouldn't want to end up in a ditch."

Fallon made a noise, protesting as she got into her seat. I flicked some rainwater onto him.

Darien held the door open for me, the back of his hand pressed against the ceiling of the car so I wouldn't hit my head. I ducked inside, regretting how the car would smell like rainwater for weeks to come.