Finding You (Chikalu Falls, #1)

by Lena Hendrix

Holy shit. Jo. Jo . . . No fucking way. Is this Joanna? She lived here for six years—went to college with Finn. Finn’s girlfriend is Joanna? Fuck. FUCK!

I’d developed a major soul-sucking crush on Finn’s older brother, Lincoln.

I knew that opening up to his brother and telling him that he was gay was something he’d struggled with for a really long time.

right then I knew. I would risk everything to be with her.

“Not hanging with the boys tonight?” I called. “Not tonight. The view is better up here.” Oh, shit. Did he smirk? Was he talking about me? No fucking way.

I knew he looked good, but damn. Seeing Lincoln without a shirt made my stomach whoosh and I felt a warm trickle of wetness between my legs.

Seeing the Valkyrie wings, vandalized by the effects of war on Lincoln’s muscled forearm, spread an ache through my chest. Suddenly, I needed space to be alone. I needed to breathe and get myself under control.

“But you are my Joanna, aren’t you?” he said, his voice gravely with desire, searching my face for some answer. My Joanna. In that moment, I knew. All this time, Lincoln had received my letters. He’d read them and he knew because I always signed each one simply, with Joanna.

I was thinking of all the dirty things I wanted Lincoln to do with me—hand in my hair, pull me close and kiss the fuck out of me, hot and deep and wet—when

“I am so sorry, but we’re completely booked tonight,” she continued. “We have no available beds.”

the thought of sharing a room with Lincoln made a wave of desire crash into the wave of panic inside of me.

Lincoln’s sheer manliness and control ignited the most feminine parts inside of me.

I stared as the most handsome, thoughtful, confusing man stepped away toward the fire.

The moon illuminated her as she tipped her head up, eyes closed. She stood in total silence and raised her arms at her side, palms up. My Valkyrie.

We’re going home. The words he used buzzed in my head and made me feel dizzy.

“Take me, Lincoln. Own me.” Her voice was thick.

when you wrote and told me the story of the Valkyrie, I knew I had to keep a piece of you with me. The first leave after that, I found a tattoo shop.”

I was falling hard and fast for this man and I wanted all of him—broken, scarred, funny, kind—all of it.

may not be able to have her forever, but I could pretend tonight that I could.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

Over and over, the words tumbled through my mind. I would never be the same without Joanna.

“You’re in love with that girl and she loves you. But you’re too chickenshit to admit that you can have more than what you’ve allowed yourself. More than living in some rundown cottage, taking care of a crabby bastard like me.”

A tightness curled under my ribs. I had fallen in love with Joanna, and she loved me back. She loved me.

She loved all of me and I had pushed her away—not because I was protecting her, but because I was protecting myself.

I called it Project Eir to honor the Valkyrie goddess of healing. Eir was a badass warrior and so was I,

I need to show her it’s always been her.”

Joanna, my heart beats to the rhythm of yours and the best thing to ever happen to me was finding you.

“I love you. I have always loved you.” Joanna tightened her arms around my shoulders, pulling me into her. “I love you too, Lincoln.”

“Finding you was the best thing to ever happen to me.”