Talon (Uncompromising #1)

by Sybil Bartel

  I reached in my pocket for my cell then wrapped my arms around Siren. Slipping my phone into her jeans, I whispered in her ear. “Anytime, day or night. You need me, you call and I’ll be here. This isn’t over, Siren. I’m comin’ back for you. You hear me?”

  She sucked in a breath and stiffened.

  “Go. Hide the phone somewhere he won’t find it and I’ll call you in an hour with a number to reach me at.”

  “What the fuck is he saying to you?” Randy demanded.

  Ignoring him, I took her face in my hands and scrambled for some way to get through those dead eyes. “I’m not gonna force anythin’ on you, not ever. No one owns you, not him, not me, no one. But the moment you walked into my shop, you started to take what I got left in here.” I placed a hand over my heart. “You get what I’m sayin’? I know you’re tryin’ to protect me by doin’ this and I appreciate it, more than you could possibly imagine.” No woman besides my mother had ever tried to protect me. “But I’m not gonna let you get hurt again.” A flash of something passed across her face but it was gone so quickly, I couldn’t decipher it. I let go of her, feeling like I was making the biggest mistake of my life. “Go in the bedroom,” I said loud enough for Randy to hear. “Give us a minute to talk.”

  “She’s not your woman,” Randy spat out. “You don’t get to tell her what to do. She’s not going anywhere. Stay right where you are, Nicole.”

  Flexing my hands into fists, I turned on Randy. “Siren, bedroom. Now.”

  Motherfucking asshole turned white. “Do what he says, baby.”

  I waited till I heard the door close. “You wanna keep your dick attached to your balls, don’t fuckin’ touch her.”

  “She’s my woman.”

  “Correction, she was. Now she’s not. You think you won this round but all you succeeded in doin’ was pissin’ me off. I don’t give a shit who the fuck your daddy is, or what you think you have on me.” I stepped closer and got in his face. “I’m gonna love every second of the pain I inflict on you.”

  “You’re a dead man, Talerco.”

  I lowered my voice to a vicious calm, ignoring his threat. “Go ahead and play house. Pretend you still have an ounce of control over your life. Because come sunset?” I glared at him for two heartbeats, watching his pulse pound in his neck and smelling his fear. “The life you knew? It’s over.”

  “You’re threatening me?” His laugh was off. “Are you begging to go to the chair? No problem.” He picked up his phone.

  I moved. One hand curled satisfyingly around his skinny neck as I ripped the phone out of his grip with the other and spun him. Wrenching his arm up behind his back, I forced him to his knees and held his head down. “Do you know what happens when you make that call?” I growled.

  He gurgled, gasping for breath.

  I squeezed his neck tighter. “I didn’t hear you.”

  “You go…to jail,” he sputtered.

  “Wrong.” I brought his wrist to the point of breaking. “I tell Maldonado’s crew what Stone has planned for them.”

  “Bullshit,” he panted. “They’ll kill you first.”

  “Maybe.” A sneer of a grin spread across my face. “But not before I give them the address of the president of the Lone Coasters’ only son. And when you’re on your knees for them, begging for your life, you’ll wish it was only me holdin’ your sorry ass down.”

  “Fuck you.”

  I slammed his face into the coffee table.

  “Leave.” Siren’s voice rang through the apartment.

  Willing the deadly sneer off my face, I dropped Randy and turned. My breath catching, I raked my eyes the length of her, committing every inch of her to memory. Then I did the most cowardly thing I’d ever done in my life.

  I walked out.

  “CELL PHONE STORE IN THE mall,” I barked at André as I slid into his SUV and slammed the door.

  “Where is she?” André looked back at the apartment complex.

  “Not comin’.”

  “Why not?”

  My teeth ground together. “She’s tryin’ to protect me.” I’d seen the dead look in her eyes, the last place she wanted to be was with him. “She heard all the shit Carter said in my driveway and who knows what other bullshit he’s fed her since then.”

  “So tell her he’s full of shit.”

  “I tried,” I ground out. “She’s not listenin’. She’s not used to someone helpin’ her.”

  André gave me a look before pulling into traffic. “Sounds like someone else I know.” He swung the Escalade around. “I saw Carter and two LCs pull up. What happened?”

  “Nothin’.”

  He glanced at my clenched fists on my thighs. “Any of them still conscious?”

  “One of ’em.”

  André nodded and was silent a moment. “You can’t force her to leave him.”

  “I know.” Goddamn it. I fucking knew that.

  “Seems like she’s been beat around enough. Are you sure you’re taking the right approach?”

  “He kidnapped her and threatened me and Blaze and Layna! What the fuck did you think I was gonna do? Have motherfuckin’ beers with the asshole?”

  “Relax, hombre. I’m just wondering what the plan is. You can’t go after him half-cocked. Until your ass is out of the line of fire, you’re putting both of you at risk every time you follow your dick.”

  “I’m not following my dick!” Jesus Christ, he was pissing me off. “She’s not just a piece of ass.” Fuck him. I wasn’t about to explain how she made me feel fucking human again, not to him or anyone else.

  He pulled into the mall and parked. “I got your back, you know I do. And not because I owe you for fronting me the money for my business.”

  “Jesus fuck, you paid me back. How many more times you gonna mention it?”

  “You know what I’m saying. Always faithful, man.” He slapped me on the shoulder. “Let’s get your girl but let’s do it right.”

  She wasn’t my girl. Not yet. “You done?”

  He half smiled and shook his head. “Yeah, I’m done, you hotheaded fuck.”

  Asshole. I got out and slammed the door.

  A half hour later I was back in the SUV, bouncing my knee, waiting for the new phone to boot up. Then I dialed a number I’d closely guarded for years. I could count on one hand the number of people who knew it and I’d simply handed it over to Siren.

  When she didn’t answer, I hung up and typed out a text.

  It’s me. You ok? Did he go back to Candles?

  I stared at the screen.

  “You going into work?” André asked as he drove us back toward the beach.

  “Kendall can handle it,” I muttered.

  “Does she know she’s handling it?”

  Shit. I dialed her cell.

  She answered after four rings. “Who the hell is this?”

  “I need you to work the shop today.”

  Pause. Then, “Hey Kendall, good morning, how are you?” she said snidely. “Oh, by the way, this is Talon and I have a new phone number.”

  “Shop, today.” I didn’t have time for her shit.

  She snorted. “When don’t I open the store these days?”

  Fuck her. “You said you wanted the job. You change your mind, just let me know.”

  “And miss out on the world’s friendliest boss? Gee, what a terrifying prospect.”

  My cell pinged with a text. “Stay to closin’.” I hung up and looked at the screen.

  Siren: Don’t text me

  Shit.

  Me: Not gonna happen. U alone?

  Siren: If I answer yes are you coming over?

  What the fuck did that mean? She wanted me to?

  Me: Yes

  Siren: I’m not alone

  Me: One date and yer already lying to me?

  No response. My muscles were so fucking tightly wound, I wanted to hit something.

  Me: U there?

  Siren: Yes

  I let out a breath and
fought the urge to text her that I was coming to get her despite what I’d promised her.

  Me: I need to know if yer ok

  Siren: I’m fine

  Me: What’d I say about lying?

  Siren: Accusing me of lying isn’t the same as saying something about lying

  I relaxed marginally, reasoning if Carter was still there, she wouldn’t be having a text conversation with me.

  Me: Point taken. Can I ask u a question?

  Siren: Yes

  Me: Why wouldn’t u come with me?

  Two minutes passed.

  Me: Siren?

  Siren: I couldn’t

  Inhaling, I jumped in with both feet.

  Me: This morning was a game changer for me. I want to know if u feel the same

  Siren: Don’t

  Me: Don’t what? Tell u I want u?

  Siren: It doesn’t matter

  The fuck it didn’t.

  Me: U giving up on me?

  Siren: There was nothing to give up on

  I ignored the stab in my gut seven fucking words brought and pushed ahead.

  Me: I don’t believe that

  Siren: Stop

  Me: U trusted me. U said I made you feel safe

  Siren: Don’t do this

  Me: I kno what letting me touch u meant

  Siren: You’re wrong

  Me: I’m not. I kno what it meant when u gave yourself to me

  Siren: Forget about me

  Me: Never. Game changer. I’m coming for u. A few days and this will be over

  Siren: Goodbye Talon

  I stared at the last text, alarm flooding my chest. I dialed and without a single ring, my own voice filled my ear. “Lose this number.”

  “Shit.”

  “What?” André pulled into my driveway.

  I wanted to throw the fucking phone. “Nothin’.” I reached for the door.

  “I’ll come back later. I got some business to handle.”

  My head was so fucked-up, I wasn’t paying enough attention to what was going on outside of Siren. “What business?”

  When he scratched his chin, I knew it wasn’t good.

  “You know somethin’.”

  André sighed. “Maldonado’s men took the bait. They’re going after the LCs.”

  “Good.”

  “Your name is also in the mix.”

  Candle was right. “Unless they’re stupid as shit, they’ll know me and Blaze served together. You don’t have to look hard to connect us.”

  “You’re nothing to them. Neither is Blaze. They won’t hesitate to kill either of you.”

  “Tell me somethin’ I don’t know. I’m not afraid of those assholes.”

  “You should be. There’s only two ways this will go down.”

  “Not rocket science. When Maldonado’s men retaliate, Stone will either have a fuckin’ aneurysm and call a truce or he’ll declare war.”

  “I don’t see him having an aneurysm,” André said tiredly.

  No shit. “Me neither.”

  “We need Neil and Blaze in case Stone tells Maldonado’s men it was you.”

  “No.” No way. I wasn’t risking Blaze. I wasn’t going to do that to Layna. And as much as I’d feel a hell of a lot safer having Neil at my back, he’d been a judgmental prick since my wife died.

  “You can’t fight a cartel and a motorcycle club single-handedly.”

  “I can do whatever the fuck I want.” It was a knee-jerk response but it was also my motto. I answered to no one.

  “Fuck, Doc, come on.” André got pissed. “I got a lot of shit to handle and reining in your stupid ass shouldn’t be one of them.”

  If I wasn’t so fucked in the head over Siren and this whole damn mess, I would’ve smiled. It wasn’t easy to get a rise out of André. “Not askin’ you to.”

  “No, you just expect it.”

  “What the fuck’s that supposed to mean? I didn’t ask you to come here.”

  “Exactly, you never ask for help. You just run around like a lone horseman, like you don’t have people who give a shit about you who’ll show up the second trouble finds you. And trust me, trouble finds the fuck out of you.”

  “Right.” I snorted. “Me and my millions have lotsa people concerned ’bout what happens to me and my trouble.” What a fucking joke.

  “You’re an asshole.”

  I got out of the SUV. “Now you’re gettin’ it.”

  Resigned, André sighed. “I know where Carter’ll be tonight.”

  The door in my hand, I froze. “Where?”

  André stared straight ahead a moment. “Biker bar across town. He goes every Wednesday night.”

  I started plotting, thinking of all the things I could say to her to convince her to come with me. “What time?”

  “Usually after work.”

  I glanced at my watch. Five fucking hours. “Thanks.” I shut the passenger door.

  André put the window down. “I’ll be back by four.”

  “Not askin’ for a sidekick.”

  “You’re getting one anyway.” The window went up and he backed down my driveway.

  I made my way upstairs and when the silence rushed me, the weight of the past twenty-four hours hit me hard. A glutton for punishment, I walked into my bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. Her scent crashed into me and I buried my face in my hands.

  “Fuck, Siren,” I muttered.

  I WAS SO HAPPY TO see Siren, I almost didn’t care about the shithole Carter had brought her to. I did a quick visual search of the bar for him then I leaned down to Kendall. “Ten o’clock, Carter’s with two other LCs.”

  Kendall draped her hand over my shoulder and rubbed up against me as she casually looked behind her. “I see four LCs. How many before it becomes a problem for you?”

  I snorted. “I can handle four.”

  She let out a half laugh. “If you cause a scene, there’ll be a lot more than four.”

  I didn’t plan on getting anyone’s attention except Siren’s. “Just stick to the plan.”

  “And which plan is that? Duck and cover, or pretend I’m fucking Daytona’s biggest man-whore?”

  Un-fucking-believable. “We went over this.”

  “Yeah, you stormed into the shop before closing and told me I was going to be your date tonight.”

  “Just cover my shit.” If anyone could pull off distracting a bunch of bikers in a biker bar, it was Kendall and her come-fuck-me leather outfits. It was why I’d come for her the second we’d confirmed Carter had taken Siren with him tonight. “You run into a problem, use the earpiece. André and his men are in the back parkin’ lot.”

  Kendall slipped a finger to her ear. “You hear that, André? Talon just threw you under the bus.”

  André’s chuckle filled my ear. “Wouldn’t be the first time, chica. By the way, did I tell you that you look smoking hot tonight?”

  Kendall rolled her eyes at me and touched her ear again. “Put it back in your pants, little boy, and call me in a decade when you know what to do with a woman.”

  “Copy that, chica.” André laughed harder. “I’ll be sure to get lots of experience between now and then.”

  Enough with the bullshit. I pulled Kendall’s hand away from her ear. “Tell Siren to come to the back office or give her the note. Don’t let anyone hear or see you do it. Got it?”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” She smoothed a hand over her hair and didn’t give me a second glance. Her ass swaying as she crossed the bar, she plopped down on a stool next to one of the LCs playing pool with Carter.

  “What’s up, Drifter?” Kendall’s voice came through my mic.

  The one she called Drifter sized her up. “Not looking to get my dick bit off is what’s up. Whatdaya want?”

  “What do you think I want?” she asked in a singsong voice.

  “The crazy-ass shit you pull, who fucking knows?”

  Kendall rolled her eyes and dropped the pretense. “Just get me a beer, asshole.”


  “Or what? You gonna call Daddy?” He laughed.

  “No.” An evil smile lit up Kendall’s face. “I’ll just make sure Candle knows you want pink pinstriping on your sorry-ass Roadster next time you bring it into the shop.”

  Drifter puffed his chest out. “My bike’s a fucking classic.”

  Siren backed up a foot and glanced at Randy but he was busy taking a shot.

  “It’s a pussy bike,” Kendall said loudly.

  Randy and three other men all turned toward Kendall.

  Drifter moved in on her and got in her face. “What’d you fucking say?”

  Jesus Christ. I should’ve known this was going to be over before it started.

  Kendall leaned around Drifter’s massive frame. “Hey Randy, what’s up? You stab and kidnap any more women this week?”

  “Fuck me,” I muttered.

  “Boss?” André’s voice came over the mic.

  I touched the button on the piece in my ear. “If she wasn’t sittin’ three feet from Siren, I’d fuckin’ leave her here to teach her a lesson.”

  Kendall’s hand came up behind her and she flipped me the bird.

  “Stop being a cunt, Kendall.” Randy crossed his arms around his cue stick and glanced at Drifter. “You gonna let some whore call you a pussy?”

  Drifter shook his head like he was trying to clear an alcoholic fog from his brain then he reached for Kendall. He wasn’t even close to fast enough. Kendall slid off the stool and stepped around him.

  “What was that, Randy?” Kendall leaned close to Carter and as she did, she discreetly pressed a small piece of paper into Siren’s hand. “I didn’t hear you. Did you call me a cunt or was that a whore?”

  Siren looked at her hand then her shoulders stiffened. With the slightest of movements, she glanced across the bar.

  Randy laughed and fist bumped an LC standing next to him. “Yeah, I fucking called you a cunt and a whore. What of it?”

  Kendall abruptly spun around to face Siren. “You sleep with this piece of shit? Doesn’t it make you feel sick to your stomach?”

  Siren’s eyes went wide as fuck.

  “Hey!” Randy snapped.

  “Yeah, I can totally see it.” Kendall ignored Randy. “You even look sick to your stomach. You should go use the bathroom, splash some water on your face or something. You look like shit.”