by Rue, Rebekah
What? I scrunch up my forehead. “Why do you keep calling me diamond?”
He flashes a row of teeth, looking me up and down. “Haven’t you ever heard the best things come in small packages?”
“Back the fuck off, Skid!” Talon’s angry voice booms, causing me to jump and Skid to drop my hand. I take a step back. Suddenly, I feel guilty like I just got caught doing something wrong.
“Ah, Talon,” Skid says with spite. Turning his snide look to me, he points over to Talon. “Are you his, diamond?”
“No, we’re friends and stop calling me diamond.
“Friends?” Skid laughs with excitement. “That’s the zone he likes to keep all his women in—that or the discard pile.”
I glance over and see Talon’s fists white knuckled by his side and hot rage seeping through his pores. His control is slipping.
Skid leans closer to Talon but speaks in a tone we all can hear. “That slick must be super sweet if you’re hitting that shit every night. What do you say we do a tag team on her? I’ll leave that tight little pussy for you, and I’ll tear up her asshole.”
Before anyone knows it, Skid is on his back with a boom, and Talon is viciously pummeling him repeatedly in the face. Blood sprays out of someone and people scatter. Stone and a few others spread their arms out and push the crowd back. Maggie encloses me in a tight hug as I watch intently, covering my hands over my mouth in shock. It’s frightening.
When Skid stops moving, several guys pull Talon off his bloody, limp mess of a body, and like nothing, Talon shakes the guys off, turning and locking his infuriated stare on me. The veins in his arms pulsate, and his bulging chest rises with each heavy breath. It feels like minutes pass and no one says or does anything; everybody just stares. That’s when Talon breaks eye contact, spitting a mixture of blood and saliva spatter to the ground and storms to his car. I can’t let him leave alone. Will he ever talk to me again? I run after him, dangerously throwing myself into his car seconds before he peels out, leaving the crowd in a dusting of dirt.
Silence, it’s almost unbearable. I seriously need to talk about what just happened, but holed up in this tiny space with Speed Racer is suffocating. It isn’t a joy ride. He’s angry and takes it out on every other driver lucky enough to get in front of him. I hang onto the seat belt for dear life, peeking over in his direction. Streetlights dance across his face, one by one as they pass, illuminating his rigid jaw, a cheekbone that’s starting to swell, and bloody knuckles. He doesn’t acknowledge me or even glance my way even once, his lack of outward emotions only scrambling up my already erratic inward emotions. Should I say sorry? Or be angry at him for fighting. I’m no victim. I wasn’t hurt, but his actions speak volumes. There’s no way of telling what is running through his mind, considering his already icy mood.
I gently reach over and touch his hand on the stick shift. “Talon?”
My words fall into the darkness, and with not so much as a glance, he jerks his hand away, leaving mine unwanted. The slap of cold rejection. He pulls into his garage, turning the engine off. The room is lit just enough by the overhead light for us to see. Talon is looking down in his lap when he releases a stressful sigh.
My stomach is twisted up in knots and I break. “I’m sorry.” I don’t even know what I’m sorry for. I guess I should have set Skid straight from the beginning, told him I wasn’t interested, and Talon wouldn’t be battered. “You didn’t need to do that.”
He lets out an angry noise and gets out, slamming the car door hard. My pace keeps up with his all the way to the middle of the dim living room, where I nearly bump into him as he stops. With his back to me, his voice is low. It doesn’t even sound like him. “I suggest you stay away from me right now.” His shoulders sag and his torso rocks with every breath.
Cautiously, I round him. “Why? I’m not afraid of you.”
Suddenly, his body forcefully pushes mine against the wall, and his hands cage around my head. His body is having an adrenaline dump because his muscles are coiled and trembling, and his pupils are dilated. I’ll never forget the expression on his face. His eyes are sharp, threatening. “Are you sure about that? Say it again.” He growls, slamming a fist hard into the wall. I wince from the bang in my ear and close my eyes tight for a second, swallowing down the pool of saliva that develops. Long tense seconds pass.
“I’m not afraid of you.” I make sure to say it slowly, meaning every word so he fully understands. Distress is written all over his face as his eyes fall and he sighs, resting his forehead against mine.
I bring my hand up and lightly graze it across his cheek as I speak. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You were simply sticking up—”
Abruptly, he shoves himself away from the wall in a violent rush. “Having someone else’s blood all over me isn’t wrong?” Silence, silence, silence. “Shit, Lo!”
I watch him pace around the room, and my heart aches for him. Clasping my hands in front of me and closing my eyes, I rest my head against the wall and stay silent, wishing this would all go away. Sometimes silence is the best gift you can give someone.
Singular parts of me flare to life when I feel his abused hands creep into my hair, painfully fisting handfuls at the base of my head like he needs the earth to stop moving. He tilts my head back to the angle he wants. “Open your eyes.” He grumbles slowly. I swallow my nervousness, and my body obeys, giving my eyes to him. “Do you know how crazy you make me? Lo, I almost killed that guy out there tonight for you. I didn’t want to stop.”
I can’t stop the shudder. “Why?” I wait a few beats. I need to know, but he will never say. Instead, he deflects the question, making a face that looks almost painful.
I don’t have time to brace myself and my heart breaks. He doesn’t need to say a single word. I may lack relationship experience, but I know. A strong man on the outside but crumbly and broken inside—something I never noticed until now—Talon keeps many emotions locked up, only showing the strong alpha male that I know. I feel the need to comfort him, soothe his nerves, and tell him everything will be okay. Or better yet, show him. Take care of him as he did me. With shaky hands, I slide them under the tail of his shirt, applying pressure with my fingertips so that our stomachs press together. He sucks in a sharp breath through his teeth, and his grip grows tighter. My gentle fingers rub up and down, firmly circling the pads over his stiff flesh, begging him to calm. I care about him. I’ve fallen for the player, and I so badly want to give him my heart. I try to live my life with caution, but what’s the point of living if I’m not living at all?
Chapter 12
Lo
For once, he lets go, his muscles pliable under my hands. When the blaze fades from his eyes, I reach up and coax his hands out of my hair, entwining our fingers. Talon lets me pull him through the house, up the stairs and into his bathroom without the slightest hesitation. Once there, I guide him to sit down on the lid of the toilet seat, pulling open the cabinet drawer by drawer, rummaging through to find all the supplies I’m searching for. On the cold tiles, I sit on my heels between his legs, spreading everything out onto a fluffy towel.
“This might sting a little,” I warn, looking up at him, holding his hand in mine. He flinches just slightly as I pour the alcohol over his dried open wounds. They aren’t bad enough that he needs to go to the hospital, but several definitely need attention so they won’t get infected. My small hands make quick work of picking out grass, gravel, chunks of blood, and I don’t know what else. All the while Talon doesn’t even make a peep; he only watches. His tired eyes shift between my working hands and my face. Under his observant eye, I’m a bit nervous, and when I finish, I rise up on my knees, between his legs, and give each booboo a tiny peck, even the gash that graces his lower lip, and smile.
His free hand seizes the back of my head, forcing me to stay put. So close. God, he’s sinfully sexy, I can’t help but think, locked in his stare. His eyes are teeming with the burning need to have me. He’s no longer trying to hide
his feelings as I am. All the feelings I’ve bottled up for some time now are threatening to explode like a can of shaken soda.
“Don’t start something you’re not willing to finish, Lo,” he warns, ever so slightly tilting his head to the side and flashing my lips a quick look.
“Are you going to steal a kiss?” I challenge. Vivid memories don’t do justice to what his lips can do. I’m too flustered—too flustered to kiss first or to speak in full sentences or run for that matter. One side of his mouth lifts, and he gently coaxes me closer, sliding his warm tongue over the seam of my lips. “Do you want me to?”
I part them, granting him access, and he barely tickles my lips with a kiss. I lick my lips, thirsting for another taste, and he moans, watching my pink tongue return to my mouth. An intense shiver runs the length of my spine, and he notices, pulling back a few inches. With hooded eyes, I watch him second-guess the decision not to release the ferocity behind his lips. I want him to. God, I want him to. He has me all worked up.
His perfect mouth inches closer again, and I fall still. When his lips cover mine, I drag in a long breath, closing my eyes, absorbing him. This time, though, his lips don’t form a kiss but whisper softly against mine. “Thank you” Then he tenderly brushes his nose along my cheek to my ear, releasing a deep hum as he flicks my earlobe with his tongue. The vibration fires off another shiver, but this time it strikes between my legs. He notices that too, a smile playing at his mouth. Talon is very good at what he does and knows what strings to pluck.
Gently, he urges me to stand up, hooks a finger in my belt loops, and draws me to straddle his lap. Sparkling blue eyes gaze deep into mine, and for a minute, I fear he might see my true feelings. I tell myself I don’t want to fall, but I know it’s too late. I want to show him that the greatest drug for a human is the love of another human being.
My hands leave my side and circle his neck, and I feel his hardening length grow between my legs. At the same time, his fingers run up under the tail of my thin shirt and under my waistband, working my lower back, graciously brushing light touches to the swells of my ass. The kneading creates a rocking motion working us both into a rhythm. It all feels so good. I moan softly in his ear, biting my lip. A steady roll of his hips pushes his denim-clad cock right into my clit, stimulating every nerve inside me.
With that hit, I drop my cheek to his, and my hands desperately try to grip his short hair to no avail. His hands push my hips downward with every rotation into him, making it so hard for me to control the blows to my sweet spot. Each time he strikes, my lungs lose a little more air. My head starts to spin, and I’m growing dangerously close to coming, loving his kind of torture. With our cheeks joined, they caress each other softly and slowly. I tilt my lips towards his face and graze them against his stubble, marking him with the moisture of my breath. Randomly, I pepper delicate kisses across his cheek and around his ear, always rejoining our cheeks. I do this over and over, focusing on his hits to my center. My softness against his roughness makes for an amazing contrast. He growls under my lips, sliding his warm hands slowly up my curves to my shoulder blades and dragging my shirt up with them, stopping, tickling the clasp of my bra.
“Shit, Lo, don’t let go yet.” I clench my muscles, obeying his words. Another roll. “Your face is flushed so beautifully. Say the words. Let me lay you down and fuck this out of us.” With hunger and lust, he emphasizes his words with an upward roll.
My eyes shoot open. Fuck what out of us? I manage to lean back, feeling this drift towards the point of no return. My body is primed for what will happen next, but my heart is still a few paces behind.
“Talon . . .”
“Hmmm,” he mumbles, kissing up my neck, just about to unclip my bra.
“Talon, I better go,” I whisper.
He stills, both of us breathing heavily. I stay, peeking over his shoulders instead of into his searing eyes. I’m weak and will easily fold with the pressure. He holds statue still then exhales a frustrated breath.
“No, stay,” he begs, tightening his arms around my waist and pulling back to look at me.
Believe me. I want to stay, but I see the big error in doing so. It’s bad enough I’ll go home and torture myself by rewinding and replaying this whole thing in my mind. Shaking my head, I stay firm.
“Fuck!” Talon exhales an unhappy sigh, pushing me to stand up. My shirt falls back into place just as two knocks come from the door, making us both turn.
“Whoa. Sorry bro,” Stone peeks in, eyeing us suspiciously.
“It’s fine, Stone. Come in. I was just leaving.” I move towards the door, but he still lingers on the handle.
“I just wanted to make sure my boy was okay, but seeing the two of you locked in here, I’d say he is.” I look down at the tile floor and wait, feeling a tad embarrassed. “Skid’s not so lucky though.” I shift my attention back to Stone. “After you guys left, they had a real hard time rousing him. Nobody wanted the cops involved, so they weren’t called. Lucky you. But it took another forty-five minutes to even get him to open his eyes or follow commands. The number you did on his face from dragging it across the gravel was bad. It looks like the side of the fucking moon.” I found my hand over my mouth in shock. If Skid had died, Talon would be facing some pretty serious manslaughter charges. Sweet Jesus! That thought is sobering. “Well, I’ll leave you two crazy kids. Glad to see you’re okay, Tal, and thanks for gluing all his pieces back together, Lo. I think my buddy would die a lonely man if you hadn’t come along—”
“Okay, that’s enough, Stone!” Talon spit.
“Yeah, yeah, okay.” Stone gives us a slight wave and closes the bathroom door, leaving us in odd silence.
Looking down, I can’t help feeling that this is all my fault.
“He’s shit, Lo. You don’t treat a woman like that and get away with it. Men were placed here to protect women for that reason, and he’s lucky a fucked-up face is the only problem he’s going to have.”
I blink a couple times, wondering how a person can beat another near death and not have remorse, even though the other was in the wrong. This whole night has been so confusing. Slowly sliding my eyes up to the beast of a man next to me, I swallow my nervousness. “I think it’s a good idea if I head home,” I say, taking a step in that direction.
“How do you plan on getting home? Is Maggie coming to get you?”
“I was going to walk. I’m only fifteen minutes away.” I can tell by the dismissive expression on his face that that is the wrong answer.
“You’ve lost your damn mind if you think I’m going to let you walk home in the dark.”
I want to argue because he’s trying to control me again, but with the crazy day he’s had, I have to cut him some slack. “Walk me out,” I whisper.
I lead the way, Talon following me down the hallway and down the flight of stairs until we stop next to the table at the front door.
“Take the Mustang.” He hands me the keys. As I reach for them, he pulls them back. “But I want you to call me as soon as you make it in. Don’t stop to piss or talk with Maggie. Okay?”
“Okay, okay, I got it.”
Talon’s eyes soften, a happy smile appears, and he opens his arms wide. “Come here.”
I can’t resist those arms. His hold is firm and safe. It gives me a feeling of salvation, and I fit perfectly in his arms. I rest my head against his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist, as he tucks his nose in my hair.
“I don’t want to let you go. Just stay,” he says. I chuckle into his shirt, not replying to his last ditch attempt. Loosening his arms just slightly, he pulls back, looking down at me, my tipping my head up to him. “Remember . . .”
I nod repeatedly. “No pissing—got it,” I tease with a playful smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Happy birthday.” I whisper the last part, realizing it’s after twelve.
His small smile appears again tainted with a side of pain, which I don’t understand. Then ever so smoothly Talon bends down and pl
aces a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth and hands off his keys.
Talon
Happy birthday. I hate the taste of those words in my mouth. A year ago those two simple words would have sent me plummeting into a fuck-everything tailspin. The booze would have flown so thick I’d have made sure to saturate every living cell in my body with it, and the cocktail of drugs would have sedated me so deeply that in four days, if I’d been lucky enough to wake up, I would have wished the drugs had taken me. See how a shitty childhood leaks into adulthood. At least my brother and I made it out alive. But the day of my birth will always be infected with hate for one person and saddened worship for another. No one really knows when my birthday is except for a few close individuals, but over the years, we’ve turned it into just another one of our raging parties but on anabolic steroids.
My lifestyle works. The good Lord hasn’t decided to take me yet, but the heavens above decided to fuck up my plans by throwing a 5’2” angel into the mix.
The next morning I don’t wake with the usual black cloud of self-destruction that comes with this day. No, this sensation is confusing and foreign. A surge of hope pushes my poisonous mood away and clarity seeps in. Though I’m afraid to admit to myself what caused this shift, this shift feels good.
Me and my coffee take our asses out to the backyard where big blowers are inflating huge slides and people are working to set up today’s festivities. I’m careful not to trip over the electrical cords or rolls of tarps when I see Stone organizing fresh wood in the fire pit. He glances up as I approach. “What’s up, Chief? How’s everything coming?” I casually ask.
“We’re right on schedule. Bruce and Ailee will be here in the next hour to drop off half the liquor store and all the food.