by Sybil Bartel
“Now you’re catchin’ on. That’s the point, Sugar, the whole point.” He laughed but I got the impression there was a lot more to it than just women.
“Charming,” I muttered.
Talon pulled into a CVS. “C’mon, let’s get you all prettied up.”
The altercation with Buck had left me feeling shitty and drained. “Yay,” I said with absolutely zero enthusiasm.
Talon paused and looked at me. I got the distinct feeling he was struggling to put on his game face. “You’re crazy sexy hot beautiful.” He smiled like a Cheshire cat, emphasizing the crazy in his run on sentence.
“I think I’m beginning to see the crack in your façade.”
Talon threw his head back and laughed. “Never doubted it, Sugar, never doubted it.”
We got out of the car and Talon slung his arm around my shoulder.
“So, does that work for you?” I asked, realizing belatedly that my question was a little vague.
“Does what work, Sugar?” Talon asked distractedly as he scanned the store.
I knew who he was looking for and the realization gave me a chill. “The heavy come-ons and shameless flirting—do women really fall for that?”
Talon smiled. “Oh, you’d be surprised.”
I took that as a yes. “Then what? After you get them, I mean. Then what do you do? Tell them you were lying? Or keep playing the game?” I was honestly interested. I had no idea how this whole thing worked. I’d never dated. In fact, if it weren’t for my one night with Sean-the-Jerk, you could say I pretty much skipped the whole male/female part of my life.
Talon stopped walking and looked down at me. “Let me ask you a question, Sugar, cuz you’re startin’ to worry me a little bit.” The smile dropped from his face but not his eyes. Talon never smiled with his eyes. “You ever been on a date?”
“Define date.” I wouldn’t call what Sean and I did a date.
“Christ,” he whispered, like suddenly everything made sense to him.
“I’ve been on a date,” I quickly lied.
“How old are you?” He ignored my statement.
“Twenty-two.” The lie was so familiar, it rolled off my lips.
Talon’s hands went to his hips.
I sighed. “Fine. Nineteen.”
“Aw Christ Sugar, and I let you share a bed with Deer Hunter?” Talon ran his hands through his sun-bleached hair, making it look even more tousled.
I stiffened. “I’m not Pollyanna, Talon. I’ve had sex.”
When Talon’s eyes snapped to mine, they were dancing with amusement. “Say it a little louder, I don’t think the cashiers heard you.”
My head whipped around and sure enough, more than a few pairs of eyes quickly looked away. “Terrific,” I muttered.
“Shit, Sugar, I knew I was protectin’ your cute little ass, I didn’t know I had to protect your virtue too. Deer Hunter looks at you like you’re his next meal.”
I rolled my eyes and reached for a basket. “First, Buck doesn’t look at me like that and second, there’s no virtue to protect and third, but most importantly, I can take care of myself. I never asked to come here, in fact, Buck practically kidnapped me. I’d been doing alright by myself for three years.” I stormed off to find what I needed.
“Define alright,” Talon whispered in my ear.
I choked back a shriek of surprise. The sneaky bastard, he was even quieter than Buck. I hastily grabbed shampoo, tossing it in the basket before I turned to face him. Talon watched me with the same intensity as Buck.
“Do I look harmed or damaged? Are there any bullet holes in me? Do I twitch or limp or look over my shoulder every two minutes?” I was tired of this.
“No, but you flinch when I come near you. You’re usin’ a fake name, you have nothin’ but the clothes on your back and Blaze found you in Gainesville, hundreds of miles from your home, hidin’ in a college town where someone your age could blend in. All that adds up and I haven’t even gotten to the heavy in your apartment or the fact that you act like a caged animal, lashin’ out at the hand that feeds you, too spun to know you need out. You don’t notice any of the things around you most women would beg for but you focus on all the little details that lead me to believe you’ve spent your entire adult life in survival mode. That’s not livin’, Sugar.”
“Who the hell are you to judge?” I snapped, suddenly furious at his spot-on observations.
Talon took a threatening step toward me and dropped his voice to a fierce whisper. “You come into my house, you involve one of my men, you stand your marked ass next to mine? I not only judge, I become your biggest problem. You want to play with the big boys? Know what the fuck you’re dealin’ with. Life or death, I play to win. I told you I’d help you but I’m not goin’ down in a halo of gunfire in broad daylight in a full occupancy business high rise without one single fuckin’ witness. If I’m gonna die for you, I’m takin’ everyone around me out—includin’ you. You understand what the fuck I’m tellin’ you?”
I stared at Talon, suddenly more terrified of him than I’d ever been of Miami.
Talon gripped my upper arm. “Do you?”
“Yes.” Loud and clear. There hadn’t been one witness to my parents’ death but there would be to ours.
“Good, because next time you want to cop a fuckin’ attitude with me, understand that I don’t play by the rules. I’ll protect you to my last breath, but I’m no fuckin’ hero. You’ll take that last breath with me. That is the difference between me and Deer Hunter. Never forget it.”
I held his eyes for two heartbeats because I didn’t want him to see any fear or weakness in me. Then I walked off on shaky legs. Talon shadowed me, not saying a word. I went as quick as possible, throwing toiletries and some basic makeup in my basket. I grabbed a small zippered cloth bag to hold it all and went to the register.
The cashier rang me up, openly staring at Talon. I reached in my pocket for one of the hundred-dollar bills I’d brought with me but Talon snaked an arm around me and swiped his credit card.
“You think I’m gonna let you pay after last night, Sugar?” He spoke just loud enough for the cashier to hear.
I didn’t know who blushed harder, me or the cashier. I bit back a caustic remark about it not being all that, because I had a feeling payback from Talon would be hell. Instead, I played the game. “This is all I’m worth? Some shampoo and mascara?”
Talon’s grin spread across his face. “Oh, darlin’,” he drawled. “You’re worth so much more than that.”
Chapter Ten
We walked back to the car same way we came in, Talon’s arm around me, him scanning our surroundings and me flustered. He opened the door for me with a flourish and Buck’s words came back to haunt me, twelve waking hours. I groaned as I got in the car.
“See that, Sugar? You’re already fallin’ for me. I didn’t even touch you and you’re moanin’.” He chuckled and shut my door.
I waited till he got in the car. “If you consider shoveling shit as falling, then I’m knee deep.”
“Won’t work, Sugar, I see the crack in your façade.” He started the car. “Ready to make a buck? No pun intended of course.” He winked.
I leaned my head back. “This is going to be the longest day ever.”
“Yeah.” He smiled wide. “And I’m only gettin’ started.”
I flipped the radio on as Talon sped through town, back toward the beach. It was too early to talk any more with him. I let my hopes rise as he headed toward his house, thinking I’d get to spend the day in solitude, maybe lay out in the sun. My hopes were squashed when he turned north and dragged the main strip by the beach.
A few minutes later he pulled behind some retail buildings and parked.
“Home away from home. C’mon.” He hopped out of the car and I followed.
“I’m not dressed for anything fancy,” I warned, wondering where the hell he was taking me.
Talon came around the car and draped an arm over my shoulders. �
��Won’t need fancy here.” He led us to a back door and unlocked it, turning off an alarm and throwing on lights. The hallway was long enough for a bathroom and small break room with a kitchenette on one side and what looked like a carpenter’s shop with surfboards on the other. The end of the hall had another door and before I could question Talon, he strode through it and I saw why Buck thought I’d find something to wear here. Talon owned a surf shop, complete with clothes, suits, dive gear, surf boards, accessories—you name it, it was all there. The place was huge.
“Impressive.” I looked at the racks and racks of clothes then at Talon. “You make surf boards?” I couldn’t surf, I sucked, but I loved the idea of it. The waves in Miami were nonexistent, but on stormy days I would watch the surfers glide across the water.
“Yep. You surf?”
“I’ve tried. I’m not any good.”
“You didn’t have the right teacher. I’ll take you out. Nothin’ better than bein’ on the water.” Talon walked around me and turned on a few more lights. “Look through the racks, pick what you want then we’ll open. I’ll be in the office behind the front counter.”
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited. I was mostly a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl but I loved the brands Talon had in his shop. Sitting behind a phone at my last job, no one ever saw me, so I didn’t spend money on clothes. I also didn’t like to stand out. I’d gotten good at being practically invisible.
I went through the racks, fingering all the soft clothes. I pulled some pants, shorts, tank tops, a bikini, a hoodie and a sweater and went to try everything on. Since I didn’t have underwear, I left the bikini on, then put on a pair of soft pants and a sheer flirty tank top that skimmed my thighs. I found a display of flip-flops and chose some with a slight heel. Topping it off, I put on a cute sweater and twisted my hair up and secured it with a pen I found on the front counter. I added everything up, took out three hundreds and knocked on Talon’s open door.
Talon was on the phone but he gestured for me to come in. I was surprised that his office was meticulously organized.
“I’ll have the gear and tanks ready. What time are you coming for them?” Talon spoke with a professional voice that wasn’t at all like how he spoke with me. “Sounds good. See you then.” He hung up and smiled. “Lookin’ good, Sugar.” His drawl was back.
I put the hundreds on his desk. “Where are you from?”
“First of all, I’m not takin’ your money. Second, all over.” He shoved the bills back at me.
I didn’t pick them up. I didn’t want to be any more indebted to him. “Not really an answer.”
“Wasn’t much of a question.”
Jerk. “Where were you born?”
His expression softened. “Texas,” he said fondly.
“A surfer from Texas?” I envisioned Texas as big wide open plains.
“Last time I checked, Texas bordered the Gulf.” He looked amused by my ignorance.
“I didn’t think there was much surfing on the Gulf.” Hurricanes excluded.
“Nope.” Still grinning, he leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying this.
Talking to Talon was like pulling teeth. “So you grew up in Texas?”
“Nah, California.” He paused, watching me intently. “Then Florida.”
“That’s a lot of places.”
“That’s a lot of questions.” He stood up from his chair and swiped the money off his desk.
I stepped back when he walked toward me, suddenly nervous about the glint in his eyes. “I’m just getting started,” I muttered as he stopped inches from me.
“Oh, I don’t doubt that one bit,” Talon said in a husky whisper, slipping the money past my tank top and into the top of the bikini. “Love the look, Sugar. Now don’t piss me off by offerin’ me money again.” He sauntered to the front of the store to unlock the doors.
An hour later, no fewer than five women had been through the store confirming everything I’d assumed about Talon. One had brought muffins for breakfast, one came in asking for a surf lesson that I was sure was code for let’s get naked. Another asked if he was coming over tonight and another asked for help picking out a new bikini. If they crossed paths with one another, they never said anything. It’s like they all knew they shared him with every other woman on the planet and were okay with it. When the fifth one sauntered out with a smile on her face, I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Do you do this every day?” I asked, incredulous. How much sex could one person have?
“Do what, Sugar? Make surf boards and rent tanks?” He carried an empty tank toward the back, his muscles stretching his T-shirt.
Bastard was being purposely obtuse. Sure, two guys had come in and picked up surf boards Talon had made for them, paying an exorbitant amount of money in my opinion. And he did have a steady stream of people renting scuba tanks. That wasn’t what I was talking about and he knew it. I waited till he came back. “Do they all know about each other?”
Talon paused and looked at me with a seductive smile. “Plenty of me to go around, Sugar.”
“And that works for you? Don’t any of them get jealous?” I’d be furious.
“I don’t pretend to be somethin’ I’m not. I never promise more than a few hours and trust me, you wouldn’t be wastin’ your time complainin’.” Talon winked and picked up two more empty tanks.
What a player. “Cocky much?” I called to his retreating back.
Talon laughed. “If the shoe fits, darlin’.”
I spent the rest of the day trying to be useful. Talon wouldn’t let me go the beach by myself or even venture out for food. He ordered lunch and surprise, surprise, a hot blonde brought it and fawned all over him. True to Buck’s assessment, Talon had a different nickname for each of them; Kitten, Honeybelle, Red, Vixen, it was never the same nickname twice. I had to give him credit for his efforts. I was exhausted just watching him.
Buck’s call came late in the afternoon.
“Hello?” I answered tentatively.
“Hey.”
One word and the sound of his voice filled me with longing. “Hi,” I said softly.
Buck cleared his throat. “I wanted to see if you’re surviving Talon’s inappropriate behavior.”
His implication curled around my heart in false hope. “I’m not. Since he opened the doors, there’s been a constant stream of idiotic females lined up to take his abuse. He’s got no time for me.”
“Sounds like Talon.”
“How’s your mom?” I should have asked first thing.
“She’s okay.”
He didn’t elaborate and I didn’t push. It wasn’t my business. “I’m glad.” I rearranged some displays on the front counter, wishing I didn’t like the sound of his voice so much.
“I hear you moving things around. Talon got you working?”
“I volunteered.” It was the least I could do.
Buck was quiet a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was quieter. “I’m not playing games with you.”
I didn’t doubt his sincerity but the folder thing, the whole I want to kiss you but I won’t, the incident in bed, his rough words, this was Buck playing by his own rules. “Maybe you and I have a different definition of game.”
“I’m sorry. I made a mistake this morning.”
Was that supposed to make me feel better? “I didn’t ask to be your mistake.”
“I didn’t say you were a mistake, I said I made a mistake.”
“Fine. Can we just drop it?” I didn’t need to hash it out or relive it, or feel even worse.
Buck inhaled. “You’re upset.”
“I’m fine.” Upset was about three words too few for what I was feeling.
Silence.
And it only made me feel worse. “Okay, great then. Moving on. How’s your day? Good? Me too. I’m good, you’re good, we’re all good. Find out anything more you want to hide from me or was the folder this morning an isolated incident?”
“Talon acquired pict
ures of your father with some men.”
Buck’s admission stopped me short. I dropped my sarcastic tone and carefully measured my response. “Can you be more specific?”
“These men had an agenda.”
“He was a politician.” Most of the people he kept company with wanted something from him.
“We’ll talk about it later.”
I bit back what I wanted to say and instead said what I should. “Okay.”
Pause, then, “Did you get some clothes?”
I exhaled, trying to temper my irritation. “Yes, thank you.”
“Good... So, what’s your favorite band?”
“Making a list?”
“No, getting to know you.”
His honesty was so disarming, I felt like an immature teenager. “There are too many. I’d keep you on the phone for an hour.”
“I’ve got time.”
Guilt twisted my stomach. His mother was dying and he was taking time away from her, for me. I rubbed my hand over my face. “I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “You should go back to your mom, I’ve taken enough of your time.”
He didn’t say anything.
I thought the call had been dropped. “Buck?”
“Yeah?”
“Oh, I didn’t—”
“She’s asleep right now.”
The abrupt admission, the sound of his tired voice, all of a sudden I didn’t care about the folder or this morning or last night. My heart was breaking for him and I just wanted to be near him. I didn’t have any words that could possibly make his situation any easier. I wished I did, but I didn’t.
“You didn’t tell me your favorite band,” he reminded me.
“I listen to music a lot. It’s my version of company.” I figured that was more telling than any band I might name.
“What’s your favorite movie?”
“Anything with action.”
His laugh was quiet and reserved and little more than an exhale but it was still a laugh and it felt like I’d done something right.
“I wasn’t expecting that but I should’ve guessed. You don’t seem the chick-flick type.”
I pretended to groan. “No chick flicks. And no horror movies.” Life was scary enough.