Obsession(26)

“I disagree.”

“I don’t care. You’re not getting that fucking tattoo.”

Her eyes darkened to a smoky blue. “I am.”

I grabbed her, gripping her upper arms harshly.

She grimaced. “Let go of me.”

“Not until you promise me not to get that tattoo.”

She kept her mouth shut.

Fucking stubborn woman! No phoenix tattoo Not on my watch. I dragged her into my shower and turned it on with a swoosh of water. Once it was steamed up, I pushed her inside.

She cowered under the spray, her arms crossed over her chest as if to hide herself. She looked over her shoulder at me, her blue eyes glassy. “Why does this bother you so much? I don’t understand.”

I turned rigid, raking my fingers through my hair. “You’ll never understand. Why did I think you ever might?”

“Understand what? You haven’t given me any reason to—”

I grabbed a washcloth and squirted body wash onto it. I stepped in the shower behind her and started scrubbing the small of her back.

“Talon, not so rough, please.”

Rough? Hell, I didn’t care. I’d burn that shit off if I had to.

Once her skin was free of the outline and the last traces of black were swirling down the drain, I finally started to relax a bit. I slunk against the wet shower wall, closed my eyes.

I opened them when the water patterns changed. She had turned to face me.

Was that shower water running down her cheeks? Or were the tiny rivers tears?

The whites of her eyes had reddened.

Tears.

My heart fell to my stomach. I could bear anything but her tears.

She sniffed. “I don’t understand, Talon.”

No, she didn’t understand. And she never would.

I dried myself off and walked out of the bathroom. I hastily put on a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and my socks and boots.

Walked down the hallway, out the door to my car, and drove off.





Chapter Twelve





Jade




My wet hair was plastered to my face and shoulders.

Still weeping, I scrubbed at my face. I looked down. My nipples were red and swollen from Talon’s attentions and the nipple clamps. What had I done now? Did he really hate tattoos, or was this something else entirely? Oddly, none of the Steels had any tattoos—at least none that I knew of. Maybe they were actually against them for some weird reason, though Marj had often spoken of getting one.

I had wanted one for so long, and that phoenix image perfectly fit how I was feeling and what I wanted to convey through art on my body. I had every intention of rescheduling the appointment with Haley.

But Talon… What was I going to do about Talon?

He needed to get some help. Maybe I could talk him into going back to his therapist. I would talk to Marj about it, Jonah and Ryan if I had to.

I grabbed the washcloth and did a quick once-over my body. I squeezed some of Talon’s American Crew shampoo into my palm and quickly washed my hair, tearing up again at the masculine fragrance I recognized from his gorgeous hair. Then I turned off the shower, dried off, and squeezed the excess water out of my hair. I expected to walk out and find Talon waiting for me.

But I was alone in his empty bedroom.

Roger ambled up to me and licked the drops of water off my ankles. If Talon were anywhere in the house, Roger would be with him. Hell, if Talon were anywhere on the ranch, Roger would’ve gone along. The fact that Roger was here, with me, alone in Talon’s room, gave me pause.

Talon was gone.

I dressed, walked down the hallway to the other wing of the ranch house, and knocked on Marj’s bedroom door. At her command, I entered.

She was lying on her bed reading. “Hey,” she said. “What did you do? Take a swim?”

“It’s a long story,” I said. I couldn’t go into it. I was sure my eyes were red and swollen, but if Marj noticed, she didn’t say anything.

“How did things go with Talon? I hope you got that little slut off his mind.”

“I don’t think the slut was ever on his mind. I’m not sure why you kept her here waiting for me.”

“Maybe not my best move, but I needed to get you here.”

“You could’ve just asked me to come over.”

“You wouldn’t have come. Stop—”

She held up her hand to keep me from talking.

“You know I’m right.”

I nodded in defeat. She was right. I wouldn’t have come.

“Seriously, what’s going on?” she asked.

I shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. He’s gone.”

“Tal? Where did he go?”

“Again, your guess is as good as mine.”

“Oh my God. What happened?”

“I have no idea. He freaked out that I was going to get a tattoo.”