Talon (Uncompromising #1)(111)

“When you turn the light out.” Siren gave me a teasing smile.

Oh. Shit. “Learnin’ curve.” I grinned and reached over to turn the lamp off.

“Talon?” Siren whispered in the dark.

“Yeah, darlin’?” I wanted to hold her so bad but I thought Maddie would be better between us so I stayed put.

Her fingers skimmed across my temple. “You look really handsome with shorter hair.”

I chuckled. “Thank you.”

“Goodnight.” I could hear the smile in her voice.

I pulled her hand to my lips and kissed her fingers. “Goodnight, beautiful.”

I was asleep in minutes.





I FELT THE HEAT ON my face a fraction of a second before something small and light tickled across my cheek.

My eyes opened to sunlight streaming in through the open blinds.

And a twenty-month-old.

Sitting up, facing me, her thumb in her mouth, Maddie reached out and ran a finger across my cheek again.

I smiled. “Mornin’, sunshine.”

Eyes alert, the sun shining behind her hair, she looked like an angel as she reached out and did it again.

It took me a second to realize she was feeling my scruff. “Yeah.” I grinned. “I need a shave.” I glanced over at Siren. On her stomach, her hair everywhere, she was sound asleep. I looked back at Maddie and held a finger to my lips. “Wanna help me?” I whispered. “Let Mama sleep a bit longer?”

I wasn’t sure but I thought I saw her nod. I carefully got out of bed then reached for her. Her arms went up instantly and my heart soared.

“Good girl,” I whispered, cradling her to my chest. “C’mon. Let’s get that saggin’ diaper off you.” I walked into the bathroom and quietly closed the door behind us. For a second, Maddie looked alarmed but I smiled reassuringly. “It’s all good, sweetness. We don’t wanna wake Mama up yet, okay?”

She blinked a few times.

I took it as consent. “Good girl.” I took her diaper off and tossed it then realized I hadn’t brought another one in. Shit. Were kids housebroken?

I ran a hand over my head. “Okay, darlin’, you gotta work with me on this.” I glanced at the toilet. She was so small, she’d fall in if I set her there while I shaved. “You ever pee on a potty?”

Naked, thumb in her mouth, she just stared at me.

“Okay. Here’s how it works.” I held her under her arms and set her on the toilet. “Now you pee.”

Like magic, she did.

I whooped before I remembered we were being quiet. “That’s my girl!” I whisper-yelled as I grabbed a bunch of toilet paper and handed it to her. “Now you wipe.”

A small smile curved around the thumb stuck in her mouth but she didn’t take the toilet paper.

“Okay, one step at a time, sweetness.” I cleaned her up and set her on the counter. “Help me shave then we’ll get some breakfast. I bet you’re hungry, huh?” I grabbed a washcloth, wet it and gave it to her.

She took the washcloth and stuck it in her mouth.

I laughed and gently pulled it out then wiped her face with it. “It’s for washin’ up, darlin’.”

She held it to her face and mimicked me.

Jesus, she was cute. “That’s it, baby girl. Good job.” I quickly dragged a razor over my face. “Okay, my turn. Can you wash my face?” I leaned down to her and grinned. “Show me whatcha got.”

She pushed the washcloth against my nose and dragged it down my face.

“How am I lookin’? I gotta be handsome for Mama. Am I good?”

She dropped the washcloth and the small smile appeared.

“See? No one can resist me.” I kissed her cheek. “Let’s get some grub.” I picked her up and we quietly made our way to the kitchen, closing the door to the bedroom behind us. The second I went to put her on the counter, I realized my mistake. “I forgot a diaper, baby girl.” Damn. “Okay, here’s the deal.” I put on my serious face. “No peein’ in the kitchen. You gotta go, you tell me, okay? Can you say pee?”

She stared at me.

Shit.

“Plan B.” I set her down, put a kitchen towel on the counter by the sink and grabbed some food out of the fridge. The twenty seconds it took me, she stood perfectly still where I’d put her. A small part of me was relieved she wasn’t crying or running off but the rest of me was heartsick at the way she acted so shell-shocked.

I scooped her up and put her on the towel with her feet in the sink. “You like washing, sweetness?” I turned the water on to a slow trickle and handed her an apple. “Rinse this apple then we’ll get it cut up.”