Talon (Uncompromising #1)(52)

She sucked in a deep breath and the mask slipped.

Grief like I’d never seen on another human being distorted her features and she fell into me. “I can’t.” Her shoulders shook with a silent sob.

I wrapped my arms around her and for the first time, I began to wonder if this was even about Carter. “Shh, shh, darlin’. I’m right here. I’m not gonna let anythin’ happen to you. I told you that. Tell me what’s wrong and I’ll fix it.” I stroked her soft hair, wishing the whole damn world would disappear.

“You can’t be here.” Her voice broke.

“I’m gonna be wherever you are.” I held her tighter and my phone vibrated. “Come with me,” I begged.

“No.” She shook her head and pulled away from me. “Stop this. Stop coming to me, stop checking up on me. Just stop it, all of it. I’m not going to be responsible for you and your friends going to jail.” Her voice broke. “I don’t need you to rescue me.”

Jesus, she was crushing me. Rescuing was exactly what she needed but I wasn’t going to piss her off by saying it. “No one’s goin’ to jail.” My phone vibrated again and I glanced toward the parking lot. When I looked back, her face had shut down and I knew I was losing ground. “Leave with me, right now.” Desperate, I took her hand and placed it on my heart. “I’ll keep us safe.” I didn’t know what to fucking say to her to get through.

She pulled her hand back and her next words cut me. “There is no us.”

André jogged around the corner. “Carter’s here. Time’s up.”

I grabbed Siren’s face. “Please.” As much as it killed me, I wouldn’t force her. I wasn’t going to do what Carter had done to her. “Come with me.”

The mask slid back into place and resignation clouded her beauty. “Goodbye, Talon.”

“Nicole!” Randy yelled from somewhere in front.

“Doc,” André warned.

“I’m not givin’ up.” No fucking way. This wasn’t over. “I’m gonna see you tomorrow.” One way or another.

André grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to release her.

Siren turned and started walking.

Half dragging, half pushing me, André pulled us to the back of the building just as Carter cleared the corner and saw Siren.

“What the hell are you doing out here?” Randy yelled.

Oh, fuck no. He didn’t get to speak to her like that. I lurched back toward them but André caught me and slammed a hand over my mouth. “No,” he hissed.

“I wasn’t feeling good. I needed some air,” Siren said weakly.

Randy’s tone instantly turned to concern. “Is it your back?”

“I’m okay.”

I wanted to kill him.

“I told you, you run too much,” he scolded softly. “You shouldn’t be doing that. Come on, baby, you need to get off your feet. I’ll take you home and take care of you.”

Hearing him talk to her like he cared about her made me enraged.

“Okay,” she said quietly, letting him put his arm around her shoulders.

But hearing her acquiesce to him, it fucking broke me.





ANDRÉ DROPPED KENDALL OFF AT her car that was still parked behind my shop. I was silent and for once, Kendall didn’t use the opportunity to needle me. When we nodded goodnight at each other, it was almost civil.

I replayed every second with Siren tonight in my mind. I couldn’t even say I lost her because I’d never had her. Not like Carter had. He’d been there for her. He’d nursed her. He knew her body like I didn’t. I was sick. And I was a fucking fool.

André pulled into my driveway. “What’s the plan for tomorrow?”

“There isn’t one.” I shoved the door open. “Go home.”

He didn’t listen. He cut the engine and followed me upstairs. My adrenaline running out, I was too damn tired to argue. I walked into my kitchen and silently cursed.

Blaze was leaning against my kitchen counter with Layna tucked under his arm.

A smile, so innocent and so pure, spread across Layna’s face. “Talon!”

I shoved every memory of my dead wife away and forced a smile for the girl who could be her twin. “Hey, Sugar.” She’d earned the nickname the first time I’d seen her drink coffee when her ratio of sugar to coffee bordered on diabetic.

She launched herself at me and wrapped her arms around my neck despite her six-foot-four husband looking like he was going to pound my face into the granite countertops.

I hugged her and for a single moment, the world didn’t completely fucking suck. “Nice to see your head still attached to your shoulders.” I had to joke about it.