Chapter 11

Talon

I jolted awake, instantly alert as Jake’s imposing figure filled the doorway. Instinctively, I tightened my arm around Laura, pulling her closer to my chest. She stirred slightly but didn’t wake.

“What the fuck is this?” Jake growled, his voice low and dangerous.

I sat up slowly, careful not to disturb Laura. “Jake, man, let’s talk about this outside,” I said quietly, trying to keep the situation from escalating.

Jake’s eyes blazed with fury as they darted between me and his sleeping sister. “Outside. Now,” he snarled before turning and stomping down the hallway.

I carefully extracted myself from Laura’s arms, pressing a kiss to her temple before slipping out of bed. I quickly pulled on my jeans and boots, following Jake out of the room.

———————————

Laura

I awoke to the sight of Talon pulling my door closed as he left the room. He had a concerning look on his face. My heart sank, wondering what was going on - it was still the middle of the night. After a moment, I hopped out of bed and threw on Talon’s massive shirt and a pair of sneakers, quietly following him out of the room.

As I crept down the hallway, I could hear heated voices coming from outside. I paused at the top of the stairs, my heart racing as I listened.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” Jake hissed. “She’s my sister, bro. My baby sister!”

“I know, man,” Talon replied calmly. “But she’s not a kid anymore. She’s a grown woman who can make her own choices.”

“She’s vulnerable right now,” Jake shot back. “She’s like three weeks out of an abusive marriage, for fuck’s sake. And you’re taking advantage of that? Just couldn’t help yourself, huh? Always just trying to get your dick wet.”

I winced at Jake’s words, anger bubbling up inside me. How dare he assume I couldn’t make my own decisions? And he had the situation between Talon and I all wrong… didn’t he?

“It’s not like that,” Talon said, his voice rising slightly. “I care about her, Jake. I have for a long time.”

My breath caught in my throat. What was Talon talking about? A long time? I took a deep breath, steeling myself, and made my way down the stairs.

As I stepped onto the porch, both men turned to look at me. Jake’s eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed as he took in my appearance - wearing nothing but Talon’s oversized shirt.

“Laura, go back inside,” Jake said gruffly. “This doesn’t concern you.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, standing my ground. “The hell it doesn’t. You’re out here fighting about me, aren’t you?”

Jake ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident on his face. “This isn’t… Look, you don’t understand—”

“No, you don’t understand,” I interrupted, my voice rising. “You’re out here talking about me like I’m some helpless victim who can’t make her own choices. Well guess what? I’m a grown woman, and what happened between Talon and me was my choice.”

Jake’s eyes widened in surprise at my outburst. He glanced at Talon with a questioning look on his face.

Talon stepped closer to me, “She’s right, Jake. This was mutual. I care about Laura, and I’m not gonna apologize for that.”

“Jake, I know you’re trying to protect me,” I said, my voice softening slightly. “But I don’t need protection from Talon. He’s been nothing but kind and respectful to me since I got here.”

Jake’s jaw clenched as he looked between us. “Laura, you don’t know what you’re getting into. Talon’s not the relationship type. He’ll use you and toss you aside like all the others. He’s not the kind of guy who—”

I felt Talon tense beside me at Jake’s words. “It’s not like that, brother,” he growled. “Laura’s different.”

“He’s not the kind of guy who what?” I challenged. “Who cares? Who treats me like I matter? Who respects my boundaries? Because that’s exactly what he’s done.”

Talon’s grip on my waist tightened slightly, and I leaned into him, drawing strength from his presence.

Jake’s eyes narrowed as he watched our interaction. He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. “Fine. I can see that it’s gonna happen whether I like it or not. You have my blessing - reluctantly. But I really hope you prove me wrong here, Nash. If you hurt her, even a little… it would really suck to have to kill you.”

Silence hung in the air as we all processed the argument we’d just had.

“I’m going to bed,” Jake mumbled. “Try to keep the raucous lovemaking to a minimum, hmm?”

As Jake disappeared back into the house, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Talon’s arm was still wrapped protectively around my waist, and I leaned into him, suddenly exhausted from the confrontation.

“You okay, angel?” Talon murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my temple.

I nodded, tilting my head to look at him. “Yeah, I’m okay. That was… intense.”

Talon chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest. “Welcome to life in the club, sweet cheeks. Drama’s part of the package.”

I smiled weakly, but something was still nagging at me. “Talon… what did you mean when you said you’ve cared about me for a long time?”

His green eyes met mine, a vulnerability there I hadn’t seen before. He sighed, leading me over to the porch swing and pulling me down onto his lap.

“I’ve had feelings for you since we were kids,” he admitted, his voice low. “But you were always buried in your books, and I was already part of the MC. You were too good for a guy like me. You still are, actually…” he trailed off, running his fingers through my hair.

“Respectfully, I disagree with that statement,” I said, turning in his lap and planting a kiss on his lips. His mouth moved against mine, soft and tender at first, then growing more passionate. His hand tangled in my hair as he deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring my mouth. I melted into him, savoring the taste and feel of him.

When we finally broke apart, both breathless, Talon rested his forehead against mine. “Laura,” he murmured, “I need you to understand something. What Jake said about me not being the relationship type… he’s not wrong. I’ve never been good at commitment. But with you, it’s different. You make me want to be better.”

I paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. “Why didn’t you ever say anything, when we were kids?” I asked softly, my fingers tracing patterns on his bare chest.

Talon sighed, his breath warm against my hair. “You were Jake’s little sister. Off-limits. And then you went off to college, met Craig…” He trailed off, his jaw clenching at the name. “I thought I’d missed my chance. I figured I’d forget about you and move on.”

I tilted my head to look up at him, struck by the vulnerability in his voice. “And now?”

His green eyes met mine, intense and filled with an emotion I couldn’t quite name. “Now I’m not letting you go without a fight.”

“Well, I’m here now,” I whispered. “And I’m not fighting.”

A slow smile spread across his face, lighting up his eyes. “Good,” he growled, standing up suddenly and scooping me into his arms. “Because I’m not done with you yet.”

I giggled as he carried me back into the house and up to bed.