Chapter 7

Laura

I leaned against the closed front door, my heart racing and my lips still tingling from Talon’s kiss. Part of me wanted to run back outside and beg him to stay, to finish what we’d started. But I knew he had club business to attend to, and I didn’t want to get in the way.

With a sigh, I made my way upstairs to my room. As I changed into an oversized t-shirt for bed, I couldn’t stop replaying the kiss in my head. The way Talon’s strong arms had wrapped around me, the heat of his body pressed against mine, the intensity in his eyes - it was all burned into my memory.

I crawled into bed, exhausted from spending all day on my feet behind the bar, but still sleep eluded me. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Talon’s face, felt his lips on mine. My body hummed with unfulfilled desire, but eventually I drifted off to sleep.

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The next morning, I woke to the sound of bikes rumbling in the driveway. I glanced at the clock - 7:30 AM. Curious, I threw on my robe and tiptoed downstairs.

Jake was walking through the front door as I reached the bottom of the steps. He looked exhausted, dark circles under his eyes and a grim set to his jaw. Talon followed close behind him, his expression equally grave.

"Everything okay?" I asked hesitantly.

Jake's eyes flicked to me, softening slightly. "Yeah, sis. Nothing for you to worry about."

But I could tell from the tension in the air that something was wrong. Jake disappeared into the kitchen, the sound of the fridge opening and bottles clinking.

Talon lingered in the hallway, his eyes roaming over me. Despite the grim expression on his face, something sparked behind his eyes when he looked at me, and a delicious heat curled into my stomach as I thought about the last time I’d seen him.

His eyes darkened and he grumbled. “Quit biting that lip, angel, or I’ll take you right there on the stairs.”

My eyes went wide - I hadn’t even realized I was biting my lip. Feeling obstinate, I walked backwards toward the kitchen, my eyes still locked on Talon’s as I bit into my lip even harder, a smirk creeping up my blushing cheeks.

Jake had two beers in front of him at the kitchen table. He slid one to Talon as he collapsed into the chair across from him.

“You guys want any breakfast? Or would this be dinner…” I smirked, setting a pan on the stove and heading toward the fridge.

“Yes, please. Famished.” Jake said as his head slumped down onto the table.

“Talon?” I asked, turning from the fridge with eggs and bacon in my hand.

Talon’s eyes locked onto mine, a hint of a smirk playing at his lips despite the exhaustion. “I could eat,” he rumbled low and gravelly, glancing briefly down to my bare thighs.

I quickly turned back to the stove to hide the heat creeping into my cheeks. I was acutely aware of Talon’s gaze on me as I cooked. The sizzle of bacon filled the kitchen, along with a charged silence.

As I plated up the food, Jake lifted his head from the table. “Thanks, sis,” he mumbled, digging in immediately.

I set a plate in front of Talon, our fingers brushing as I handed him a fork. A jolt of electricity shot through me at the contact. His green eyes locked onto mine, dark with desire.

“Thanks, angel,” he said softly, his deep voice causing a heavy heat to settle between my thighs.

I plopped into a chair with my own plate, trying to act normal despite the tension crackling in the air. Somehow, Jake seemed completely oblivious to it, but I wanted to keep it that way.

Soon dropping a fork onto his empty plate, Jake settled back in his chair and looked up at me. “Welp, I’m about to go crash out for a few hours. Talon will take you to the clubhouse later for your shift. And when I get there this afternoon, there’s someone I want to introduce you to.”

I nodded hesitantly, curious about this mystery person and why Jake wanted me to meet them. “Sounds good. I’ll be ready whenever.”

Jake stumbled off to bed, leaving Talon and me alone in the kitchen. The air between us felt charged with unspoken tension.

Talon’s eyes roamed over me as I cleared the dishes, lingering on my bare legs before glancing back up to the nearly faded bruises on my face. “You should get some more rest too, angel. It doesn’t look like you slept much,” he said, his voice low and husky. “I’m gonna crash on the couch. I’ll wake you when it’s time to go.”

I bit my lip, torn between wanting to stay with him and knowing we both needed sleep. “Okay,” I said softly. “Thanks, Talon.”

As I headed upstairs, I could feel his eyes on me. My skin tingled at the awareness, and it took all my willpower not to turn around and throw myself into his arms.

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The ride to the clubhouse that afternoon was exhilarating. I clung tightly to Talon as we wound through the back roads, hyper-aware of every point where our bodies touched. His muscular back was warm against my chest, and I once again found myself fighting the urge to let my hands wander lower than his waist.

When we arrived, Talon helped me off the bike, his hands lingering on my hips a moment longer than necessary. I saw the same desire that I felt reflected in his gaze. Suddenly, the clubhouse door swung open and two tussling bikers stumbled out, kicking up dust in a tornado of denim and leather.

“Seriously?” I grumbled. “The sun’s still up - it’s too early for this shit.”

Talon chuckled behind me, and I felt his hand touch the small of my back, guiding me toward the building. “Get used to it, angel. This shit’s a frequent occurrence around here.” We stepped around the flailing fists and went inside.

Trina greeted me at the bar as Talon veered off toward a group of men standing by the pool tables.

“So, did you two lovebirds do the nasty yet?” She asked with a grin.

I raised my eyebrows at her but felt heat rising to my cheeks. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you don’t,” she laughed. “But I can tell the answer is no. The tension in here is suffocating.” She crossed her eyes and held her hands up to her throat in mock strangulation, glancing over toward Talon.

I laughed, playfully smacking her hands away from her neck. “Even if I wanted to, I’m still technically married to Craig.” I said, with the realization just now settling into the pit of my stomach. “Plus, my brother would never approve.”

“If it’s right, you don’t need approval from anyone. And only you know if it’s right.” She said, rolling up her sleeves to wash some glasses.

I mulled over Trina’s words as I got to work behind the bar. She was right - the tension between Talon and me was palpable. Every time our eyes met across the room I felt a jolt of electricity. But I knew we had to be careful. Jake was my brother and Talon’s best friend. If things went wrong between us, it could cause major problems for the club.