Chapter 9

Talon

Laura and Kat finally came walking out of Jake’s office. I felt my jaw clench at the sight of Laura’s tear-stained face. Every protective instinct in my body screamed at me to go to her, to wrap her in my arms and shield her from the hell she’d just been reliving. But I held back, not wanting to overstep or draw attention.

She made her way back behind the bar, smiling weakly at Trina as she poured a drink for Kat, who sat down across from her. I watched as she busied her hands with wiping down glasses, her movements mechanical as if she was on autopilot.

Unable to stay away any longer, I walked over, settling onto the stool next to Kat. “Everything okay, angel?” I asked softly, keeping my voice low so only she could hear.

She looked up, her blue eyes meeting mine. The pain I saw there made my chest ache. “Yeah,” she said with a small smile, “I’ll be fine.”

Kat cleared her throat, turning to Laura with a smirk. “I’m going to get out of here. I’ll be in touch soon with next steps. In the meantime, try to relax and focus on healing.” She turned her attention to me. “Talon, nice to see you. Keeping yourself out of trouble?”

“Don’t I always?” I chuckled, causing her to laugh out loud. She’d gotten me out of more legal scrapes than I could count.

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Laura

As the night wore on, I tried to lose myself in the rhythm of work, pouring drinks and chatting with customers. But my mind kept drifting back to my conversation with Kat, and the painful memories it had dredged up.

Talon stayed close, his presence both comforting and distracting. Every time our eyes met, I felt a spark of electricity, a momentary reprieve from the heaviness in my chest.

Around midnight, as the crowd began to thin out, Jake approached the bar. “How you holding up, sis?” he asked, his eyes scanning my face with concern.

I forced a smile. “I’m okay. Just tired.”

He nodded, understanding in his eyes. “Why don’t you head home? Trina can close up. I’m gonna be here pretty late tonight, but Talon can take you.”

I glanced over at Trina, who gave me an encouraging nod, before heading over to grab my coat.

When we stepped outside, I felt Talon’s hand land on the small of my back as we made our way to his bike. The simple contact between us was satiating, after craving it all afternoon. I stopped to throw my hair into a braid - I had quickly learned that it would become a rat’s nest if I didn’t - and Talon popped my helmet onto my head with a smirk, securing it under my chin. I climbed onto the bike behind him as the engine roared to life beneath us.

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Talon

The ride to the farmhouse was agonizing, as usual. I’d had a lot of chicks in my bed, but very few had made it onto the back of my bike. And of those few, none were the same caliber as the one currently pressed against me. Every few minutes, she would change up her grip, slowly edging further down whether she meant to or not. I wondered if she knew what she was doing to me. Another inch or two further and she definitely would. My cock was at full mast, throbbing, a caged animal begging to be let loose.

We pulled up to the house and I cut the engine, tossing us into silence. Ghost and Bones were posted up by the front door, so I had to keep my hands and lips to myself this time.

“I’ll walk you inside.” I said, helping her off the bike. I gave Ghost a questioning glance as we approached.

“Nothing to report, boss. It’s been quiet,” he said. I nodded as I walked through the door behind Laura.

I closed it behind me and turned to face her. She was standing there in front of me, legs for days, black skinny jeans and a blue tank top the exact color of her eyes. Her arms were crossed over her chest, with the perfect amount of cleavage peeking out at me from her shirt, begging to be kissed.

As if suddenly self-conscious, she started to fidget, seeming to second guess herself. But before I could process the shift in the air, she was running towards me, launching herself into my arms. Her lips crashed into mine, her fingers tangled in my beard.

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Laura

A primal growl ripped from Talon’s throat as my back hit the wall. I felt his body press against mine, hot and unyielding. His lips moved from my mouth to my neck, trailing fiery kisses down to my collarbone. I gasped, arching into him as his beard scratched deliciously against my skin.

“Talon,” I breathed, my fingers tangling in his long hair and tugging gently.

He let out another groan, the sound sending an intense heat swirling into my core. His hands gripped my thighs, holding me up effortlessly as he ground his hips against me. I could feel how hard he was through his jeans, and it was making me dizzy with need.

He pulled his head back slightly, his green eyes dark with lust as they met mine. “Tell me what you want,” he growled, his voice low and husky.

I bit my lip, suddenly shy despite the position we were in. “I want you.”

That was all the encouragement he needed. In one fluid motion, he threw me over his shoulder and reached up to smack my ass before making his way up the stairs.