All Chapters of Talon: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Laura The next three months passed by in a blur of uneventfulness. No bloodshed, very little chaos… It was almost as if the universe was telling me I’d gotten something right. The memory of my encounter with Rook was quickly fading into the background — almost as quickly as the bruises and cuts had healed. The Caleb and Serena incident was also becoming a distant memory, only immortalized by the jagged pink scar on my arm where Serena’s bullet had grazed me. Shadow had taken one look at the hand shaped bruise on my throat and agreed to uphold the truce. The guy seemed to genuinely like me for some reason, though he had kind of a creepy way of showing it… and an even creepier smile. He promised me — and Talon — that I would never see Rook again… whatever that meant. 

About three weeks later, the house was nearly finished. I had requested to do some of the final painting myself, because I’d always loved it, ever since I was a kid. It was relaxing and satisfying, covering a massive white space with something darker. The smell of fresh paint filled the air, sharp and chemical, but oddly comforting. I dipped the roller into the tray, the deep green-black color swirling as I lifted it, careful not to drip. I’d chosen this color for my writing room. The walls were almost done now, transformed from stark white into something moodier, more alive. I liked the way the light played off the dark surface, how it made the room feel smaller, cozier — like a sanctuary. Talon had left me to it after a brief grunt of approval. He’d been working on some wiring in the basement, his voice occasionally drifting up through the open floor vents as he barked order

The room was dim, the only light coming from the screen in front of us. The technician moved the wand over my stomach, and there it was — a tiny, flickering heartbeat. “There’s your baby,” she said, her voice warm and professional. She pointed to a tiny blob on the screen, and I couldn’t breathe. My chest tightened, and my hand gripped Talon’s so hard I thought I might break his fingers, but he didn’t flinch. He just held on, his thumb brushing against my knuckles in silent reassurance. “That’s…” His voice was rough, almost broken, like he couldn’t quite get the words out. “That’s our kid.” I swallowed hard, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. “Yeah,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “That’s our kid.” The technician sm

 Talon watched Trina leave, then turned his attention back to me. He stepped closer, his gaze softening as he took in my expression. “You okay?” he asked again, his voice quieter this time.   I nodded, but my hands were trembling around the glass of ginger ale. I set it down on the counter and turned to face him fully. “Trina knows,” I said quietly. “About the baby.”   His jaw tightened, but he didn’t look surprised. “Figured she would sooner or later.”   “Jake does too, apparently. Guess we weren’t as stealthy as we thought.” I let out a shaky laugh, but it came out more like a choked sob. Talon’s eyes narrowed, and he closed the distance between us in one long stride. His hands cupped my face, rough but gentle, forcing me to meet

A few days later, we were back at the doctor’s office for my 12-week follow-up. Talon sat beside me in one of the uncomfortable waiting room chairs, his hand resting on my thigh, his thumb tracing slow circles that were meant to be soothing. But I could feel the tension in him, the way his body was coiled tight like a spring ready to snap. He hadn’t said much since we’d arrived, his jaw clenched as he stared at the floor, his knee bouncing frantically. His leather cut seemed out of place here, too rough and worn against the clean, clinical setting. I reached over and laced my fingers through his, squeezing gently. He glanced up at me, his green eyes softening just enough to ease some of the weight in my chest. “You good?” he asked quietly, his voice low and gravelly. I nodded, though my heart was pounding in my chest. “Yeah. Just&hellip