Chapter 10
10
TAMARA
W aking up wrapped in Talon’s arms was almost as good as the orgasms he gave me. Each time we had sex, it somehow managed to top the last. Last night was no exception.
He’d gotten in late. I’d almost convinced myself he wasn’t coming back until morning. But the second the door opened, everything inside me settled. He hadn’t said much, just kissed me like he was drowning. Then he sank into me as though I was the only thing keeping him alive.
There had been less dirty talk than usual, but I didn’t need words when I had the weight of his hands and the raw heat in his eyes. And the powerful thrusts as he buried himself inside me over and over again. It hadn’t been slow or soft, and I could still feel where he’d been this morning.
Now I lay tangled in Talon’s arms, the early morning light filtering through the slits in the blinds. His breathing was slow and steady, and he had one heavy arm wrapped around my waist, anchoring me against the comforting rhythm of his chest as it rose and fell.
I slowly twisted in his hold so I could peek at him. His face was softer in sleep, less guarded, with the sharp lines of his jaw relaxed. I couldn’t stop staring at him.
Everything with the clinic was still a mess, but here in his arms, I felt safe. Like I wasn’t in this alone.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand. I froze for a second, reluctant to move and risk waking Talon. He hadn’t stirred yet, and I knew he needed the rest. But not answering could just as easily disturb him, so I reached out carefully and snagged the phone, slipping it out from under the charger and easing away from the warmth of his body. Then I padded to the bathroom and shut the door behind me before swiping to answer.
“Hello?”
“Tamara? I’m so glad you answered.”
I didn’t immediately recognize the voice because it was out of context. She had been friendly enough at work when we were on the same shift but had never had to call me before. “Marcy?”
“Yeah, I…um…wasn’t sure if you’d be able to talk wherever you are.”
Her fear was obvious, and my stomach dipped. “What’s wrong?”
I sank onto the closed toilet lid, my heart thudding. “Did something happen?”
“I’ve been trying to convince myself the weird things I noticed were just administrative screwups or maybe incompetence. But then you left, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what scared you enough to walk away without saying goodbye. It’s been eating me up inside ever since you didn’t show up for your shift on Wednesday.”
“I’m sorry for scaring you.” I closed my eyes. “You weren’t wrong to be worried, though. Something is going on, and it’s bad.”
“I figured.” Her voice wobbled. “I snooped around a little and asked questions I probably shouldn’t have. Then today, I heard something.”
“What was it?”
Her voice lowered as she answered, “Barbara was on her phone and said something about how they have another trial run scheduled in a few days.”
I stilled. “Do you know what it’s for? Did she say anything else?”
“No. And not that I heard. I was too scared that I’d get caught eavesdropping to stick around. But whatever this is…it’s not above board. I can feel it in my bones.”
I let out a long, slow breath. “Thanks for telling me.”
“I’m scared, but not saying anything felt wrong,” she whispered.
I understood the feeling. “You did the right thing. I promise I’ll do something with the info. Just…stay out of it now, okay? Don’t go back to the clinic. Get out of town if you can and let me handle it.”
“I didn’t know who to call, but I hoped you didn’t just disappear. That maybe you were braver than me and found someone who could help.”
I hesitated for half a second. “You were right to call. The people I’m with know how to make this stop.”
I ended the call and stared at the screen for a moment, my hand trembling around the phone. The weight of Marcy’s words pressed down on my chest, thick and suffocating. My stomach twisted as my thoughts spiraled.
If I had looked harder or said something to Lainie sooner, they might not have had the opportunity to do another trial run…whatever that even was.
The bathroom door creaked open behind me, and Talon filled the doorway. His bare chest rose and fell as his gaze swept the room as though he was searching for a threat. His hair was still mussed from being asleep, but it didn’t take away from the intensity of his focus, or his rugged sexiness.
“What happened?”
The concern in his rough voice hit me like a gut punch. I tried to speak, but the words got stuck in my throat.
He crossed the small room in two long strides, his hand coming up to brush against my cheek. “Tamara.”
“I messed up,” I whispered. “I should’ve seen it. I worked there and didn’t know. People got hurt. Maybe even died. And I just…didn’t see what was happening. And when I finally did, I ran.”
His jaw flexed, and something dark flickered behind his eyes. His voice was low and fierce as he commanded, “Don’t.”
I blinked up at him.
“You don’t carry this,” he said, cupping the back of my neck and pulling me in until our foreheads touched. “I do.”
My breath caught.
“You’re mine. And if these bastards try to get to you, they’ll have to kill me first.”
Everything inside me cracked. The fear, the guilt, the shame. I didn’t know how to hold it anymore. But somehow, I didn’t feel like I had to, with his words anchoring me.
Talon didn’t pull away. He stayed right there, forehead pressed to mine, one hand cradling the back of my neck while the other curled around my waist. He held me together just by being close.
“Marcy called. She’s one of the nurses I worked with.”
His muscles tensed, but he stayed right where he was. “What did she say?”
I explained about the trial run before whispering, “It’s all too much.”
“That’s why I’m here,” he rasped. “You don’t need to carry this alone. You have me to do the heavy lifting on shit like this now, baby.”
His lips brushed my forehead, and the dam inside me cracked again. Not in the same way as earlier. This wasn’t fear. It was relief mixed with something deeper.
Sometimes, all you could do was cry it out. That was exactly what Talon gave me, holding me through my tears. When they passed, I lifted my face. His eyes met mine, dark and dangerous, but so full of caring that my chest ached.
“Better?”
“Yeah.” I sniffled. “But only because of you.”
He brushed the tears from my cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. “Good.”
“Why do you make me feel so safe?”
His expression didn’t change, but emotion flared in his gray-blue orbs. Then he leaned in and kissed me like he was staking his claim. There was no hesitation or slow build. His mouth crashed into mine, hot and demanding. I gasped, and he took full advantage, his tongue sweeping in and claiming every inch of me.
His fingers tightened at my waist as he lifted me to my feet before backing me against the wall.
This kiss made me feel like I was his entire world. As though this was the only way he knew how to tell me I wasn’t alone anymore.
And oh boy, did I need it.
I kissed him back with everything I had, tangling my hands in his hair to pull him closer. My knees felt shaky, and my breath was unsteady, but I didn’t care. Not when he poured so much into the press of his lips and swipe of his tongue against mine. When Talon finally pulled back, his chest rose and fell like he’d run a mile.
His thumb brushed over my cheek. “You’re mine. Doesn’t matter what comes next. You’re not facing it alone.”
I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I just nodded and leaned into his chest.
He wrapped both arms around me and held me there for a long moment. Eventually, he nudged my chin with his knuckles, coaxing me to look up. “Come back to bed.”
That sounded like exactly what I needed right now. “Okay.”
He fired off a quick text about Marcy’s call to one of his club brothers, and we climbed back under the covers. With his arms wrapped around me, Talon tilted my head back to kiss me again. It quickly grew heated and led to another round of sex.
After two more orgasms, sleep came easier than it had in days. And Talon never let go.