Chapter 16
Talon
Leaves and twigs crunch behind me, and from the sound alone, I know who it is. The steps are too slow and careless to be Reid’s and too heavy to be Sierra’s. None of the other staff would have the nerve to approach me this late, which means it has to be Luke.
He’s also whistling that same annoying tune from earlier. It sounds like something out of a movie, though I wouldn’t know. I’ve been to the cinema maybe ten times in my life, and I don’t use the TV Luke insisted on buying for me.
“Hey, buddy,” Luke says as he stops behind me. “Hard at work or hardly working?”
I don’t respond. I shift the log into place. If I don’t give him anything, maybe he’ll leave.
“Nice,” Luke says anyway as I bring the axe down, splitting the log clean in two. “So, today was fun.”
I grunt, hoping he’ll take it as an answer and go, but I know better. Luke never takes silence as a hint.
In a way, it works. I never have to filter myself around him or worry about my expression scaring him off. That’s part of why we’re still friends.
It also means he doesn’t care how annoyed I am. He’ll keep going anyway.
I expected this. I saw the look he gave me at the restaurant.
I know what that look means.
And as much as I hate it, something dark had already started to spread inside me.
“Sierra is a fascinating woman, isn’t she?” Luke continues. “Smart, sassy, pretty. I like her. I’m guessing you do too, or you would’ve tried harder to get rid of us today.”
I grunt again. “Not like you gave me a choice.”
“Oh, come on. There’s always a choice.” He circles until he’s in front of me. “You could’ve ditched us at the restaurant. Made up an excuse. Or just told us no.” He studies me. “You let her stick around this morning too. Didn’t drive her off with your usual charm.” He pauses. “Or did you?”
I keep my expression neutral, though the memories hit hard. The darkness helps.
It’s late. He should be asleep—or out. Why is he here digging?
“What did you guys talk about?” he asks.
I roll my eyes, setting another log down. “Don’t you have something better to do?”
“Nope. What could be better than hanging out with my dear friend?” He drags the last word out. “Although I can think of one thing we could do together—”
“No.”
He blinks. “You don’t even know what I was going to say.”
“I do.” I meet his eyes. “And the answer is no.”
Luke smirks. “You like her that much?”
“She’s a guest,” I say, turning away. “She’s here for her own reasons, not for us.”
“Who said anything about that? I just wanted to know if you liked her.”
“It doesn’t matter how I feel. We shouldn’t even be talking about her like this.”
“He’s right.”
“Jesus!” Luke jumps, but I don’t. I’d already heard the quieter crunch of gravel behind him. I knew Reid was coming.
“I hate when you do that,” Luke mutters as Reid steps into view. “One of these days I’m putting a bell on you.”
Reid ignores him, looking between us. “I heard you went out with Sierra today. We need to be clear.” He sets his stance. “Be friendly if you want, but she’s here under our care. That means boundaries. Sensitivity. Restraint.” He looks directly at Luke on that last word.
“Why are you looking at me?” Luke asks.
“You know why.”
“Oh, don’t give me that,” Luke shoots back. “First of all, she’s not here for therapy. She told me herself—she came to investigate us. She told me when her car broke down, and I picked her up and brought her in.” Reid grunts but doesn’t respond.
“Second,” Luke continues, “I’m not the one who disappeared for nearly an hour this afternoon with his truck still in the driveway. Amanda was losing it trying to find you.” He raises a brow. “Maybe she should’ve checked Sierra’s room.”
Reid’s face tightens, but he covers it with his hand. He doesn’t deny it.
He doesn’t need to.
Heat spreads through me, sharp and unwelcome. He was with her. Something happened.
And I want to know what.
Even if it would wreck me.
I want details. When they got together. How long it lasted. What went wrong.
This is new for me. I’m not usually the type to stick my nose into other people’s business, and I don’t much care for gossip.
But I do care about whatever had Sierra crying out loud like that when I first met her.
Shit. She’s becoming an unhealthy obsession.
Reid and Luke lock into a stare-off—Luke smug, Reid tight and irritated.
I watch Reid out of the corner of my eye. I’ve never known him to be a bad man. I don’t know him as well as I know Luke, but I trust my instincts, and he’s always seemed decent.
I wouldn’t have sold him the land otherwise.
At the same time, he’s full of blanks. I know nothing about his family. Nothing about his past. Just that he wants to build something good here.
Since Sierra arrived, I’m not as sure of that anymore.
“Speaking of Amanda,” Luke says, breaking the silence, “I’m not sure what we’re doing is working. She’s getting worse, even with more sessions.”
“Therapy isn’t magic,” Reid says. “She’s been through months of abuse and stalking. She’s only just started opening up. It’ll take time.”
“Yeah, I know. I just meant… is there more we can do?”
Reid considers it. “Maybe. For now, we stay consistent. Let her move at her own pace.” He exhales. “But that’s not why I came out here. I need to know I can trust you both with Sierra.”
I sigh and nod, but I don’t meet his eyes. I’ve already crossed a line with her, and I suspect he has too.
I don’t even know why I did what I did earlier.
Impulse. Hunger.
Or something worse.
Maybe I wanted her to see.
No.
I shut that down immediately.
Reid keeps his eyes on Luke.
“Yeah,” Luke says after a moment. “I’ll keep it professional.”
Reid nods. “Good. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I nod again. Reid turns and disappears into the dark.
Luke hangs around a little longer, still trying to get something out of me, but eventually he gives up and leaves.
I finish chopping the timber, bring it inside, start a fire, wash up.
It’s been a long day. I should be exhausted.
I’m not.
Hours pass before sleep comes.
And when it does, she’s there.
“Talon.”
Her voice slips through the room.
“No,” I whisper. “Don’t come in.”
She does anyway.
That same look. That half-smile. The flash of that sharp canine.
I can’t move as she crosses the room, climbs onto me, settles over my hips.
I groan. Even through denim, I feel her.
I should stop this. Push her away. Tell her to leave.
She’s a guest. This is wrong.
My body doesn’t care.
My hand finds her waist as she moves against me again. I hold her there—but I don’t stop her.
My breathing turns rough.
Just hold still.
She doesn’t.
She leans down, hair brushing my face, warm and soft.
“You want me, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
It comes out before I can stop it.
Her hand moves between us, wrapping around me, pulling a groan from my throat. Then her mouth is on mine.
It feels real. Almost real.
Not enough.
I grab her hair, pull her closer, kiss her harder.
She moves against me, slow and deliberate, and I lose what little control I had left.
I want more.
My body won’t cooperate. Heavy. Sluggish. I can barely move beneath her.
But in my head—
I flip her. Strip her. Taste her.
I imagine it so vividly it almost feels real.
Her breath. Her voice.
Then—
My hand tightens.
My body jerks.
I come hard—
And wake up.
Alone.
My hand still wrapped around myself.
I let out a rough breath and push up out of bed.
Twice in one day.
Pathetic. What’s wrong with me? It’s not like I’m a teenager any more.
I clean up, jaw tight.
I need to get control of this.
Before I do something that I can’t take back.
The next morning, Sierra doesn’t avoid me.
I expected her to. After yesterday, I thought she’d keep her distance.
Instead, she walks up to me like nothing happened.
“Morning, Talon. How’s the car?”
I glance at her. No tension. No hesitation. Just… normal.
Maybe she wants to pretend it didn’t happen.
Fine. I can do that.
“I know what’s wrong now,” I say. “it’s the coolant temperature sensor. I’ve ordered the part. It’ll be here in a few days.”
She sighs. “So meanwhile I’m stuck here?”
I shrug.
She bites her lip, and my focus locks onto it before I can stop myself.
“Have you ever tried meditation?” she asks.
I shake my head.
“Any of the classes here?”
Another shake.
“There’s one this morning. I want to try it, but…” She hesitates. “I don’t want to look stupid being the only one who doesn’t know what they’re doing.”
She keeps talking, but I lose the thread.
I’m watching her mouth.
“I mean, only if you want to,” she finishes.
I nod.
Her face lights up. “Seriously?”
I nod again.
“Great! I’ll get ready, and we can go.”
“Go where?”
She blinks. “The meditation class. You said you’d come.”
“I did?”
Her expression dips. “Yeah, just now. I asked you and you nodded.”
I hesitate, replaying the last two or three moments in my head. Damn. That’s what happens when I nod along without listening. Too late now.
“Okay,” I say. “I’ll get ready.”
Her smile comes back instantly. “Great. I’ll get changed.”
She hurries off, and I watch her go.
What the hell have I just agreed to?