Crave (Talon Security #1) (5 page)

After everything I’d been through that night, his gentleness just about slayed me.

He took my hand, leading me into the bathroom. He sat me on the vanity and dug around for supplies. He gently dabbed at my face, wiping away the blood.

I studied his neck, unable to look him in the eye.

“Sam.” His deep voice was like a jagged knife cutting through the tense silence. “I know I have no right to ask, but I have to know. Are you... I mean, did he— Did they—”

“Rape me?” I finished for him when it became painfully apparent that he couldn’t. “No.” I shook my head.

His relief was palpable as he threw the last cotton ball in the trash. “Christ, Sam,” he choked out.

I scooted off the vanity, finding some semblance of sanity. “I’m going to pack,” I told him coolly. I didn’t know where I was staying but it sure as hell wasn’t here. “Then we can go find Travis.”

My brother paced the living room like a caged beast, with Theo snapping pictures when Sid and I ventured out to the living room. He stopped when he saw me, eyeing me with concern and what looked like a hell of a lot of anger. “Shit, Sam. Is your nose broken?” he asked, looking horrified.

I shook my head. “Just sore,” I assured him.

“Come on, Sam, let’s go,” Travis’s deep voice broke in.

“Wait a goddamn minute,” Sid’s deep voice growled. “I don’t want her out of my sight.”

“Things have changed, then,” I muttered before I could stop myself.

Trav and Theo shared a confused look as Sid growled. “Sam.”

“Don’t ‘Sam’ me,” I protested. “I’m tired. Hell, I’m fucking traumatized. I can’t process you—and this. I’m going to Travis’s.”

“Then I’m going to Travis’s,” Sid declared without delay.

I swallowed hard. “No, Sid, you’re not.”

“I’ve got her, man—you know I do,” Travis cut in. “I’d let you bunk with me, but things seem… well, they seem fucked-up,” he continued.

I would have laughed had it not been so goddamned sad.

“Stay at headquarters, yeah? Both of you.”

Sid nodded, his eyes cutting to me as Travis took my arm gently and led me out to his truck.

CHAPTER 5

I
t took thirty minutes to get to Travis’s condo in Santa Monica.

I looked around at the modern-styled condo that was largely under construction.

“Sorry, still working through the downstairs remodel. Shit timing,” he grumbled as he walked with me upstairs.

“It’s okay. I’m sorry to intrude,” I rasped as he showed me to his guest room. I looked around the simple bedroom, outfitted with a bed and not much else.

I’d been to his place a few times. The location was amazing, walking distance to the beach, but I’d always been on him to decorate. He’d bought it as a fixer-upper and had been gradually doing work on it himself. In my opinion, his place felt barren and cold, in need of a woman’s touch—if he ever got around to letting a woman into his life.

“You’re not intruding, you know that,” he replied firmly as he watched me with concern.

I sat heavily on the bed, looking down at my hands twisted in my lap before staring up into the eyes of my very worried big brother.

“I’m okay,” I lied, wanting to reassure him.

“You aren’t okay,” he gritted out, his eyes blazing with murder. After a few deep breaths, he composed himself, outwardly at least. “You got the shit beat out of you. And what the hell was that with Sid?” The question weighed heavily in the air.

“That was a culmination of years in the making.” I sighed.

His brow pinched in confusion. “Is that Greek? Speak English here, Sam.”

“It’s Greek for something happened between us before he left and it’s clear he doesn’t see me like that,” I retorted. “And that’s all you need to know and all you want to know,” I clarified.

“You need me to kick his ass?” he asked, and I knew he wasn’t entirely kidding. They were both powerfully built men with combat experience; truth be told, I wasn’t sure who would come out on top if they were to ever come to blows.

I snorted through tears. “Not at the moment.” I looked up at him imploringly. “What was he doing there tonight anyway?”

He looked apologetic. “I called him when I was en route. I knew things were tense between you, but I didn’t know they were that bad. I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have called him had I known.”

“That’s okay.” I sighed. “Who the hell were those guys, Trav?”

His eyes darkened. “It sounds like Osip Ivanov. He’s a Russian mob boss. I can’t confirm yet, not without more intel. But I’ll find out, Sam. I’ve got my entire team on this. Nothing’s gonna happen to you.”

I nodded, my fingers twisted in my lap.

“I think you need some sleep,” he assessed. “Do you want to call Piper?”

I shook my head, lying down on the bed on top of the covers. “Too tired,” I mumbled.

“I’ll let you be. Get some rest, okay?”

I nodded, tears burning my eyes.

I fell into a deep sleep, my body shutting down, forcing itself to escape from reality.

When I woke up, familiar arms were wrapped around me from behind. Two thoughts simultaneously entered my mind: I couldn’t believe she’d flown out here, and I must have been asleep a hell of a long time.

Piper.

“How’d you know?” I grated out, my throat like sandpaper.

“Travis and Sid called,” she replied, simply giving me a squeeze. “I’ll kick your ass later for not calling me.”

“I can’t believe you flew out here,” I marveled, turning to face her.

She rolled her eyes, shoving me gently. “Of course I did. You’d do the same for me. When was the last time you ate?” she asked quietly.

“It’s been a while,” I admitted. “What time is it?”

“Just after two.”

I gaped at her in shock. “Holy shit, I can’t believe I slept that long.”

She squeezed my hand briefly. “You must have needed it.” She sat up and I knew she was in take-charge mode. “Now, go wash your face, change your clothes, and come down. Your brother cleared some space down in the construction zone,” she muttered.

“Fine,” I mumbled, feeling like I could stay buried under the covers for a week.

I winced when I got a look at myself in the mirror. My left eye was nearly swollen shut, my nose was swollen, and my skin was puffy and pale. I looked like death warmed over.

“Trav went to work?” I asked when I wandered into the kitchen after cleaning myself up. I looked around. Trav had obviously cleared away some of the plastic wrap covering the countertops, and had pulled out a table and chairs from somewhere.

“Yep, but not before showing me five times how to work the alarm and telling me that some guy named Theo is parked out front. Now, sit,” she ordered, pointing to the eat-in kitchen table and depositing a plate of grilled cheese and a cup of coffee down. “Eat.”

“You’re bossy,” I mumbled petulantly.

She sat across from me with a mug of coffee between her hands. “I love you and I’m worried and I need to do something. So I’m being bossy.” She shrugged.

“Okay,” I agreed. “Are you missing work?”

She shook her head. “Ry’s mom has it handled,” she replied, referring to her fiancé’s mother.

Piper owned and operated a gorgeous boutique in Hawthorne called Dixie’s. Ryker’s mom had been helping out for a few months now. When I was of sound mind, I intended to ask her how that was going.

“Why didn’t you call me?” she asked quietly.

I sighed. “I was exhausted. And I didn’t want to bother you with this. You have so much going on, with the store just opening and your wedding right around the corner.”

“This is important, Sam. You are important,” she emphasized.

“I know,” I agreed. “I just… you know how I am.” I shrugged.

She smiled. “I know. That’s why I’m going to force it out of you.”

I groaned.

She held her hands up. “Later. First you need to eat. Then, later we’ll make some cocktails and have it out.”

“You have this all planned out, huh?” I grumbled.

“I do.” She nodded sagely. “I’m spending the night, so you’re stuck with me.”

“You’re a good friend.” I sighed, feeling like I could cry.

She winced, gesturing to my eyes. “Uh, babe, let’s not do anything to make that situation worse. Let’s stick to the light stuff for now. No waterworks.”

I laughed, amazed that I could and grateful that I wanted to.

****

“Is Ryker okay with you spending the night?” I asked later that evening as we lay sprawled out on the sofa with cocktails in hand. Ryker was notoriously overprotective.

She nodded, taking a sip of her drink. “He’s fine with it. He understands.”

We sat silently for a few moments in the cavernous-feeling space. Travis had stopped in earlier to make sure I was all right before going back to headquarters. I was worried he was going to work around the clock until they figured out who’d attacked me.

“Does it hurt?” she asked quietly, gesturing to my face.

I winced. “Yeah. I’ve never—I just can’t believe this happened to me. It’s like something out of a movie; a really terrifying horrible movie.”

Piper had been through her own hell when a rival biker gang had attacked her. I knew if anyone could understand, it would be her.

“So this Osip guy thinks you have his diamond?” she pressed. Clearly, she’d talked a bit with Trav.

I nodded. “That’s what it sounds like. I can’t believe Zitto would purposely put me in danger like that.” I grimaced. “He’s always been so kind to me.”

“Sid should point that out to him when he kills him,” she commented dryly, taking a sip of her drink.

I rolled my eyes. “I’ll be sure to tell him that.”

Her demeanor shifted as she eyed me intently. “And how about that elephant in the room, hmm?” she queried.

Feigning ignorance would get me nowhere. I took a much-needed sip of my drink. “What, Sid?”

She reached over and squeezed my hand. “Cade may or may not have mentioned that you two saw each other last night.”

“Traitor,” I grumbled.

“He loves you both. So do I.”

I sighed. “I know. Really, I should be thanking Cade. I would have never agreed to come if I’d known Sid would be there. And I ended up getting some shit off my chest. It felt pretty good, actually,” I explained, running the tip of my finger over the rim of my glass. “No one’s ever hurt me like he did. I want so badly to get over it, and maybe being able to get some of that out is a first step to getting there.”

“Good for you.” She nodded.

Piper had been my voice of reason and shoulder to cry on when everything with Sid first went down. I’d stayed holed up in her guest room in Nevada for the better part of a week.

I took a much-needed breath before continuing. “I just… I’ve never felt this way about anyone before,” I admitted, my voice cracking. “I’d dreamed about finally being with him and knowing that it was all a big mistake to him is so fucking gut-wrenching I can’t even put it into words.”

She reached over and patted my knee in a silent show of support. “Did you talk after you were attacked last night?”

I snorted before wincing. Snorting with a swollen nose was not a good combination. “He said that we’d talk when I was up to it. The last thing I need is his pity. What I need is a new place to live. I don’t think I can ever go back there.” I shuddered at the mere thought.

“Oh, Sam, you can’t decide any of that right now,” she chided gently. “It’s all so raw. Give it some time.”

I looked at her with tears in my eyes. “Piper, Sid and I, it will never be the same. Not after what happened.”

“Maybe you’ll find a new normal,” she pressed. “I don’t know. All I’m saying is don’t make any major life decisions right now. How long are you planning to stay here?”

I looked around the expansive condo.

“In the construction zone? Not that much longer if I can help it.” I shook my head wryly.

She looked thoughtful for a moment before her green eyes reclaimed that fire I both loved and feared. I knew she wasn’t letting the topic drop, not yet. “Sam.” Her voice was firm as she waited for me to look at her. “I don’t know what the hell is going on with him, but I have zero doubt that he wants you.”

“Need I remind you that I was naked and waiting and he fucking ran away!” I exclaimed, throwing my arms up in exasperation, and in a move that was so very me, spilling the dredges of my cocktail. “Shit!”

She jumped up to grab a paper towel. “I’m not saying he’s not an idiot,” she clarified as she soaked up my mess.

I rolled my eyes, cracking a small smile. I could certainly agree with that.

“Why do you think he cared when you’d get hit on?” She grinned suggestively.

“He was always somewhat overprotective,” I replied, shrugging her statement off.

She laughed. “Not with me, honey. When I lived with you guys, he never once stopped anyone from hitting on me. No, that was all for you. And the man has no need for roommates; one guess why he lived with you and Cade for so long.” She cocked a brow pointedly.

I thought about that. Was she right?

“You could come stay with us,” she offered, and I took a deep breath, knowing my interrogation was over.

“Thanks. But I should face things here.” My eyes widened with realization. “And shit, I’ll need a new job.” I groaned.