Marked (Marked #3) (11 page)

Talan stiffened beneath me, his hands tightening into fists against my stomach. His breathing was labored and it took me anchoring myself over his lap to keep him seated. My hands caressed his arm, tried to soothe the beast within the man that lurked beneath the surface.

Hate was a powerful thing. Made humans macabre and cold. Deadly. My biggest fear was that he would become lost in the need to seek revenge and I lost him.

“That does help.” Gulver watched Talan, but didn’t make a single remark toward the burning waves of ire that exuded from him. “Now, back to the Halloween incident for a moment.”

“What about it?”

“Is that the party where the physical altercation happened that led to the temporary restraining order?”

“Yes. That’s where she pulled a knife on us.”

“She had an involuntary seventy-two-hour hold placed against her too. From the reports we gathered from her stay, they set her diagnosis as
schizophrenic
with severe depression. Add to the heady mix a massive bout of rage, and she’d become an explosive cocktail.”

“
Fuck
.” came from beneath me.

“Why do you think she attacked?” Gulver asked, looking at us intently.

“Because of me,” Talan answered before I could. “We’d slept together once and she, in her delusional mind, thought that made us more than friends. It was after that one drunken night that her behavior changed. She became clingy. Pushy. Rude to the female clientele that walked through my doors.”

“So why not fire her?” By asking this one question, Gulver hit the proverbial nail on the head.

“Really good question.” Tilting my head to the side, I stared him down and waited. We’d broached many topics in the past, answered questions, but never the “purpose” of keeping her under his employment.

“It’s not that complicated, really.” Uncapping the bottle I’d drank from earlier, he took a few gulps, emptying its contents and then setting it down. Except the cap. That he flipped in the air a few times while we waited for him to finish explaining. At the annoyed look on my face, he asked, “What?”

“Wrap it up, Casanova.”

“Why are you mad?” Now he was being obtuse. I didn’t reply, just waved a hand in the air asking that he continue. “Fuck it. You want to know why I kept her in my shop?” That time he didn’t wait for my acknowledgement. “Janice kept the whores away from me. Intimidated the easy pussy that paraded itself before me day in and out, all looking to get bent over the chair of
the
Talan Cox.”

Venom dripped from every word that left his lips. Disgust. Anger. And at the very end, recrimination. Not at me, but at himself. To him, this was all still his fault.

“Stop that.” Came from the one person I’d never thought would comfort him. When had they come back inside? “You are no more at fault here than we are. She’s a sick girl who hid her demons from the world and grasped onto your kindness, mistaking friendship for something more. Something you only offered our Maya. The fact you feel any guilt tells me I need to do more than apologize to make you see reason. We all love you, son, and I am sorry.”

“Thank you.” Beneath me, he deflated at my mother’s words. Everything left him in a whoosh, and the man I had my arms wrapped around was holding on to his emotions by a very thin thread. 

“Wake up, sleeping beauty.” The voice was low, far away, but I recognized it even subconsciously. Our bed dipped and I felt him now beside me, lips skimming over my cheeks. Teasing. A taunt to turn and mold mine to his.

God, I wanted to, but being drowsy made it hard to find them. Turning my face toward his, I trailed my own down the side of his neck and up, stopping at the small dip in his chin. So sexy.

“Don’t wanna. Come back to bed, baby.” Yeah, I whined. His reaction was predictable at best; he nipped my bottom lip that was pouted out. Sucked it between his, and with the very tip of his tongue soothed the sting from his bite.

Goose bumps arose across my naked flesh.

Releasing my lip, he pecked the corner twice before lying beside me. “Do you have any idea just how beautiful you are? Sleep rumpled and with pillow creases across your face. You have always been my perfection, Bitty.”

“Jesus, tatt boy, how am I supposed to not jump you right now?” At this, he let out a loud laugh that shook us both. His hands pulled me in closer, my naked back against his T-shirt covered front. I pouted at that. “Why are you dressed?”

“I’m giving the boys the morning off. They’ve been holding down the shop and deserve to sleep in for a bit. I’m heading in to handle the orders and finalize a stencil for next week’s appointment with Luna.” Lazily, he ran the tips of his fingers down the center of my chest. Soft and arousing swipes until he reached the top of my mound. And then he stopped, enjoying the heat from my pussy on his fingertips.

“Luna? As in Thiago’s girl, Luna?”

“Yeah, only they aren’t together anymore.”

This had my attention, and I turned to look at him from over my shoulder. “Explain?” I won’t deny that there was a small bite of jealousy in my tone.

“Cool it.” I glared at that. “While I love your jealous side, it’s unwarranted. That girl doesn’t know it yet, but Thiago isn’t letting her go. Bet money on it.”

“Sorry.” And then I gave him my most innocent look.

“Yeah you are.” Talan cupped me then and added just the tiniest bit of pressure. “By the way, I’m shaving you tonight. Will you let me?”

Giggles erupted out of me. “Babe, I have an appointment to wax in a few days.”

“Fuck that. Let me do it.” The hair had just started to grow since my last wax—just a tiny bit of stubble that he’d wanted to shave since last night.

“Maybe.”

“Maybe…definitely yes?”

“Yes, you dork.”

“But I’m your roughneck tatted up dork.”

At that, I turned my body around and nipped his chin. “Right answer.”

It was late afternoon, and I’d been alone all day. Being bored would be putting it mildly. I’d already one-clicked a few books, checked Facebook and answered all my messages, and ordered lunch. Nothing fancy, just some chicken lomein from the Chinese place down the block that should be here soon.

But now, I was bored again. Nothing to do but watch the clock on the wall or a movie from Talan’s collection.

“Movie it is.” Pushing myself up from his comfortable leather couch, I walked over to the entertainment center and looked through his stash. The man had it all. Comedies, dramas…porn. You thought about it, he had it in there.

Drama and horror were out of the question. Scaring myself shitless after being attacked by a crazy bitch while I was all alone didn’t quite feel like a good time. Just no.

“Comedy it is, then.” He had the staples, but none were calling my attention. None, until I noticed the movie hidden behind his latest Will Farrell release. All the way in the back, out of sight, sat one of my favorite comedies.
Clueless.
He, the man with all those tatts and “don’t fuck with me attitude,” owned 1995’s
Clueless.

I both wanted to kiss him and laugh my ass off.

Slipping the DVD inside his player, I grabbed the afghan from behind the couch and my phone. The regular previews began to play, and I opened up my phone and scrolled through my last calls to find his number. My finger hovered over it, but before I could hit dial…

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Talk about perfect timing.
“Coming,” I yelled out while trying to stand and not fall over the soft blanket. Last thing I needed was to call Talan and tell him I was heading to the hospital with re-injured ribs.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

More insistent this time, the door groaned under the pounding. What the fuck?

Grabbing my phone and a twenty from the counter, I walked over to the door and yanked it open, ready to rip the delivery man a new one. Only it wasn’t a delivery man. In fact, I’d never seen the stranger standing in front of me with an appraising look on his face.

“Can I-I,” Clearing my throat, I took in a deep breath before speaking again. “Can I help you?”

“Are you Maya Owens?” That’s it. Just said my name and had an upset look dance across his face.

Where was Talan?

Nerves set in. My throat closed up and sweat began to bead on my forehead. Maybe it was irrational to feel so scared—logically, I knew that not every person I met was out to hurt me, but this time it was different. He
was
looking for me.

Not someone who looked my way while I was out with friends and smiled. Not someone who bumped into me while I picked up a cup of coffee from a local chain store. No. He came here, to my home, for me.

Fear gripped me tighter, and for a second I was worried my knees would give out.

My hand tightened around the phone in my hand and the protective cover groaned, bringing me down from my panic just a tiny bit. This wasn’t the parking lot and I wouldn’t be caught unaware…fuck and no. Here I would fight: bite and punch this asshole until I got away.

But you can’t outrun a bullet?
No, I couldn’t, but it didn’t mean I would go down this time without a fight.

Slowly, I pulled the door toward me—trying to look inconspicuously as if I were using it for support. He raised a brow, but didn’t comment on the move. Instead, he watched me with a calculating gaze. As if he were solving a puzzle no one but he understood.

Enough of this shit. The man was no longer just scaring me, now I was also annoyed.

“Who’s asking?” There was a bite to my tone he didn’t like, if the way his lips stretched into a thin line was anything to go by. Who cared?

Extending his hand out toward me, he faked a smile. “I’m a psychiatrist. Dr. Luke Taylor—”

“Don’t know any doctor by that name. Why are you here?” Pleasantries were nonexistent as my fight or flight kicked in. With the hand not holding the door against my side, I swiped my phone’s screen and pressed the number two. It dinged in my hand, pulling his attention from mine, and he took a step forward. “Stay where you are.”

“I’m not going to hurt you, Maya…” he waited for my reply but received none “…I presume?” Instead of an answer, he got a glare and the door almost slammed in his face. But the asshole was quick—he put his loafer-covered foot out and stopped its movement. “Please, just give me a few minutes of your time. I’m here on behalf of Janice, my—”

“Move the fuck away from that door before I put a bullet in your head.”

Relief. Pure, unadulterated relief flowed through my veins. Felt like a warm blanket of calm being draped over me on a cold winter’s night.

My body sagged.

My breathing slowed.

My fear dissipated, and I could breathe again.

That’s what the sound of his voice—his presence—did for me. He, my tatt boy, was my security blanket.

“Talan.” It left me in a low whisper. A caress of his name.

His eyes met mine and softened a bit. “Can’t leave you alone for a second, huh? Always in trouble.” And then, the cheeky bastard winked before turning back to face our uninvited guest.

Rage clouded his eyes while he sized up the man across from me. Muscles coiled, he stood like an angry lion ready to protect his land.

Luke turned to look over at Talan, a stoic look on his face. “And here comes the cause of this mess.” It wasn’t posed as a question. No, this was a statement.

“You presume way too fucking much, asshole.” Talan raised his hand, showing us both the gun he held cocked, pointed at his head. “I think you should worry more about what I could do to you. Get the fuck off my front porch.”

“What the hell?” Both Luke and I spoke at once.

Since when did he have a gun?

“Again, just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean I’ve never had it. I always carry.” At that, he got my best
“huh”
expression. “You spoke out loud, babe.”

“No, I didn’t.” How embarrassing.

“You did, Ms. Owens.”

“No one asked you.” At Talan’s snarl, he glared but remained quiet. You could literally see him biting his tongue at that point. Where the animosity came from, I still didn’t understand.

This fucker knew about us. About Janice and her delusional bullshit. The sad smile he sent my way told me as much.

It also threw me off.

Letting go of the door, I let it fall open on its own. Took a step outside and paused in front of him.

Stupid move, I knew this. Talan’s low growl behind him only confirmed it.

Without looking at my boyfriend, I met Luke’s eyes and waited. Obviously this man came to tell me—us—something, and I needed to know the
what
.

“What did you come here for?”

“Baby, get inside now.” I’d pay for ignoring him later, of that there was no doubt. I’d let him spank me until I learned my lesson as punishment. “Don’t talk to this prick.”

“Talan, stop.” Our eyes met; angry browns bored into mine while my grey eyes begged. “Please. Let’s hear what he came all the way out here to say. “

Lips pursed in displeasure, he nodded. “Talk, asshole. You have two minutes to wrap it up before I forcefully remove you.”

“Agreed.” And then he eyed the Glock in Talan’s hands.  ”Can you lower that while I do?”

“No.” And the cute asshole aimed a bit lower toward his chest. “Talk.”