New Title 6 (5 page)

 “What’s
doing, Blue?” Talon asked.

 “Cody.”
That one word had Talon stiffen and suck in a breath.

 A
child around twelve with black scruffy hair and deep blue eyes popped his head
around Blue and gave a wave. “Dad.”

 What.
The. Heck?

 “What's
goin' on, Cody?”

 “Mum's
busy, so I came here. Not here, but to your house, and Blue brought me here,”
he said on a whisper. He seemed really shy, averting his eyes from Talon to the
floor and back again.

 “Shit!”
Talon spat.

 “Hey.”
I slapped him on the stomach. “No swearing around kids. Hi, Cody.” I waved,
smiled, and stepped around Talon. “I'm Zara; I live here with my six-year-old
daughter, Maya. Only she's not home at the moment, but at her school for a
sleepover.”

 Blue
gently guided him further into the house by a hand around his neck, and then shut
the door.

 “Can
I get you anything, sweetheart? Would you like a cookie? A drink—”

 “A
chair,” Talon muttered. I glared over my shoulder at him as he smirked back.
“We've been through this, kitten. No one wants anything.”

 I
watched Cody's expression change from puzzled to shock in a second when Talon
called me kitten.

 “Shush,
Talon. Stop being so dang bossy.”

 He
laughed, wrapped his hand around my neck, and brought me nose-to-nose with him.
“You know you like it,” he growled.

 I
pushed at his chest. “Whatever.” I sighed and rolled my eyes. Yeah, alright. I
kinda liked it.

 “We
have shit to talk about, kitten—”

 “Damn,
I mean dang it, Talon. Stop swearing.”

 “I've
heard worse,” That whisper came from Cody. It was then I realized Talon and I
were having our conversation still with our noses touching. I whacked his hands
away and turned back to Cody.

 But
then quickly spun back to Talon, and on my own growl I said, “Yeah, Mister. We
do have things to talk about, and one would be why the frig I'm just finding
out now you have a son.”

 Talon
laughed and then whispered, “There are a lot of things we don't know about each
other, kitten. I look forward to finding out
each
detail
.
” He
scanned my body from top to bottom.

 I
shook my head, and felt the need to shake my soaking panties, but resisted and
faced Cody once again.

 “Now,
where was I? Oh, yes. You may have heard worse, Cody, and if you hang out with
Deanna for five seconds I'm sure you'll learn way more than any child should.”
Laughter filled the room. “But the point is, sweetheart, in this house there is
no swearing from anyone!”

 Well, when children were around, that was.

 “Okay,
ma'am.”

 Deanna
burst out laughing.

 “Cody,
you can call me Zee. All my friends do.”

 He
gave me a half smile, and then stared at the floor.

 Talon
came to my side, one arm placed around my shoulder, and he leaned in and kissed
my temple. “That'll do,” he whispered, which sent shivers down my spine. And
with the hand that left my shoulders, he patted my behind and walked to his
son, replacing Blue's hand with his own.

 “Kitten,
I'll be back. Griz, stay here. Boys, with me, now.” And with so many wonderful
words–not–he walked to the front door, opened it, and left with all the boys,
but Griz.

 “Bye,
Cody. It was nice meeting you,” I yelled before Blue winked at me and closed
the door after him.

 “Well,
I'll be damned. What a fucked up night,” Deanna said as she stood from the
couch and stretched. I caught Griz taking it all in, but when he saw me
looking, he went into the kitchen.

 “Come
on, Mattie,” Deanna said. “We'll sort out your bed in the spare room. And,
Zee,” she came at me. I tensed, but she hugged me instead. “Get the fuck into
bed, hun. You look awful, I'll be in soon.”

 I
nodded into her shoulder. She knew me, she knew I wanted to just crash and
burn. I needed my breakdown and she was giving me the opportunity for it.
Before I did though, I walked over to a quiet Mattie and pulled him against me.

 “I'm
sorry. So, so sorry that it took this to bring us together again. I love you,
Mattie, and I'm glad you're here.”

 “So
am I, sis, and they would be too. They’d be happy, darl’, to know you're being
taken care of. Even if they are a bit full on.”

 I
laughed on a sob, kissed his cheek, and walked off to my room.

 With
the door closed, and without undressing, I fell to my bed and cried my soul
out.

Sometime
later, I was still in pieces when I heard the door open. I didn't bother
looking up; I knew it would be Deanna. I heard shoes hit the floor, harder than
Deanna would treat her precious pumps, but thought nothing of it until a solid,
hard warmth hit my back.And not unless Deanna had morphed into a male, this
definitely wasn't her.

 “Jesus,
kitten. I'm sorry, Zara. I should have been back sooner.” Talon's breath ran
across my neck and then he kissed it.

 His
sweetness made me want to cry harder. “Don't. Be an ass. I can't handle you
being nice.”

 He
laughed and pulled my back flush against his front. “Alright, kitten. Wanna
fuck?”

 “Dick.”

 “Wench.”

 I
giggled and snuggled in closer. “I'm scared, Talon.” So very scared and hurt.

 “I
know. But, as words spoken from Deanna, you ain't fuckin' leavin',” he growled.
“We'll get through this.”

 And
that was what also scared me—the ‘we'll
’
part. He’d placed himself in
there with me. Was I ready for that? Hell no.

 But
as sleep started to take me, I felt protected.

 “Keep
your perfect pecker to yourself.”

 I
heard another rumble of laughter before I drifted off.

I
really, really did not want to get up and face the day. Could it be
possible that no one would notice my absence? Doubtful. I still had to get to
work, pick Maya up, and fly the coop without any problems. Just the thought
made me groan. I knew it wasn't going to be easy. Problems were bound to come
my way.

 Problem
one: whenever I closed my eyes, all I pictured was Talon in my bed. I turned my
head to see that spot now empty. It was probably for the best. I wouldn't have
been able to control myself like I had through the night. When I woke and he
was holding me tightly against him, other than feeling like I was being
smothered, it felt nice. Then I realized where one of his hands was. Cupping my
sex. Of course, I had to wriggle a little, only I shouldn't have, because it
sent a pulse of lust throughout my body and I so wanted to do it again. My
first thought was maybe he wouldn't notice if I accidentally got
off
from his hand. I wiggled again, holding back my moan, and that was when his
shiver-worthy voice rumbled at the back of my neck.

 “If
you do that again, you'll see how perfect my pecker is.”

 I
froze, and damned him into a coma so I could continue with his hand.
Unfortunately, it didn't work; so then I contemplated the thought of just using
him for the night—to forget, because I wouldn't be around much longer.

 “Stop
fucking thinkin'; the noise your brain makes is keeping me awake.”

 I
settled back with a loud sigh, just to annoy him. Fine, if he was going to be
an ass, I was going to keep my wet tunnel away from him.

 Double
fine, if he wasn't going to be an ass about it and not move his hand, I was
going to ignore it and sleep.

 And
I did.

 Eventually.

 Problem
two: I was hearing her voice rise down the end of the hall in the kitchen. Who
Deanna was yelling at, I had yet to figure out. I could only hope it wasn't my brother.
I was sure Deanna's foul-mouth could just about scare Satan himself.

 Problem
three: the most important - my bladder was screaming at me to get out of bed
and deal with it.

 I
got up, peed, had a shower, and dressed in jeans, a red sweater, socks, and
with my hair still damp, I walked out of my room.

 On
the way down the hall, I paused to listen in on the conversation being held in
the kitchen.

 “You
fuckin' mean she doesn't work for that law firm anymore?” Talon asked.

 Deanna
snorted and said, “Turn up your hearin' aid, old man, and listen carefully. No,
she don't work there no more.”

 “Where
she at now?”

 “At
some PI place not far from here.”

 “Hell.
Please don't tell me '
We put the P in PI'
?” he asked with disgust in his
voice.

 “Yeah,
I think that's it; like I said, she ain't been there long, two weeks tops.”

 “Fuck!”

 I
heard a bark of laughter that didn't sound anything like Talon or Deanna. So I
guessed Griz was still here.

 What
was the big problem with where I worked? I found Violet, Chuck, and Warden
great people to work with. It wasn't like I was doing any of the PI work. I was
their secretary and that was it.

 “Griz,”
Talon barked.
Ha, I'm right
, Griz's laughter died.

 “Come
on, boss. It'd have to be a co-winky-dink.”

 “I
doubt it.”

 “A
fuckin' what?” Deanna asked with a smile. I could hear it in her voice.

 I
peeked around the corner to see Griz stiffen and glare at her, and then he
said, “A coincidence.”

 “Yeah,
uh-huh.” She raised one eyebrow. Clever bitch.

 For
the first time, I turned my gaze to Talon, and I wished I hadn't. He was
leaning against the sink in jeans and—yes ladies, that was it! I got a full
view of his stunning, bare...um, let’s say feet. His chest wasn't that bad
either. But what topped it off, what made me feel the need to fan my private
area, again, was the tribal tattoo that covered his left shoulder, and then
another tattoo on his right set of ribs of a fierce looking dragon. Maybe I
could haul him by the hair of his head to bed and have my wicked way with him.

 No.
That wasn't an option.

 I
had hoped to wake with no one to deal with, so then I'd have the chance to make
a clean getaway. Of course, that would have been after I called work and
explained that soon there'd be a madman after me, so I wouldn't be able to work
any longer because I'd be running for my life. Then I’d ask them if they wanted
me to drop off some coffee and donuts on the way.

 But
no, yet another plan foiled. Stupid, caring people.

 I
sighed and stepped out from around the corner before I had a puddle of drool at
my feet from admiring Talon too long. “Morning all,” I said cheerfully and
looked out the kitchen windows. “Oh, poop. It's drizzling outside.” Damn it, my
stuff was going to get wet when transferring it from the house to the car.

 “Can't
be helped,” I added. “So, what's everyone doing today?” I asked while pouring
myself a freshly brewed cup of coffee from the maker beside the sink.