Page 20 of Wild Card (Men of Action #4)

WILLOW

A paw scratches at my thigh, followed by the unmistakable jingle of dog tags.

“Come on, buddy, let her sleep.”

The warmth at my back disappears as I dig deeper into the pillow. A few seconds later, Wolf’s nails click on the hardwood before a door shuts. I try to fall back asleep, but my body and mind come fully awake.

After all the sleep over the last few days, I was afraid I’d be restless last night. Apparently, I underestimated the comfort of Talon’s bed. Or it could be the fact that Talon hauled me across his chest and held me all night. Either way, I feel better than I have in weeks.

With the stress of graduation, clinicals, and the boards, my brain has had a hard time shutting down. And when those things weren’t plaguing me, I was obsessing over why Talon wasn’t the right guy for me.

What an idiot.

The last two days with Talon are above and beyond compared to the two years with that douche-canoe.

I giggle, thinking about Bex’s approval.

Seriously, I should have my head examined for trying to avoid Talon.

My mind replays last night.

The simple dinner he cooked after approving the menu with my brother. Even though I passed the food challenges, and the Immunologist pretty much released me without concern, Dad and Chase sent Talon a list of things to avoid.

This is a list Talon took very seriously according to the inventory of food in his refrigerator and pantry. Either his friends went shopping or he ordered delivery. Regardless, he stocked up for me to stay much longer than expected.

The thought sends a swarm of tingles rippling through my system.

I’ve always been independent. Growing up and into my adulthood, there wasn’t much I asked for from others.

Maybe it’s because Chase was a role model and Rylee was completely opposite.

She didn’t care if it was a convenience or not—she lived her life of expectations. Hard work wasn’t her style.

But last night, having every ounce of Talon’s attention was an unfamiliar treat.

I could get used to being pampered, carried around, and doted on.

Talon wouldn’t let me lift a finger, even when it came to unpacking.

Ignoring my suggestion to live out of my bag, he unloaded my things, arranged my toiletries, and set up my laptop on the desk in the corner.

Like in the hospital, he tried to convince me to let him help dress me in my pajamas.

I expressed my capability to dress myself, but it was a weak argument.

And the man has completely won over Wolf. Not that it is a hard feat, considering my dog loves everyone.

But Wolf’s paw has hampered his usual activity levels. Talon babied him in his own way. He didn’t think I saw when he slipped Wolf’s pain pill into the slice of chicken. Wolf lapped up the meat like it was the finest cuisine.

My dog is in love.

And I may be in love?—

Hold up, speed racer! My conscience interrupts my hearts-and-flowers starlight daze.

One night, Willow. One night can’t dictate the trajectory of your love life.

But it’s not one night… it’s a month of skirting around the inevitable.

“Okay, enough inner reflection. You’ve only kissed the man. Outside of the one comment about being under him, he hasn’t tried anything else. Let’s not jump ahead of ourselves,” I chastise myself, rolling out of bed and gathering some clean clothes.

I may not be able to go to work, but there are plenty of things to do. Lying in bed all day isn’t an option.

While I go through my morning routine and get dressed, my nerves pick up.

Ford and his fiancée, Rowan, live here as well. Talon said they were out last night, but they are sure to be here this morning.

Ford and Ace were super nice and funny the day in the park, but meeting the fiancée is a big deal. The little Talon has said about her has been in fondness. He’s close to her. And this is practically her house, considering she’s a soon-to-be Whitman.

Which means I want her to like me.

On second thought, maybe getting back in bed is a good idea. Traipsing through another woman’s home first thing in the morning could give the wrong impression.

“Quit being a big baby,” I tell my reflection and conjure up the courage to leave the room.

Take a left, right at the mouth of the hall….

Voices get louder around the corner, indicating I’m getting closer to the main rooms.

“What do you mean she’s here? She spent the night and you didn’t tell me?” The bitterness in the woman’s tone stops me in my tracks.

“She’s had a shitty few days. She needs her rest.”

“I know all about it, Talon Simms,” she snaps.

Why the full name?

“Want to know how I know? Because Ford shows up here with another animal explaining your girlfriend was in the hospital. Girlfriend! How could you keep this from me?”

“Did he tell you everything?”

“I think so. You’ve been sneaking around for weeks keeping this a secret.”

“I’m thirty-one years old. I don’t sneak around. And she’s not a secret; it’s been a delicate situation.”

“And that’s why you didn’t tell me. You don’t think I can handle it? After all we’ve been through? What we are to each other?”

Is she crying? My stomach lurches and the hair on the back of my neck prickles.

An uneasy sensation comes over me and before I can stop myself, I creep around the corner.

My heart stops.

A gorgeous blonde woman is in Talon’s face, her cheeks wet and arms crossed defensively. Talon’s eyes are loaded with concern and his expression etched with emotion.

I’ve seen this look before. When I woke up in the hospital.

At the time, it was beautiful and heartbreaking. His strength, his energy, and bold presence was missing because he was worried about me.

I treasured that. Feeling something deep inside.

Now seeing him, I notice a difference.

My soul aches.

He loves her.

Like LOVES her.

And she seems to feel the same.

Oh, Jesus, help me.

Déjà vu washes over me with the icy truth.

He pulls her into his chest like he’s done to me several times.

His hand moves up and down her back soothingly, his lips at her ear. “Hollywood, you and I?—”

I can’t stand here anymore, my heart threatening to splinter.

A sound echoes from my throat, and both their heads swing my way. Her eyes grow wide as he steps back. I don’t wait for what happens next, taking off back to the bedroom. I’m almost through the doorway before I’m off my feet and caught in Talon’s hold.

“Let me down.” I kick the air, thrashing to get free.

“Calm down, Princess.”

“Don’t call me that! Don’t call me anything. Let me go. I’m leaving.”

“You’re leaving?” The door slams behind us.

“Yes! I’m leaving.”

He sets me down. “Why the fuck are you leaving?”

“You know why!” I shove him, stumbling back when he doesn’t budge.

Anger flickers in his eyes. “I wouldn’t waste my breath if I knew.”

“Oh, we wouldn’t want to waste your precious breath would we, Talon Simms?” I seethe, the image of the beautiful woman flashing in my head.

“Warning, Willow, I have no fucking idea what the hell is happening here.”

He doesn’t know? How could he not? I just walked in on him consoling his best friend’s fiancée.

A woman he noticeably loves and can’t have.

“Because I won’t be the other woman.”

“There is no other woman.”

“Liar. Do I have a fucking beacon signal to attract the biggest liars into my life?”

His gaze grows steely, anger setting on his face.

“Please tell me. Is it like a birthmark, or a tic, or something?”

“You need to calm your ass down and explain that.”

All the emotions from long ago resurface and my temper gets the best of me.

“I dated a guy that was like you. Smart, handsome, charming. He took my virginity and claimed to love me. Things got rough with us and I broke it off. Then last year, I walked into a family dinner and learned he was in love with my sister and now they’re getting married.

We had our relationship problems, but the asshole didn’t have the decency to break things off before he started fucking her.

For-fucking ever, I beat myself up over being so blind.

Then little things began to make sense, and the signs were there all along. ”

Through my rampage, his face has morphed into something much worse than rage.

Pity…

But now that the gates have opened, they aren’t closing.

“Just like five minutes ago, I saw clearly that you love that woman. She may marry someone else, but she’s in your heart.”

When I’m done, my chest heaves and hot tears spill down my cheeks.

He stares at me, his expression now unreadable. In a flash, his shirt is gone and all the breath leaves my body.

Tan skin with ink scrolling in patterns and numbers all the way to his ribcage. Every bit of him is firm, cut, and rippling muscle. It’s like staring at a priceless sculpture.

Flawless.

My eyes scan along his collarbone, shoulders, chest, and the fading marks. Circular scars the size of dimes stain his picturesque body.

The day in the clinic comes back to me.

More tears pour down my face. “Talon?” My voice cracks at the thought of what happened.

“Last December, I intercepted a man trying to kidnap Rowan. In a moment of distraction, he got the upper hand and I had no choice but to surrender. Turns out he wanted information on a case we were working. She was in the sights of a sociopath who thought he could use her for leverage.”

“Oh my God. They tortured you.”

“They thought they had the bigger balls. All I had to do was stall.”

“Stall? You let them hurt you?”

“Didn’t have much choice when they strung me up to a beam and Rowan was in the other room. I was her only protection until my guys showed up.”

He protected her.

“What happened?”

“Punctured lung, dislocated shoulder, broken arm, cuts and bruises. And the burns.”

“That’s how you injured your shoulder?”

“Yeah. Ford came next.”

“Then what?”

“Our guys showed up and got all the fun.”

By fun, I’m assuming he’s not referring to arrests and paperwork.

“Are they all dead?”

His jaw ticks and he gives a short chin jerk.