Page 29 of Wild Card (Men of Action #4)

No one seems fazed by this remark except Bex. She sucks in an audible breath. “First kidnapping? How many have there been?”

Outside of my quick explanation of my overreaction on Wednesday morning, I haven’t shared much with her.

“Two,” Jewls, Harley, and Ember answer in unison.

“You’ve been kidnapped twice? How?”

“I had a crazy ex, but he’s dead now.” Rowan says it so nonchalantly I have to wonder if she’s a bit of a badass herself.

“Oh my….”

“I’ll tell you the stories another time when we’re alone. Ford and the guys go a little insane when it’s mentioned. Back to Willow and Talon. So, you technically met in a bar and then he became your patient? How does that even happen?”

“Fate, divine intervention, destiny—whatever you want to label it,” Harley gushes with a shine in her eyes.

“Okay, Teary Tess, hold it together,” Jewls chides.

Harley ignores the jab.

They all gawk at me, waiting for me to answer Rowan’s question.

The other day, Harley and Jewls accepted the short explanation of Talon being my patient.

But now it’s obvious they were biding their time for the full story.

I think about skimming the details, but my instincts tell me it would be useless.

I take a large swallow of my drink and launch into the day at the clinic when Abe was out and Talon was assigned to me. Shayla keeps my drink topped as I wind through the story, ending with this morning when he left for work when my grandparents arrived as if it were a normal occurrence.

The words come easy and when I get to the part about the incident in the salon with Rylee, I delve into the details of her betrayal with my stupid ass ex-boyfriend. Each time I mention Talon, my pulse races.

Retelling the last five weeks has my heart and stomach fluttering in sync. I take a deep breath and wave my hands in a fanning motion. “And now we’re here.”

There’s a pause before they pounce.

“He catered lunch to your whole office?”

“He sent your dog a stuffed unicorn?”

“He borrowed a dog to go to the park?”

“Your sister is a world-class bitch.”

“That douche-canoe deserves the STDs.”

Pretty sure that last one came from Bex.

“He did borrow Pepper to impress her,” Ember confirms. “Cruz told me about it when he heard I was meeting you tonight.”

“I’m going to strangle him at my dress fitting next week. He was in on the secret!” Rowan’s shriek has several male heads turning our way.

“Jesus, Bridezilla, want to squawk a little louder? Not sure the dead are rising yet,” Shayla teases.

Rowan blushes, bumping her. “I’m not bridezilla”

Whatever is said next is drowned out as my gaze is drawn to the edge of the firepit where Talon is staring at me intently. His eyes roam over my face and his mouth splits into a side-grin. He may not know the exact conversation, but he’s aware that we were in the starring role.

His eyes crystalize and send a shiver through my system.

Feelings I’ve never felt consume me.

And not one bit of it scares me.

A warmth glides over my neck as the band around my stomach tightens. Slowly, my mind stirs awake as my eyes try to focus in the pitch-black room. Talon’s hard body is pressed close, his breathing shallow against my skin. I savor the feel of him, the serenity he’s giving off as he sleeps.

Outside of Monday in the hospital, the last five nights I’ve spent curled into him, he’s always the first awake. I’ve questioned if he even sleeps. But now, I get the full experience of having this.

The comfort of his sweatshirt, the feel of his hold, the scent of him cocoons me.

Pieces of last night replay in my mind.

Any hesitancy I had about sharing my Talon story was smashed when I learned of some of the other tales.

Those girls should create a reality series about fairytales coming true.

They’ve been through a lot.

Gunshot wounds, stabbings, kidnappings, torture—all of it terrifying.

I felt myself slipping into my fears. Bex noticed and took control. She only had to say a few words to set me straight. These men are selfless, determined, badass heroes.

They fight hard for their idea of justice.

It’s not a nine-to-five job, but it’s what makes them who they are.

One glimpse at Talon and all the apprehension was gone.

Strong, powerful, smart, gorgeous, courageous, kind, gentle, caring, patient… my god-like unicorn.

After that, the night took a turn.

Kids were fed and hyped up on s’mores, running off their energy and keeping the dogs wild. Ford, Ace, Talon, and Major grilled the food, Rowan brought out side dishes, and the drinks kept flowing.

There were no more heavy subjects. Ronnie, Bea, and Janice were definitely women I could see my grandma getting along with—maybe too well.

At some point after dinner, they took all the babies back to Jewls and Major’s house.

Robbie, Finn, and Ford set up the other kids in the media room with a movie.

It became a party.

Declan, Raven, Harley, and Ace disappeared without explanation.

I’m pretty sure my jaw hit the ground when they returned and Declan was carrying his guitar.

Mike hooked up a speaker.

Declan proceeded to play a new song the band was working on. The edgy chords of music were a complete contrast to the beauty of the lyrics.

The acoustic version was phenomenal. I couldn’t imagine what the final product would be.

When he was done, Raven was beaming. It was obvious the words were about her.

She leaped into his lap, covering his mouth with hers as he dropped his guitar and wrapped her in his arms. The kiss was frantic, like they were the only two people around.

I turned to Talon’s chest, feeling they needed privacy. He chuckled against my cheek and then whistled. The catcalls and cheers did nothing to break them apart. They kept going at it without a care.

I peeked back and my insides heated.

Never considered myself a voyeur, but it was hot.

It’s a wonder they don’t have more kids.

The only person who seemed to have a problem was Robbie. He was not amused watching his sister make out with her husband.

Talon shifts, his thigh covering mine and pressing his hard length to me. The coolness of his metal piercing grazes my hip.

All thoughts of last night evaporate and my body comes alive for a new reason.

I’ve never been comfortable instigating sex. My experience is limited and my shyness usually won out. But with Talon, my comfort has changed. Wild, passionate, unrestrained—he’s shown me a new side of sex I didn’t know existed.

He’s had his hands, mouth, and tongue on every part of me.

I want the same.

No—I crave the same.

Carefully, I twist in his arms, stalling to make sure he doesn’t wake.

His breathing stays steady as I begin my journey. Starting at his shoulder, I kiss my way across his chest, my memory guiding me to every scar.

He lets out a shuddered breath, flopping to his back, but remains asleep.

I send a silent thanks that he’s made it easier for me to reach my destination.

I descend his body, licking, kissing, and appreciating every ridge and plane of his muscular form.

He is living proof that washboard abs and the elusive ‘v’ exist on a man.

I skim my mouth across the slight welt where he was shot, making sure not to miss a spot.

When I reach his hipbones, I’m so turned on my brain is screaming at me for relief.

Another first for me.

My tongue darts out to find the barbell and I gently tug it with my teeth. His cock pulses, and for the first time, it hits me how I’m going to do this.

Talon’s not only large, he’s thick. Being inside me is totally different than this.

Self-doubt creeps in as I second-guess myself.

What if I suck at this?

Sucking is the point, Willow!

The voice in my head urges me on and I close my eyes, wrapping my lips around him. My jaw immediately opens.

Slowly, I move up and down, adjusting my position to take him deep. The metal tickles my tongue, but when it hits the back of my throat, there’s a jerk, and light from the lamp bathes the room. My eyes fly open and my chest constricts at the sight above me.

Talon’s pupils are burning an incredible, electrifying, iridescent hue.

I lick up his length, circling the tip and toying with the metal. His hands grip the sheets. “Willow, you can’t…”

I close my eyes, ignoring his protests about my brother’s stupid instructions. Two nights in bed with Talon, resisting every impulse to jump him has taken its toll.

Desire and need kick in as I explore every inch of him with my tongue, memorizing the velvety smooth feel of his skin against the rock-hard length. I swallow him, humming in appreciation at the way he lurches.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck… Goddammit, Willow, you have to stop.”

I change up my course, kneeling up and curling my hand around the base of his cock and scaling my nails underneath.

“Jesus.” His hand fists my hair as his hips thrust upward.

I lose myself in the movements, welcoming the taste of him and the sounds filling the room.

He tries to pull me up and I resist, moving up and down, increasing my suction, and daring to open my eyes.

My heart skips a beat. The man staring down at me is on the brink of losing it.

The intense glow in his gaze, the hard angles of his jawline, the strain in his throat—all because of me.

Power surges through my system.

“Princess, I’m close, so fucking close. Come here. ”

His warning is useless. There’s no stopping me now.

I repeat the movements from earlier, the ache in my body growing with each grunt as he holds back.

My nails move lower to caress his balls. His hold on my hair tightens. His cock thickens and vibrates, giving me one last warning before he explodes, calling my name with an animalist groan.

I swallow greedily, my knees shaking while I release him and kiss my way back up his length.

In a flash second, I’m on my back and he’s between my legs. “Please, God, tell me you’re ready.”

His fingers slide inside me easily and I purr at the sensation. “So, so, soooooo ready.”

He slams into me in one thrust and my body arches to accept him.

“Fuck me… fucking gorgeous, sweet, sexy, and sucks my dick like it was made only for her. Thought I felt heaven the first time I slid inside you, Princess. But having your mouth was a close second.”

He slows his strokes, leaning in to brace on his elbows. “A few more hours was all I had to wait. Then you woke up and decided to blow my plans to shit.”

“I had a craving.”

“That craving why you rubbed your ass against my cock this morning?”

“It’s your fault. You shouldn’t sleep naked if you don’t want to be attacked by horny girlfriends.”

He swivels his hips, hitting me in the perfect spot. “My girl feeling needy?”

“Yes!” I cry out, rocking to him.

“Gotta say, didn’t know where your head was at when you woke up and started roving.”

“You were asleep.”

“Not even close, felt your heart rate speed and waited to see what you had in store.”

Now I’m even more convinced he doesn’t sleep. “You were faking?”

“I was curious. Soon as you swallowed my dick, turned on the light not to miss the show.”

Why does that turn me on even more? I cradle his cheeks, feeling every inch of him gliding in and out of me. “I’ve never done that before. I mean the end part. It wasn’t right before… you.”

His eyes flicker with confusion then understanding, a possessive glare baring into me. “Princess.”

I love it when he calls me that. But even more now, in this moment.

The raw emotion in his voice tells me this means something.

Before I can say anything else, he threads his fingers through the sides of my hair and lays his forehead to mine. The air in the room changes with the force in his gaze. He slows, each stroke still fevered yet controlled.

“That’s all mine?”

“Yes.”

“Took all I could do last night not to drag your ass away. Saw you spooked way the fuck out. Don’t know what was said, but I can guess. Wanted to shield you from shit, tell you in my way when you were ready. Some stories aren’t pretty.”

My heart constricts knowing I’ve given him reason to worry. I lay my hand on his chest, covering the tattoos. “Not all stories are pretty, but some are beautiful. Like a rainbow after a storm.”

I hope he understands the meaning behind my words.

“That mean those walls are down?”

It takes me a second to know what he’s asking. “Walls and barriers are demolished. Never stood a chance.”

A low, throaty groan rumbles from his chest.

“No other man in this world gets what you gave me. Mine, Willow, you are mine.”

The words are like a decree. The kind of declaration that would have sent me running from just the thought. That was before experiencing being truly treasured. Which is what Talon gives me.

“Yours.”

“First time I saw you, knew you were special. First taste, I was hooked. Walking into that clinic, got sight and knew someone was on my side. But nothing, not a fucking thing in this world compares to having you fall asleep and wake up in my arms, knowing we’re finally here.”

Kissing a stranger in a bar, a month of denial, and one crazy week—my life has turned upside down. In the best way possible.

“We’re here, baby.”

A sense of peace settles over his features as he picks up his pace, keeping our eyes locked.

I didn’t think sex with Talon could get any better, but I discover that making love with him tops everything.