Damaged Love - Jaxson Kidman Page 0,21
darling,” Talon said.
“What?”
“You look scared.”
“I am scared,” I said. “Why do you think I texted you?”
“What’s going on?” Talon asked.
“You’re going to think I’m crazy, Talon…”
“You know, you really fucked up my night here,” he said. “So I’m not in the mood to mess around. Talk, or I leave.”
“I think someone is following me.”
“What?”
“I got this feeling before… like someone was watching me. I let it go. Then I thought someone was following me. But tonight, the same thing happened. Gia went home and I was alone on the beach. I got the feeling but I didn’t see anything. So I came inside, took a shower and-”
“I can see that,” Talon said. He touched my wet hair. “I like your hair like this. All wet. You know what it makes me think of?”
“Let me guess… something else getting wet?”
Talon smiled. “No, darling. You, in the ocean, bouncing around.”
I blushed and swallowed hard. “This is serious, Talon. I saw someone.”
“You saw someone?”
“Yeah. I was out on the balcony and there was someone. I yelled hello and they ran off. I tried to look around to the front of the house but I couldn’t see much. I swore I saw a vehicle. But I could be wrong.”
“Did you check?”
“No. I texted you.”
“Ah. So that’s why I’m here. You want me to check. You figured why not call the Troc and send him into the danger, right?”
“Talon…”
“Why didn’t you call your boyfriends?”
I curled my lip. “I don’t have a boyfriend. Or multiple boyfriends.”
Talon laughed. “Right. Look how touchy you get with that. Oh, Winter, you have no idea what you’re in the middle of.”
“Are you going to help me or not?”
Talon folded his arms. “You know what I want, right?”
I looked down at myself.
I mean, I felt kind of sexy. In a hoodie and shorts. Nothing else. All sleepy and nervous. Fresh out of the shower…
“Darling,” Talon said.
I looked at him. “What?”
“Money.”
“Oh,” I said.
“What did you think…”
“Nothing.”
I started to turn and Talon grabbed my arm. He pulled me against him. He smelled my hair and laughed. “Shit, Winter, you need to get some. Not sure you’re going to want a Troc like me for that. That would really fuck things up. Trust me on it.”
I elbowed Talon and walked to my bed. “I’m not interested in that at all.”
“Liar,” he said. “Now bend over and get the money. I’m dying to see if you’re wearing shorts or panties under that hoodie.”
I shook my head. “You’re sick, Talon.”
“Far from it, Winter.”
I got on my hands and knees and got him some money.
The same as always.
I was starting to run a little low. If I was going to keep this lie up and keep up this deal with Talon I would need to go to the castle and get some more money out of the safe.
Is this what my life really is now?
I laughed in my mind because this was what my life had been since the accident.
This wasn’t new.
It was just getting… worse.
I stood up and threw the money to the bed.
Talon strutted over with a cocky grin on his face.
He grabbed the money and flipped through it.
“This works for us, darling,” he said.
“Can you go check the house, please?”
“This wasn’t what we talked about.”
“You took the money.”
“That’s my fee just to see me,” he said. “I’m not some cheap whore, Winter. I’m a Troc, but I’m a smart Troc.”
Talon backed away toward the bedroom door.
Anger bubbled in the pit of my stomach.
I felt like I could cry.
“Talon… please…”
“Calm down, Winter,” he said. “I’ll go check the house for monsters and ghosts. Just lift up your hoodie for a second.”
“What? No.”
Talon laughed.
He left the bedroom.
I ran and slammed the door and locked it.
I put my head to the door and sucked in a breath.
What the hell am I supposed to do next?
I waited for the knock on the door.
Each minute that went by was tough to live through.
When the knock came, I opened the door before asking who it was.
Luckily, it was Talon.
“No ghosts,” he said. “No monsters. I did find something to drink in the kitchen though.”
He moved down toward me and I smelled the booze on his breath.
It made my eyes water.
“Did you check outside?” I asked.
“Yup.”
“Did you check-”
“I sailed a pirate ship all the way around the world, Winter.”
“This is not funny,” I said. “You should be worried too, Talon. You’re in this thing.”
He laughed. “I’m just some low-life, piece of shit Troc. Anyone can ask me anything. I’m all about