Damaged Love - Jaxson Kidman Page 0,6
go jump someone and blame it on Noah again.”
“Okay,” Talon said. “Pay me and it’s done.”
“I was kidding,” I said. “You fucking Troc psycho.”
“Call me whatever you want, darling, I still want to get paid.”
“Paid for what?” I asked.
I was tired, sort of drunk, sort of hungover, and everything was confusing.
In other words, I was in the mood for a fight.
“Are we really going to do this again?”
“Yeah, we are,” I said. “Maybe I’m done with all of this bullshit. Who cares anymore?”
“You do,” Talon said.
He started to shuffle across the bed, on his knees, toward me.
This was my room. My bed. My house.
As he inched closer, I started to feel like I was the one in someone else’s house.
“You know how this ends up, Winter,” he whispered.
“And how’s that?” I asked.
Talon reached for my face.
The touch of his fingertips to my cheeks sent ripples through my body.
In some crazy way where I tried to justify everything, I told myself Talon wasn’t all that bad. He knew my secret. He kept it.
He took money to keep that secret, Winter…
Talon’s fingers touched the back of my head.
“We’re going to argue,” Talon whispered. “We’re going to love arguing too. You’re going to call me a Troc. I’m going to call you a Bump. You’re going to break down and give me the cash. Life goes on. Trust me, Winter, I know how this… goes…”
Talon stayed in place.
I was the one who was suddenly inching toward him.
I caught myself but still didn’t stop.
Just before our lips touched, I heard a noise outside my bedroom.
Chapter 3
the windows and doors
I ran from Talon to the door to the deck.
I was moving so fast that when I hit the railing I thought I was going to go over it.
That would have been a bad thing.
Falling off the deck at this height and angle…
I looked down and saw Xavier coming up the steps.
“Holy fuck,” I whispered.
I spun around and Talon stood in the doorway.
“Xavier is here,” I whispered. “Go.”
“Not until I get my money,” Talon said.
“Are you fucking insane?” I whispered with a growl. “Do you want to get caught?”
“Do you, darling?” Talon asked. “I’m not doing anything wrong.”
“Talon, please,” I said. “You have no idea what’s going on right now…”
“I don’t give a shit.”
“Talon, I thought we were-”
“Wrong,” he said. “Wrong. Wrong.”
I heard the footsteps of Xavier getting closer.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll pay you. Go fucking hide right now.”
“Promise me, darling?” Talon asked with a grin.
“Go,” I said through gritted teeth.
Talon slipped back into my bedroom.
I walked to the railing and turned my head, hoping I looked casual.
Xavier got to the top step and paused when he saw me.
“You don’t know how to text or go to the front door?” I asked.
“Why would I do that?” he asked.
His dark eyes and muscle laced arms were the perfect distraction to what waited in my bedroom.
I can’t believe this is what I’ve become.
Xavier wore a sleeveless shirt in a way as though it were made just for him. Only him. Nobody else in the world could wear a sleeveless shirt. Ever.
“If you’re here for your hoodie, it’s in my bedroom,” I said.
“Did you just invite me into your bedroom?”
“Sure,” I said. “One track mind, huh?”
“No. But if I see an opportunity, I’m going to take it.”
Now Xavier walked closer to me.
He then turned and faced the ocean, like me, leaning against the railing.
Our shoulders just barely touching.
“What’s going on?” I whispered.
“Nothing,” he said. “Just wanted to see you. Is that a crime?”
“No,” I said. “Easton came to check up on me. Noah sent flowers to Winter Semen. And now you’re here. Any reason for that?”
“Things seem a little better when you’re around, Winter,” Xavier said.
I laughed. “Why? Because you three can manipulate my mind and memories?”
Xavier looked at me and curled his lip. “What does that mean?”
“Seriously? I have Easton telling me we slept together. Noah getting pissed, acting like he’s jealous. You’re so quiet and brooding, I have no clue whether you like me or hope I drop dead.”
I was pushing the limit with what I was saying.
But as long as I kept it vague, I was okay.
“Why would I want you to drop dead?” Xavier asked.
Oh… do you really want to talk about that right now?
I shrugged my shoulders. “I have no memory. How would I know? Maybe I did something to piss you off at some point.”
Xavier leaned closer to me and turned sideways. He reached up and used his middle finger to tuck my