Darkblood Prison - G.K. DeRosa Page 0,61

fingers clenched in my lap.

“Okay then.” Talon stood, and my heart ached as I watched his broad shoulders move farther away. He turned back before he reached the door to our cell and hitched a thumb over his shoulder. “I’m going to grab a quick workout with the guys then. I’ll let you get some rest.”

“Umhmm.” I didn’t trust myself to speak or look him in the eye, but somehow at the last second, my gaze met his. The storm of emotions brewing beneath the molten steel in his irises stole my last breath. Had I been wrong? I dragged the blanket over me, unable to keep the tears at bay any longer.

As I slid beneath the crappy covers, the whoosh of the cell door closing released the flood gates. Tears streamed down my cheeks as my chest heaved. I sobbed, salty tears streaking down my face and soaking my pillow. If I ever doubted whether my feelings for Talon were real, now I knew. Bond or not, I really cared about that surly dragon. Was I in love with him?

I swept the tears from my cheeks and shook the dismal thoughts away. It didn’t matter if I did or not. Talon didn’t feel the same anymore. If he had, he would’ve said something, right? Burying my head in the pillow, I sucked in a mouthful of crappy polyester and forced the tears back. I needed sleep; maybe tomorrow everything would go back to normal again.

Then why did it feel like I’d made a terrible mistake?

Chapter Twenty-Four

Nope, today was not better. In fact, it was infinitely worse.

Talon and Vander sat on either side of me in the mess hall while Dallas and Hayden took the seats across the table. With the appearance of the fourth attractive member of the Triad—or Quad now? Every inmate, male and female alike, had their eyes on us. With the suffocating silence that had descended over our table, I could hear every single whisper and comment from the prisoner population.

I dropped my spoon into the half-eaten oatmeal and clapped my hands over my ears. The rumor mill had kicked into high gear, and I was tired of all the speculation. Most of all I was annoyed with how many of the females hated me. They really thought I was hooking up with all four of these guys?

I shot a pointed glare at the group of Fae at the table across the way. “I’m not sleeping with any of them!” I growled.

Hayden burst into a chuckle, his wide shoulders bouncing up and down. As much as I did not think this was funny, at least it lightened the tension encircling the table.

“Oh girls, she couldn’t handle all of us,” Dallas interjected, throwing the sullen Fae females a flirty smile.

I chucked my spoon at the vampire, but he ducked and it sailed over his head.

“You gotta work on your aim, precious.” He leaned in and lowered his voice. “They’re not going to keep you long at the agency with that arm.”

“Bite me.” I stared at my lumpy oatmeal and pushed it away.

He flashed me his fangs and chomped down. “I’d be happy to.”

“Enough, Dallas,” Talon muttered.

“What’s got you in such a foul mood today, brother?” Dallas leaned back in his chair and shot Talon an innocent smile.

“Nothing.”

Hayden elbowed the vampire in the side and gave him a subtle headshake. Whatever point he was trying to get across must have worked because Dallas stood and grabbed his tray. “As fun as this snooze fest has been, I’m heading to the boneyard.”

“Eew. Seriously?” I stared up at the attractive vampire.

He threw his hand up and arched a brow. “Don’t judge, little lady. I’ve been locked up in this place for way too long. A man has urges…”

“Bleh.”

“I’m with him, pumpkin.” Hayden jumped up and sauntered after Dallas. “Magazines can only hold me over for so long,” he called out over his shoulder.

“Double bleh.” My gaze bounced from Talon to Vander and back. “Please, don’t let me stop you. I can go hang out in our cell if you guys need some primal urge scratched too.”

Talon legit looked hurt by my comment. I almost regretted saying it, but it was too late now. “That’s not necessary,” he gritted out.

“I’m good too,” said Vander, stretching out his long legs under the table. “I’m still pretty wiped.” As he finished off his cereal, I took a second to steal a good look at him. I’d been pretty out of it at the