Nodding, Eros took two steps away. "I'll see you at midnight."
"Thanks, Eros. I owe you."
"Yes, you do."
Talon inclined his head in mutual understanding. Now he was indebted to Vane and Eros. At the rate he was going, he was likely to lose a whole lot more than his soul before all was said and done.
He just prayed that in the end, Sunshine didn't lose her life.
But he wouldn't think about that now. All he had was a few more hours to spend with the woman he loved.
He wanted to enjoy what little time they had before she learned to hate him.
Talon left the room and stopped as he caught sight of Sunshine downstairs playing pool with Psyche.
She was so beautiful there. The stage lights played off her midnight-black hair. And her lush, sweet body... It was perfection.
Sunshine was everything to him.
Talon's thoughts scattered when he realized that a thin man of average height was talking to Sunshine and she didn't look happy about it.
Suddenly, their conversation escalated into a verbal fight. Sunshine was animated as she poked the man with her finger and pushed him back.
Psyche put her cue down and stepped between them.
Talon saw red.
Without thinking about the patrons or anything other than Sunshine, he placed his hand on the banister and swung his legs over and dropped to the floor below.
The people downstairs gasped and scattered.
Pain shot up his leg and worsened as he took a step. Talon didn't care. The only thing he saw was Sunshine's distressed face. The only sound he heard was her angry voice.
"How could you do this, Jerry, you snake!"
"I told you before, Sunny, everything's fair in business."
"But he was my client. I sat out there all day today waiting on him to show."
"Yeah, well, you snooze, you lose."
"Here's another saying," Talon said, grabbing the guy and turning him to face him. "No one messes with my girl."
Sunshine froze at the look on Talon's face. It was truly scary. He stared at Jerry as if he were one inch away from making Jerry fillet.
"It's all right, Talon," she said, not wanting him to get into trouble or, worse, arrested for beating the slug.
She could tell by Jerry's expression that he was dying to say something snide, but the sheer size and ferocity of Talon kept his lips sealed.
She took Talon's arm. "C'mon, babe, let's go."
Talon really wanted to tear the guy apart. How dare he steal Sunshine's client from her? He knew how much it meant to her.
His anger snapped and hissed, straining against the control he was using to keep it leashed.
"Who is this dick?" Talon asked Sunshine.
"I used to be her husband, what about you?"