Talon's eyes flared. "Ditto."
Jerry couldn't have looked more shocked had Talon actually hit him.
Talon looked at Sunshine. A part of him felt extremely betrayed that she had dared marry someone else. It didn't matter that she'd had no idea about their past life together.
It still hurt.
Her eyes apologized to him. "I was going to tell you."
"When, Sunshine?"
She turned and glanced at Jerry. "You're such a jerk. I can't believe I was ever stupid enough to marry you."
She started through the now silent crowd.
"Hey, Sunny," Jerry called after her. "Make sure you go to Fallini's sometime and admire my work. Remember when you look at it that the best artist won."
Talon saw the tears in her eyes.
His temper exploded.
Rotating his shoulders, he turned and slugged Jerry so hard that he was knocked off his feet. He landed with a solid thump on the pool table, sending billiard balls rolling and bouncing.
Several members of the bear clan cursed as cameras flashed.
"Way to keep a low profile, Celt," Justin said snidely from beside him.
Talon ignored the panther. He took Sunshine's hand and led her through the crowd.
Nick met him and Sunshine at the door. "Man, Ash is going to flip when he finds out about this. I can't believe you pulled something like this with a Mardi Gras crowd to witness it. You're worse than Zarek."
"Just make sure you clean it up."
"Clean it up, hell. Do you know how many cameras just caught your stunt-jump from upstairs? My mom now thinks you're on the drugs she suspects Kyrian sells. We're screwed. My life is toast. I'm about to get lectured about working for drug dealers... again. My mom, bless her heart, is so goofy, she doesn't even realize she works for bears. I'm so screwed."
"Don't worry about it," Dev said as he joined them. "We have your back, Celt. Cleaning up indiscretions is our specialty. No human here will remember it tomorrow and we'll make sure none of the electronics show anything either. Everyone will be ticked off that all they got for a picture was a big black blob."
"What about me?" Nick asked. "I don't want any of your mind-meld stuff."
"I said humans, Nicky."
Nick looked extremely offended.
"Thanks," Talon said to Dev.
"Any time. I'll see you tomorrow for Mardi Gras."
Talon inclined his head to the bear and led Sunshine outside even though his entire leg felt as if it had been broken by the jump.
Once they were on the street, he confronted her. "You were married?"
"It was seven years ago, Talon. I was young and stupid."
"You were married," he repeated. "To him."
Sunshine took a deep breath and sighed. "Yes."
"I can't believe this."