Talon smirked at her. “Makes you want to do it, doesn’t it?”
“Do it...” She trailed off, glared. He chuckled. “Asshole.”
“You like it. So, what was the guy’s name? In the ‘dream’, he had a name, right?”
She struggled, debating on if she should tell him or not. It was weird, different. He might not think she was crazy right now -- actually, she couldn’t even tell if he thought she was or not -- but he would when she told him the name. Besides Talon, it was the most unique name she had ever come across. How she, in her dream-like state, had thought it up, she had no idea.
Talon nudged her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder again. She had moved out of his grasp when she’d slapped him, and now he was just bringing her close again.
“I don’t really think it matters, to be honest. It was just a dream.” Even the therapist had thought her crazy, she thought, bemused.
He gave her an arch look, but dropped it. “The more I learn about you, the more I feel like an asshole for the way I treated you before.” He didn’t have to explain the “before” to her.
Jamie tried smiling at him. “I understood. When I was taking care of you...all of those scars on you... You know, I have scars. I’ve gotten bruises. I’ve broken bones. But before you, I didn’t know a human being was capable of dealing and handling all of that pain.”
Talon became solemn, his hand dropping to her elbow and rubbing her softly. Her stomach flipped at the small act of affection, warmth spreading through her. “Jamie, you know by now that I’m not human, right?”
She swallowed largely, looking up at him. “I know. I’m trying to just ignore that. I mean, you’re somewhat human. You have a heart, a soul. That’s all I need to know.”
He gave her a smile. She saw the pride in his eyes. “And Auro has neither of those things. What you did to Lyne... that wasn’t murder. He was dead long before that, but his body kept running, solely on revenge. For me. I don’t want you to regret what you did, I don’t want that to be a reason that you don’t get sleep at night.”
Jamie paled as she remembered the sort of trance she had been in. It was blurry, what had come over her. But it was still a shock to know that she had actually...done that. “He was trying to hurt you.”
That was the only thing that kept her from going hysterical over it. The whole time since after that, she’d been trying to just ignore what she had done had made Lyne... die. Or whatever he had done. She had saved Talon’s life, and as she stared up at him, felt his hand on her, was immersed in his heat, she knew she would do anything to keep him safe.
“He was going to kill me.” The bluntness, the acceptance he gave, amazed her. To know that Chris hated her so much he wanted to abuse her was enough to make her panic. Talon had someone who wanted to kill him, and what did he do? Nothing.
At least, not yet.
She cleared her throat, hating how her heart was thundering in her chest at the thought of anything happening to Talon. He was, as surely as the sun shone, becoming her everything. She didn’t think about her mother, about Chris, about what she had been thrown into, at all. And all because of Talon.
Talon brought his face close to her neck, brushing his cheek against her. She turned into his embrace, staring into his eyes. “If anyone tries to kill you again, I’ll take a poker to their faces.”
His chest rumbled as he laughed, making her bounce a little. She glared at him. “My little spitfire. You’re much more carefree than you were before.”
She smiled at him. “Maybe because I like how good you ‘do it’,” she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his jaw.
He raised a brow at her. “Oh, is that so?”
Jamie nodded, staring at his lips. The temperature in the room rose, she swore it did. She leaned forward and rested her forehead against his, loving the scent and feel of him. His arms tightened around her waist.
He sighed and gave her a soft peck, grabbing her shoulders and gently pushing her back. “I have to meet with Lucian.”