Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 157672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 788(@200wpm)___ 631(@250wpm)___ 526(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 788(@200wpm)___ 631(@250wpm)___ 526(@300wpm)
His non-answer says it all. I pinch his side and he flinches.
“You did know! How? “
Earlier today flashes in my head, him taking a call and walking outside with Wolf.
“What did you do?”
“I was sick of their bullshit system-wide crash, so I called in a favor.”
“A favor? Did you hack into their system?”
“I didn’t, but I got what I was after.” He doesn’t have an ounce of guilt.
Of course he doesn’t. This is Talon.
The man who has promised to give me everything in his power. Even if it includes questionable methods.
“I’m too happy to be mad at you.”
“Now can we get a beer?” Chase grouses.
“Yes! You can all get a drink and I can sit by drowning my jealousy because I’m incubating a human.”
“Sounds good to me.” Bex winks.
Talon takes my hand, leading us all back outside.
The roar of catcalls, whistles, and cheers stops me in my tracks.
Silver and blue balloons are tied everywhere. Tinsel and swirl streamers hang from the cabana, reflecting across the patio deck. A huge ‘congratulations’ banner is hung across the roofline. And right in the center of the bar is a picture of Talon and me.
The crowd has grown. Abe, Maddie, and Lucas stand together, all smiling wide. The band has arrived, all the parents, Drake, Sam, Addie, Carson, and in the middle is April and Mark.
I’m too stunned to move.
“W-w-what? How? When?” I stutter, taking it all in. “We were only inside for five minutes.”
“Guess you know what was in those bags and boxes.”
I glance at Talon, who again isn’t surprised. “You knew about this, too?”
“Babe.”
That’s all he says as if it’s the universal answer.
“I can’t believe you! This is supposed to be a party for Max.”
“No, this is a party for you. Just because you are getting married quicker than the speed of light, doesn’t mean you don’t get a proper celebration.”
I stare at Bex, realizing she is the mastermind behind this.
“I am such a ditz. How did I miss this?”
“Because we are a team of stealth experts. And it’s called pregnancy brain— you are incubating a human.” She throws my words back at me.
“Are we celebrating the engagement or the baby?”
“We have many months ahead for the babe. This is for the engagement. And you better enjoy it because this may be the only one we can plan.”
I throw myself at her. “This is all I ever could want. Thank you.”
She squeezes and pulls back with a sheen in her eyes.
Talon tucks me to his side. “Ready?”
“I hate being the center of attention.”
“You can handle it.”
He’s right, I can handle it.
39
TALON
I grind my teeth, staring out the window to the building across the way. Willow and all the women are in there getting ready, and my mom has strict orders to make sure Wills has everything she wants.
Today is all about her.
Nothing is ruining it.
Which is why I’m fucking trying to keep my anger under control.
“You bringing this fucking shit to me now?”
Sterling blows out a breath. “I told you I trusted you. Being the man in her life means you make this decision.”
“You know my goddamned answer.”
He stares for a beat then nods. “Noted.”
A low rumble sounds from my side and I spot the apprehension in my friends’ expressions. Dad remains stoic. Chase is the only one who seems as pissed as me.
“You kidding me?”
“What would Willow want?” Ford tries to be the voice of reason.
“Fuck!” I scrub my hand through my hair. “Willow is who I’m worried about.”
“Seems to me, she’s let the shit go. Think about it. The wedding, the baby, the house, the job… she’s openly said she’s thankful for what happened.”
“Yeah, but having that bitch in the building? Will it set her spiraling?”
“Not a chance,” Ace states sharply.
“Your call, but it seems like sweet, painful Karma to me.” Major shrugs.
“Dad, I can’t believe you even asked this,” Chase snaps.
“Son, you are a dad, so you know the love for your child. Even when they mess up, and disappoint us, that love doesn’t disappear. Rylee lost it all, her job, her inheritance, her fiancé, her reputation. She now has a criminal record.”
“You can’t stand here, today of all days, and defend her.”
“I’m not defending her, Chase. I’m relaying a request. It’s Talon’s choice.”
“Why does she even want to be here? She hates her sister,” I inquire, wondering if I’m even considering this.
The flicker in his eyes gives me my answer. Her fucking therapist.
Willow was on board with her parents’ reconciliation. Chase took a little more convincing, but he eventually relented in his initial anger. Their youngest child, however, has been the hold-out.
True to their word, Sterling and Stacy wouldn’t move forward without all of their kids’ blessings. Rylee had manipulated her mom for so long that she was having a hard time with Sterling’s firm stance.
Using her trust to repay Joseph, instead of the wedding funds, pissed her off. But she lost it when they refused to wade into her legal troubles.