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)
Absolutely flawless.
And I can’t stop thinking about Rowan’s invitation to be in her wedding.
A huge deal… a mammoth fucking deal.
Rowan asking me to be a part of her special day is another layer of my place in Talon’s life.
Being with him has extended my family.
And tomorrow night will be another party for Finn and Declan’s joint birthday celebration.
I’m deep in thought when I mindlessly pull into my parking spot and exit my car. It’s not until a familiar cologne waifs in the air that my insides freeze.
Joseph is standing on my front steps. His haggard appearance is highly unusual, but it’s the vacancy in his eyes that has my skin crawling.
“Joseph, what are you doing here?”
“I had to see you and you won’t answer my calls.”
“I blocked your number over a year ago.”
“Figured that and—”
“Wait, are you the one blowing up my phone from an unknown number?”
The guilt on his face is my answer.
“That’s creepy, Joseph.”
“I needed to contact you.”
“Why?”
“Because my life went to shit.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“These last few weeks have been fucking hell.”
He steps forward and I step back right as my phone rings with Talon’s ringtone. I blunder to answer, missing the call, but the phone immediately rings again.
“Hey—”
“That the motherfucker?” The anger radiating from the phone sends a tremor over my skin.
“How’d you know—”
“Answer me, that him?”
My eyes scan the area and land on two small devices in the corners of my entrance.
“Did you put cameras on my house?” I screech.
Joseph jerks, squinting over his shoulder.
“Willow?” Talon’s patience snaps. “Is that fucking him?”
“Yes, but he is leaving.”
“Stay where you are. Don’t dare go inside. I’m on my way.”
The line goes dead and I blow out a breath. “You better go.”
“Who was that?”
“None of your business.”
His shoulders slump and he runs his hand through his disheveled hair. “I messed everything up.”
“Yes, but that’s on you and has nothing to do with me.”
“Rylee isn’t the woman I thought she was.”
I can’t help it, the laugh escapes, the maniacal sound scary to my ears. “She’s not the woman you thought? She slept with her sister’s boyfriend. What kind of woman did you think she was?”
“It wasn’t like that. I fucked up, I know it, but it didn’t start as anything but platonic.”
This keeps getting better. “I’ll humor you here because I’m in the mood for a good story.”
“That night we had dinner plans and you canceled at the last minute because of school. She and I were already at the restaurant. The reservation had a no cancelation policy so we decided to eat.”
The memory is like a scalding hot poker slicing my flesh. “We’d just celebrated our one-year anniversary.”
“Yes.”
“We were together almost another year.”
He has the decency to appear remorseful as the facts come to light.
Something else dawns on me about that night.
“You wanted to celebrate your promotion. Knowing I had a huge test coming up, I begged you to change the dinner.”
“It was the only night I could get a reservation for four months.”
“You knew I might have to cancel.”
“I hoped you’d put me first for once.”
“You knew the importance of school.”
“That’s why it was platonic. We talked, ate, drank, and I dropped her off at your parents’ on the way home.”
“Then what?”
“You were always busy. Bex and Lucas saw you more than me. I tried to be supportive, but you were stressed out and Rylee was there.”
“Who made the first move?” I ask the question that’s plagued me for months.
“Does it matter?”
I mentally calculate the timing and events happening during that time. “Yes.”
The pipes of a motorcycle roar and Talon speeds around the corner. He rolls in, parks behind me, and swings off like a scene out of a movie.
Worn jeans, white shirt stretched across his shoulders and chest with the ink winding around his arms, his favorite hat turned backward, and aviator glasses framing his face.
The world fades away, my whole body buzzing.
The air changes as his rage takes over. I drop my key and phone, running to catch him.
“Honey, it’s okay.”
“Why are you here?” he barks at Joseph, hauling me forward, my feet barely dragging the concrete.
“Baby, please, it’s really okay. He was about to leave.”
“Who are you?” Joseph stupidly stands straighter, ignoring Talon’s question.
“Okay, we need to calm—”
“You have ten seconds to get in your car and get your ass out of here. Willow doesn’t exist to you anymore.”
“She’s my—”
“Word of advice, don’t finish that sentence, because she’s no one to you. If anything, you can spend your life knowing she’s the best fucking thing that ever graced your pathetic fucking presence.”
Another thrill runs through me, and I grip Talon’s cheeks, forcing him to focus on me. “I love you.”
The fury flickers as he tangles his hand in my hair. “Want him gone, Princess.”
“He’s leaving after he answers some questions.”
“Princess? Is this your boyfriend?” Joseph spats.