Chapter Seven

Talon

“Thanks, Charlie. I’m glad you agree with me.” I’d straightened my spine this morning and hoisted up my big girl panties so I could finally talk to Charlie about the produce supplier. Technically, it couldn’t be considered getting involved because the diner was my business, and I had a right to make changes. Plus, her ready agreement meant Charlie had no role in my father’s death.

“No problem, honey. I never understood why Magnus changed it anyway.” She cradled one side of my face, something she did often, and it made me feel cared for. Nurtured.

I wrapped my arms around her, feeling her grief must be unimaginable. “I’m sorry for your loss, Charlie.”

“Me too, honey, I wish he could have seen you. He’d be so tickled you’re here.” I loved hearing that, but every time I did it made me angry with Mom, and since I couldn’t be angry with a dead woman, those feelings felt pointless.

Waving Charlie off, I said my goodbyes and made my way home. I desperately needed a shower after making the girls give the kitchen a thorough scrub. Most of them didn’t even like me, so it was no problem being a hard ass if it meant getting things done.

The short drive home gave me time to pull my thoughts together as I watched the fiery sun come closer and closer to kissing the horizon. The sun’s movements were purposeful, automatic whereas mine felt…haphazard. I looked around, seeing everything my dad had built with his life. A motorcycle club that boasted a massive clubhouse as well as more than a dozen businesses, a long-term relationship with a good woman and many lifelong friendships.

What did I have to show? Not a goddamned thing. Everything I had now—the house, the business, the land, even Mick—was all thanks to him. Maybe I was being melodramatic, or maybe rereading the letter he’d left me had taken my mind to places it shouldn’t go. I decided to let Charlie’s words stand as the truth. Magnus loved Mick, and I’d like to think he’d love the fact that we’re together thanks to him. I think he’d be happy that I switched produce suppliers, unless of course that decision brought hell and thunder to my front door.

I pushed through the front door and reminded myself that negative thoughts like that didn’t help anything. No matter what Mick found—and I had no doubt he would find his answers—things would play out the way they were meant to in the end. Good or bad.

After a quick shower, I shoved all thoughts of Mick aside because I needed to get my libido in check, and thinking about him had a way of making me think of orgasms, which in turn made me want orgasms. But I needed to get dinner started because this was part of the new and improved Talon, making healthy dinners at night like a grownup. So, I moisturized and slid into a pair of lightweight Capri pants and a flowy pink top. I’d chosen it for its simplicity and because I knew it drove Mick wild when he had to undress me.

I took out ingredients for beef teriyaki, and I froze at a sound in the back of the house. The kitchen was silent because I’d decided another part of the new me would enjoy the silence. Embrace it rather than filling my mind with sound constantly. It could have been raccoons or this far in the desert it could have been possums, but I didn’t think critters were out there banging around. Shutting off the lights so I could see outside, I crept closer until I heard the distinct sound of a human thudding. And then groaning. Wrapping my shaky hands around the bat beside the door, I lifted it and opened the door slightly. “Who’s out there? I have a weapon and I’m not afraid to use it, asshole!” Yeah, that sounded brave even though my heart beat so fast I thought it might have been louder than the wannabe intruder, but my voice never wavered though fear was palpable in my veins.

I heard the slide and thump of an uneven gait. “Who are you?” The voice came from the dark, scratchy as though whoever it was hadn’t had water for days.

I thought for a second maybe a lost hiker had wandered my way, but then, that’s exactly what a serial killer would want me to think, right? “I don’t think so, buddy. You’re at my place, who the hell are you? Show yourself, dammit.”

“Dagger,” he spat on a groan. I’d heard the name before and when I realized who he was, I reached for my phone and flicked on the flashlight.

“Oh hell,” I gasped at the sight of him beaten and bloody. “Come in,” I urged, but it became clear moving caused him more pain, so I helped him as best I could considering he was a big man. Tall and solid. “Damn, you’re heavy. You lift cars instead of weights?”

He tried to laugh and winced for his efforts. “Funny.”

“What the hell happened? Does anything feel broken?”

“Nah, my ribs are bruised, though. I’m just busted up and probably in need of a few stitches.” Typical man trying to downplay his injuries.

But I knew better, so I put a hand to his chest until he fell onto the bed in one of the guest rooms, taking off his boots, his cut, and his shirts. All three of them. “Shit. What happened to you? Never mind, don’t talk. Drink this water while I gather some supplies, and then I’ll let Mick know you’re here. Should I let Trudy know, too?” I wanted to make her my first call, thinking about how tangled up she’d been over his disappearance.

His eyes flashed gratitude behind the blood and bruising. “Not yet, but thanks.”

“Lucky for you my dad had a pretty amazing first-aid kit in here,” I told him as I finished cleaning up the blood and rinsing out his wounds. “I’m Talon by the way, Magnus was apparently my dad.” I shook his hand and got to work disinfecting the wounds and using butterfly bandages for the ones that needed stitches. “Not the prettiest job, but it’s done. I’m afraid I’ll need to stitch that gash in your head so…whiskey or tequila?”

Dagger smiled, and I imagined that busted lip hurt like hell. “Yes.”

I handed him the bottle of Jim Beam and got to work stitching like I had any medical training. “All better,” I told him fifteen minutes and ten stitches later, and then I shot off a text to Mick.

I need you. Bring ice. Come alone. ~T

“Thanks for this,” he groaned.

“None necessary. Trudy’s worried sick, and that’s enough for me.” My whole body went still at the now familiar roar of big ass motorcycles in the distance. More than one which meant not Mick. “Shit. Dagger, get up.”

“Give me up, Talon, it’s not worth it.”

I rolled my eyes at his attempt at chivalry. “Lord save me from chivalrous men. I’m guessing those visitors are looking for you?” He nodded and I scanned the room, thinking of the blueprints I’d found a few weeks ago. “Well it looks like you sought refuge here at the right time.” The room sat on a slant like it had been added on later, and right where the roof met the wall I searched for a seam that wasn’t visible. “There,” I said when I pushed and the wall opened.” Get in and don’t make a peep. You’re injured so don’t try to come to my rescue.” He wanted to argue so I shoved him in and shut the door, placing the oversized beanbag against it.

The sounds of the bikes grew closer, and I knew I didn’t have much time. Gathering up all the bloody rags and gauze, Dagger’s clothes and boots, and all evidence that someone else had been here, I shoved it the hamper in my bathroom and wet my hair before wrapping it in a towel moments before a loud banging sounded at my door.

Stay calm. You can do this. In movies pep talks always seem to work, to push the person into being stronger, and I hoped like hell it’d work for me. Peeking through a side window, I saw that creepy bastard, Toro, on my porch along with someone I’d never seen before. After a long cleansing breath, I picked up the bat, gripping the handle behind the door. “Yes?”

“You here alone,” he barked the question at me as though I owed him an answer.

“None of your business. Why are you here?”

“Mick here?” Toro’s scowl deepened, and I knew this guy could do serious damage, but I refused to be afraid.

“He will be soon.” I hoped so at least.

I could tell right away he didn’t believe me, but I didn’t give a shit. He didn’t know me well enough to know I was lying. “No one is here? You haven’t seen Dagger?”

“Who?”

“You mind if we look around?” He moved toward me as though my agreement were a foregone conclusion.

“Actually, I do. I don’t know you or him, and I’m not in the habit of letting men I don’t know into my home. You can wait until Mick gets here or you can go.” I gripped the bat tighter in my hands, sensing that soon I would have to use it.

“You cocky bitch, I can’t wait to teach you a fucking lesson,” he actually sneered like a fucking cartoon villain.

I laughed to cover all traces of the fear that snaked through me at his words. “I’d like to see you try.” I knew poking the bear was wrong, ill-advised, but I couldn’t seem to help myself.

Though I knew what was about to happen because I saw his raised foot, I couldn’t move fast enough when he kicked the door, and I stumbled back. Thankfully I still gripped the bat in my hands, making the greasy fucker grin. “Oh, kitty has claws.”

“The better to slit your throat with.” I grinned back.

He lunged, and I swung the bat hard too hard because it only grazed his elbow which was enough to slow him down so I could get an actual weapon. Like a knife. “Bitch! You’ll pay for that,” he groaned.

I heard footsteps behind me, and I ran faster to the kitchen, grabbing the closest knife I could reach just as his hand wrapped around my arm. I turned and sliced at him, sending him reeling back with a roar of pain. “I’ll kill you!” The unknown man grabbed my wrist and banged it hard against the wall until I dropped the knife, his other hand twisting around my hair and locking me in his grasp.

Toro spat, “But first, I think I’ll teach you a lesson on how bitches are supposed to act.”

I swallowed my fear, refusing to show any outward signs to this bastard. I fought against the other man’s grasp, trying to work myself free. “The only way you can get any is to take it by force. Another limp dick,” I spat seconds before his fist landed hard on the side of my face. My head lurched backward into the man’s chest with a resounding thud, but I remained resilient and placed a smile on my face as blood filled my mouth. “Big man,” I groaned.

“I don’t care what you think, slut, but after tonight you won’t take a piss without thinking of me.” Toro edged closer, rage blazing in his eyes. “Fucking bitch,” he yelled when I raked my nails down his face. “I can’t wait to tear you up.” He punched me hard, and my legs buckled. The other man tightened his arms around me, but I let my weight fall heavy against him. “Let’s see how bad Mick wants you with a fucked up face.” He trailed the blade of a knife down my jaw with a creepy smile. “Or when you’ve been fucked so hard you can’t sit, can’t piss.”

Bile rose up in my throat. Fear and adrenaline had me, but I swallowed it down because I could hear the little kick up of gravel outside and I knew, I hoped at least, that meant Mick would soon be here. “Oh yeah? You’d better get that bat then because I doubt I’d feel anything otherwise.”

I knew I’d pushed him too far when his face twisted in unspeakable madness, and he raised his hand to strike me again. But the blow didn’t land because he was knocked to the ground.

“Mick!” He sat on top of Toro and landed blow after blow. The other man let me go and went after my man. “Mick,” I yelled again, but he was too consumed by his rage.

Reaching for the bat, I lifted it over my head and brought it down across the unknown man’s back with a satisfying thwack. “Mick, stop!”

The sound of flesh knocking the shit out of flesh stopped, and he looked over his shoulder. “Babe, you all right?” He was at my side in a moment, stroking my face, rage building at the sight of the blood and the bruises I was sure had already begun to form on both sides of my face. “I should have gotten here sooner.”

“I’m a little banged up, but I’m fine. Your friends figured they could come in and search my house without permission, and then thought they’d take a piece of me for their efforts.” I knew the blame didn’t lie with Mick, but these guys were his guys and that made it feel too personal.

His expression darkened and he stood over both men, bloody and groaning. “Church tonight at midnight. It’s the only reason you motherfuckers aren’t dead right now.”

I kind of wished they both were dead as my heart pounded furiously in my chest, and a chill washed over my body. Teeth chattering, I watched Mick kick them out of my house, which I feared may never feel like my home again.