It was too late to turn back now. I’d come this far, and even though Talon had made it perfectly clear that he wasn’t interested in crossing that line, I couldn’t find the strength I needed to stop until I was completely satisfied. He’d gotten me off, yes…it just wasn’t enough. If anything, it was the appetizer, and I was hungry for the whole meal.

When I climbed onto his lap again, I couldn’t ignore the hardness pressed against the spot I needed it the most. Without thinking, I rocked against it and slowly took his mouth with mine. He didn’t fight me off or beg me to stop when I slid along his shaft with his guidance. Except it only served to make the lingering pulses of my orgasm taunt me until feeling him through his sweatpants wasn’t enough.

“I need more, Talon.” Fear crippled my voice; I was certain he was about to turn me down.

Instead, my anxiety quickly morphed into anticipation when he lifted me, pulling himself to his feet, and then carried me to the bed. Still, that didn’t mean anything. This very well could’ve been his way to get me off him.

Once he had me on my back, his body between my legs, he pulled away slowly. And with each inch he put between us, my heart cracked, and the fissure opened even more. It was only a matter of time before it shattered into a million pieces. Thankfully, he didn’t let it get that far before he lifted my shirt over my head, leaving me completely bare beneath him. His lips trailed from my stomach to my chest, where he sucked one nipple while pinching the other between his fingers. I couldn’t hold in the gravelly moan any longer, letting it flood the room like a soundtrack to what he did to my body.

Somehow, he’d gotten his pants past his hips, and then pulled away long enough to kick them the rest of the way off. Seeing what I had only been able to imagine made me even more desperate, yet nothing tempted me as much as the sight of him stroking himself, his gaze locked on me.

There was no, “Are you sure?” or “Tell me now if you want me to stop.” Instead, he held himself above me and, using his grip on his shaft, dragged the crown of his dick through my folds and teased my throbbing clit. I never knew how seductive that could be until now, and all it did was increase my impatience.

“Talon…please,” I begged, not caring how pathetic it sounded.

“Shh, sweetheart. I have to make sure you’re wet enough.”

I wasn’t sure how much wetter he possibly expected me to get. Regardless of how much I enjoyed what he was doing, if he didn’t move it along, there was a good chance I’d go crazy. Then, he pressed the head of his erection against my entrance, only adding enough pressure to tease me.

“Ready, baby?” His raspy voice fanned across my throat, leaving behind gooseflesh on my skin. I nodded, which apparently, wasn’t enough for him, because he said, “I need to hear you say it so I know you won’t regret this later.”

Had I not been so desperate for him, those words might’ve broken me. But at this point, I couldn’t think about anything other than what he would feel like inside me. “Yes, Talon. I’m ready. I’ve been ready.”

And in one move, he pulled his hand from between my legs and pushed into me. My entire body coiled tight around the pressure. I’d never felt so full in my life. It stole the air from my chest, reminding me of what it was like to have the wind knocked out of me.

Talon stilled and turned his face toward mine. “I need you to relax, sweetheart. If you don’t, I won’t be able to get all the way in.” There was no way he wasn’t all the way inside me. If he added more, I’d explode. “Jesus, you’re so fucking tight.”

It took a moment to calm my shaky nerves. And once I released my death grip on him, it was enough for him to completely push himself in. As soon as he started to move, the pressure became bearable—no, more than bearable. It sparked a sense of pleasure I wasn’t aware was possible. It was better than what he’d done to my clit, more than his finger inside me. It lit a fire low in my belly and brought it to life with each stroke until my skin burned and my breath became trapped in my chest.

“That’s it, baby. Fuck…” he growled into my neck. “Come on, sweetheart. Let go. You feel so fucking good. I’m not sure I can hold on much longer.”

I gripped his biceps so hard I had to have pierced his skin with my nails. And still, that didn’t deter him. If anything, it pushed him further. His pace became frantic, his thrusts long and deep. He took me right to the edge of ecstasy, and with the vibrations of his growl against my chest, I gave in. I let go and came with a strangled whimper.

“Fuck, baby…fuck.” He pushed into me one more time and then held himself there while my legs remained locked around him.

His breath was hot against my skin as he fought to calm down. And I never wanted this to end. I wished I could stay bound to him like that, trapped in the moment we created and ignore the real world. Ignore my phone and text messages. Forget about the man who vowed to find me and the money I’d stolen. And just be here with Talon, feeling all the things he gave me.

He kissed me quickly, then regarded my mouth with a narrowed gaze. “How’s your lip?”

I ran my tongue along the inside, where my tooth had cut it a couple of nights ago. “It’s fine.”

He nodded and then carefully pressed another kiss to my sore temple.

I released my legs from around his waist and tried to slow my racing heart while he slipped out of me. And to my horror, the first thing I noticed was the sight of blood on his softening dick. “Oh my God,” I said on a gasp right before covering my mouth.

Ironically, Talon didn’t seem fazed at all by the fact that I had bled all over him, like it meant nothing. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Don’t freak out. I’m sure you’re not the first woman who’s started her period during sex.” He kissed my forehead and grabbed my hand. “Come on…let’s get cleaned up.”

Talon carried me to the shower, yet unlike last time, he didn’t leave me to wash myself. He stepped under the spray, holding me close to his chest while claiming my mouth in lazy, careful kisses.

“So, does this make me just like all the others?” I asked while he washed between his legs.

Soft laughter beat through his chest, though he didn’t answer until he had his eyes on mine. “No. Nothing like them. I don’t think you could ever be like anyone else, Maggie.”

“Why am I so different? I mean, I just did exactly what you said you’re used to girls doing to you. So what makes me special? What makes me any different from them?” I had no idea why I felt the need to push the issue—maybe it was insecurity, or possibly guilt for not being stronger—but for some reason, I couldn’t let it go.

He cradled my face in his hands and lowered his mouth closer to mine. “Because for reasons unfamiliar to me, I want to wake up with you tomorrow. And the thought of never seeing you again has me feeling things I can’t explain.”

“Does this mean you’ll stay with me in Florida?”

“It means I’ll do everything in my power to be there.” Sadness darkened his eyes, and for the first time all night, they appeared haunted, just like they were the night we’d met. As if he harbored some deep secret he couldn’t escape. “And if I can’t…it’s not because I don’t want to.”

I forced a smile upon my lips, and then I let him finish cleaning me. When he reached the space between my legs, I had to bite my lip to keep from expressing my discomfort. I was sore, yet in the most amazing way. However, that didn’t stop the ache from spreading when he ran his palm against me.

Once we were dried off and dressed, both in sweats and a T-shirt—and I had on his hoodie—we decided it would be best to head down to the bar for food. Staying in the room, there was a good chance we wouldn’t eat, and we needed to replenish our energy. I grabbed my backpack, and he swiped his phone and keys off the table next to the door, and with my hand in his, we left the room.

The bar appeared rather empty—with all the rain, it didn’t surprise me. Now that the weather seemed to have slowed for the most part, I wouldn’t doubt if it got busier. I only hoped that didn’t happen until after we ate. Crowds had never bothered me before, and now, after spending two days with no one other than Talon, being around a lot of people didn’t appeal to me.

He led me to a booth in the rear corner and waited until I slid onto the cracked leather bench before he took his place across from me. I set my bag down close to my side, afraid of someone walking by and snatching it, and took a menu from the condiment rack against the wall. Even though I had my eyes on the different options for food, I could feel Talon watching me from across the booth, which made it impossible to focus on the page before me. When I glanced up, I couldn’t ignore the concern in his stare.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.” He shook his head and blew out a sigh. “Just tell me I didn’t fuck things up. At this point, I don’t even care if it’s a lie; I need to hear it. I need to hear you tell me.”

I reached across the table and moved his keys and phone to place my hand over his. “Why are you so freaked out? Haven’t you done this thousands of times?”

“No. I mean…yes. But this was different.”

“How so?”

“Less than twelve hours ago, I told you why I wanted to do right by you. I don’t have the slightest clue what’ll happen when we get to your grandfather’s house, and I would rather not drop you off and never see you again. Because no matter what you say, you’re not the kind of girl who can do that, and then pretend like it was no big deal. And then I fucked up and did the one thing I promised I wouldn’t.”

“Talon…” I waited until I had his attention before I continued. “You tried really hard to stop it. I’m the one who wouldn’t let you. You didn’t fuck up. And as for what’ll happen in a few more days, let’s wait until we get there before we worry about it. Okay? I asked for that. I’m the one who started it and refused to let it go. So, if anyone fucked up, it was me for pushing you when you’ve made it clear how you wanted to do better. But I don’t regret it.”

Watching the battle play out behind his eyes tore me apart. He held so much value in how I saw him, that the idea of me thinking less of him or being disappointed nearly crippled him. It was amazing how someone his size, someone who’d lived his life, could be so vulnerable, so childlike. But I guess everyone had their demons, and fighting against his reputation was his. If only there was a way for me to express how I truly felt about him—yet I couldn’t, because even I wasn’t so sure what that was.

“If anything,” I continued, hoping to reiterate just how good of a person I believed him to be, “after tonight, I—” My bag vibrated against my leg, cutting me off midsentence. I turned to my left, realizing it was my phone, and desperately tried to ignore it long enough to get out what I needed to say to Talon. “I, um…I was saying that, um…”

He waited patiently, almost begging me with his eyes to finish my sentence. Except, my mind wouldn’t let go of the implications the cell in my bag held, or the message that just came through. After reading the ones that awaited me while the phone had been off, I was almost afraid to see what this one said. Yet that would have to wait for now.

I shook my head, hoping to clear away the unwelcomed and distracted thoughts of my texts. “You told me earlier today that I looked at you differently, and that I didn’t see a piece of shit. I honestly don’t see what you see when you look in the mirror, and I guess I didn’t see what everyone else did, either. The only thing that stood in front of me was a man willing to help a complete stranger. A man—who probably doesn’t recognize his own strength—bandage my cut with such gentleness and genuine care that I let my guard down. You believe I came with you out of desperation, and yes, I was in a horrible place, yet that wasn’t the reason I got in your car. My instincts were right. Not once did you scare me or make me feel uneasy. In moments when I should’ve been afraid, I wasn’t. And I didn’t understand it at the time, but I do now. I wasn’t scared because you’re a good person, and even without knowing your name, my heart recognized that. What happened tonight changes nothing. If anything, it solidifies my initial beliefs.”

If smiles had a sound, his would be my favorite song.

“You’re such a pretty liar,” he teased, although it was nice to see his strength and confidence return.

As soon as he picked up the menu and held it in front of him, I reached into the front pocket of my bag for my phone. My heart raced as I unlocked it, and my hands shook as not one, but three texts came through. The others must’ve been sent after I’d put the phone away when we were still in the room. I didn’t look at those, because the newest one flooded me in a river of panic.

I hope you enjoyed your stay in Mississippi, because it’s about to end.

And as soon as I finished reading that one, another one followed.

The cops will be there in about thirty seconds.

My throat constricted to the point I couldn’t swallow, and all of a sudden, the room began to close in on me. I quickly powered off the device, ignoring the previous messages, and carefully set it on the table, hoping I wouldn’t catch Talon’s attention.

If he had any idea what I was up against, I had no doubt he’d tear through hell to protect me. And as much as I wished he could do just that, there was no way I could risk him getting caught up in the middle of my mess. It was one thing to have dragged him this far with me, but the clock was about to run out, and I refused to let him take the blame for what I’d done.

I noticed his phone and keys were off to the side where I’d moved them to hold his hand. The last thing I wanted to do was steal from him, especially after all he’d done for me. But I was out of options. There was no way I could run on foot. And before I could think it through and change my mind, I slipped his belongings off the tabletop.

“I, uh…I need to wash my hands.”

Talon glanced up and smiled, unaware of how I was minutes away from decimating him. It crushed me, more than anything ever had. If there were any other option to keep him safe, I’d take it—but I saw none.

He’d trusted me.

And I was about to ruin him.

“Hurry back, sweetheart.”

It took everything in me not to break down right then and there in tears. I would never hear him call me that again. And it would never be the same coming from anyone else. There wasn’t another person on this planet like him, and I was the idiot about to walk away. I had my reasons—granted, they were panicked, ill-thought-out, and fearful reasons—though none of those would ever make this okay.

When he lowered his gaze to the menu in his hands, I slid out of the booth, careful to keep him from noticing that I had my bag while concealing his possessions. Without glancing over my shoulder, I made my way to the hallway that led to the restrooms. I was about to vomit, but I managed to keep it together long enough to ensure he wasn’t looking my way.

And then I snuck out.

I barely made it through the door before the first tear broke free. And by the time I collapsed into the driver’s seat, I could no longer hold back the hiccupping sobs. Talon didn’t deserve this. He also didn’t deserve being caught in the middle of my shitstorm. If only I could reverse time, I’d walk right past that gas station.

I could only come up with selfish reasons for why I wouldn’t change a thing. And after all the sacrifices he’d made for me, he didn’t deserve that.

It took me a few tries to get out of the parking space, but once I made it onto the main road in front of the motel, I was gone. I drove far enough away to stay hidden, and then I pulled over to access Talon’s phone. I had no idea where I was going. Without the app to give me directions, I could end up in California. And as much as I wanted to go to New Orleans, there was no way I would ever go there without him. I pulled up the map we’d been using to navigate our trip and changed the address from Bourbon Street to my grandfather’s house in Interlachen, Florida.

The entire time I drove, I had to clear away the tears in order to see anything in front of me. It was dark and the roads were wet…and my heart was utterly broken. I’d made it no more than fifteen miles before it all caught up to me.

I’d left Talon.

Alone in a bar.

Without a phone, without his car, and without much money.

I’d stolen from him, when he more than likely would’ve handed it all over, had I asked. Guilt had assuaged me when I took off, yet now, it felt like I was dying. Or already dead. I’d made the biggest mistake of my life, and I only prayed it wasn’t too late to make it right.

With only a bare thread of hope to cling to, I turned the car around and headed back to the motel. I held my breath with every mile that brought me closer, and I said every prayer I could think of. As much as I didn’t want him dragged down by the choices I’d made, I realized that was his decision to make. I had no right to take that from him, along with everything else.

When I got there and had his car parked in the same spot where he’d left it, my world went from bleak to empty. My soul darkened from grey to pitch black. And my shattered heart became ash.

He wasn’t in the bar where I’d left him, and our room was empty. I walked around the building, checking the area near the pool where he’d kissed me in the rain. He wasn’t there, either. Yet I didn’t give up. I returned to our room, curled up with his blanket, and rested my head on his pillow, swathed in his hoodie where I fell asleep wrapped in his scent.

And when I woke up alone, I knew it was over.

I had no doubt that Talon McNeil hated me.

Although, not nearly as much as I hated myself.