Page 137 of Wild Card

“You throw sass, we’ll be a lot later to whatever you have planned.”

“Shit.” She hurries past me to the closet and comes out wearing a pair of sandals with the same blue shimmer as her shirt and the gem in her piercing.

“Lo?”

“Bossy!” She ties a jacket around her waist and grabs her phone. “Happy now?”

“Be happier when you put it on.”

“You know, I was going to take you up on your suggestion of handcuffs tonight. But you’re pissing me off.”

The thought of her laid out naked, restrained, and ready for me to do whatever I want is too much. A low, throaty growl rumbles from my chest.

“Five seconds to get your ass to my truck or I’m not responsible for what happens next.”

She narrows her eyes, challenging me until I take a step forward, and she leaps into action.

I let her scoot past me and lock up behind us. She’s typing on her phone in deep concentration until we’re halfway to Clyde’s.

“Okay, I think it’s all rearranged. We’ll have to be quick. Hopefully, Rowan isn’t having a major crisis.”

“There’s not a major crisis.”

“How do you know? She sounds frantic.”

“Because if there was even the hint of a crisis, Ford would handle it.”

“Some things even badass Marine-slash-law officers can’t fix.”

“Care to bet on that?”

“She’s a bride, Talon. Weddings are stressful and unpredictable, issues arise.”

“She’s Ford’s bride, which means he won’t fucking let anything stress her out.”

“You mean you’ll all handle it. Because she’s Rowan.”

“She’s Ford’s.”

“I know that, honey. I’m not criticizing. She’s Rowan and she’s had a hard time in the past few years. She deserves nothing but beautiful in her future. Ford will make sure she gets that. And he has the three of you at his back. Hence, if something goes wrong, you’ll all handle it.”

My gut turns at the reflection in her expression and tone. Willow hasn’t questioned my devotion to her since that morning she overheard the conversation in the kitchen. She doesn’t bring up the kidnapping often, and when she does, I try to appease her curiosity without feeding into her imagination.

But it’s easy to read that it’s on her mind at this moment. She’s thinking of my relationship with Rowan.

I bring her hand to my lap, knowing what I’m about to say may send her spiraling.

“You have a lot of that right, baby, but you’re also off-base. When I said Ford’s bride, I mean it’s also Ford’s wedding. He may not give a shit about the details, but he fucking knows she will get what she wants.

“Just like I know when it’s my woman, it’s my wedding. You get whatever you want. Something unpredictable arises, you stress, I’ll handle it.”

Her eyes bulge and hand goes into a death grip. “Talon?—”

“You have many people who love you, Princess, including me. I come with a shitload of people who will support you, but it’s me whohas your back.Always. Someone fucks with you, they fuck with me. Not many people want to fuck with me.”

Her eyes well up and she covers her mouth as a quiet sob escapes. “Damn you, Talon. Don’t make me cry on your birthday.”

“You crying because you’re freaking out?”

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