Page 30 of Barker

Talon sighs and sits back. He studies me for a moment and I know he’s trying to gauge my reaction since Jerick is involved. I slightly nod my head letting him know it’s okay, but luckily Barker doesn’t notice. “I was heading to the convenience store a few blocks from here to grab a pack of cigarettes. I was getting off my bike when I heard a muffled scream, so of course I went rushing around the side of the building in the alleyway and I saw Jerick and the other one that’s always with him, I think his name is Patrick. Jerick had his hand over Landrey’s mouth and I couldn’t see where Patrick’s hands were, but it’s not hard to imagine. Without thinking, I just rushed forward and started beating the hell out of them. I told her to run and she did and managed to get back to her car, but then Cam showed up and three against one is a hard fight to win. He did most of this,” he said, motioning to himself.

Barker lets out a string of curses. “I’m glad you were there for Landrey though,” I tell Talon.

“Me too. I can’t even imagine what would have happened if I hadn’t shown up,” Talon says, shaking his head slightly.

“Jerick and his club are getting braver. I mean, to go out in the daylight and do something like that,” Barker says, raking his hands through his hair.

“Well, it was actually really early. The sun hadn’t even risen yet. I don’t even know what Landrey was doing out so early,” Talon says.

I shake my head as I start to process the information. “Wait, you weren’t home when I left this morning?”

“No, when I left you were still asleep.” Everyone falls silent for a moment then Talon says, “Shit!”

“What?” I ask.

“My bike is still at the store. They’ll tow the damn thing,” he says, trying to stand up.

Barker pushes him back down in his seat. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it.” Barker walks over to me and presses a kiss to the top of my head. “I’ll see you later. Be careful and if you have to go anywhere, call me first. I’ll send someone to follow you. I don’t trust Jerick and those goons of his.”

“I’ll stay here until work tonight. Please, be safe, okay?” I tell him. Barker nods then heads out the door. I sigh heavily.

Talon looks at me. “He doesn’t know that Jerick is your brother?”

I shake my head. “No, it hasn’t come up yet.”

“What about Cam?” Talon asks.

“Well, we just barely started this, so we haven’t had the ex’s talk yet, so no.”

“Annistyn…” Talon says with a sigh.

I stand up and start collecting the dishes. “I know, I know. I’m totally screwed. He’s never going to be okay with all of it, but I can’t change the past or the fact that Jerick is my twin brother.”

“I know, but maybe we should have said something before now,” Talon replies.

I nod. “Yeah, but you’re not related to him. So, they shouldn’t be upset with you over Jerick.”

“Maybe not, but it’s going to be a conflict of interest I’m sure. They might think I’m trying to spy on their club for him or something. I should have been honest from the beginning.”

I sigh. “We both should have, but all we can do now is hope for the best.” Talon starts to stand up and I rush over, but he waves me off. I watch as he hobbles back to his bedroom. I stand at the sink and try to figure out what I’m going to do about this situation.

Jerick wasn’t always bad. He used to be one of the best people in the world. Then Dad started to get sick when we were fifteen and he started hanging with Cam instead of Talon. Then slowly, he became more and more involved with Chuck and the Deviant Devils. Jerick got to where he didn’t come home for days at a time, but my dad’s health kept him from being fully aware of Jerick’s actions. He rarely showed up at school and he quit the job at the local grocery store as a cart boy. Everything changed with him.

By the time Talon and I were graduating high school, Jerick was in so deep with Chuck and the Deviant Devils, he had quit school and was a full-time criminal with them. After graduation, dad asked to be moved into a nursing home, so Talon and his mother helped me get him situated. I was scared. I was barely eighteen and had no clue what I was going to do. I went running to Jerick for help.

Jerick helped, but I noticed quickly I didn’t like his lifestyle or friends. Well, there was one friend who seemed different… Cam. I fell for him hard. He promised me the world and I believed him, but it didn’t last long. Cam wasn’t a one-woman type of guy and it became clear with the multiple girls he brought to our bed. I was disgusted, but felt like I had nowhere else to go.

Then Talon showed up and saved me. He had gotten an apartment and told me to move in. He came back to Cam’s place, where I was living, and helped me pack up my stuff. Once I was settled into the apartment, he handed me the college applications. Talon knew I dreamed of being a nurse and he was going to do everything he could to make sure I got that dream. I knew I couldn’t afford college on my own, but thanks to a few small scholarships and student loans, I managed the first couple of years. After that, I knew I’d never be able to afford to pay back on the student loans, so I started working at Vixens Strip Club. Even with that money, things were tight because school and medical bills add up quickly.

Now, here I am. I have a great job that doesn’t require me to look like a stripper, a boyfriend who I might be in love with, and I’m fixing to graduate from college. But now, Jerick and Cam are back. I just have this sinking feeling that everything is about to go south for me, and I can’t shake that feeling.

Twenty-Seven

Annistyn

It’s been a week and Talon is healing well. Luckily, he didn’t get any unwanted infections from the beating he took. However, I’ve noticed he’s been acting differently and I’m not sure why. I’m worried he might be plotting some kind of revenge because he’s coming and going at odd times. The most I ever see him is at Sinner’s Den, which is strange, but maybe it’s just because I’ve been occupied with Barker and the rest of my life. However, feeling this huge disconnect from Talon is more than a little unsettling.

We had our first fight as a couple the day after Talon got in the fight. That evening, I had finally left the house to go to work and found my car was missing. I had called Barker in a panic and instantly I thought Jerick was to blame. Come to find out, Barker had sent it with the younger kid, Gunner, to get a new paint job, since I was going to be a regular in his races.

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