Page 46 of Talon

“Loki really likes you,” she remarks, her voice soft but genuine.“Usually, he doesn’t enjoy being around so many people.”

“Maybe he knows I’m on his side.” Before I can even set the bowl down, Loki is face first in it, chomping away.“Besides, he’s got nothing to worry about here.”

“Neither do I,” she murmurs softly.

“As long as you and Loki are at the clubhouse, you’ll both be safe.”

Her smile is warm and grateful, but it only serves to heighten the turmoil within me. My heart races, and I wonder if I’m about to lose it to her. Hell, I might already be in love with her. It’s a realization that leaves me at a loss for what to do next, other than protect her.

Matrix thinks I should make a move, but I don’t know. Sometimes, I think she’s ready for another kiss, but then she seems to pull back. I’m not used to being so unsure of myself. Usually, I just go for it when it comes to women. But in this case, it feels like there’s so much more riding on every choice I make. I don’t want to fuck this up.

“I feel safer knowing you’re here,” she murmurs, sliding into the seat beside me.

“Of course,” I respond, trying to sound casual despite the chaos inside me.“It’s my job to protect you.”

Silence settles between us, punctuated by the clinking of silverware and the occasional scrape of a spatula. Everyone else in the room is carrying on with their normal, boisterous conversations. Fortunately, no one’s listening to us.

I’m acutely aware of every little movement she makes. The magnetic pull she has on me is unnerving. The struggle to maintain the image of a calm, collected protector is starting to get to me. The need to pull her into the safety of my arms is all I can think about. I want her so much it’s slowly driving me insane.

“Did you ever think about what it would be like to have a normal life?” she asks softly, her voice hesitant.

“Normal’s overrated,” I reply with a slight chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.“Besides, that’s not in the cards for me. Never was.”

“Maybe not now, but perhaps someday you’ll find someone worth sharing your life with, someone who will make you want to leave club life behind.”

“I’ll never leave Underground Vengeance. They’re my family and I won’t let anyone take that away from me.”

“I see.” She drops her gaze to her plate and pushes her food around.

“Do you?” I ask, annoyed.

“Yeah.” She doesn’t meet my gaze. Instead, she picks up her half-eaten meal and carries it into the kitchen.

“Dammit,” I mutter.

If I ever have to choose between a woman and the club, my brothers will always win. Scar, Nitro, and Matrix may have gotten lucky when they found their old ladies, but that doesn’t mean I will. Jessica will never fit into club life. She’s too sweet and innocent for this place. I know it. She knows it. I just haven’t accepted it yet. Part of me still thinks I can make this work, but I don’t see how.

If I’m not careful, I’m going to fuck up the only place I’ve ever been able to call home. I can’t let that happen. I care about this girl a lot, but not enough to leave my brothers behind. That’s not an option, which makes any relationship with Jessica a dead end. The sooner I can get that through my thick skull, the better. As soon as we catch her stalker, it’s over. I’ll have to move on. Until then, guarding my heart is my only option. There’s no other way to make this work.

Chapter 13: Talon

After dinner, I help Reaper and Scar clean the kitchen. We’ve got a deal with Nina that if she cooks, we clean. It seems like a very fair trade. I don’t know what we would have done if Nina hadn’t saved us after we escaped Blackstone’s.

“What are you kids up to tonight?” Nina asks. She’s still sitting at the kitchen table, sipping tea while watching us work.

“I don’t know.” I glance at Reaper.

“Got stuff to do,” he grunts.

“Here or at the ranch?” I ask.

“The ranch?” Nina’s head snaps up. She skewers Reaper with a piercing look.“Which ranch?”

“His,” Reaper says, glancing at Jessica. She’s completely oblivious to the conversation. She’s too busy playing with Loki in the living room.

“You went there again?” Nina asks.

“Yeah. But I won’t go tonight,” Reaper says.

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