Page 11 of Talon
By the time she made it into the kitchen, Talon had just placed the last bowl into the drain rack and was reaching for the pans she’d used to cook.
“You don’t have to do that,” she said leaning against the door jam much like he’d done earlier.“I was going to come do those later.”
“Now you don’t have to.Besides, you cooked.It’s not a big deal for me to wash a few dishes.”
Madison could only stare at him, finding that hard to believe.Her father would do dishes, if he had to but for the most part, he would dry and put away after she was finished washing.She wasn’t used to someone coming in and taking care of them before she had a chance.
“Tell me more about what you’ve done to be prepared, in case someone comes after you.”
Talon’s request pulled her back to the present.“I’ve taken a couple of self defense classes.Less because of Billy and more because it’s a good idea for women to know a few things.But that’s not all.I have a kuboton on my keys and I carry it as if I’m going to use it every time I’m even a little iffy on my surroundings.I also keep several pistols.”
Talon finished washing the soup pot and set it in the drainer before turning to look at her, one brow lifted.“Oh?Where are your pistols?”
Madison stared at him for a moment, trying to decide if she should reveal this secret to him.But what if Billy decided he was through waiting?Talon knowing where her pistols were hidden might be the thing that ended up saving their asses.She stepped into the kitchen, not stopping until she stood beside him then reached down and pulled open a drawer, revealing a 1911 cutdown .45.
“Nice” Talon said, not reaching to pick it up.“Is it loaded?”
“What’s the point if it’s not?”
“True, but most people don’t think about it that way.”
Madison shrugged.“It’s just me here.I don’t have to worry about a kid finding one and accidentally shooting someone or a disgruntled teen or room mate stealing them to do something they know better than.I just have to worry about the uninvited coming in to hurt me.That’s why they are where they are.”
“I take it this isn’t the only one kept loaded and in an unconventional storage place?”
Madison shook her head.She lifted one finger and crooked it at him as she left the kitchen and went in the living room.There she opened the top drawer of both end tables, one on either end of the sofa, revealing the pistols she kept in each.
“There’s also one next to my bed and one in my truck.”
A smile crept across Talon’s face.
“I’m impressed.You said your dad taught you to shoot but I wasn’t expecting this.”
“What part?The several guns or the keeping them hidden all over?”
“Both.I just wasn’t expecting it.Both will make my job easier as I won’t have to worry about possibly not having enough ammo, should anything happen.How good of shot are you?”
“Decent shot.I can usually hit a grouping the size of a silver dollar at a hundred yards, with a good scope.But that’s with a rifle.With the pistols it varies a bit more.Depends on which one and how far we’re shooting, but I’m usually in a grouping of about the size of a softball at fifteen yards.That’s with my worst pistol.”
Both of Talon’s brows lifted toward his hairline.She didn’t know if it was because he was impressed by how good she was or disappointed in how bad.She wondered for a moment if she cared which, then decided she did.For some reason she didn’t understand, she wanted him to be impressed.
Sometimes she might be a little insecure, but that was mostly because of Billy and what she saw as the stupid shit he was pulling.
Of course, if he weren’t pulling this stupid shit, she would likely still be living in the home she’d shared with her father, probably not working in Newcastle and likely wouldn’t have met Talon.
They sat back down on the sofa, neither saying anything for several seconds.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Madison said not able to take the silence, the not knowing what he was thinking, any longer.
“I don’t know what to say.I know what I want to say, but I’m afraid you won’t take it well.”
“Just tell me.I can handle it, but the not knowing is screwing with my head.”
“All right but remember you asked for it.I’m impressed as hell.I think it’s sexy as hell.It makes me want you even more than I already did.”
“You want me?”Madison didn’t bother to even try to keep the surprise out of her voice.
“Yeah.I do.And knowing that you’re one hell of a shot only makes me want you more.Have you ever been hunting?”
