Page 56 of Talon
Talon’s hands trembled on the handlebars.He tightened his grip and continued pushing the machine almost to its limits as he was impatient to get to his family and see what he could do to help.
When they pulled to a stop, he made sure Heather hadn’t fallen more than a short distance behind before dismounting and releasing the cord that went over the top of the first aid kit and would prevent it from being opened.
He wanted to go to Kerry and make sure she was okay, but didn’t want to get in the way, so he turned to where Ghost and Malice stood with their captive.When the man standing between them turned so Talon saw his face, his fingers began to tingle, and a red haze dropped down over his vision.
“Whoa, whoa.Hold up.”Ghost’s arm across his chest made him realize he’d moved.He’d been advancing on them.“This is the guy causing Madison so much trouble, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.It is.And now I’m wondering what he thought he was going to do with Kerry.”Talon clenched his fists and fought the nearly overwhelming urge to beat the son of a bitch until there was nothing left but a pile of meat.This fucker had messed with the wrong person, and he was about to find out the real meaning behind fuck around and find out.If Talon wasn’t the one to teach it to him, one of the others would.Talon was okay with that.“What are we doing with him?”
“Taking him back to the ranch.Jake’s already reaching out to people, someone will be here to pick him up soon,” Malice put in.
“It would be too bad if he had an accident out here and he died before they could get here for him.”Talon met Morgan’s gaze as he said the words.He didn’t know if Morgan knew who he was, but he would soon.Even if Talon never laid a hand on him.
To hell with that.He’d manage to get at least one blow in, just to let the fuckwad know better than to mess with him, or Madison, ever again.
He needed to walk away, even if only for a minute or two.It was the only way he would keep from doing something that was ultimately stupid.He turned and started to walk away but Heather and Kerry caught his attention, so headed that way.
“Anything I can do to help?”he said as he approached.
“Not really.She’s in good shape.Just a couple of scrapes and a wound on her head where he hit her when he first took her,” Heather said.“Wait.On second thought.In the second box are several cold packs.We can use one of those if you don’t mind digging one out for me?”
“No problem.”He went to where the boxes were still tied down on the back of the four-wheeler he’d ridden out here and dug out the item.“Anything else?”
Heather shook his head.
“Do you know who this guy is?”he asked Kerry.
“I didn’t at first,” she said.“But I figured it out when he told me he was going to use me to force you to hand over Madison.”Kerry looked up and met his gaze with wide eyes.“He’s got a serious obsession with her.”
Talon clenched his teeth and resisted the urge to turn and look at the fucker who had destroyed their morning as well as the peace Talon had hoped Madison would have, if only for a few days, while she was here on the ranch.How would she ever feel safe here again?And he wanted her to feel safe here.He wanted her to feel good here, to want to come back, to be with him.
He fought the urge to go to the fucker and punch him in the face for taking all that away from her.
“She’s all set.She can go back to the ranch,” Heather said, taking a step back from where she’d been treating Kerry.Lurch stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, cradling her against him.Kerry’s arms went around Lurch’s waist as she laid her head against his chest.
Talon’s chest ached.He wanted that from Madison but this whole thing, Morgan coming onto the ranch and kidnapping Kerry, may have ruined it all.
“Talon, you mind taking my bike back to the barn?I want to ride with Kerry and that will be easier on a four-wheeler than a dirt bike,” Lurch said.
“Take mine,” Heather put in.“I don’t mind riding the bike, and we’ll need some way to take him back to the ranch to wait for the people coming for him.”She jerked the top of her head toward Morgan.
“I’m not sure how we’re going to get him back, at least not yet.”Talon glanced his way but didn’t look too long because he knew his urge to beat the ever-loving shit out of the man would only get stronger the more he looked at the man.
“Here, use this,” Heather grabbed something from the open first aid kit where she was repacking things and getting ready to close it up, and tossed it at him.Talon caught it out of reflex, not sure what she was throwing until it was in his hands.It was a roll of duct tape.
He stared down at it for a moment then up at Morgan as a mischievous grin spread across his face.
“Go for it, kid,” Lurch said as he removed Kerry’s helmet from where it had been strapped to the back of the four-wheeler Heather had ridden out and handed it to her.“Just remember, no permanent harm.We don’t want to give anyone any reason to cut him loose for inappropriate behavior on our part.”
“Ten-four.”Talon approached the asshole with determination.“Please fight me on this.I’ll enjoy it more if you fight,” he told Morgan.
He started with a strip of tape around the older man’s torso, then lowered one arm until his hand touched his opposite shoulder and his arm formed a V across his chest then wrapped a full circle around him before doing the same to his other arm and wrapping several more times around his torso.By the time he was done, Morgan could barely move his arms as they were crossed against his chest, giving him very little leverage to break them loose.
“It doesn’t matter who you turn me over to.I’ll be out in a few hours and then I’ll be back to take care of you.Madison will be mine then,” Morgan never shut up the entire time Talon bound his arms against his chest.Talon didn’t bother to respond or to tell him that the people coming to pick him up wouldn’t be locals and weren’t people he could pay off.
Sick of listening to the asshole’s boastings, he ripped off another strip of tape and covered his mouth before wrapping it around his head, hoping the tape would shut him up, even if only for a little while.
“Don’t forget to get his legs too,” Malice said.Something in Malice’s tone made Talon glance in his direction.The older man didn’t say anything but lifted one brow, then winked.
