Page 41 of Delta Mission
“Nope.”
Talon blew out a breath. “Jeez, I wasn't expecting that.”
“She told me everything that happened in Colombia.”
His eyebrows jerked upward. “Everything?”
I clenched my fists, forcing my anger down. “Yeah. Including you taking advantage of her.”
He leaned against the side of his dodge. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“In Colombia. When you found her. She was terrified she was going to die. She threw herself at you and all you could think about was your dick. It was totally inappropriate. You should have said no. You’re a goddamned highly trained soldier who should know better. Instead, you acted like a horny fucking teenager. It was reckless, and you could have gotten both of you killed. Did you think of that? Of course not.”
“You’re not my mother. I don’t need a lecture. And you weren’t there. You don’t know the conditions and seriously, if it were you, well, you would have done the same thing.”
I clenched my fists. “Why do you have to be such an asshole all the time? You keep saying you’ve changed. You fucking haven’t.”
Talon let out a long breath, as if in defeat. “I have changed. It’s just. . . this conversation brings out the worst in me. I’m not saying this to be a jerk, but Makenna was fiery as hell. My adrenaline was pumping. So was hers.” Talon held his hand up. “I had no idea who she was. She was a hot chick who threw herself at me, and that was all I cared about.”
I charged at Talon and shoved him in his chest.
He stumbled sideways but held his ground. When he clenched his fists, I knew exactly what was coming. “Don't do it, brother.”
“Or what? You gonna smack the shit out of me?”
“I’ll do exactly that.”
We glared at each other in a standoff we’d done dozens of times. Talon and I weren’t afraid to get physical. But today was not a fight he would win.
His nostrils flared. “Ah, for fuck’s sake, Channing. I had no idea who she was. But she was fucking gorgeous, and back then if a woman like her strips out of her clothes for me, of course I’m gonna fuck her, but I swear if I knew—”
I released a fierce groan.
But Talon stepped back. “Come on, bro. If the tables were turned, you’d do exactly the same. I didn't know she was your girl, and she didn't know you had an identical twin. You should have told her about me.”
I swung my fist, but Talon dodged out of the way. I twisted him around and pulled his arm up behind his back.
“Really, Channing? You want to fight me over something that happened nine years ago. I don't even remember what happened.”
I let him go and shoved him forward.
He spun to me, shaking his head.
I churned over his statement. “You really don't remember what happened?”
“Fuck no. It’s a blur. And I’m not saying that to hurt you. You know me. Sometimes I can’t help the sarcasm. But it’s the same with what happened at Uncle Henry's funeral. However, that’s for a different reason. I was drunk. Back in Colombia, it was because some of my men died, and I drowned myself in the arms of a feisty woman.” Talon shoved his hand through his hair. “And then I fucked up again.”
I cocked my head. “How so?”
“I let that shit get between us. And I shouldn't have. Makenna begged me to let her tell you what happened, and I didn't give her a chance. Who knows how things would've played out if shegot a chance to tell you first? That’s how I fucked up, and I’m sorry for doing that.”
“She said you laughed at her for mixing us up.”
Talon rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger. Something he did when he was uncomfortable. “Yeah. That was in poor taste. A knee-jerk reaction to constantly being in your shadow. Being reminded that you’re the good twin and I’m the bad seed. My laughter was more frustration. A way to cover up the knowledge that what had happened wasn’t going to go over well when it came out, so I was a dick. Again, I’m sorry. Ever since Uncle Henry’s funeral, I’ve been working on being a different man.”
His apology was unexpected, but also a relief. A brick lifted from my chest.
I cleared my throat and offered to shake his hand. “You have no idea how good it is to hear those words from you.”
