Page 7 of Echoes of Us
Before she could take a step, his hand shot out, wrapping around her wrist.
“Not you.” His voice was firm, his grip loosening, his fingers warm against her skin.
Her pulse stuttered. Slowly, she glanced around, realizing that everyone was dispersing, heading for their cars. The two men from earlier were dragging the one Talon had beaten to a pulp toward the parking lot. No one questioned his authority. No one defied him.
That was the power of an Alpha.
Her gaze flicked back to him, and despite everything, she found herself lifting the crumpled wad of cash again. Her hands trembled as she held it out.
“Please take this,” she whispered, wishing she could disappear into the shadows, stop feeling, and?—.
No. That was a lie. She didn’t wish for any of that. What she really wanted—what sheachedfor—was to fall into his arms and pretend the last year hadn’t happened. But that wasn’t an option. She had made her choice when she walked away. She had lost him.
Talon took the money from her hand without breaking eye contact. Instead of pocketing it, he extended it toward Cory.
“Take this. Give it to Cooper,” Talon ordered.
Willow blinked. “Wait. What?” she asked, frowning.
Cory reached for the cash, and she narrowed her eyes at him.
“Cory, don’t you dare?—”
“Sorry.” He didn’t sound even remotely sorry as he tucked the money into his pocket. “I do as my Alpha commands.”
A snort of amusement left Talon, drawing Willow’s attention back to him. The sharpness in her glare wavered as she stared into those deep brown eyes that once held so much warmth for her.
“Congratulations on your Alpha... ah,ship,” she said awkwardly.
Talon’s lips twitched, the barest hint of a grin appearing. “That’s not a thing.”
“Well,whateverit is,” she muttered, crossing her arms. She hesitated, shifting uncomfortably before finally adding, “But... I’m sorry about your father’s passing.” The words tasted bitter coming out of her mouth. Because if there was anyone in this world she despised, it wasArthur Wessex.
Talon held her gaze, and his voice was low and unflinching when he finally spoke. “I’m not.” He stepped closer, his towering frame making her tilt her head to meet his eyes. “He was a bastard.”
The silence between them thickened, stretching between them like an unspoken weight. The parking lot was nearly empty now, with just the two of them standing there, caught between a past neither had entirely let go of and a present neither knew how to navigate.
Willow inhaled sharply, decidingsomeonehad to break the tension. She opened her mouth, hoping whatever came out wouldn’t sound completely idiotic. “Listen, I?—”
“Willow!” Lois’s voice cut through the air, and Willow turned just as her friend came running out of the diner, waving Willow’s phone in her hand. “The nurse just called. She said you need to get to the house.Now.”
Panic surged through Willow as she grabbed the phone, her fingers trembling. “What happened?” she demanded, her voice sharp with fear.
“She didn’t say,” Lois admitted, her expression creased with worry. “Just that you needed to come homeimmediately.”
Willow’s heart pounded.No. Please, no.
“Take my car,” Lois said quickly, digging into her pocket for the keys. “I’ll call someone to take me home after my shift.”
“She’s not taking your car.” Talon’s voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. Before Willow could protest, he wrapped his hand around her arm and led her toward a truck parked under the streetlights. “Tell Cory to find his way home,” he threw over his shoulder.
“Talon, you don’t have to?—”
He ignored her, yanking the passenger door open as if the discussion had already been decided. The sharp determination in his movements told her arguing would be pointless. Knowing it was a losing battle, she let out a quiet sigh and climbed in, gripping the edges of the seat as if grounding herself.
As he shut the door and strode around the front of the truck, Willow couldn’t help but watch him, taking in every detail.
Talon Wessex was bigger, broader, and more intense than she remembered. His movements carried the calm strength of a man who had learned the weight of responsibility. He had always been powerful, but now… now there was something different about him—confidence and presence that demanded obedience and respect.
