Talon smiled. “No, darling. You, in the ocean, bouncing around.”
I blushed and swallowed hard. “This is serious, Talon. I saw someone.”
“You saw someone?”
“Yeah. I was out on the balcony and there was someone. I yelled hello and they ran off. I tried to look around to the front of the house but I couldn’t see much. I swore I saw a vehicle. But I could be wrong.”
“Did you check?”
“No. I texted you.”
“Ah. So that’s why I’m here. You want me to check. You figured why not call the Troc and send him into the danger, right?”
“Talon…”
“Why didn’t you call your boyfriends?”
I curled my lip. “I don’t have a boyfriend. Or multiple boyfriends.”
Talon laughed. “Right. Look how touchy you get with that. Oh, Winter, you have no idea what you’re in the middle of.”
“Are you going to help me or not?”
Talon folded his arms. “You know what I want, right?”
I looked down at myself.
I mean, I felt kind of sexy. In a hoodie and shorts. Nothing else. All sleepy and nervous. Fresh out of the shower…
“Darling,” Talon said.
I looked at him. “What?”
“Money.”
“Oh,” I said.
“What did you think…”
“Nothing.”
I started to turn and Talon grabbed my arm. He pulled me against him. He smelled my hair and laughed. “Shit, Winter, you need to get some. Not sure you’re going to want a Troc like me for that. That would really fuck things up. Trust me on it.”
I elbowed Talon and walked to my bed. “I’m not interested in that at all.”
“Liar,” he said. “Now bend over and get the money. I’m dying to see if you’re wearing shorts or panties under that hoodie.”
I shook my head. “You’re sick, Talon.”
“Far from it, Winter.”
I got on my hands and knees and got him some money.
The same as always.
I was starting to run a little low. If I was going to keep this lie up and keep up this deal with Talon I would need to go to the castle and get some more money out of the safe.
Is this what my life really is now?
I laughed in my mind because this was what my life had been since the accident.
This wasn’t new.
It was just getting… worse.
I stood up and threw the money to the bed.
Talon strutted over with a cocky grin on his face.
He grabbed the money and flipped through it.
“This works for us, darling,” he said.
“Can you go check the house, please?”
“This wasn’t what we talked about.”
“You took the money.”
“That’s my fee just to see me,” he said. “I’m not some cheap whore, Winter. I’m a Troc, but I’m a smart Troc.”
Talon backed away toward the bedroom door.
Anger bubbled in the pit of my stomach.
I felt like I could cry.
“Talon… please…”
“Calm down, Winter,” he said. “I’ll go check the house for monsters and ghosts. Just lift up your hoodie for a second.”
“What? No.”
Talon laughed.
He left the bedroom.
I ran and slammed the door and locked it.
I put my head to the door and sucked in a breath.
What the hell am I supposed to do next?
I waited for the knock on the door.
Each minute that went by was tough to live through.
When the knock came, I opened the door before asking who it was.
Luckily, it was Talon.
“No ghosts,” he said. “No monsters. I did find something to drink in the kitchen though.”
He moved down toward me and I smelled the booze on his breath.
It made my eyes water.
“Did you check outside?” I asked.
“Yup.”
“Did you check-”
“I sailed a pirate ship all the way around the world, Winter.”
“This is not funny,” I said. “You should be worried too, Talon. You’re in this thing.”
He laughed. “I’m just some low-life, piece of shit Troc. Anyone can ask me anything. I’m all about the cash, darling. I’ll do anything for money. That’s just who I am. What the fuck do I care what you’re doing around here. Right?”
“That’s comforting.”
“For me,” he said. “Your house is empty. The outside is clear. Okay? There’s no cars waiting. Nobody is hiding out.”
“You’re sure?” I asked.
“Believe me, I know how to do this. Do you want me to explain how I know?”
“No,” I said.
“You’re fine. Just get some sleep and let it go. My guess is they’re fucking with you. Or maybe they’re watching you. Have you slipped up at all with your big secret?”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“Positive,” I said.
Talon didn’t need to know about Gia.
“Then maybe we need to step things up,” he said. “There’s a lot of other fun stuff we can do here, darling. Just depends on how far you want to take it. They’re definitely worried. So tell me what you want next.”
I looked at my bed.
I was tired.
Very tired.
I took a deep breath and shut my eyes. “Talon… will you stay here until I fall asleep?”
I opened my eyes and knew he was smiling at me.
I hated that he was smiling at me.
“Don’t make this weird,” I said.
“It won’t be weird,” he said. “But… it is considered overtime.”
“You fucking prick,” I whispered.
“Business, Winter.”
I wasn’t in the mood to fight with him.
I got more money and threw it on the bed.
Then I turned out the lights and climbed into my bed.
I got under the covers and curled myself up.
But I felt watched.
Because I was being watched.
Talon was watching me.
I rolled over. “Come here.”
“You sure about this?”
“Keep it in your pants, Talon,” I said. “I just want to feel safe.”
Talon joined me in my bed.
I made sure to stay under the covers.
He was on top of the covers.
I inched closer to him and he put his arm around me.
He sighed and groaned.
“What?” I asked.
“This is not what I want to do in your bed, Winter.”
I swallowed hard.
No. No. No. No.
NO.
“I paid you,” I said. “So shut the fuck up and do what I say.”
“Which is what?”
“Play with my hair until I fall asleep,” I said. “And when I wake up, be gone.”
Talon laughed. “Want me to tell you a bedtime story too?”
“No.”
“Not even the one about the Troc with the really big-”
“No,” I said again. “Shut up.”
Talon laughed again.
I smiled and shut my eyes.