Page 23 of Wicked Oath

“I’m afraid,” I admit.

“Of what?”

“Falling for her,” I say.

“Talon,” he laughs. “I hate to break the news, buddy, but you already fell. You two are the literal definition of love at first sight. When you saw her and the way Vince looked at her, you fell for her right there. You both are stubborn and traumatized. You are both used to violence and anger going hand in hand. You are learning and growing together. You gave her a fucking patch, Talon. You married the woman without a prenup.”

“I don’t know if I am capable of love,” I say with a defeated sigh.

“Imagine that instead of texting me… She left. How would you feel?”

“Sad,” I mutter.

“Right…” Viper says. “You two need to sit down and lay all of this out. She needs to be the one who gets the details. You were both broken by the same people. Just talk and heal together. In the meantime, we can make a plan on how to kill those three fuckers.”

I hear the garage door open and soft footsteps behind me before her hands rest gently on my shoulders. She is trembling, and it’s heartbreaking. “I’m gonna get off here. Thanks for listening, Jude.”

“You’re welcome, Talon. Take her riding tomorrow on your dad’s bike. She’s not seen that side of you yet,” he suggests, and an idea pops into my head.

“Yeah,” I say. “See ya.”

Chapter Seven

Delaney

“Come here, Little Flower,”Talon says as he turns his chair to face me. I carefully climb into his lap to straddle him, and he cups my face.

“I’m sorry,” I sniffle. “I shouldn’t have said that. Any of that. I didn’t mean it. I don’t know why I said it. I don’t know why I keep being so mean. You’ve been kind to me, but I keep pushing you. I pushed and pushed and tried to get you to break… but I just hurt you instead. I’m so sorry, Talon. I’m sorry.”

“Baby,” he says softly. “I got mad at you for trying to help me. I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you. Most importantly, I never should have hit that wall, especially with you right there. I let my anger get the best of me and that was not fair to you.”

“I deserved that. I never should have compared you to them. Ever. You are nothing like them,” I say tearfully.

“You did not deserve that, Delaney,” he says, wiping my tears away. “I should have walked away long before I did. We both needed space, but I just kept arguing, knowing that you were triggered.”

“I texted Viper off your phone,” I admit.

“I know. He told me,” he says. “Can I tell you something?”

“Of course,” I say.

“Vince raped me,” he says. “A lot.”

“Oh, Talon,” I say softly. “I guessed but… I am so sorry.”

Talon goes on to explain what he told Viper and how it felt nice to finally let himself say it. I cannot imagine how awful that must have been for his mother to know and not help. I don’t know if my mom knew how Dad would touch me, but I’d like to think she’d defend me. “I have felt alone for so long,” Talon says. “Vince also made fun of me for my weight. I still struggle with it, but I work hard to be where I am, even if it’s not good enough.”

“Stop,” I say. “You are beautiful. You are handsome and sexy. I know it’s hard to see yourself that way after being told the opposite so many times, but I love the way you look. You are healthy and that is all that matters. If you want to lose weight, I will be right there with you. Your worth is not predicated on your size, and I am so sorry that society has taught you otherwise.”

“I just… I don’t know. I guess I wish I was thinner,” he says. “More fit.”

“Do you wish I was thinner or more fit, because I do?” I say.

“That’s…”

“That’s what?” I ask. “Not the same, because it is.”

“You got me there,” he says with a soft smile. “You are a brat, ya know that?”

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