Page 22 of Unconditional

It had been too much to ask that I not be handcuffed to the damn headboard again.Apparently, I was ‘out of my mind’ if I thought for even a second that Talon would leave any margin of risk that I might think better of this entire arrangement and take off with Louis after all.

Talon, ever the gentlemen, didnotsleep on the floor as I’d also requested.Instead, he’d slept entirely too close—while also managing not to touch me—and taking all of the covers for himself.I was sure it had been on purpose.He’d made yet another snide remark about my choice in pajamas and how they didn’t suit the crisp bite in the air.As if I were blind to the way he obviously appreciated my apparel.

The next morning my joints ached and my arm was tingling and numb.I had no idea what time it was, but Talon seemed to be halfway through his strange morning ritual.In the few days I’d been stuck with him it hadn’t taken long to realize that these acts were almost compulsive.

He’d just stepped into the room, the strong odor of sweat following him.He must’ve just finished his workout, and I absently wondered if there was a gym in this place.The idea didn’t fit considering the historical nature of the property—Susie had mentioned that this place had been around since 1905 and over the generations they’d done what they could to maintain its integrity and purpose.

A gym would not have been a part of the initial layout and I highly doubted that it would’ve been added on later.So, Talon must’ve found an alternative, because as much as I doubted there was a gym, I also doubted he’d skip the workout.My curiosity was piqued all the more.

Quickly quashed by the prickles of irritation in my wrist from the pressure of the metal cuffs.“Hey, Machine Gun Kelly.Do you think you could let me out of my confinement before you lock yourself in there for an hour?My arm is numb.”I wiggled my wrist making the metal clang on the headboard.

His eyebrow quirked.“Machine Gun Kelly?”

I rolled my eyes.“GeorgeMachine Gun Kelly.”

He said nothing and I sighed as if I were exasperated, but really, I did not expect him to know what the hell I was talking about.I had a habit of retaining random information I’d picked up in my lifetime and I guess that included some random true crime trivia.“C’mon, you should know this, he’s probably one of your heroes.Famous gangster?Kidnapper?”

Talon’s eyes went icy, but still he remained silent.Reaching down, he pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it in my direction where it landed unceremoniously on the bed.The stench of body odor overwhelmed my senses but before I could protest, the bathroom door was closing with an audible click.I flung a middle finger in the direction of the door, biting down on my tongue to keep from shouting out loud the obscenities I wanted to spew his way.

Ten minutes later Talon stepped back out, a towel wrapped around his waist to catch the steaming water that was sliding down his bare chest.My jaw dropped a fraction and I had to force it to snap shut.He was well muscled, his skin practically glowing under the sunlight pouring through the terrace windows.The morning exercise was clearly doing wonderful things for his body.Turning his back to me, Talon grabbed his duffel bag and dropped the towel, leaving a perfectly sculpted ass on display for my unhindered ogling.

What.The.Fuck.

Before I could scramble out some sort of incoherent snide remark though, he was sliding on a pair of black briefs, grabbing the paperback book he’d been reading from and settling into the chair beside the window.He hadn’t bothered to put on pants or a shirt or say a single word to me and that alone left me uncharacteristically speechless.I felt my mouth open and close two more times before I finally came up with something to say.

“I’m surprised you even know how to read.”It was a stupid thing to say, really.And if I searched my memory banks hard enough, I thought maybe I’d already made some sort of stupid remark to him before.Still, it was the only thing I could think of when distracted by so much of…him.

Talon’s chuckle wasn’t like the one he’d given the night before.It was dark and threatening and doing very strange things to my insides.Standing again, he returned to his duffel bag, dropping the book inside before stalking over to the end of the bed.Very slowly, he climbed onto it, crawling towards me in a way I could only describe as predatory.His knees bracketed my thighs, trapping me in place as he brought his face in close to mine.This was it.He was going to kiss me.And I wouldn’t have to feel bad about it because it wouldn’t have beenmyfault.Even if I had secretly wanted it.

My breath stuttered as I mentally prepared for the meeting of our lips, my eyelids fluttering as I struggled to maintain eye contact.There was a dampness between my thighs that I was not prepared to acknowledge and I was acutely aware of the way my chest was frantically rising and falling between us.Talon’s lips were so close I felt his breath fan across mine, warm and tinged with cinnamon.My lids won the battle and slid shut, my lips parting with silent invitation.Ugh, just do it already.

The sound of tape being ripped from its roll had my eyes snapping open.The twisted humor in Talon’s eyes had humiliation burning my cheeks.As the strip of duct tape was placed over my still partly open mouth, Talon grinned.“What did I tell you was going to happen if you didn’t learn to shut up, Blondie?”

fifteen

Misely

“Whyaren’tyouusingyour own car?”Birdie’s voice was concerned.The shame and anxiety that had become a constant companion over the course of the last few days swirled in my gut.

“I needed an oil change—you know how I am.And the mechanic said that I needed a few other things replaced.I decided it’d be better to get the work done and use a rental.Turns out the rental needed work too.”I paced over to a large bay window in the dining hall that overlooked The Lodge’s back lawn.Birds flitted about a feeder carelessly and in the distance I saw a buck step through the blanket of trees.

This place was beautiful.

“Mize, I’m worried about you.”Birdie paused, taking a slow breath.“Even for you this is…odd.And driving?When we moved after college you insisted on hiring a moving truck and flying.You said long distance driving like that made you antsy.”

If she only knew.

“I know, and it still does.”Maybe if I blanketed the lie with a little bit of truth it wouldn’t burn so bad coming out.“But this is good for me.Some one-on-one time with myself.The city was stifling.”So was her ridiculously hot sort-of-brother-in-law.

This time the silence was deafening.The problem with lying to Birdie was that she knew me better than anybody.Ever since we met, she’d always seen right through me like I was completely transparent to her.With every falsehood that left my lips, I was risking her calling me on it.Glancing around, I saw that Talon was being drug across the room reluctantly by Susie, who had her arm looped through his, chattering away about something I couldn’t hear.

He seemed especially annoyed this morning, despite the way he tried to keep his patience with our hostess.The frustration wasn’t only directed toward me though.He’d spoken to Rodger who had been unable to get a hold of Paulie.With every hour that passed without a clear indicator of when we could get back on the road, he grew more agitated.Talon’s eyes caught mine as I watched, his narrowing just a fraction—letting me know not to fuck anything up in his reluctant absence.

I knew that him leaving me alone with my phone was the absolute last thing he wanted to be doing, but if he made a fuss about it, it would raise a whole lot of eyebrows.The best thing he could do to maintain our charade was follow Susie and hope I didn't do the most obvious thing and rat him out.

And I could.Right now.I could spill my guts to Birdie, and we would come up with a plan.Hadn’t that been my intention all along anyway?Find a way to get a hold of her without my captor’s prying ears overhearing, and warn her?My mouth opened, the words,This is a trapready to fall.

“I don’t know, Misely.”She sighed, halting my confession.“But if this is what you need, then I’ll support you.Could you do me a favor though?”

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