Page 9 of Unconditional

His eyes locked on mine, and he said through gritted teeth, “Of course, baby.Don’t forget, your mom is on the phone and she gets crabby when you make her wait.”He leaned down, pressing our lips together as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do, as if he hadn’t just casually threatened my mother.Again.I stood there stunned for several long moments, dumbstruck.

“Are you sure you’re all right?”Teresa whispered, leaning toward me.“That’s a nasty bruise.If he’s hurting you in any-”

“He’s not!”I burst out, turning to face her again.“He’s not, I swear.I tripped over a pair of my own shoes earlier, landed my face right into the edge of my dresser.”I coughed out a hoarse laugh that sounded fake even to my own ears.It was alarming how quickly the lie fell from my lips, my stomach turning with distaste at the action.This woman wanted to help me and I was lying right to her face, and not even well.

Teresa eyed me skeptically before whispering, “If that’s the story you want to go with honey, fine.I know you’re not gonna get yourself out of this situation until you’re good and ready.But know this—that boy don’t love you.A man that loves his woman would never raise a hand to her in anger.When you’re ready, I’ll be right down the hall.”She turned and left me there, not waiting for my response.

I wanted to cry, tears burning hot behind my eyelids because damnit, she was right.She had no idea justhowright she was, even if the context was wrong.But I didn’t cry, and I didn’t call out after her to beg her to help me.I bit my tongue, accepted the pizza that arrived only moments later by the acne laden teenager who popped out of the elevator, and locked the apartment door behind me when I went back in, appetite lost.

five

Misely

Talonwasseatedonmy sofa when I walked back in, his legs propped up along its length leisurely as if hewasmy boyfriend and he’d been here a million times before.He scrolled aimlessly through what appeared to be my phone, unperturbed by my reentry.

“Quite the actor, aren’t you?”I bit out, crossing my arms.

“How do you mean?”He didn’t look up from the phone, looking for all the world like he was completely unbothered.

“Boyfriend?That kiss?”I hated how my voice squeaked a bit on the word ‘kiss’ like it actually had some effect on me.

But the bastard just snorted, tapping away at the screen of my phone like he had every right to do so.“Kiss?Sure, if that’s what you want to call it.”

I felt my cheeks heat in embarrassment, but I bit it back and let it come out as anger, dropping the pizza box down on my coffee table in front of him.“Whatever.What the hell are you doing on my phone?”

This grabbed his attention, finally bringing his eyes to mine.“Just enjoying some light reading.”

I scoffed, rolling my eyes to the ceiling.“Oh really?I’m surprised you even know how.”I knew what he’d find.Endless conversations between myself and Birdie and a decent supply of fuck buddies.

“Who’sBrantley?He’s practically begging for you to reconsider dinner.”There was venom in the sardonic way he spat out my lover’s name.

My skin prickled with indignation, fury making my fists ball at my sides.“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I do,” he said, his tone cooler now.“That’s why I asked.”Talon stood, coming to a stop directly in front of me, his fingers pinching my chin and forcing me to look at him.“Is this guy going to be a problem once we get on the road?Or is this something that we need to take care of?”

Fear iced my veins.Get on the road?Take care of?What the hell was it he expected me to do?

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I spat.“I can get you as much information on Birdie’s location as I can, but there’s no way I can go with you.I have a job.”

“So do I, and yet here I am.Listen, Blondie, you don’t have a choice.Either you tag along, for safekeeping, or Daddy’s making a little call back to Wisconsin.”

I felt my eyes narrow against my will, and just barely stifled a gag.“Daddy?Gross.”

Talon’s eyes rolled, his lips pinching together in agitation.“Answer me, Misely.”

“You didn’t ask me a question.”My voice was small now, every ounce of my will forcing me to hold back the whimper gathering at the back of my throat.His grip on my chin was growing painful, and still he tightened it further, jerking my wandering eyes to meet his again.

“You,” he said, his voice a low growl, “are childish and it would serve you well to grow the fuck up.I asked you if Mr.Brantley is going to be a problem.”

Tears stung the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.My heart hammered in my chest and my chin was being held so tight that I wouldn’t be surprised if that, too, bruised from his harsh hold.When I tried to shake my head, his hand held me still, giving me no other option than to whisper, “No, he won’t.”

Talon’s eyes bounced from one of mine to the other, as though he were searching for something before appearing to soften just the slightest.He shoved my face away from his on a sigh, the movement pushing me backwards and nearly sending me careening over the coffee table.

“Good.Now go pack.We need to be out of here in twenty.”He popped open the box of pizza and helped himself to a slice.“It’s too bad we’re in the situation we’re in, baby.Hawaiian?I might’ve just proposed.”

I glared as he moaned into his first bite, dropping back down on the sofa.

“Fuck you.”

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