Page 59 of From My Past
Running my fingers over the raised lines, I smiled softly. I always knew I liked leaving marks, but never wanted marks on me. Until her.
I pulled myself out of that train of thought and looked to Cara who was watching me with a knowing smile on her face. My smile and hand dropped.
“What?”
“It’s nice. Seeing you like this.” Cara leaned against the island with her hip and crossed her arms.
“Like what?”
“In love.” She said simply.
I rubbed the back of my neck and put my other hand in my pocket. “She’s something, isn’t she?”
“She is. I like her for you. She brings out your softness, something that you’ve pushed away for so long in order to be the man who you had to be for the Clan. There was no room for weakness, for caring about anyone other than your soldiers. But since she’s arrived… you’re different. More open. Happier.” Cara walks over to me and pats my beard-covered chin. “She’s good for you. And you for her.”
“Thank you.” Cara’s opinion means a lot to me, I wanted them to get along. She was my pseudo-mother growing up, a nanny or caretaker that checked in on me when things got to be too much. As I climbed through the ranks, as I did what I had to, the things that turned me into a monster, her affection didn’t waver.
When I turned to heavy drinking to numb the voices, the struggles of what I’d done for the Clan, and the girl I’d so cruelly left behind, Cara was there alongside Trent to bring me back to center.
Behind us the door creaked open, and Talia walked in wearing my t-shirt. My cock stirred at the image of her in my clothes and I had to restrain myself from walking over there and bending her over the edge of the sofa.
“You weren’t there when I woke up.” Talia said, her voice laced with sleep and her eyes barely open. My white shirt barely covered her ass, her tattooed thighs on display. Goddamn, it’s like I wasn’t just between her thighs, twice, a little bit ago.
“Cara was at the door and the knocking woke me. I’m sorry, baby.” I said, walking over to her and hugging her tight to me, lifting her up a few inches off the floor.
“I brought the hair color you asked for, lass.” Cara said, bringing one of the boxes over to where we stood. Talia pulled back from my arms with delight as she took the box from Cara.
“It’s perfect. Thank you.” Talia said with a bright smile, looking at the box of purple hair color in her hands like it was another lifeline.
“Do you need help coloring or are you good?” Cara asked.
“I can do it. I’ve done it before.” Talia said with a smile, hugging the box to her chest.
“Very good.” Cara smiled and looked to me. “Your father has been asking for you. I assume your phone is off.”
“Shit.” I dig my phone out of my pocket and see that Kellan has tried calling and messaging me, asking me to come to his office. “I have to go. Are you going to be okay here for a little bit?”
“Of course.” Talia says with a smile. I can tell she wants to turn her hair color back dark. One more step away from that fucker, and a step back to herself.
“I’ll be back a soon as I can.” I say, resting my forehead against hers.
“I know.” I take her lips in a quick kiss before going to retrieve the rest of my clothes, sans the t-shirt she’s wearing.
“That boy…” I hear Cara say and can just imagine her shaking her head and smiling.
“I know.” Talia says and both women start to laugh.
* * *
“Look who decided to join us with his presence.” Kellan said from behind his mahogany desk.
“My phone was on silent.” I say simply as I plop down into one of the chairs in front of his desk.
“Ah, I see.” My father puts down the file and takes his readers off, letting them hit the desk with a soft thud. “How’s Talia?”
“Good, rested. The clothes I got her were delivered and she was able to nap.” I say nonchalantly. I’m not shy around sex, and my father and I have no issue discussing our sex lives. But I want to keep what Talia and I shared just between us. I don’t need to flaunt the best sex that I’ve ever had in his face. Even though I want nothing more than to announce to the world she’s mine and so fucking sexy I want to bury my face in between her thighs, making her scream my name, nonstop.
“That’s good. I’m glad she’s settling in well. Especially after having to see Luca the other day.” Kellan stops organizing things on his desk and looks up at me sharply. “It’s time for her to tell me what she knows. I expect her here in ninety minutes, understood?”
