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If possible, Talon’s cheeks reddened even further. “I don’t need therapy.”
Dr. Morgan sighed. “Well, you can lead a horse to water… It’s been very nice meeting you, Mr. Steel. Please, take the Ambien. Get some rest. Physically, you’re fine. All of your test results were great. Your blood counts are normal. Everything looks good. It was nice meeting all of you.” Dr. Morgan turned and headed back down the corridor.
“Talon,” Dr. Carmichael said, “I’m so glad you’re feeling better. You have my number if you need anything. It was nice meeting all of you.” She left as well.
“I don’t see what all the fuss is about,” Talon said.
“You fainted,” Jonah said. “That’s what all the fuss is about.”
“I’m not sure I even fainted. Probably just stumbled.”
“Talon—”
“Do we have to discuss this right now, Joe?” Talon darted his gaze toward me.
Jonah let out a heavy sigh. “Let’s just get you home. You need a good meal. And then you need a good night’s sleep. You’ve obviously been working too hard.”
“That’s right,” Talon said. “I’ve been working too hard. That’s all.”
Good save. But Talon wasn’t telling us everything. As much as I wanted to know what it was, and as much as I longed to help him get through whatever was torturing him, I could not.
I would be leaving—this evening if possible.
Chapter Sixteen
Talon
“The last thing you need to do is leave, Tal. You have to work through this. We all do.”
I shook my head at Jonah. He and Ryan had joined me in the den at the main house the day after I fainted. I didn’t know where the girls were. I was just glad Jade wasn’t anywhere near. She hadn’t left yet, and now she wouldn’t have to.
I was leaving.
“I’ve thought about this a lot. You need to get on with your lives, both of you. So does Marjorie. And so does her friend. All I do is disrupt everything.”
“Where you think you’re going to go?”
“Does it matter? Maybe I’ll reenlist.”
“Please,” Ryan said. “Don’t do that. We need you here. Nothing was the same when you were gone last time.”
“No one needs me. I destroy everything I touch. I can’t stay here and do what I’ve done to the two of you to our little sister. Or to Jade.”
God, no, not to Jade. Jade was sunshine, rainbows, the fresh air of the Colorado Rockies. She was everything that was good in the world, and if I stayed, I would destroy her.
I could not live with that. As much as I wanted her, I had to let her go.
“You haven’t done anything to us,” Jonah said.
I shook my head. “Do you think I can’t see it? What happened to me lives in the two of you. Maybe not in the same way, but you’re just as affected by it as I am.”
“Talon—” Jonah began.
“Don’t start, Joe. You blame yourself for the whole ordeal. I know you do. I’ve heard you say it time and time again. It should’ve been you. You should’ve been there to protect me. Well, you weren’t there. I’ve never blamed you for that, so you need to stop blaming yourself.”
He turned to Ryan. “And Ryan, you got away. That was a good thing.”
“I only got away because of you,” Ryan said, casting his gaze downward.
