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“If you’re going to force a new cock-block on me, you better prepare to hook up. I have needs, birdie.” I exhale and pat his cheek, surprising him. “It’s the least I can do for you. I know you desire me. And I’m pretty fucking sure you’re going to be on Daddy’s shit list when he finds out.”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “I’m glad to see you’re acting like yourself again. You had me worried.”
Talon motions for me to sit on his leather couch. His apartment is exactly how I expected it to be. Tidy, clean, and full of art that borders on the edge of erotic. His eighty-inch TV hangs above a long stand and dozens of books of all genres line beneath it. He’s always been a huge reader, and once even read what he described as wolf shifter porn for me because I said how much I loved it.
“All right, Leandro. Get your kit. I want you to run some blood panels on Stacia. I need to verify what she was given even if you think you know. You were both lucky. I’ve heard some fucked up shit about Juggernaut. I want to find out who the fuck slipped it into your drink.” Talon wipes his hands down his face and rolls his shoulders as if the thought bothers him. And I know it does. He’s always been anti-anything fun when it comes to drugs and alcohol.
“It’s probably that bartender. What was her name, Stacia? Kat?” Leandro picks up his bag from where he left it by the door and saunters to the couch beside me. He sets it on top of the coffee table and opens it up, pulling out some medical supplies including a syringe.
What the fuck? What kind of bodyguard knows how to do this?
“It was Kitty, and she wouldn’t risk her job or life like that. I’m a St. Germaine.” I shift on the couch nervously, feeling queasy. I don’t do needles well. When I was tattooed with our chapter’s mark, I passed out. I’m lucky that it didn’t mess up the tattoo artist when she was outlining the heart key on my arm above my wrist.
“Then it was someone who has it out for you or your family,” Leandro says, tying a band around my arm before putting a sand-filled ball in my hand to grip.
“There was a new server I didn’t recognize.” I bounce my bare feet, trying not to watch Leandro yet unable to look away.
Sucking in a short breath through my teeth, I throw myself back on the couch. Even just looking at the needle sends me reeling. Leandro quickly stands up and looks down on me, touching the back of his warm hand to my forehead. His dark chocolate eyes study mine, and I press my lips together.
“Why don’t you lay back and close your eyes. I don’t want you falling off the couch.” Leandro stacks the pillows and pats his hand to them. “It’ll take only a minute.”
I just stare without moving.
“Come on, Stacia. I got you.” Talon tosses the pillows to the floor and plops down beside me. He shifts me on the couch until I can rest my head on his lap. “This is exactly how I know Stacia didn’t do it.” He waves his hand at Leandro. “She passes out at even the thought of needles or blood. And there’s no damn way she’s strong enough to choke someone out. That guy experienced both things. Someone shot him up with something and then suffocated him to death.” He combs my hair away and looks at me with his blue eyes. His dark blond hair hangs over his forehead, sweeping with his movements. “Isn’t that right, wild child? You might have a reputation, but you are sweet as sugar. Now, keep your eyes on me. I’ll get you through this.”
He grabs my chin, not letting me look as he motions for Leandro to continue. My heart raps against my ribcage and sweat prickles on my forehead. I’m going to be sick. I know it.
“That’s a good girl. Keep looking at me. You’re doing excellent.” Talon smears a tear off my cheek with the pad of his thumb. “He’s almost done.”
Shadows edge my vision and Talon disappears as darkness clings to me for an unknown amount of time. His warm touch brings me back, and I glare at him. His handsome face lights with a smile, and he sits me up, holding a glass of orange juice to my mouth.
“You’re getting better,” he says, making me take a sip. “You didn’t throw up this time.”
I groan and flick him. “Shut up and stop treating me like a child.”
He clears his throat. “You’re obviously not one, but I need to keep thinking that way, wild child. You’re too damn lovable for your own good.”
“You love me?” I tease, feeling a lot better already. “I knew it. We’ll be banging in no time.”
Leandro coughs and sets down a couple of things on the table, the clattering sound drawing my attention away from Talon’s smile. Shit. I have to be careful about what I say in front of him. I’m sure he’s going to be thinking about fucking me all the time. “I will get these to my contact ASAP. Do you need anything else before I go out? As soon as I get this handled, I’ll start my shift.”
Talon eases me off him and back on the couch. “Did you do as I ask and check yourself for injuries? Leandro can take care of mostly anything.”
“I just have a couple bruises, but I’m fine.” I motion toward my knees.
“That’s from your fall last night. Have her ice them,” Leandro says, still not looking at me or speaking to me. “Call me if you need anything.”
A wave of wild emotions crashes over me, and I watch in silence as Leandro leaves the apartment with his bag. I don’t know how to think or feel about any of this. I don’t know why I’m so torn by the fact that Talon arranged a new bodyguard for me. My dad might’ve ordered him to, but I just don’t know. That’s not part of his job as a business partner. I don’t want to ask yet either.
Talon sucks in a deep breath and heads toward his kitchen table, where I spot a bunch of things laid out. He managed to swipe a couple items from my hotel room that he thought might allow him to figure out who the dead guy is, including his phone, wallet, and the guy’s jacket.
“Talon? Do you have a picture of the man? Leandro reminded me of the confrontation we had with Christos. He was with someone. I didn’t get a good look at the man at the hotel because I was too scared. But maybe...what if it was him?” I comb my fingers through my damp hair, pushing my dark strands behind my ears. I stare at the small heart key tattoo above my wrist, waiting for my feet to obey my brain’s command to stand up.
“Yeah, but why don’t you wait for me to get into his phone? I’ll be able to identify him and save yourself the trauma of looking at the douche.” Talon reaches into the bag of ice he brought with us in the ice bucket and then transferred to his freezer.
I gag at the sight of the severed fingers. I had no idea he had cut them off the man, but I know why. The man has the fingerprint option on his phone. Thank the fucking universe it wasn’t facial recognition.
Whoever killed him didn’t take the phone or anything else, and Talon found it near the bed and under the sheet he used to cover him. He told me to wait by the door, and that’s probably when he did this.
