AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“This is why I’ve always told you to use only a passcode, wild child.” Talon dries off the thumb and presses it to the phone, unlocking it. He swipes through the photos and holds it up to me, showing a couple of selfies of who I guess is the dead guy. “Is this him? His name is Brian Smithson.”
I gingerly shuffle closer, trying not to stare at the bag of ice with the fingers. “What would you have done if the phone was locked and needed facial recognition?” I ask instead of answering his question about if I know him from last night.
“Do you really have to ask, wild child?” Talon wags the phone in my face. “Do you recognize him? Was he with Christos? It’ll be a huge problem if he was.”
I drag my finger across the phone, flipping through several more photos. From what I can tell, the man looks like he might be my dad’s age with gray hair and leathery skin from tanning for far too many years. He doesn’t appear to come from wealth either. There’s a photo of him in a rundown house with bars on the window and then another of him in a white tank top and black Dickies. He’s smoking a cigarette with an ugly tattoo crawling across his chest and down his biceps. He also has some sort of vine tattoo climbing up his neck. It’s definitely not the guy that was with Christos, nor is it a man I would sleep with. He looks strung out on drugs in half the pictures, with red eyes and a missing tooth.
I whip my head back-and-forth. “Definitely not the guy. I can’t believe he was in bed with me.” I shiver, trying my best to suppress all my panicked thoughts. What if I was too drugged and I did sleep with him? I was naked after all.
But he wasn’t.
Talon must realize that I’m having a panic attack, because he cups my cheeks and gets me to focus on him. “Hey, I know what you’re thinking. From what I can tell, that guy didn’t touch you. Try not to think about it.”
That’s easy for him to say.
My mouth quivers. “What the fuck, birdie? I hate this. I hate that I don’t remember. I hate that something obviously happened. I know I didn’t kill him. Why the hell was he in my room? Who did it? Fuck.” The words spill from my mouth, and Talon engulfs me in another hug, squeezing me tight and rubbing his big hand down my back.
“I hate this for you, but I promise, Stacia. I will figure it out. There’s no way I’ll let anything happen to you. Do you understand?” Talon doesn’t let me go until I stop trembling and pull myself away.
I bounce on my feet. “But my dad—”
A bang on the door startles me, and I take a couple of steps back, expecting the police to break it down.
Talon strides to the door and looks through the peephole. “Shit. It’s the other transfer. I forgot I had some assignments for him. Go to my room and wait there.”
I don’t hesitate and run to Talon’s bedroom, closing the door but not completely.
I peek through the crack as Talon opens the door for a familiar man. It’s the guy who was with Christos last night.
Something dark comes over me, and I fling Talon’s bedroom door open. “You! It’s fucking you!” I yell, striding forward. “You did this!”
The guy doesn’t have the chance to react before Talon grabs him and puts them into a chokehold. The man only struggles for a minute before he loses consciousness.
I hope Talon makes him pay.
6
Knave
“Hey,Knave.Wakeup.”Talon smacks the man’s cheek and shakes him. “Esteban, get the fuck up.”
Knave must be his chapter nickname.
“Do you think he did this to help Christos get back at me?” I hug my arms around me, wishing Talon had choked him to death. Twisted? Absolutely. He probably deserves it, though.
Esteban snaps his eyes open and swings at Talon. He misses him by inches. Talon grabs Esteban’s wrists and twists his arms up, pinning him down.
“Pinche pendejo.” Esteban bares his teeth, his beautiful hazel eyes narrowing. “Let me go.” A slight accent laces his command.
“Stop fighting, or I’ll knock your ass out again.” Talon leans down, getting in Esteban’s face.
It’s enough to get Esteban to comply. His gaze darts away from Talon’s as he looks at me. I glower, refusing to look away.
“Where were you last night after you and Christos confronted me?” I ask, steeling myself against my fear. I don’t need Talon to do anything except keep him subdued.
“I took that asshole back to the apartment. Talked some sense into him. You have him wound up, Princess. The guy is so fucking madly in love with you that it sent him over the edge, seeing you with someone else.” Esteban remains placid, though the vein in his neck bulges.
“Violence has no place in her life. He fucked up and doesn’t deserve Stacia. I heard about the sex tape. No good man would betray the love of his life like that. He’s not in love with her. He’s possessive and angry that she wouldn’t tolerate that sort of behavior. And the next time I see him, he’s going to regret it.” Talon slams his palm against Esteban’s chest, winding him. He gets up and holds his hand out to me. “I promise you that, wild child. I’m pissed off for you.”
