Chapter 15

Kimble

When we arrived at Talon’s manor, the car rolled to a stop like the end of a long, exhausting journey. Kenzie stepped out and opened the door, but when I tried to move from his lap, his arms tightened around me, a growl low in his chest, as if I were a bird trying to fly too soon from its nest.

“I’m going to my room,” I rasped, my voice barely above a whisper. “Where can I run now?” I felt shattered, like a vase dropped from a height, too broken to even bother picking up the pieces.

Ignoring my words, he lifted me from the car and carried me inside, all the way to his room. Why here? Why his room? It wasn’t until he kicked the door shut behind us that he set me down. Trembling, I scanned the room, expecting chains to bind me like a prisoner. But there were none. My gaze flickered to him, my lips trembling. “Do you want me to be Aria’s slave too?”

He stared at me, his expression like still waters after a storm—calm, steady, his anger gone, as if the dam that held back his rage had finally burst, letting him flow smoothly again. “No, she’s gone. Forever. You’ll stay here,” he said, his voice soft as a whisper carried on the wind.

My heart pounded in the silence, fear and uncertainty creeping over me like cold shadows. “What do you mean?”

He stepped closer, his thumb grazing my cheek like a feather brushing against glass. “I know you want to settle your debt and be free.” His voice was unexpectedly tender. “I have a proposition for you.”

I swallowed, tension coiling tight in my shoulders as I waited for the rest.

Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, he said, “Sleep tonight. When you feel better, I’ll explain.”

“Sleep with you?” I asked, my breath catching in my throat.

“No,” he said, pointing to the couch by the mantel. “I’ll sleep there.”

His words caught me off guard, and I licked my lips, trying to find something to say, but he made it easy for me. “You need a hot bath,” he said gently. “I’ll draw you one.”

How could he shift so quickly, from a storm of rage to the calm eye of a hurricane, while I was still drowning in the chaos of my emotions?

“Kimble,” he whispered, “just take a bath and rest. I know you’re dealing with a lot…” His words trailed off, unfinished, as he turned away. I didn’t argue; I was too drained to fight. But seeing this side of him—so soft, so unlike the Talon I knew—left my mind spinning.

He prepared the bath and then left, giving me privacy. Talon was an enigma, a man of contradictions. He brought me back from the Eclipse pack to cage me, yet here I was, free to bathe in peace. No chains, no restraints—just warm water and silence.

After a long bath, I curled into the bed, pulling the covers tight around me like armor. Sleep came quickly, but with it, nightmares—wolves with golden eyes chasing me through the dark.

When I finally woke, it was late, and Talon sat at the edge of the bed, watching me like a sentinel. I bolted upright, pulling the sheet over me. “Talon,” I mumbled groggily.

“There’s breakfast for you,” he said with a faint smile. “Eat, and then we’ll discuss the deal.”

The deal. Right. After getting ready, I sat at the table, breakfast laid out—scrambled eggs, toast, fresh fruit. I noticed Talon perched on the bed, his eyes closed, inhaling the scent of my sheets, looking… relaxed.

“Talon?” I called, breaking the moment.

He opened his eyes, startled.

I filled my plate. “I don’t have much choice, so tell me about the deal.”

He didn’t waste time, and came to sit with me. “I’ll waive ten thousand dollars of your debt for every night you spend with me.”

I froze, my toast halfway to my mouth, a gasp escaping me.

“I know you’re not eighteen yet, and I won’t touch you until then. But you’ll stay in this room with me.”

I wasn’t shocked by the strange proposition—Liam told me that werewolves didn’t care about age. If I had let him, he would’ve taken me already. But this… this was different.

Talon leaned back on the couch, watching me.

“I know you hate me, Alpha Talon, but this—” I began. His finger pressed against my lips, silencing me. His touch sent a spark through me, an electric current that raced to my toes. I felt I was going mad.

“You have no other choice, Kimble,” he said, his voice low and dangerous, the way he said my name sending my heart into a frenzy. “I won’t let you stay anywhere else. But I’m offering you a lifetime deal.”

“You won’t touch me?”

“Not unless you want me to.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

For some reason, his promise washed over me like a warm tide, melting away the tension, the weight I’d been carrying for so long. Talon didn’t make promises lightly, but when he did, I knew he’d keep them.

“You’ll waive ten thousand dollars for each night I stay with you?” I asked, needing to hear it again. When he nodded, his eyes warm and soft, I pushed a little further. “Can we make that twenty?”

He narrowed his eyes, his tongue pressing against his cheek as if fighting a smile. “Okay.”

“And any time you touch me, that’s another five thousand off?”

He chuckled softly. “Fine. But if you add one more condition, I’ll make it zero.”

I shut my mouth.

He leaned forward, taking the toast from my hand. “There’s another part to this deal.”

Oh.

“When do you turn eighteen?” he asked, his eyes curious.

“In ten days. At your Moonlit Choosing Ritual.”

His lips curled into a lopsided smile. “That’s when the other part of this deal will begin.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “You have to tell me now.”

“Do you trust me, Kimble?”

“No,” I breathed in an instant. “You’ve hidden so many things from me.” Inhaling sharply, I blurted, “Why didn’t you tell me you’re a werewolf? Why didn’t anyone tell me they’re werewolves? I—” I stifled the sudden rising of emotions in my throat. “So no, I don’t trust you.”

He nodded. “It seems Liam has already filled you in on the details.”

“He has.” My reply was clipped, accusatory.

After a few moments of silence, he said, “I was afraid you’d be horrified if we told you about us. And I was sure I’d get rid of you soon, so there was no need for you to know our truth.”

I stared at him, trying to process his words. Was he trying to protect me? “But you’ve just given me a way to leave.” The idea of being apart from him again was stupidly unsettling.

“I’m hoping you’ll start liking me.”

I pursed my lips, finding it hard to suppress my smile, and ended up blushing hard. He said it like he was fifteen years old, there was desperation in his voice. Hah. My imagination.

In order to dissipate the awkwardness, he said, “You’ve got everything you asked for from this deal. I deserve one condition.”

This cutesy side of Talon was doing something to me. I mean Liam tried hard to be sweet and charming and caring toward me, but Talon was winning the race. I don’t know why, but a wave of relief was flooding through me. “Okay.” I shrugged, not wanting to give away my emotions. “What’s your condition?” I picked up the melon juice and sipped it.

“I’ll let you know soon,” he said, taking my juice. “I’ll have Kenzie draw up a legal contract for the next ten days.”

“Okay…”

“Now, would you like another bath?”