Talon's Heart (20 page)

 We said our goodbyes in the hall before going to our separate classes; it had been another drama session at the Avery condo because somebody didn't want to leave the dog home alone.

"You're crazy but I love you nut.”

“Right back at ya babe." I kissed her and nibbled her ear before watching her walk away. Damn I'm a lucky bastard. I headed to my first class with a grin on my face. That had gone better than expected.

 "Kevin what're you doing manning my desk? Sorry I couldn’t get the phone earlier my hands were full.”

“Dude, a Tibetan mastiff, are you insane?”

“Shit, how'd you hear about that already?”

“Skye texted Steph, they both think you're crazy and I'm not sure I don't agree. Steph has been gathering info to share with your girl because apparently you've been hovering and won't let her get too in depth with the research.”

 “What the hell's she doing that for? damn now I'm going to be hearing it at lunch. Whatever, you gotta see him he's great." I took out my iPhone and showed him the million pictures I'd taken of Sasha before leaving the house. "What, why're you looking at me like that you ass?”

“You're such a proud dad.”

 “Go to your own damn desk you prick. So, how soon after Skye texted Stephanie were you on the phone with Nonna?" I smirked at him because I knew him so well.

"Oh we had a good laugh over that one, this is one of your crazier schemes apparently according to her. She knew more about the breed than I did, said maybe she ought to get one herself.”

 “The damn thing will be bigger than she is.”

 “Uh, dude I've got news for you, Sasha's gonna be bigger than Skye in about a year or so.”

 “Whatever yenta, go crack a book open or something; Cunning what's cooking?" He came sauntering over with a big cheesy grin, that could only mean he had news for me.

"Avery, Kevin, what's this I hear about a dog?”

 “What the fuck?”

 “Word is someone saw one being delivered to your addy this morning. What did you get the missus one of them cutesy Hollywood type dogs, did you get it a diamond collar? You know Skye's gonna have you walking the thing." I was two seconds away from punching his ass out.

"He got her a mastiff.”

“A what?”

“Never mind that you got anything for me before old man Chandler gets here and starts bitching at me?”

“I sure do but do you want to do this here?”

“Sure just keep it down, Kevin's cool he knows what's up.”

“Okay bro." He dropped his bag on the desk and sat.

 "First off that chick is dumb as a bag a hammers.”

“Yeah, that's news, keep talking.”

“The other one though, straight up cold and evil bro; she wants in there bad dude. All kidding aside I think she's lost it a little according to what Robyn said. She gave Robyn the rag to put under the bed, told her it would only make Skye a little sick, get her out of the way. For some reason they thought she'd think she was allergic to something here on campus and hightail it home or some shit, dumb.”

 “Yeah but how did they know about her allergies?”

 “Stephanie.”

 “What?" Both Kevin and I were in his face, if this was true it was about to bring down a firestorm of shit.

"Not like that dudes chill the fuck out; no apparently Stephanie told Robyn before Skye got here that she couldn't have certain things in the room because Skye has really severe allergies and shit, you know, she was looking out for her girl. Too bad Robyn shared that info with Dr. Evil.”

 “How'd you get her to talk?”

 “That was easy believe it or not, that girl is dying for attention she has like the lowest self esteem I've ever seen in a human being. Who would've believed it, I mean she's not bad to look at, she's enrolled here so she must have some smarts but damn, the girl is...damn. Do you know every night Harden makes her do a smoothie run?”

 “So she just opened up and shared?”

 “Nah, I led her a little, asked her things like why you hated her so much, what she saw in Harden when she was just using her? By the way she told Harden about Stark, your girl shared a little with her when she first arrived not a whole lot just about catching him with the cousin. Harden went digging for the rest. Oh yeah here." He threw something on the desk; looked like a USB stick or some shit.

 “The fuck is this?”

 “I recorded the whole thing.” He grinned at me cause he knew he’d done good.

 “My man, now all I need is to get Harden on here confessing to her sins and I'm good to go; then I gotta deal with Stark the fuck.”

 “I don't think he's stupid enough to come back here."

 I looked at Kevin and folded my arms.

"He's not, I'm taking the fight to him and you're not telling Nonna shit or I'll break your legs." He held his hands up in surrender and backed up. "Take it easy bro, I won't say a word but you're not going alone.”

 “It's not your fight bro, I can handle this." They both looked at each other like I didn't know our secret code of honor as a team. Shit, maybe I should've kept that little tidbit to myself. Hey they didn't know when I planned on going so they couldn't interfere. "Thanks for this bro." I pocketed the little device as the professor came gliding in with his old ass.

"You're late dude.”

“Sorry Mr. Avery, I know how you yearn for my intellectual presence but nature called.”

“Dude, TMI”

“I'm sure I don't know what that means and with your proclivities I don't want to.”

“That might be best Profess.”

“So I heard you bought your new bride a Tibetan mastiff, good dog that.

" What...the...fuck?

Chapter 26

TALON

That damn dog is a pain in the ass, not only is he eating me into the poor house the little shit has totally confiscated my woman. I fixed his ass last night though; that's right I locked him out of our room and no matter how much he moaned and carried on I didn't give in. Skye bitched at me until I got my mouth on the goods then she piped down too.

"What are you giving him now?"

"You do know its ridiculous to be jealous of a dog right?" I could see she was trying her best not to laugh at me.

"I'm not jealous of the mutt, I just asked a question."

I sniffed her neck and wrapped my arms around her waist for my morning breakfast snuggle. The damn dog started making noises.

"You want to become a handbag you keep that shit up." I pointed at him and he settled his ass down again. I guess I should be happy that he was already becoming protective of her, as long as he remembered who was the alpha around here we should get along just fine.

"Okay so tell me, what's going on."

"What?" How the hell did she learn to look at me like mom? You know the look, the one that if they held it for one minute more you'd be spilling state secrets. I'd seen mom put the whammy on dad more than once. I ducked my head into the fridge, which was fast becoming my safeguard these days.

"Oh no you don't mister, get out of there and tell me what's going on with you."

Okay Avery, man the fuck up you knew this day was gonna come sooner or later, looks like its now.

"No."

Yep, that threw her for a loop alright, the first time I'd told her no. I went about my business like she wasn't looking all flustered and out of sorts.

"Talon."

"What did I say babe? leave it alone."

I wasn't trying to hurt her feelings but we both knew I was gonna do what I had to do. There was no point in discussing shit with her because I already knew what she was gonna say so what was the point?

"You can't just leave it like that."

"Babe we got married I didn't become a eunuch. What made you think I was gonna become that guy just because we got married? Listen couple things you can bank on; one, I'm never gonna cheat on you, I'm always gonna take care of you, I'm always gonna love you, with that said, there's nothing for you to worry about. Don't do that, why are you doing that?"

I pointed my finger at her because she looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"Because you're gonna get into trouble...please Talon."

I studied her for a minute, these Avery women were full of tricks; dad and gramps had already schooled me. 

"Uh huh, alright Olivia junior eat your breakfast and stop trying to play your husband." She wasn't too happy that I'd called her on her shit, hah. I'm gonna have to watch out for that one.

I'd given the guy I had working the case what Cunning had given to me the day before; he said it was a start but we needed more than just Robyn's word on shit. Now I have to set up a sting and shit. He thought maybe I should stage a fight with Skye for Mackenzie's benefit but I nixed that shit. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction not even in make believe. Besides Skye would probably junk punch my ass, she'd grown a little feisty since the I dos.

SKYLAR

"I'm telling you Stephanie he's up to something I just don't know what; I mean seriously Cunning and Robyn? everybody knows that's a nightmare waiting to happen."

"Except her, she seems to think she's in, I hear she's been bragging that she's part of the in crowd now."

"I don't know, I almost feel bad for her because knowing Talon if he's after her she's in deep crap."

"Well he still thinks that she made you sick and you know how he is where you're concerned. I mean for heaven's sake Skye the man spent a million dollars on a dog to protect you."

"Isn't he the best? But if he gets into trouble I'll kill him."

"I wouldn't worry about that too much if I were you, from what I hear his nonna protects him like a lioness with her cub; something to do with him reminding her of his grandfather."

"Yeah, those two are crazy about each other, but he can't keep getting into trouble."

"Maybe it's nothing, maybe he's just being cautious that's all."

"Get real we're talking about Talon here, he already went after Robert the ass and if I'm to believe the stuff he mumbles sometimes he'd like to have a go at Lainey the tramp as he so fondly calls her."

I had to roll my eyes at that because sometimes I wanted him to go after her, but that was stupid, we had each other now and all that was in the past.

"Well if it isn't the little tramp, how'd you do it huh? did you pretend you got pregnant your first time out, what's next a pretend miscarriage; a little slip and fall in the shower?"

"Shut up Mackenzie you're making a fool of yourself."

"No one's talking to you Stephanie, is that why you brought her here, so she could help you worm your way in with the rich kids? Everyone knows you're just a poor country hick here on a scholarship."

"I'm the one you're after leave her out of it."

I tried to put myself between them but Stephanie wasn't having it. I guess the fact that Mackenzie was almost twice my height could have something to do with that...

TALON

If you could be arrested for your thoughts I'd be doing hard time; the shit Cunning had uncovered still wasn't enough to go to the cops, which just added to my frustration. I'm giving serious thought to taking matters into my own hands; it really pisses me off that she thought she could get away with this shit.

"Avery you better get down to the quad ASAP pal."

I squinted at the kid who was hurrying past me as I made my way to meet Skye.

"Why?"

"Your girl's about to get into it with that Harden chick."

He kept running as he spoke.

I didn't even think, just sprinted past him and the crowd of assholes who were headed in the same direction.

There was a nice size crowd gathered in front of the steps, even the geek squad was taking in the action from their table under the tree. Stephanie was trying to get between Skye and Mackenzie or so it seemed and I could hear Mackenzie's voice above the ruckus screaming shit at my wife.

"Oh yeah Robert says hi, remember him, the guy you couldn't even hold onto because you were such a lousy fuck..."

I had my hand in her chest and was pushing her back before I realized my feet had even moved. I was too mad to form words; that's never happened before. Okay I'm a stand up guy, I hate those stories about men beating up on women, I think that's some weak asshole jerk shit behavior, but at the moment I saw myself doing it.

"Come on Talon let her go." Skye was pulling on my arm and yelling in my ear.

Fuck I'd lifted Mackenzie off the ground by her collar.

"What did you say to my wife?"

I stayed in her face because the trick had crossed the fucking line and all bets were off.

She didn't answer me as she was too busy trying to find a quick exit. The tables had turned, now she was the one on the receiving end of this shit. I wanted to hurt her, it took everything in me to throttle back from going over that line.

"What! did you think you we're gonna fuck with her and I was gonna do what? You come near her again and I'll forget you're a female you even look at MY WIFE a fucking gain and you're done." I dropped her and left her clutching at her throat, my rage was so high I wanted to kick the shit out of her. Skye grabbed my hand and pulled me away before I could do anything more than threaten her again.

I took Skye and Stephanie by the arm and led them away as the crowd stood around trying to piece shit together. She'd just sealed her fate; I might've left her some breathing room before, now I'm going all out to destroy her ass. If I couldn’t get her a jail sentence I’ll think of something else, but either way she was going the fuck down hard.

Chapter 27

TALON

Skye's looking at me as if she expects me to go ape shit any minute but that's okay. I'm gonna keep my cool, at least in front of her. She's had enough bullshit what with her asshole ex and somebody trying to kill her with mold. Now this shit.

I took the girls to our place and left them with the dog.