Possession (Steel Brothers Saga 3)

“Talon, it’s the middle of the night.”

He was clearly disturbed, raking his fingers through his hair constantly. “I don’t care. You know I don’t sleep much anyway. I’ve got to find out more about him and about that boyfriend of your mother’s.”

“Nico?”

“Yeah. Has he come back to see your mom yet?”

I shook my head. He hadn’t, and for the life of me I didn’t understand why. My mother had been fighting for her life for the last couple of weeks, and her boyfriend had up and disappeared. I didn’t get it.

“Do you want me to help you?” I yawned.

He shook his head. “No, go back to sleep, baby. I’m sorry I woke you.”

I smiled. I didn’t know what was bothering Talon, but the fact that he said he was sorry that he woke me meant the world to me. Whatever was going on in his head, therapy was helping. It might be that this rampage about finding out about Larry and Nico was just as therapeutic in its own way. I didn’t know, and Marj wouldn’t tell me. I just had to have faith that Talon would tell me eventually—when he was ready.

I walked over to him where he sat behind his desk and gave him a kiss on the top of his head. “Okay. I’m going to go back to bed. I love you.”

* * *

I woke from a sound sleep. My phone was buzzing on the night table. It took me a moment to adjust to my bearings. Light streamed through my window. It was morning—seven a.m. to be exact. Who would call me at seven on a Saturday?

I grabbed my phone—my father.

My heart jumped. Something must’ve happened with my mom. My skin chilled as I answered the call.

“Dad?”

“Yeah, sweetie, it’s me.”

“Are you okay? Is Mom okay?”

“Your mother’s fine. She woke up early this morning and asked for me. She and I had a very interesting talk.”

“O

h?” I was filled with relief that my mother was okay. Strange, I had never cared before about her well-being. Funny how now that I had almost lost her, I desperately didn’t want to. “What about?”

“This boyfriend of hers, this Nico Kostas.”

A chill ran through me. Talon was also interested in Nico, and I didn’t know why. “Did he come back?”

“No. He hasn’t been back at all. Your mother is beside herself.”

“I’m really sorry she’s upset, Dad. But honestly? Something in my intuition tells me it’s best that he stays away.”

“I have to agree with you, Jade, and I’ve never even met the man. Something that your mother told me this morning has me very concerned.”

“About what?”

“We were talking about him—this Nico—and your mother made a comment about a life insurance policy.”

“Yeah?”

“She said that Nico would’ve been a very rich man if she hadn’t survived the accident.”

My blood ran cold. I knew where this was going. “Oh my God…”

“Yeah. Evidently your mother had just taken out a one-million-dollar term life insurance policy and had named Nico Kostas as the beneficiary.”