“Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t make her cry. Talon did,” Mia says defensively.
“What did I do?” Talon asks, coming into the kitchen and stopping at her side.
“You made Cece cry.” She tips her head back to look at him, and his brows draw together before he looks at me.
“You can’t have your family clean up my house or your crew fix it,” I state firmly. “Mia mentioned you’ve been trying to finish your build, so I know you need to focus on that. And besides, I can’t afford to do anything right now, not until I get the insurance money—”
“This isn’t up for discussion,” he cuts me off with a gentle but stern tone before I can say more. “Money isn’t an issue. My family wants to help, and like I told Mia, the house I’m building will be built and will sell, but right now, something more important has come up, so we’re going to transfer our energy to it.”
“Why…?” I shake my head. “Why would you do that? We don’t even really know each other.”
“Because I love your sister,” he tells me easily while grabbing Mia’s hand, and I nearly melt to the floor at the look on her face. “Family takes care of family.”
Tears fill my eyes once more and spill down my cheeks faster than I can wipe them away. How did we get so lucky to know a family like the Maysons? “Now you really did make me cry.” I sniffle as I walk toward him, and as Mia still stands stunned after Talon’s profession of loving her, I give him a tight hug. “Thank you. I’ll pay you back when I get the insurance money.”
“No, you’ll put that money up until you need it,” he tells me softly, which makes me cry even harder as he turns to look lovingly into my sister’s eyes.
The moment comes to a screeching halt when the doorbell rings, then rings again, and again. My brow furrows as I look at Mia then her man, wondering if they’re expecting anyone. But Talon shakes his head before muttering, “I’ll be back.”
When he leaves the kitchen, I go to my mom and Chaz, who both wrap their arms around me as I sob, the kindness of Talon and his family overwhelming. I don’t know if I’ll survive this emotional rollercoaster of the lowest lows zooming up to the highest peak.
And I know I’m a goner as my rollercoaster car plummets once more when I hear the commotion from the front of the house. I don’t even have to see who it is. I can feel his presence, feel it like a physical thing wrapping around me, comforting me, although it shouldn’t.
And then I hear his deep voice. “Let me in to see her!” It sends a shiver down my spine at the desperation in his tone.
But Talon growls back, “Fuck no, you need to leave.”
“What now?” Chaz asks, but I’m frozen in place, not knowing what I should do. Should I stay here and hide, let Talon take care of it? But if Winston is here, that means he knows what happened to my house, and he must be worried sick.
“I don’t know.” Mia sets down her cup and leaves us in the kitchen, and it’s when I hear her gasp I take off at a run.
I bolt around my sister and see Talon shove Winston’s chest, pushing him back off the porch.
“Oh no.” I rush to stand between Winston and Talon with my arms out to keep them apart, as if my tiny self could do anything to keep these hulking beasts away from each other if they really wanted to fight.
“Who’s that?” I hear Mom ask Mia.
“Umm... Cece’s boss?” she replies.
“Jesus, what the hell have you girls been up to?” Chaz gripes as they all come outside.
“Why are you here, Winston?” I cry, and I sound distraught, even to my own ears.
“I heard your house was broken into.” He rips a hand through his hair before continuing, “I went to check on you, but you weren’t there, so I made a few calls and found out you came here last night.”
“Where’s your wife?” Talon sneers, and Mia wraps her arms around his waist.
“I don’t know.” Winston glares at him. “Probably her house.”
“Winston,” I murmur, and his jaw tics as he pulls his eyes from Talon and focuses on me. “As you can see, I’m okay. Just go home.” Please don’t leave me. Take me with you. I love you… so much it hurts.
“Why didn’t you call me?” The hurt in his tone makes my chest ache.
Because if I saw you last night, I was so scared, so fucked up, I would’ve given in to what we both want so bad but can’t have.
“You know why,” I whisper instead, my shoulders sagging. “I told you I can’t do this.”