Craving (Steel Brothers Saga 1)

“Does he need an ambulance?” Talon asked.

Colin coughed. “Of course I don’t need a damned ambulance, you Neanderthal. I can take as much as you can dish out.”

“Oh, yeah?” Talon’s eyes lit with fire again.

“You two stop this right now.” I stood and faced Talon, my hands on my hips. “You owe Colin an apology.”

“The hell I do.”

“I don’t need a goddamned apology from him.” Colin stood, holding the ice bag to his nose. “I’m staying at the Hotel Coronado in Grand Junction. I want to take you to dinner tonight.”

“Over my dead body,” Talon said.

“Talon, I will decide who I have dinner with, got it?” I helped Colin up and over to a chair in the living room. “You sure you don’t want me to call someone?”

He shook his head. “Just give me a few minutes to collect myself. I’ll be fine. I’ve been in worse shape than this.”

Back in the foyer, Talon seethed. I looked away from him. What I had just witnessed disgusted me…and unnerved me. I did not want to see him right now.

After about fifteen minutes, I walked with Colin to his car. “Text me when you get Grand Junction safely.”

He nodded. “I still hope you’ll meet me for dinner tonight.”

I shook my head. “No, Colin. That’s not going to happen. I’m sorry.”

He drove away.

I walked back into the house. Talon was in the kitchen, sitting at the table with that goddamned glass of water again. He looked up at me when I walked in.

“What the hell was that all about?” I said.

“He was kissing you.”

“Why is it any of your business who I kiss?”

“Well…he walked out on your wedding, so he shouldn’t be—”

I clenched my hands into fists. “For God’s sake, Talon, do you have feelings for me or not? How did it make you feel to see him kissing me?”

“I don’t know…”

“You don’t know? You nearly beat him to death. I can’t believe you got so violent.”

“I…don’t know why either.”

“Were you jealous?”

“Of course not.”

“Just as well”—anger boiled within me—“because whatever this little thing was between us, it’s over. I mean really over. I don’t want anything to do with you. I’m going to talk to Marj about moving out.”

“Marj is out at the orchard. And she wants you here.”

“Either I’m leaving or you are, and I don’t think you are.”

“But what about…?”

“What about what? We shared a few kisses, a few romps in bed. It was beyond great. But you are so screwed up that I can’t get through to you. I just witnessed you nearly beat the life out of a man. Frankly, Talon, you scare me.”