Talon

Talon A STANDALONE BEAR SHIFTER BIKER ROMANCE THE BLOOD BROTHERHOOD BOOK SIX EVA KENT PNK PUBLISHING Contents 1. Ava 2. Talon 3. Ava 4. Talon 5. Ava 6. Talon 7. Talon 8. Ava 9. Talon 10. Ava 11. Talon 12. Ava 13. Talon 14. Talon 15. Ava 16. Talon 17. Ava 18. Ava 19. Talon 20. Talon 21. Ava 22. Talon 23. Ava 24. Talon 25. Ava 26. Talon 27. Talon 28. Ava 29. Talon 30. Ava 31. Talon 32. Ava 33. Ava 34. Talon 35. Talon 36. Ava 37. Ava Epilogue Chapter 1 Ava “It’s not like he didn’t know what’s up–he had weeks to get it together.” Fang’s voice drones on in my ears, but I barely hear him over the loud aroma of the burger he brought in with him. I’m so hungry I can taste the lettuce, onions, and pickles mingling with the smokey flavor of the patty. I'm not sure what made him switch up from the usual chicken, rice, and peas and decide to get a fully loaded burger with fries, but I’m not questioning it. There’s a price attached to it, I know, but it’s been a while since I’ve had anything but that bland bowl of rice. I’ll deal with whatever it is later. Right now, I’m focused on that first bite; it’s going to be phenomenal. The char from the grill, the hot, toasted buttery bun, and the juicy patty in between—my mouth is watering just thinking about it. I’m itching to get my hands on it. “He knew what he was getting into from the fucking beginning. None of this is new.” Fang’s grip around my waist tightens, reminding me why I haven’t torn into that bag yet. He slides his fingers through my hair, and I have to refrain from fidgeting, which is hard when there’s food just feet away from me, and I’m incredibly uncomfortable. But I’m not about to miss having a full meal for any reason. A single strand of hair is thicker than Fang’s patience, and I don’t want to go without because I moved around too much. He’s withheld food for much less. It would be lovely to not have to depend on him to eat, but “this is my new life after running away,” according to Fang. “Since you weren’t happy with what you had before, maybe you’ll be happier when I’m taking care of you.” Gee, if I had known running away and getting caught was going to land me in Fang’s direct care, I would have made a break for it and got caught much sooner. Now, instead of the studio apartment I was able to escape to at the end of the day, I get to stay in Fang’s basement, which has the exact amount of sunlight I need to be miserable. I have a mattress with a few springs poking out in one corner, and in the other, there’s a sink that never stops dripping beside a toilet with low flush pressure. Then there’s a desk Fang was so gracious to bring me. I have not one pen, pencil, or paper to write on to put the thing to use, but at least I can switch from sitting on the floor mattress to a wobbly desk chair. Not to mention that wonderfully aromatic dank smell that permeates the place. And what would this place be without the dim, low lighting? I never feel lonely at all; when I do go out, I’m the center of attention—all eyes are on me and whatever escort Fang chooses to make sure I don’t get lost and end up beyond the town. Good thing for that, too, because if not, this beating heart of mine that yearns to explore would undoubtedly have me way past the town. And for good measure, just in case I do get lost, the weighty black monitor on my ankle would make it so I’m easily found. “Cheer up,” he said, fastening the unbreakable thing around my ankle. “You should feel special since I’m making sure you don’t get lost again.” I’ve never felt so wanted in my life. But my favorite upgrade of all has got to be the concoction Fang pays a witch to make me every two weeks. My wolf hasn’t whispered to me in months because of it, and I’m so fucking ecstatic Fang took that extra step to make sure I never leave this town; so glad that my teeth haven’t unclenched since I started taking it. You don’t know what you have until it’s gone, something I’ve been painfully reminded of more than once in my life. “I gave him a chance, and he exhausted my patience,” Fang says, sucking me back to this hell. From what I heard, it wasn’t much of a chance—three weeks to scrape up twenty-five thousand dollars. It is more than his usual two weeks for any amount of money he’s owed, but for that amount, there was no way that man was ever going to pull that out of his ass. Fang knows that, but he doesn’t care. That way, he can do what he wants. It makes me sick to hear how merciless he is. Every day I’m glad he never learned where my family is. I’m sure he would have done something horrendous by now. But it’s the knowledge that they’re okay that keeps me going. The moment I have a shot at getting back to them again, I’m taking it…but next time, I’ll be smarter about it. Right now, all I can think about is that burger on the desk. Fang’s heavy hand palms the back of my head, and he combs his thick fingers through my short hair. I hate how his hands feel. “They bring this on themselves,” Fang states. “All they have to do is not piss me off, and they’d be good.” If I didn’t want to eat, I would have let out the groan that got stuck in