Mettle: (Spartan Riders #2)

by J.C. Valentine

  Scribbling her Jane Hancock, she stood, shook Ingram’s hand and accepted his praise on a job well done, then got the hell out of there. The sooner she left the case and all its baggage behind, the better for her sanity.

  Because while she might be holding it together on the outside, Talia was completely falling apart inside. What stung the worst was knowing that she’d done it all to herself. If only she knew how to fix it…

  THIRTY-FOUR

  Good music, good beer, and good women. Those were the makings of a fantastic night. At least they were before he met Talia.

  Facedown in a half-empty bottle of beer, Tucker was spending his Saturday as he always had: relaxing with his old friend Sam Adams. Except Sam wasn’t doing his job tonight. In fact, he wasn’t proving to be very good company at all.

  Figured. Just when he really needed the escape, there was none to be had. And wasn’t that just the way? If the world was full of bullies, life was definitely the top dog, always kicking the shit out of you when you were down.

  Or maybe he was looking at it all wrong. How did the saying go, when life handed you lemons, you were supposed to make lemonade? He’d spent his whole life avoiding the messy complications of relationships. It figured that the one time he decided to give it a shot and put himself out there, he’d go and get burned. Fourth-degree, all the way to the bone.

  So here he was, attempting and failing to numb the pain by getting wasted. When Moose dropped him off at Rebel Rousers, he’d also had the notion of getting laid. No better way to rid oneself of the feels than by screwing a bunch of women, right? Wrong. He took one look at all the hot pieces of ass dancing their way around the floor and knew he’d never get hard for a single one of them.

  His heart just wasn’t in it.

  What a piece of shit organ it was, too. Such a betrayal, taking sides with the very person who’d gone and stomped all over it. He always knew there was a reason he’d kept it under lock and key all these years. The fucker was an utter moron and royally sucked at love. Well, he’d learned his lesson. Never again was he letting that bastard out of his cage, didn’t matter how much he kicked and screamed. The risk-reward ratio was too steep.

  “Bartender, hit me again,” he slurred as the man passed by. He got a funny look in return, but who the fuck cared. He’d gone way past caring to not giving a single fuck. He planned to stay there for a very long time, too.

  “I’d ask if I can buy you a drink, but it looks like you’ve already drained the bar.”

  Every muscle in Tucker’s body stiffened, and he lifted his head, absorbing the shockwave just hearing her voice caused. “What are you doing here?”

  Talia, looking amazing in a black on black ensemble that was strikingly similar to the outfit he’d first met her in, didn’t appear fazed by his growling in the least. “I should think that’d be obvious.” Facing him head-on, Talia reached out, the heat of her hand on top of his scalding him. “I’d ask how you’re doing, but that’s pretty obvious too. So how is everyone? Are Blake and Gabby getting things figured out okay?”

  He snorted. Lifting his beer to his lips, Tucker drawled, “Nice of you to pretend to care.”

  “I do care.”

  “Then you’ll be happy to know that they’re gettin’ along just fine. Stayin’ at the clubhouse while Blake and his crew rebuilds.”

  “Good, I’m glad things are working out for them.”

  He grunted a response, which was all she was going to get from him. She didn’t deserve his words or his kindness. Not for a second.

  “I know I hurt you, Tuck, and I know I’m probably the last person you want to see right now,” she said accurately, “and I was planning to respect your wishes.”

  “Which brings us back to my initial question: What are you doing here, Talia? I thought I made myself clear. We’re done.” What was it with women who couldn’t get it through their damned heads when he didn’t want them anymore? Was it the Axe deodorant? Did that shit really work?

  “No, we’re not.” She stared directly into his eyes, and he felt the force of her will boring into his soul. “You love me, Tucker, and I love you.”

  “Yeah, sugar, I did…right up until I found out what a liar you are,” he snarled back. Yanking his hand out from under hers, Tucker fished out some cash so he could settle his tab and go. He didn’t want to be anywhere Talia was.

  That was a lie. He wanted to be everywhere she was. In her space, breathing her air, tasting her scent on his tongue.

  But that was his heart talking, and he’d already decided that the thing wouldn’t know it’s ass from a hole in the ground.

  “I deserve that.”

  “Damn right you do.”

  She grabbed his uninjured arm, her nails digging through his Henley. “But that doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t change the way I feel about you. I might have lied, but what I didn’t lie about was us. Despite what you might think about me, we were real. And I’m not going to let you just throw it away.”

  “The problem with that, sugar,” Tucker said, his tone conversational despite the heat boiling inside of him, “is that you don’t have any control over what I do or how I feel.”

  Turning away, he left her at the bar. Night had fallen since he’d first gone inside, the streetlights now casting their yellow glow over everything. Gravel crunched under Tucker’s boots as he trudged across the parking lot, already texting for the nearest Uber to come pick him up. Maybe he’d get lucky tonight and it’d be a serial killer, someone to put him out of his misery.

  Country music rent the night in a sudden wave as the door to the bar slammed open. “If you think I’m letting you walk away that easily, you’d better think again, buster!”

  A drunken smile slice across Tucker’s face in spite of his sour mood. He remembered how cute she’d been when she’d first called him that. If memory served, the tables had been reversed and she’d been the one who’d had a few too many drinks. Funny how things worked out like that.

  Although his attention was most definitely on her, he continued fiddling with his phone. “Go back inside, sugar. Find yourself another man whose bed you can lie your way into. I already got your number and I ain’t callin’.”

  The sound of her feet crunching across the loose stones picked up their pace until he was sure she was running, but before Tucker had a chance to turn around and find out if his suspicions were correct, he felt the flat of her hands slam into his back.

  The force she hit him with knocked him off balance, sending Tucker flying forward. His equilibrium compromised from too many beers, he almost lost his footing entirely. Almost.

  Recovering milliseconds away from a total face plant, Tucker whirled around and leveled Talia with a look of warning. “Don’t pick a fight you can’t win, sugar.”

  “Oh, you think just because you’re an ex-Special Operative and maintain five percent body fat that makes you superior to me? Because if I want to kick your ass, I will.”

  He laughed. Outright belly laughter that brought tears to his eyes. “Sugar, you always did know how to make me laugh.” He sobered quickly. “Whatever you’re playin’ at, it’s not gonna work. Hit me, yell at me, do whatever you gotta do, but I meant what I said. We’re over. The sooner you accept it, the sooner we can both move on with our lives.”

  “That doesn’t work for me.” Her hands balled into fists at her side. The woman was determined to get her way. He’d be proud of her for sticking to her guns if he didn’t hate her so much. “I love you, Tucker, and I’m going to keep saying it until you believe it.”

  Goddamn it. Rubbing the space between his eyes, Tucker sucked in a deep, fortifying breath and prayed for patience and strength. Mostly strength, because he was going to need it to get through this. If she’d just left him alone…

  “While I appreciate the effort you’re putting in here,” he said tiredly, “I can’t do this right now, so I’ll tell you what I told Bambi: this is where we part ways.”

  When she ju
st continued to stand there, saying nothing, Tucker turned his back on her once more and started walking. He needed the distance. Otherwise, he couldn’t promise what he’d do. Just seeing Talia again had his inside all twisted up in a knot. Her professions of love had gotten to him, and if he had to keep looking at her, talking to her, he might cave.

  He refused to cave.

  Nothing was going to make him cave.

  Not a single damn thing in this world could make him—

  He heard her advancing footsteps too late. Slamming into him, Talia nearly knocked them both over as she grabbed whatever part of him she could and jerked Tucker around. Tucker’s heart slammed around like a Ping-Pong ball inside his chest, drowning out the pain in his shoulder, as he looked down on the little imp who was similarly out of breath.

  Eyes wide with desperation, she said, “I don’t accept that.” Then she leaped up, grabbing onto his shoulders—fucking hell, the pain!—and wrapping her legs around his hips, clinging to him like a human vine, invading his space and taking over his very being. Without waiting for his permission, Talia’s mouth crashed down on his, kissing the breath right out of him.

  She kissed him long.

  She kissed him hard.

  She kissed him like her life depended on it.

  She kissed him until he forgot about the hole in his shoulder.

  She kissed him until he forgot why he was mad at her.

  She kissed him until he kissed back.

  And then she kept on kissing him.

  Tucker didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but they didn’t stop until the sudden and unexpected sound of a car horn interrupted them.

  “My driver is here,” Tucker said against her lips. His arms, now tied tight beneath her bottom, holding her up, drew her closer.

  “Tell him to take a hike.”

  “Yeah? And how will I get home?”

  He felt her lips curve up against his. “I’d be happy to give you a ride.”

  Dirty girl. The horn honked again, three rapid, impatient beeps. Lifting his head, Tucker waved the guy off. Together, they watched the taillights fade into the night, a sense of finality setting in.

  “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  “You broke my heart.”

  Regret and shame filled her eyes and added a trembled to her voice. “I know. Will you forgive me?”

  “Already have, sugar.”

  “Thank you for giving me a second chance,” Talia whispered, her fingertips caressing the side of his face.

  His eyes slipped closed briefly, loving the way she touched him. “I didn’t do it for you,” he admitted. Setting her back on her feet, Tucker slipped his hand into hers and started leading the way back toward the bar, to the space he’d spotted her car parked. “I’ve been playing the field my whole life, Talia. No one had ever inspired me to do different, until you. I can’t pinpoint what it was or the exact moment things changed for me, but they did. I can’t ignore that. I can’t just pretend that it didn’t happen or that it doesn’t matter. The last few days have proven that much,” he said, indicating the bar with a wave of his hand as testament. “But if we’re going to do this, I have to know that I can trust you one hundred percent. I have to know that there’s nothing else you’re keepin’ from me.”

  Stepping in front of him, Talia took both of his hands in hers and tilted her head back to look him in the eyes. With unwavering clarity, she said, “You can trust me. One hundred percent, Tuck. I’m in this all the way.”

  His thumbs grazed over the back of her hands, his gaze searching hers. When he was satisfied with what he found, he transferred his hold to her face and leaned in to steal a kiss. “I never thought I’d say this, but so am I, sugar. One hundred percent.”

  “Are you sure? You’ve always prided yourself on being a free man. I don’t want you to regret being with me later.”

  Stroking her cheek, Tucker’s gaze intensified. “I won’t regret anything.”

  Holding his hand to her face, she nuzzled his palm. “How can you be sure, though?”

  Recognizing the fear in her eyes, Tucker clucked his tongue. “Sugar, I’ve spent forever having fun, being afraid to get too serious with anyone. I wasn’t ready to change my life, especially not for someone else, but now I know that it’s because I never met the right person for me. That’s you. You’re it for me. It just took me a while to realize it.”

  “Then why did you try to take off on me tonight?”

  “Because I’m an ass, and I wasn’t ready to stop being mad at you.” She scowled, and it was so adorable, he chuckled. “That lasted all of five minutes, though. As soon as you said you love me, it was over. I knew I couldn’t keep running.”

  “And you love me too?”

  “I didn’t want to, but yeah, sugar, I do.”

  Her eyes grew misty then, and she sniffled. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy and relieved at the same time before.”

  “I know the feeling.” Taking her under his wing, Tucker resumed their walk toward her car. “So where are we headed, my place or yours?”

  “My place is more private,” she said, “but fair warning, it’s only mine for two more days and then the Bureau is kicking me out.”

  “You’re about to be homeless? Damn, that puts a dent in my plans.”

  She paused, looking up at him. “Did those plans happen to involve no clothes and lots of moaning?”

  “Of course.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. This just gives me a reason to start looking for our new love pad.”

  “Our?”

  “Yep. Didn’t I tell you, sugar? You’re moving in with me.” They reached the car, and Tucker opened the driver’s side door for her.

  “Move in together? Don’t you think that’s a little fast?”

  “It’s a big decision, I’ll admit, but it makes things easier in the long run.”

  Narrowing her eyes, Talia asked, “What things?”

  “Marriage of course, and babies. We’ll definitely have some of those. I’m thinking we should get started right away. I’m not getting any younger you know.”

  Talia spluttered, lost for words. Tucker chuckled and pushed her down into the driver’s seat. She might be freaking out now, but he knew she’d come around to his way of thinking. If there was anything his woman had, it was a good head on her shoulders. Plus, he had ways of getting what he wanted.

  “I should add,” Tucker said once he’d placed himself into the passenger seat, “that I plan to give you my patch right away.” Her head whipped around, eyes wide with shock. He smirked. “I want everyone to know you’re my old lady.”

  “Yeah,” she said slowly, his words sinking in.

  “You think you’re up for this, sugar?”

  In this, she didn’t hesitate. Reaching across the counsel, Talia grabbed his hand and squeezed. She didn’t say anything, but then again, she didn’t have to. The love she felt for him shown plainly in her eyes, leaving no room for doubt. She loved him, and more than that, Tucker loved her back.

  “Come here, sugar. Give your old man a kiss.”

  She didn’t need to be told twice. Launching herself at him, Talia kissed the hell out of him, and he gave it right back.

  He wasn’t naïve enough to think that their life was going to be rainbows and unicorns from then on out, but if there was one thing Tucker knew from watching those around him it was that love was everlasting. As long as they took care of it, protected it, then everything else would fall into place.

  The End.

  Read more books by J.C. VALENTINE

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  J.C. Valentine is the USA Today and International bestselling author of the Night Calls and Wayward Fighters Series and the Forbidden Trilogy. Her vivid imagination and love of words and romance had her penning her own romance stories from an early age, which, despite being poorly edited and written longhand, she forced friends and family members to read. No, she isn't sorry.


  J.C. earned her own happily ever after when she married her high school sweetheart. Living in the Northwest, they have three amazing children and far too many pets and spend much of their free time together enjoying movies or the outdoors. Among the many hats she wears, J.C. is an entrepreneur. Having graduated with honors, she holds a Bachelor's in English and when she isn't writing, you can find her editing for fellow authors.

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